UFC Fight Night Prelims: Ugly Adam Milstead Knee Injury Makes Curtis Blaydes Winner
Adam
Milstead may need assistance to walk for a while.
The King of the Cage veteran suffered a gruesome injury to his right knee, making a winner of Elevation Fight Team rep Curtis Blaydes in the featured UFC Fight Night 104 “Korean Zombie vs. Bermudez” prelim on Saturday at the Toyota Center in Houston. Milstead (8-2, 1-1 UFC) bowed out 59 seconds into Round 2, as he was left writhing on the mat. Replays had members of the audience squirming in their seats.
Blaydes (7-1, 2-1 UFC) was dominant from start to finish. He
executed repeated takedowns -- three of them of the thunderous
variety -- in the first round, battered Milstead with
ground-and-pound and kept him confined to close-quarters
engagements. Milstead appeared to wince in pain during one of the
takedowns but nevertheless returned for middle stanza. It was a
mistake. Blaydes again closed the distance and swooped in for a
takedown. Milstead’s right knee buckled under the strain, prompting
an immediate stoppage.
Team Takedown export Chas Skelly submitted Chris Gruetzemacher with a second-round rear-naked choke in their undercard showdown at 145 pounds. Gruetzemacher (13-2, 1-1 UFC) conceded defeat 2:01 into Round 2, his 12-fight winning streak having run its course.
Once-beaten prospect Ricardo Lucas Ramos made a successful promotional debut, as he captured a unanimous verdict from former Pacific Xtreme Combat champion Michinori Tanaka in a preliminary bantamweight clash. All three cageside judges sided with Ramos (10-1, 1-0 UFC): 29-28, 30-27 and 29-28.
Tanaka (11-3, 2-3 UFC) struggled to get a foothold in the match. Ramos corralled the Team Alpha Male rep in the clinch and sat him down with a counter right hand in the first round, then took top position before attacking with an armbar in the second. Neither man did much to separate himself over the final five minutes, though Tanaka executed a late takedown, freed himself from an attempted guillotine and blasted the Brazilian with ground-and-pound.
The 26-year-old Tanaka has lost three of his last four fights.
Crisp combinations, punishing leg kicks and opportunistic takedowns carried Tecia Torres to a unanimous decision over Alliance MMA’s Bec Rawlings in a three-round undercard battle at 115 pounds. Torres (8-1, 4-1 UFC) swept the scorecards with identical 30-27 marks from the judges.
Rawlings (7-6, 2-3 UFC) had no recourse for the speed disadvantage with which she was confronted. Torres beat her to the punch repeatedly, often icing three- and four-punch volleys with stinging kicks to the lead leg. She was superior on the ground, as well, as she advanced to the back in the second round and threatened Rawlings with various submissions, first with a rear-naked choke and later with an arm-triangle choke and armbar. Though the finish she sought failed to materialize, Torres was in control for virtually every second of the bout.
Niko Price knocked out former Legacy Fighting Championship titleholder Alex Morono with a short but powerful right hook in the second round of their preliminary welterweight affair. A replacement for the injured Sheldon Westcott, Price (10-0, 2-0 UFC) brought it to a close just as the horn sounded to end Round 2.
Morono (13-4, 2-1 UFC) was well on his way to an eighth straight win before lightning struck. The 26-year-old Texan enjoyed a dominant first round, as he dropped Price to a knee with a counter left hook and later sent him to the canvas with a sublime spinning back fist-right hook combination. Midway through the middle stanza, the tide seemed to shift. Price upped his aggression, showed more initiative and benefitted from the change in approach. In the closing seconds of the second round, he backed Morono to the fence and let his hands fly. Many of Price’s punches missed, but the right hook found its mark. Morono hit the deck in a crouched position, staring off into the abyss.
“The Ultimate Fighter 23” finalist Khalil Rountree took care of Daniel Jolly with a knee strike in the first round of their undercard tilt at 205 pounds. Jolly (5-2, 0-2 UFC) met his end 52 seconds into Round 1, as he suffered his second consecutive defeat.
Rountree (5-2, 1-2 UFC) sprawled out of an attempted takedown, created some separation and blasted the hunched Texan with a knee to the face. Jolly collapsed on all fours and was greeted by another knee to the chest that put him face down on the canvas and prompted the stoppage.
The victory snapped a two-fight losing streak for Rountree.
The King of the Cage veteran suffered a gruesome injury to his right knee, making a winner of Elevation Fight Team rep Curtis Blaydes in the featured UFC Fight Night 104 “Korean Zombie vs. Bermudez” prelim on Saturday at the Toyota Center in Houston. Milstead (8-2, 1-1 UFC) bowed out 59 seconds into Round 2, as he was left writhing on the mat. Replays had members of the audience squirming in their seats.
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Skelly Choke Submits Gruetzemacher
Team Takedown export Chas Skelly submitted Chris Gruetzemacher with a second-round rear-naked choke in their undercard showdown at 145 pounds. Gruetzemacher (13-2, 1-1 UFC) conceded defeat 2:01 into Round 2, his 12-fight winning streak having run its course.
Skelly (17-2, 6-2 UFC) started strong in the first round, as he
smacked the World Series of Fighting alum with clinch knees and
elbows, secured a takedown and applied his ground-and-pound.
Gruetzemacher’s situation did not improve in the second. Skelly
connected with multiple right hands before landing another takedown
and maneuvering to the back. In his haste to defend against the
Texan’s hooks, Gruetzemacher left his neck exposed. Skelly pounced,
squeezed and elicited the tapout.
Prospect Ramos Downs Tanaka
Once-beaten prospect Ricardo Lucas Ramos made a successful promotional debut, as he captured a unanimous verdict from former Pacific Xtreme Combat champion Michinori Tanaka in a preliminary bantamweight clash. All three cageside judges sided with Ramos (10-1, 1-0 UFC): 29-28, 30-27 and 29-28.
Tanaka (11-3, 2-3 UFC) struggled to get a foothold in the match. Ramos corralled the Team Alpha Male rep in the clinch and sat him down with a counter right hand in the first round, then took top position before attacking with an armbar in the second. Neither man did much to separate himself over the final five minutes, though Tanaka executed a late takedown, freed himself from an attempted guillotine and blasted the Brazilian with ground-and-pound.
The 26-year-old Tanaka has lost three of his last four fights.
Speedy Torres Outclasses Rawlings
Crisp combinations, punishing leg kicks and opportunistic takedowns carried Tecia Torres to a unanimous decision over Alliance MMA’s Bec Rawlings in a three-round undercard battle at 115 pounds. Torres (8-1, 4-1 UFC) swept the scorecards with identical 30-27 marks from the judges.
Rawlings (7-6, 2-3 UFC) had no recourse for the speed disadvantage with which she was confronted. Torres beat her to the punch repeatedly, often icing three- and four-punch volleys with stinging kicks to the lead leg. She was superior on the ground, as well, as she advanced to the back in the second round and threatened Rawlings with various submissions, first with a rear-naked choke and later with an arm-triangle choke and armbar. Though the finish she sought failed to materialize, Torres was in control for virtually every second of the bout.
Price KOs Westcott at Buzzer
Niko Price knocked out former Legacy Fighting Championship titleholder Alex Morono with a short but powerful right hook in the second round of their preliminary welterweight affair. A replacement for the injured Sheldon Westcott, Price (10-0, 2-0 UFC) brought it to a close just as the horn sounded to end Round 2.
Morono (13-4, 2-1 UFC) was well on his way to an eighth straight win before lightning struck. The 26-year-old Texan enjoyed a dominant first round, as he dropped Price to a knee with a counter left hook and later sent him to the canvas with a sublime spinning back fist-right hook combination. Midway through the middle stanza, the tide seemed to shift. Price upped his aggression, showed more initiative and benefitted from the change in approach. In the closing seconds of the second round, he backed Morono to the fence and let his hands fly. Many of Price’s punches missed, but the right hook found its mark. Morono hit the deck in a crouched position, staring off into the abyss.
Rountree Knee Dispatches Jolly
“The Ultimate Fighter 23” finalist Khalil Rountree took care of Daniel Jolly with a knee strike in the first round of their undercard tilt at 205 pounds. Jolly (5-2, 0-2 UFC) met his end 52 seconds into Round 1, as he suffered his second consecutive defeat.
Rountree (5-2, 1-2 UFC) sprawled out of an attempted takedown, created some separation and blasted the hunched Texan with a knee to the face. Jolly collapsed on all fours and was greeted by another knee to the chest that put him face down on the canvas and prompted the stoppage.
The victory snapped a two-fight losing streak for Rountree.
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