5 Matches Greenlit for ‘Fight for the Troops 2’

American Kickboxing Academy standout Mike Swick will meet the once-beaten David Mitchell in a featured welterweight matchup at UFC “Fight for the Troops 2” on Jan. 22 at Fort Hood in Killeen, Texas. Five fights are now official for the event, which will air live on Spike TV.

Swick has lost back-to-back fights for the first time in his career. The 31-year-old Houston native, who suffers from a spastic esophagus, last appeared at UFC 109 in February, when he was choked unconscious by Paulo Thiago at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. Swick owns a 9-3 mark inside the Octagon and sports 20-, 22-, 26-, 33- and 75-second finishes on his resume. He was on the verge of a welterweight title shot less than a year ago.

Based in Windsor, Calif., Mitchell dropped a unanimous decision to Anthony Waldburger in his promotional debut at UFC Fight Night 22 in September. The defeat snapped his 11-fight winning streak. Spawned by the Tachi Palace Fights promotion, the 31-year-old Mitchell holds notable victories against UFC castaway Tim McKenzie, “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 6 alum War Machine and Affliction veteran Bobby Green.

Meanwhile, American Top Team representative Yves Edwards will collide with the resurgent Melvin Guillard in a showcased bout at 155 pounds.

A seasoned 56-fight veteran, Edwards last competed at UFC Fight Night 22 in September, when he defeated John Gunderson by unanimous decision at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas. It was his first UFC appearance in more than four years. The Bahamian-born 34-year-old has won five of his last six bouts, including two in a row and owns victories against former two-division Deep champion Dokonjonosuke Mishima, one-time UFC lightweight title contender Hermes Franca and ex-Strikeforce lightweight kingpin Josh Thomson. A proven finisher, Edwards has secured 30 of his 39 career wins by knockout, technical knockout or submission.

Guillard will carry a three-fight winning streak into the match. Based at Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts in Albuquerque, N.M., the 27-year-old New Orleans native has not fought since UFC 119 in September, when he earned a unanimous decision over Jeremy Stephens at the Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Blessed with speed and power, Guillard has delivered 16 of his 26 career wins by KO or TKO. Victories against Edwards’ ATT teammate, Gleison Tibau, former World Extreme Cagefighting lightweight champion Gabe Ruediger and Bellator Fighting Championships veteran Waylon Lowe anchor his resume. In 37 professional appearances, Guillard has never been knocked out.

Finally, the unbeaten Matt Mitrione will square off with former King of the Cage champion Tim Hague in a featured heavyweight duel.

A quarter-finalist on Season 10 of “The Ultimate Fighter” reality series Mitrione trains under former world kickboxing champion Duke Roufus in Milwaukee. The 32-year-old Springfield, Ill., native played college football at Purdue University and spent time in the NFL with the New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings. Perfect in three professional bouts, Mitrione notched a unanimous decision against Joey Beltran at UFC 119 two months ago.

Hague owns a 1-3 mark inside the UFC but will ride a two-fight winning streak into the bout. The 27-year-old Canadian knocked out Pride Fighting Championships veteran Travis Wiuff under the Aggression MMA banner in October. Hague, nicknamed “The Thrashing Machine,” has posted more than half (seven) of his 12 victories by KO or TKO and has been finished only once -- by Todd Duffee -- in 16 professional outings.

A pivotal matchup between world-ranked lightweights Kenny Florian and Evan Dunham will headline “Fight for the Troops 2.” In addition, “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 9 finalist DaMarques Johnson will toe the line against former King of the Cage welterweight champion Michael Guymon.

UFC “Fight for the Troops 2”
Saturday, Jan. 22
Fort Hood
Killeen, Texas

Kenny Florian vs. Evan Dunham
Mike Swick vs. David Mitchell
Matt Mitrione vs. Tim Hague
DaMarques Johnson vs. Michael Guymon
Yves Edwards vs. Melvin Guillard
* Mark Hominick vs. George Roop
* Patrick Barry vs. Joey Beltran
* Waylon Lowe vs. Willamy Freire
* Amilcar Alves vs. Charlie Brenneman
* Chan Sung Jung vs. Rani Yahya

* Not Official