KILLEEN, Texas – Melvin Guillard said coming into his fight with the fast-rising Evan Dunham, that he was focused like never before in his MMA career. If his performance tonight was any indication of his newly found focus, then the UFC lightweight division better take notice.

Guillard outclassed Dunham with a mixture of speed and power, but before he could show any of his stand up prowess, he would have to withstand the dangerous ground game of Dunham. After Dunham got the fight to the ground, he was unable to control the explosiveness of Guillard in the scramble, while Guillard used patience and the cage to wait for the perfect time to return to his feet.

When he did, it was all Guillard.

Guillard peppered Dunham with big right hands and uppercuts before landing a crisp right hand that dropped Dunham. Dunham went into survival mode, grabbing a single and trying to get Guillard back to the ground.

Guillard kept his balance, drove Dunham into the cage, then punished him with a brutal knee that staggered Dunham. Dunham leaned on the fence, visibly hurt, and Guillard wasted little time putting him away, rushing in for another knee that would send Dunham reeling to the canvas. One more knee was all it would take, and in less than a round, Guillard put an exclamation mark on the UFC’s “Fight for the Troops 2” fight card.

The win is Guillard’s fourth straight in the UFC, and moves him one step closer to a title shot that he promises will come in 2011.

“I want my title shot, I’m the dark horse in this game at 55,” said Guillard. “No disrespect to anybody in my weight class, but I am the best 155 pound fighter in the UFC.”

Matt Mitrione shows continued improvement in destruction of Hague

Matt Mitrione has shown marked improvement every time he has stepped into the Octagon. Tonight, he took another step towards relevancy in the UFC’s heavyweight division with a first round beat down of Tim Hague.

Mitrione, under the tutelage of Duke Roufus, showed accurate striking early, establishing a snapping inside leg kick to start, then going to a stiff, short left hand that dropped Hague.

Hague would survive for the moment, but another left hand from Mitrione was the beginning of the end for Hague. The big left hand dropped Hague again, and this time Mitrione pounced, gaining a dominant top position and landing a 4 punch barrage before the referee could step in and stop the bout.

The win moves Mitrione to 4-0 in his short MMA career, with all 4 wins coming in the UFC’s Octagon. After the impressive victory, it is clear that bigger and better competition will be coming his way, and Mitrione would have it no other way.

“I want to get tested, I want to. I’m not going to try to bite off more than I can chew, I want to fight,” said Mitrione. “I’m here to get a piece of gold.”

Hominick proves that Jose Aldo isn’t the only guy at 145 that has stellar striking

George Roop may have had a significant reach advantage coming into his bout against number one contender Mark Hominick, but Hominick used his superior, pinpoint accurate strikes to decimate the rangy Roop for a quick TKO stoppage victory.

Roop came out looking to establish his leg kicks, and threw some looping strikes to start, but Hominick closed the distance easily, and landed several big left hands that staggered Roop within the opening minute of the bout.

After finding a home for his lead left hook, Hominick stunned Roop with a right hand, then followed up with a left hook that dropped Roop against the cage. There would be one more left hand to the face of Roop, before the referee could step in and stop the fight.

It was an impressive and quick victory for Hominick (20-8 MMA, 3-0 UFC) who will now prepare for his title shot against featherweight kingpin Jose Aldo.

“Jose’s next. I think that 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,” said Hominick.

Pat Barry leg-kicks Joey Beltran into oblivion

Pat Barry called Joey Beltran a zombie, and that’s what he looked like, staggering forward after receiving brutal doses of leg kicks over their 3 round bout.

The first round was a little slow on action, as Beltran tried to get close and take the fight to the mat, but Barry defended well, and started to employ some solid leg kicks in the exchanges.

Barry remained patient at the start of the second stanza, but started turning up the pressure with kicks to the head and legs. Despite the onslaught, Beltran kept coming forward and landed nice clean punches in the clinch when he could close the distance. When he couldn’t, he paid for it, eating kick after kick, and by the end of the round, Beltran was visibly limping on his lead leg.

Beltran did his best work in the third frame, landing solid shots in the clinch, but after a restart by the referee when the action against the cage stalled, it was Barry that put the exclamation point on the fight.

Barry punished the leg of Beltran once the action resumed, and after a couple of flush kicks to the outside of Beltran’s lead leg, “Mexicutioner” was having trouble putting any kind of weight on the damaged leg.

An accidental eye-poke briefly stopped the thrashing by Barry, but it was only temporary. After the restart, Barry nearly put Beltran away with an onslaught of leg kicks that forced Beltran to the ground, where Barry punched the injured leg while on top.

Barry worked to a dominant full mount position, then stood up and walked away to resume his attack on the leg. He did just that, continuing to pour on the punishment until the bell sounded on the bout. Beltran remained on the ground after the bell from the damage sustained to his leg, and when the scorecards came in, it was all Pat Barry (6-2 MMA, 3-2 UFC), 30-27, 29-28, 29-28.

Matt Wiman dominates “handsomely” against Cole Miller

In a battle of TUF 5 vets, many thought that the fight between Matt Wiman and Cole Miller would be a competitive affair. Instead it turned into a one-man wrecking crew, and the one doing the wrecking was Matt Wiman.

Wiman fought loose and unconcerned for the submission game of Cole Miller, attacking and setting a frenetic pace throughout the bout. Wiman defined the term “Octagon control”, stalking Miller all over the cage, and landing the better of the striking exchanges.

Once the fight hit the ground, Wiman continued to pour on an endless assault of elbows, big punches, and double hammer fists from the top, of which Miller simply had no answer for.

Despite Wiman’s inability to put Miller away before the final bell sounded, it was an impressive showing overall, as it moves Wiman to (13-5 MMA, 7-3 UFC), and gives him his third consecutive victory in the Octagon.

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