(SportsHaze.com Original)
Fans may have just witnessed the emergence of a new UFC Lightweight Title contender.
Melvin Guillard shocked the MMA world with his upset win over Lightweight standout Evan Dunham in the main event of UFC Fight for the Troops 2 on Saturday at Fort Hood in Killeen, Texas.
Guillard's power was felt almost immediately by Dunham, who began to work for the takedown after eating a hard punch early.
"The Young Assassin" showed improvement in his defense as he fought through the grappling transitions and escaped the clutches of Dunham's black-belt-level BJJ.
On the feet, Guillard was aggressive and stormed Dunham with a barrage of combinations. Wobbled from the flurry, Dunham desperately sought out the takedown, but his attempt was met with solid defense and strong hammer fists.
After releasing the takedown, Dunham tried to back away to clear the cobwebs, but Guillard never let up on the pressure as he worked hard to finish.
The violence finally came to a conclusion when Guillard followed a couple of knees with some vicious ground punches that forced the ref to step in at 2:58 of the first round.
"I want my title shot. I'm the dark horse in the game. No disrespect to anyone in my weight class, but I'm the best 155-pound fighter in the world," Guillard said.
This is the biggest win of Guillard's MMA career. Dunham is a world class fighter and considered by many to be a viable threat to the Lightweight title. Could 2011 be the year of Melvin Guillard?
"I will go undefeated in 2011, and I'll get a title shot no later than 2012," said Guillard.
Mark Hominick Makes Quick Work of George Roop, Secures UFC Title Shot
It took Mark Hominick a mere 88 seconds to dispatch of George Roop and earn his shot at UFC Featherweight Champion Jose Aldo.
Roop had the right idea of using his superior reach to keep his distance and pick his shots on the outside, but Hominick's speed and precision proved too much for the Tucson, Ariz., native.
Hominick hurt Roop with a straight right hand less than a minute into the fight. He followed with a couple of hard left hooks that sent the disoriented Roop crashing to the canvas and forcing the ref to call a halt to the action.
Roop, who wasn't completely unconscious, tried to argue the stoppage, but he could hardly stand on his own afterwards.
Hominick is expected to challenge Aldo at UFC 129 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Aldo has won 11 straight and is widely considered as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world. Hominick will have his work cut out for him.
"Jose is next," said Hominick. "I think he's the best pound-for-pound, but he's never faced anyone like me, and I'm going to go out there and prove it."
Matt Mitrione Keeps Smile Intact, Stops Tim Hague
Before the fight, Tim Hague talked about wiping the smirk from Matt Mitrione's face. Similar threats have been made before.
Could Hague actually deliver on his promise? The answer was a resounding no.
With his fourth straight UFC win, Mitrione hopes to be welcomed with stiffer competition in his next octagon appearance.
Mitrione continued his unbeaten streak as he wiped the floor with Hague and netted the TKO stoppage at 2:59 of the first round.
"I wanted to emulate Dominick Cruz. I wanted to be the 265-pound Dominick Cruz. I love the way you fight, brother, you're elusive, and I wanted to be just like that," said Mitrione.
The improved footwork of Mitrione was the difference in this fight. He was able to string together punches in the open and move out of range when Hague became desperate for the takedown.
By controlling distance, Mitrione forced Hague into telegraphing takedown attempts, which made them easier to defend.
"I want to get tested," Mitrione said. "I think Tim is a good fighter. I'm not going to bite off more than I can chew, but I'm here to fight. I'm here to get a piece of that gold."
It could be awhile before we see Mitrione back in action again. Even though it was a dominant performance, "Meathead" may not be leaving Fort Hood unscathed.
"I think I broke my left hand," stated Mitrione.
Pat Barry Chops Down Joey Beltran
It took a three-round effort, but Pat Barry rebounded from his June 2010 loss to Mirko Cro Cop with a unanimous decision victory over Joey Beltran.
After having his leg used as Barry's personal Muay Thai bag, Beltran may have a noticeable limp for weeks to come. Barry, a former K-1 fighter, chopped at Beltran's left leg throughout the fight. The extensive work paid dividends in the later rounds as Beltran's battered leg began to buckle from under him.
"The dude is a zombie," Barry told UFC commentator Joe Rogan after the fight. "I kicked him in his face 300 times. I think I beat his leg to death, and he was going to keep coming no matter what. If we had two more rounds, he'd be hopping around on one leg. That guy is a monster."
Despite taking significant punishment in the final round, Beltran's strategy of closing the distance and working short strikes against the cage proved effective early in the fight.
The chorus of boos that erupted throughout the audience may have resulted in a couple of early separations from referee Mario Yamasaki.
Beltran was able to land consistently during the exchanges, but Barry's rugged chin absorbed most of the damage.
The Roufusport member's willingness to linger in the pocket and Beltran's sloppy offense opened up a multitude of counters. In the end, the judges saw the fight as 30-27, 29-28, and 29-28 in Barry's favor.
With this win, Barry's UFC record improves to 3-2. This is the first fight in his MMA career that has gone the distance.
Matt Wiman Silences Cole Miller
The pre-fight jawing between Cole Miller and Matt Wiman ended up being more competitive than the actual fight.
For three rounds, Wiman controlled from top and rained down vicious ground and pound to rout Miller for the unanimous decision. The official scorecards read 29-28, 30-27, and 30-27.
"I was going through a lot of nerves before this fight," said Wiman, who picked up his third straight win in the octagon. "It's probably the most nervous I've ever been."
Despite his feelings, Wiman's nerves never impeded his strategy of pressing the action and forcing Miller out of his comfort zone.
In the first round, Miller attempted to counter Wiman's aggression with good lateral movement and clinch work, but Wiman's constant pressure eventually forced Miller to try his luck on the ground.
After shrugging off Miller's attempt to pull guard, Wiman quickly went to work on establishing his dominance from top. Miller, a black belt in BJJ, had no answers from bottom as Wiman maintained top position and loaded up on unanswered shots.
The next two rounds were more of the same. Wiman continued his constant barrage of ground and pound, and Miller struggled to put forth any offense.
Either one of those final two rounds could've been considered as 10-8 rounds. It was interesting that one judge gave Miller a round in the fight. Wiman seemed to be in control from start to finish.
Official Results
Melvin Guillard def. Evan Dunham by TKO at 2:58, R1
Matt Mitrione def. Tim Hague by TKO at 2:59, R1
Mark Hominick def. George Roop by TKO at 1:28, R1
Pat Barry def. Joey Beltran by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Matt Wiman def. Cole Miller by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
Yves Edwards def. Cody McKenzie by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 4:33, R2
DaMarques Johnson def. Mike Guymon by Submission (Body Triangle) at 3:22, R1
Rani Yahya def. Mike Brown by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Waylon Lowe def. Willamy Freire by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Charlie Brenneman def. Amilcar Alves by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Chris Cariaso def. Will Campuzano by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
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