(Photo courtesy of FOX Sports and Zuffa, LLC.)
Mauricio Rua vs. Brandon Vera: Rua via TKO (Punches), Round 4, 4:09
Lyoto Machida vs. Ryan Bader: Machida via KO (Punch), Round 2, 1:32
Joe Lauzon vs. Jamie Varner: Lauzon via Submission (Triangle Choke), Round 3, 2:44
Mike Swick vs. Damarques Johnson: Swick via KO (Punches), Round 2, 1:20 Continue reading »
Former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion “Shogun” Rua (left) and Muay Thai specialist Brandon Vera (right) are slated for battle in Saturday night’s UFC on FOX 4 main event. (Photo courtesy of Zuffa, LLC.)
Mauricio Rua (205.0) vs. Brandon Vera (203.8)
Lyoto Machida (201.0) vs. Ryan Bader (205.0)
Joe Lauzon (155.8) vs. Jamie Varner (156.0)
Mike Swick (170.0) vs. Damarques Johnson (171.0) Continue reading »
Up-and-coming featherweight fighter Steven Siler (red shorts) has flown somewhat under the radar thus far in his career, but has the skillset to earn the praises of casual and hardcore fans alike. His next chance to do so will come this Friday in the UFC on FX 4 prelims. (Photo courtesy of Zuffa, LLC.)
The UFC once again brings its roster of top mixed martial arts talent to the FX network Friday night with UFC on FX 4: Maynard vs. Guida. The marquee attraction sees a lightweight affair between “The Bully” Gray Maynard (10-1-1) and “The Carpenter” Clay Guida (29-11) as they battle it out for potential title contention in the UFC’s 155lbs. division. Supporting the main event are the likes of “Hands of Stone” Sam Stout (17-7-1) and “The King” Spencer Fisher (24-8) duking it out for the third time in a lightweight tilt, 170ers “Bad Boy” Brian Ebersole (49-14-1) and TJ Waldburger (15-6) facing off in what will likely be a brawl on the canvas, and British TUF alum “The Real Deal” Ross Pearson (13-5) and WEC veteran Cub Swanson (16-5) fighting to ascend the 145lbs. division ladder. Though much of the MMA fan base will have their eyes glued to the main card on FX, as always, the prelims on Facebook and Fuel TV offer some entertaining match-ups as well, featuring some of the best up-and-comers in the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization. Among the long list of promising undercard fighters to keep an eye on is “Super” Steven Siler (20-9). Continue reading »
(Photo courtesy of Zuffa, LLC.)
Thiago Alves vs. Martin Kampmann: Kampmann via Submission (Guillotine Choke), Round 3, 4:12
Joseph Benavidez vs. Yasuhiro Urushitani: Benavidez via TKO (Punch), Round 2, 0:11
Demetrious Johnson vs. Ian McCall: Bout ruled a Majority Draw (29-28, 29-29, 29-28), Round 3, 5:00
Court McGee vs. Constantinos Philippou: Philippou via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28), Round 3, 5:00 Continue reading »
Nate Diaz's (bottom) Jiu-Jitsu game is well beyond that of most of the lightweight division and will be one of his greatest weapons against Donald Cerrone come Friday night. (Photo courtesy of Zuffa, LLC.)
The world’s premiere MMA organization finishes off the year with a bang this Friday night with UFC 141: Lesnar vs. Overeem. Undefeated featherweight prospect “The Kid” Jimy Hettes (9-0) takes on Nam Phan (19-10) in the main card’s opening bout. “The Janitor” Vladimir Matyushenko (26-5) collides with the fast rising “The Mauler” Alexander Gustafsson (12-1) to see whose stock gets a lift in the light heavyweight division. Johny Hendricks (11-1) is looking to get into the higher echelon of the welterweight class but will first have to grind it out against former title challenger Jon Fitch (22-3). The main event is seen as the classic “grappler versus striker” formula as former UFC heavyweight champ Brock Lesnar (5-2) and current K-1, DREAM, and Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion “The Demolition Man” Alistair Overeem (34-11) fill the roles, respectively. The co-main event is receiving just as much acclaim as the marquee feature as Nate Diaz (13-8) and “Cowboy” Donald Cerrone (16-4) butt heads in a lightweight match-up. Diaz and Cerrone are two of the sport’s most enigmatic personalities but once the cage door seals, this clash of personalities will turn into a battle truly worthy of remembering. Continue reading »
A well-rounded fighter, Ross Pearson (red gloves) will have a serious challenge ahead of him when he meets the more technical and taller fighter Edson Barboza. Where Pearson might have the edge is in his submission game provided he can take and hold down Barboza. (Photo courtesy of Zuffa, LLC.)
UFC 134 returns to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil after a 13-year span to present one of the biggest cards of the year. Two Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belts and heavy-handed fighters collide when the native “Banha” Luiz Cane (9-3) welcomes Stanislav Nedkov (5-0) to the cage. “The Hybrid” Brendan Schaub (7-1) continues to build his case as contender when he meets “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (32-6-1) in a heavyweight battle. A rematch of the ages closes the main card when former light heavyweight champions “Shogun” Mauricio Rua (19-5) and Forrest Griffin (18-6) meet again with Rua looking to even the score. In the main event, “Thunder” Yushin Okami (26-5) will attempt to pull a stunning upset in Rio when he battles the hometown favorite and an old nemesis, “The Spider” Anderson Silva (28-4). In between all this action, the lightweight division makes its presence known when “The Real Deal” Ross Pearson (17-6-1) travels across the pond to take on Edson Barboza Jr. (8-0). With both always seeking to press the action, a win in Brazil could be just what they need in order to raise their stock significantly in the 155lbs. division. Continue reading »
(Photo courtesy of Matt Homeyer)
On Sunday, August 14, the UFC made its Milwaukee, Wisconsin debut in spectacular fashion, courtesy of UFC on Versus 5: Lytle vs. Hardy. Although it took a while for the premier mixed martial arts promotion to finally land in the Badger State, I can assure you that the local MMA community has been abuzz about the prospect of a live UFC event for quite some time now. Especially with the surge in popularity of Duke Roufus’ gym Roufusport in Milwaukee and all the young talent it has brought forth – “Showtime” Anthony Pettis (13-2), “Dannyboy” Dan Downes (8-2), and “New Breed” Erik Koch (12-1) just to name a few – Milwaukee was ready for the UFC. Much to the delight of fans in in Milwaukee and worldwide, the UFC delivered in a big way with its most recent effort, bringing to the cage some of the best up-and-comers that the organization has to offer as well as some of its respected veterans, including a main event between British slugger “The Outlaw” Dan Hardy (23-10) and heavy-handed “Lights Out” Chris Lytle (31-18-5). Continue reading »
So, here it is. Monday. I sit down to write a “Spilled Bag of Fights”. Black coffee, Black Sabbath and my pup by my side. Deep breath. Man, what a roller coaster of a weekend for MMA… for me at least.
First off, I’d be remiss if I didn’t pay condolences to coach Shawn Tompkins. I didn’t know him personally but he’s obviously had a great impact on his students and the sport and his death comes way too young. Sad for his friends, family, and MMA.
Let’s start with Friday when I was unexpectedly given a ticket to Strikeforce Challengers: Gurgel vs. Duarte. When I showed up I was surprised to be sitting next to MMA Valor’s own Dylan Horner. I also went to UFC 125: Edgar vs. Maynard with him. For some reason whenever I sit next to Dylan there’s a drunken moron yelling really dumb shit. Last time it was the guy who was yelling “Flip ‘em over!”, “Don’t take that bullshit!” and insisting that Asians can fly and that Clay Guida looks like Dog the Bounty Hunter. This time it was a guy who looked like John Denver with a mustache. He looked like he stepped out of his time machine from 1978 and sat down in front of us. Some of his gems included: “Kick ‘em in the balls!”, “You hit like a girl!” and as soon as the fight went to the ground, “C’mon ref, Stand ‘em up!” and “Kick ‘em in the head!”. Clearly, this gentleman that people in our section dubbed “Shaggy” had a less-than-educated understanding of the rules of mixed martial arts. Continue reading »
"The Outlaw" Dan Hardy (left) and "Lights Out" Chris Lytle (right) square off in the main event in what is expected to be Lytle's last fight before retirement. (Photo courtesy of Zuffa, LLC.)
Dan Hardy vs. Chris Lytle: Lytle via Submission (Guillotine Choke), Round 3, 4:16
Jim Miller vs. Ben Henderson: Henderson via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-26), Round 3, 5:00
Charles Oliveira vs. Donald Cerrone: Cerrone via TKO (Strikes), Round 1, 3:01
Amir Sadollah vs. Duane Ludwig: Ludwig via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28), Round 3, 5:00 Continue reading »
Strikeforce light heavyweight rising star Ovince St. Preux joined Gary Friedman and Spilled Bag of Ice on this week's episode of MMA Gospel Radio. (Photo courtesy of Dave Mandel and Sherdog)
This week on MMA Gospel Radio, host Gary Friedman was joined by a guest co-host, the always entertaining Spilled Bag of Ice. The pair started the broadcast with a discussion of the UFC Fight for the Troops 2 card from last Saturday. Topics included Cole Miller (13-5) and Evan Dunham (10-2) and whether or not the pair were overrated prior to their losses to Matt Wiman (17-5) and “The Young Assassin” Melvin Guillard (26-8-2), respectively. Also on the table was a discussion of the impressive performance of “Meathead” Matt Mitrione (4-0) and his over-the-top personality and showmanship. Of course, his “Meatstache” was mentioned, as well. Continue reading »
So, it’s been a while. Well, actually there was a “Spilled Bag of Chat” with Team MeatBerry last week. Here’s the link if you missed it.
Thankfully, we had UFC Fight for the Troops 2 on Saturday so I have something to write about… aside from my leaking ceiling, which was fixed supposedly, thanks for asking. We’ll see next time it rains.
So, right… Should I go in order or just wing it? Freestyle. Well, we live in an era of short attention spans, right? I think I read that somewhere on the Internet. What was I talking about? Oh yeah, the micro-information, multi-tasking, Attention Deficit Disorder epidemic. Well, obviously you guys read, right? But still… I better keep it moving to hold your attention. I hear weed is good for that. Nick Diaz told me. Or maybe I read it online. I dunno, I can’t concentrate. I think I need some medical marijuana. Are any of you guys stoned right now? Like you. Yes, YOU. Am I freaking you out, man? Okay, my short attention span has expired on this joke… but how about this one. I was wondering why Matt Mitrione did not have his much ballyhooed “Meatstache” for the fight. After all, there was so much talk of it taking over the world (listen to the “Spilled Bag of Chat”!) and it was seen looking ready for war at the weigh-ins the day before the fights. In fact, at the face-off between Tim Hague and Matt, Meatstache looked like it was ready to throw down with Tim’s beard right then and there. And yet, when Matt walked into the Octagon on Saturday night, his face was conspicuously clean-shaven. What happened?! I sure don’t know. I asked Matt on Twitter and have not gotten a reply yet. So, I can only imagine what happened. And when I imagine what happened, it goes a little something like this: Continue reading »
Melvin Guillard (right) put on an amazing performance against Evan Dunham (left), who joins fellow lightweight Cole Miller in the move from hot prospect to overhyped blue chipper following UFC Fight for the Troops 2. (Photo courtesy of Zuffa, LLC.)
The UFC’s second card dedicated to the men and women of our Armed Forces couldn’t have gone better for the promotion. UFC Fight for the Troops 2 came out guns blazing with a card stacked with not necessarily the top fighters in their divisions, but certainly some of the most exciting and the show did not disappoint. All of the main card bouts and the majority of the prelims featured bell to bell action with several potentially career-changing performances for the men in the cage. While there were a few close calls involving an absentminded referee and the occasional lackadaisical late round fighter, the card delivered in a big way for the fighters, fans, and most importantly, the troops live at Fort Hood. However, it can’t be all wine and roses for everyone involved, so MMA Gospel is here with The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of Fight for the Troops 2. Continue reading »
"The Young Assassin" Melvin Guillard put on a dominant performance at UFC Fight for the Troops 2, TKOing top lightweight prospect Evan Dunham just 2:58 into the first round. (Photo courtesy of the Associated Press)
—Prelims (Non-Televised)—
Amilcar Alves vs. Charlie Brenneman: Brenneman via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Will Campuzano vs. Chris Cariaso: Cariaso via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
—Prelims on Facebook Live Stream—
Rani Yahya vs. Mike Brown: Yahya via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Willamy Freire vs. Waylon Lowe: Lowe via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Yves Edwards vs. Cody McKenzie: Edwards via Technical Submission (Rear Naked Choke), Round 2, 4:33
Mike Guymon vs. DaMarques Johnson: Johnson via Verbal Submission (Injury from Body Triangle), Round 1, 3:22
—Main Card (Spike TV)—
Cole Miller vs. Matt Wiman: Wiman via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
Pat Barry vs. Joey Beltran: Barry via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Mark Hominick vs. George Roop: Hominick via TKO (Punches), Round 1, 1:28
Matt Mitrione vs. Tim Hague: Mitrione via TKO (Punches), Round 1, 2:59
Melvin Guillard vs. Evan Dunham: Guillard via TKO (Punches and Knees), Round 1, 2:58
A more technical striker and far superior submission fighter, Evan Dunham (top) has a distinct advantage over Melvin Guillard in tonight's main event bout at UFC Fight for the Troops 2. (Photo courtesy of Dave Mandel and Sherdog)
The UFC sets out tonight to show their appreciation for the men and women of the United States Armed Forces once again with the second installment of UFC Fight for the Troops at Fort Hood, Texas. The card features several prominent names and UFC veterans including “Handsome” Matt Wiman (12-5), dangerous boxer “The Mexicutioner” Joey Beltran (10-3), heavyweight fan favorite “Hype or Die” Pat Barry (4-3), WEC veteran “The Machine” Mark Hominick (18-7), “The Thrashing Machine” Tim Hague (10-4), and The Ultimate Fighter alums “Meathead” Matt Mitrione (3-0), George Roop (11-5-1), and “Magrinho” Cole Miller (17-4). For the main event, the UFC has provided the troops with a sure fire action packed crowd pleaser between two of the most promising young lightweights in the organization’s journeyman ranks with “The Young Assassin” Melvin Guillard (25-8-2) taking on top prospect Evan Dunham (10-1). Guillard enters the bout riding a three fight win streak and a 5-1 record since 2008 after a rocky start following his stint on TUF Season 2. Dunham steps into the cage looking to redeem himself after suffering his first loss in a very narrow and controversial Split Decision against “The Muscle Shark” Sean Sherk (34-4-1) at UFC 119 in August. Both men have exciting styles and every reason to go for broke in their quest to prove they belong at the top of the lightweight division. Continue reading »
(Photo courtesy of Zuffa, LLC.)
—Prelims—
Will Campuzano: 135lbs.
Chris Cariaso: 135lbs.
Charlie Brenneman: 171lbs.
Amilcar Alves: 171lbs.
Willamy Freire: 155lbs.
Waylon Lowe: 156lbs.
Mike Brown: 146lbs.
Rani Yahya: 145lbs.
—Prelims on Facebook Live Stream—
Mike Guymon: 170.5lbs.
DaMarques Johnson: 170lbs.
Cody McKenzie: 155lbs.
Yves Edwards: 155lbs.
—Main Card—
Cole Miller: 155.5lbs.
Matt Wiman: 155lbs.
Pat Barry: 240lbs.
Joey Beltran: 230lbs.
Mark Hominick: 145.5lbs.
George Roop: 145lbs.
Tim Hague: 256.5lbs.
Matt Mitrione: 260lbs.
Evan Dunham: 156lbs.
Melvin Guillard: 155lbs.