UFC's "Fight For The Troops" Features Ferocious Knock Outs

Wednesday December 10th the UFC took their show to North Carolina and put their wares on display for a crowd that was primarily made up of troops and dependants from Fort Bragg. The theme of the evening was the collection of donations for the "FALLEN HERO'S FUND", which is working to establish a Traumatic Brain Injury treatment center for veterans of the recent wars in the middle east. This worthwhile and relevant theme was presented with intense emotion and yet still gracefully through out the evening.

The main event of the show featured an All American Wrestler against a Japanese Judo expert. On paper it was TUF veteran Josh Koscheck's near unstoppable double leg take downs and relentless ground and pound techniques against Yoshiyuki Yoshida's masterful Judo throws and locks. Apparently though someone forgot to remind Kos and Yoshida of this plan as instead the wrestler and the Judo guy opted to trade blows while on their feet. Koscheck stalked his cautious foe, who seemed to be very aware of the destructive potential of a Koscheck hook and was ever on his guard for them. Then just barely past the two minute mark, while Yoshida was diligently watching for the hook, Koscheck drove a perfect straight right hand through Yoshida's guard and on to his chin. You could see the lights go out in Yoshida's eyes as he remained standing and then Boom -- in came the hook that the Judo man was so diligently looking for a few mere seconds ago and it drove him off his feet and into a motionless heap on the canvas. Josh Koscheck had in less than a month rebounded from his loss to Thiago Alves and vaulted himself back into the upper echelon of the welter weight ranks.

In the Co-Main event of the evening another TUF vet, "Quick" Mike Swick was looking to prove that his move down from middleweight to welter weight had been a good decision and that he still wielded power at the lesser weight. Swick's previous welterweight matches had been a bit lackluster and had left the lanky fighter in need of an image change. Looking to derail these plans was welter weight champion Georges St Piere's lower level sidekick, Jonathan Goulet. I'm not sure if I've ever seen Goulet before on a card that didn't feature his team mate GSP in the main event, but For The Troops he was on his own and in the Co-Main. The French Canadian's trademark wild hair do was his best feature of the evening as Swick tore out at the bell and began delivering knee strike and punch combinations as if he was channeling middle weight and pound 4 pound champ Anderson Silva. Then at around the half minute mark "Quick" Swick crashed a short straight right hand into Goulet's Gob and the Frenchman crashed into the canvas. Swick was on Goulet like a hungry cat on a fallen mouse and a few ground and pound punches later Mike Swick had a TKO win in a mere 33 seconds, proving that he can contend with the best of the welterweights.

Another TUF alumni on the card was " Crazy" Tim Credeur. Facing him was undefeated young middle weight, the 9 - 0 Nate Loughran. Tim was an experienced 11 - 4 and known for his take downs and ground control. As of late though "Crazy" Tim had been sporting a highly unorthodox wild swinging standing game and that was what he decided to exhibit for the troops. It must a been the right move --- it could a been the right time --- (Tim's from Louisiana) .. cause Nate Loughran appeared to be completely bewildered by Tim's relentless chin up, wild swinging attack. Tim owned the entire first round with this tactic and then after controlling the youngster on the ground for about three quarters of the second round Tim reverted to his wild man act and set about beating on Loughran again. The kid had absorbed enough and retired on his stool at the end of the second round giving the lovable "Crazy" Tim the TKO win.

22 year old Steve "The Robot" Cantwell was the last WEC light heavy weight champion before that Zuffa owned organization gave up both the Lt. Heavy and Middle weight divisions in favor of the lighter weight classes. Now young Cantwell had to prove that he was ready to enter the talent laden UFC light heavy weight division. Across the ring and planning to stop Cantwell's rise in the ranks was the 7-0 undefeated Tae Kwon Do expert "Razor" Razak Al Hussan. Hussen looked like a chiseled ebony warrior and his Tae Kwon Do striking techniques were backed up with an array of rudimentary grappling skills. Razak controlled the early parts of the first round, appearing to be bullying his seemingly smaller statured opponent with a blizzard of somewhat sloppy kicks and punches. Suddenly young Cantwell took down his stronger opponent, quickly moved to the mount position and almost immediately locked in a devastating arm bar. Razak made the decision to "Man Up" and refused to tap, with the result that his arm snapped at the elbow and suddenly bent at a 90 degree angle .......... the wrong way --ooppps. Sometimes discretion Is the better part of valor. Cantwell was overjoyed with his jujitsu skills, gushing, "I've waited sooo long to do that!". I think the boy is ready for the UFC's light heavies.

"Fight for the Troops" was a good show for a good cause! Up next is Saturday's The Ultimate Fighter 8 Finale. The light heavy weight final pits wrestler Ryan "Darth" Badder against BJJ Hot Shot Vinicius Magalhaes and the light weight final will feature the ultra talented fighting nurse Phillipe Nover facing the Ever Tough Mexican Efrain Escuerdo. Also on the card will be Canadian Star Jason "The Athlete" MacDonald against Brazilian Wilson Gouveia and TUF 8 Bad Boy Junie Browning against Iron Jaw Dave Kaplin. Two UFC Shows Free On SPIKE TV in One Week! It doesn't get much better than that.

Good Night - Good Fight,
Frank "The Snake"