“MTB” Mike Brown: Climbing His Way Back to the Top

 Posted by at 12:03 PM  Features, MMA News, UFC  No Responses »
Sep 042011
 

"MTB" Mike Brown (red trunks) built his name on hard work ethics and two destructions of Urijah Faber (black trunks) in the WEC, gaining a reputation as a blue collar hero. (Photo courtesy of Zuffa, LLC.)

Mike Thomas Brown (21-8), also known as “MTB”, is the former WEC Featherweight Champion. He is the man who soundly defeated former featherweight champ and UFC bantamweight title contender ”The California Kid” Urijah Faber (25-5) not once but twice, steamrolled and bloodied “Bad Boy” Leonard Garcia (15-7), and was on top of the world at 145lbs. and looked to be staying there for a long time. However, his glory was short lived after he crashed back down to Earth following his defeat at the hands of current champion “Junior” Jose Aldo (18-1). Since losing his WEC belt, Brown has gone 3-3 in his last six bouts and just recently returned to the winning side of the fighting game after earning a much needed and hard fought decision over Nam Phan (18-10). Now with his legs back under him, Brown is looking to take on the rest of the UFC featherweight division but in a wise and well planned out onslaught. However, many fans still don’t understand what was causing the feared American Top Team stand-out to seem human. The issue, in Brown’s words, was a case of “bad luck and tough luck”. Continue reading »

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UFC Fight for the Troops 2 Pre-Fight Breakdown: Pat Barry vs. Joey Beltran

 Posted by at 11:21 AM  MMA News, UFC  No Responses »
Jan 202011
 

"Hype or Die" Pat Barry's (black trunks) kicks will help play a significant role in his upcoming fight against Joey Beltran. With vicious power behind each leg, Barry likely will be able to slowly neutralize any threats Beltran offers. (Photo courtesy of Zuffa, LLC.)

For all the men and women in uniform serving and fighting each day to protect Americans’ lives and freedom, it seems fitting at the very least that the UFC presents a second installment of Fight for the Troops as a way of saying “thank you”. This Saturday night from Fort Hood, Texas, UFC Fight for the Troops 2 aims to do just that and show both American and worldwide audiences just how grateful citizens are for the troops’ service. Before the card’s main event featuring the explosive “The Young Assassin” Melvin Guillard (25-8-2) versus Jiu-Jitsu wizard Evan Dunham (10-1), undefeated The Ultimate Fighter 10 alum Matt Mitrione (3-0) competes against “The Thrashing Machine” Tim Hague (10-4) in the co-main event, former WEC featherweights George Roop (11-5) and “The Machine” Mark Hominick (18-7) battle it out as a supporting event, and proceeding American Top Team stand-out “Magrinho” Cole Miller (17-4) taking on “Handsome” Matt Wiman (12-5), two of the heavyweight division’s heavy-limbed strikers are set to take the stage at Fort Hood for a stand-up war. On one end of the Octagon will stand the energetically animated yet equally lethal kickboxer in “Hype or Die” Pat Barry (4-3). The opposite side will bear a former King of the Cage contender and concrete-handed “The Mexicutioner” Joey Beltran (10-3). With a majority of both fighters’ bouts ending in a (T)KO, the troops returning back home are promised a fight nothing short of memorable. Continue reading »

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UFC Fight for the Troops 2 Pre-Fight Breakdown: Cole Miller vs. Matt Wiman

 Posted by at 7:46 AM  MMA News, UFC  No Responses »
Jan 192011
 

Matt Wiman (white/blue trunks) faces American Top Team stand-out Cole Miller this Saturday at UFC Fight for the Troops 2. The lightweights will be fighting to earn a coveted spot at the top of the 155lbs. division. (Photo courtesy of Dave Mandel and Sherdog)

This Saturday night the UFC presents their second edition of Fight for the Troops out of Fort Hood, Texas. The card may lack the typical plethora of mainstream contenders, but don’t fall into the trap of thinking that just because names such as “Rampage” Quinton Jackson (29-8) or “Rush” Georges St. Pierre (21-2) are not on the card that this is a lackluster event. UFC Fight for the Troops 2 presents a who’s who of fighters ready to take their game to the next level.  In the main event the Greg Jackson protege “The Young Assassin” Melvin Guillard  (25-8-2) takes on the rising star of Evan Dunham (10-1). Former NFL star and The Ultimate Fighter Season 10 stand-out Matt Mitrione (3-0) will encounter King of the Cage veteran “The Thrashing Machine” Tim Hague (10-4) and the newly acquired WEC featherweights will make their UFC debut with Mark Hominick (18-7), currently riding a four fight win streak, against another TUF alum in George Roop (11-5) who is returning to the Octagon after a second round head kick knockout of “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung (10-3). Two of the UFC’s heavyweight colossuses will encounter in a fan-friendly stand-up war when “Hype or Die” Pat Barry (4-3) meets with “The Mexicutioner” Joey Beltran (10-3), but the honors of kicking the main card go to three-time Submission of the Night winner “Magrinho” Cole Miller (17-4) and three-time Fight of the Night winner “Handsome” Matt Wiman (12-5). These two not only will be given the opportunity to showcase their talents in front of America’s servicemen and women at Fort Hood, Texas, they will set the bar for the night to follow. Continue reading »

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Cody McKenzie Talks “McKenzietine”, Training in Alaska, and UFC Fight for the Troops 2

 Posted by at 11:50 AM  MMA News, UFC  No Responses »
Jan 182011
 

Undefeated Cody McKenzie (black/red trunks) takes on "Thug Jitsu" founder Yves Edwards this Saturday at UFC Fight for the Troops 2. (Photo courtesy of Scott Petersen and MMA Weekly)

The Ultimate Fighter 12 alum and Alaska native “The Deadliest Catch” Cody McKenzie (12-0) is one of several up-and-coming stars and TUF stand-outs featured on this Saturday’s UFC Fight for the Troops 2 card. McKenzie faces UFC, PRIDE, Elite XC, and BoDogFIGHT veteran and founder of “Thug Jitsu” Yves Edwards (39-16-1) in one of two preliminary bouts featured on a Facebook live stream – those who “like” the UFC on the social networking site can access the live stream Saturday night.

McKenzie’s professional MMA career barely spans four years and already the lightweight has racked up a dozen consecutive victories as well as a successful stint on The Ultimate Fighter. Furthermore, his last nine fights were won by first round submission with McKenzie’s special brand of modified Guillotine Choke, now dubbed “The McKenzietine”. The TUF alum has spent an astonishingly short cumulative total of 24 minutes and 16 seconds in the cage throughout his entire career, finishing 11 of his 12 opponents in the first stanza and allowing just one to make it to almost the halfway point of the second. Continue reading »

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For Many Fighters, UFC Fight for the Troops May Also Be A Fight for Their Jobs

 Posted by at 11:57 AM  MMA News, UFC  No Responses »
Jan 152011
 

It may be the last chance to prove they belong in the UFC for many of the fighters slated to fight at the UFC's second installment of Fight for the Troops. (Photo courtesy of Zuffa, LLC.)

In another of its events centered around the support for the U.S. Military, the UFC brings the men and women in uniform at Fort Hood Military Base its most recent effort with UFC Fight for the Troops 2. The card features several rising stars including “The Young Assassin” Melvin Guillard (25-8-2) who is on a quest to continue his rebirth as a UFC standout, top prospect Evan Dunham (10-1) who looks to improve on his 4-1 UFC record, The Ultimate Fighter Season 10 contestant Matt Mitrione (3-0) who continues to build his name as a heavyweight, and another TUF alum in “The Deadliest Catch” Cody McKenzie (12-0) who looks to remain undefeated at the expense of yet another UFC lightweight.  All of these men are talents that the UFC seems to have a vested interest in cultivating; win, lose, or draw chances are, they aren’t going anywhere. However, for several fighters on this card, Fight for the Troops could be more aptly named Fight for Your Job. The UFC has been leaving pink slips in the lockers of the most unexpected fighters for several months now to make room for the influx of new talent from the WEC which has many fighters wondering if they’re next. Continue reading »

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