On Saturday night, the Ultimate Fighting Championship returns to Spike TV for the first free-to-air event of 2011 as the promotion presents its second show for American troops.
UFC: Fight for the Troops 2 will emanate from Fort Hood near Killeen, Texas, and it will be headlined by a lightweight showdown pitting knockout artist Melvin Guillard against top contender Evan Dunham.
Here's a breakdown of what's in store:
Melvin Guillard (26-8-2) vs. Evan Dunham (11-1)
A pivotal lightweight matchup highlights Saturday's fight card as the heavy-hitting banger Guillard meets the fast-rising prospect Dunham.
Guillard, 27, is riding a three-fight winning streak. In his most recent bout at UFC 119 this past September, Guillard won a closely contested split decision over fellow slugger Jeremy Stephens.
The student of Greg Jackson has never been knocked out in his career, though he has fallen victim to the wrath of superior submission specialists, including Nathan Diaz, Rich Clementi, Joe Stevenson and Josh Neer. Meanwhile, Guillard has amassed notable career wins over Gleison Tibau, Dennis Siver and Marcus Davis.
Despite possessing both a BJJ blue belt and a Judo brown belt, Guillard is most comfortable trading heavy blows on his feet.
Dunham, 29, is undoubtedly capable of holding his own if the fight becomes a kickboxing affair, but he will likely opt to take the New Orleans native down to the mat where he will possess a clear-cut advantage.
A Wellington Dias BJJ black belt, Dunham trains at Xtreme Couture and Throwdown Training Center in Las Vegas.
The well-rounded Oregon native has made a splash since joining the UFC, having defeated Marcus Aurelio, Efrain Escudero and Tyson Griffin before losing a highly contentious split decision to Sean Sherk at UFC 119, the lone setback of his career. Dunham has shown glimpses of his submission wizardry in each of his performances and also came close to doing the unthinkable by sinking in a guillotine choke on "The Muscle Shark" last September.
If Guillard underestimates the striking ability of Dunham, we could see a repeat of the memorable Per Eklund knockout from February 2009.
However, Dunham is a strategic competitor and he will not willingly engage in a wild fire-fight with Guillard. Once the opportunity presents itself, the southpaw will waste little time putting Guillard on his back and capitalizing on the position by sinking in a fight-ending submission.
Verdict: Dunham via submission, Round 2
Matt Mitrione (3-0) vs. Tim Hague (12-4)
In a compelling heavyweight bout, Mitrione will look to keep his unbeaten record intact against the returning Canadian powerhouse Hague.
The former NFL football player Mitrione is best known for his stint on the 10th season of "The Ultimate Fighter" where he lost to James McSweeney in the quarterfinal round.
Despite his portrayal as a lazy complainer on the reality show, Mitrione has come a long way as a protégé of Duke Roufus, alongside training partners Pat Barry and Anthony Pettis.
Post-TUF, Mitrione recorded successive knockouts of Marcus Jones and Kimbo Slice before earning a hard-fought decision over Joey Beltran in the stiffest test of his career.
Hague, meanwhile, defeated Mitrione's primary sparring partner Barry by submission in his promotional debut at UFC 98 before losing three straight fights, including a seven-second knockout at the hands of Todd Duffee, which also entered the record books as the fastest official finish in UFC history. The three-fight losing skid ultimately led to his release from the organization.
However, the BJJ purple belt Hague has since recorded back-to-back knockouts over Zak Jensen and Travis Wiuff on local shows in Edmonton, which led to UFC matchmaker Joe Silva offering him a new four-fight deal.
In assessing their careers, Hague is clearly the more experienced combatant. However, Mitrione was able to defeat Beltran by decision, while the judges ruled in favour of "The Mexicutioner" when he faced Hague at UFC 113 last May.
Both men are durable heavy hitters who often throw technique out the window in favour of slugging it out. As such, either man can prevail by landing one punishing shot.
Mitrione's continued evolution with high-level instruction in the gym and unquestionable dedication to the game have made him a favourite according to most oddsmakers, though Hague might be worth some action at +220 on some lines.
Verdict: Hague via Split Decision
Mark Hominick vs. George Roop
In a thrilling featherweight fight with the biggest potential implications on the card, the dynamic Canadian kickboxer Hominick will face his former training partner Roop.
The 28-year-old Hominick is fighting for the opportunity of a lifetime as he will be able to fulfill a dream by competing for a UFC title in his home province of Ontario when the UFC debuts in Toronto's Rogers Centre. If Hominick can dispatch Roop, he will challenge Brazilian destroyer Jose Aldo for the featherweight crown on Apr. 30.
However, the longtime pupil of renowned Canadian striking coach Shawn Tompkins must first focus on Roop, a legitimate test for anyone in the 145-pound division.
Hominick is riding a four-fight winning streak, including three victories under the WEC banner. In one of the most exciting bouts of 2010, Hominick stopped fellow Canadian Yves Jabouin at WEC 49.
Hominick is actually already 2-0 in the UFC, having defeated Yves Edwards and Jorge Gurgel in 2006. His eight professional losses are no indication of his contender status as Hominick has dropped bouts to top-ranked opposition such as Sengoku featherweight champion Hatsu Hioki and former WEC torchbearer Mike Thomas Brown.
His continued growth as a fighter is evidenced by his recent resurgence and submission prowess. While Hominick has always been considered a conditioning machine, in addition to one of the most technically proficient strikers in the game, his submissions have now become one of his most dangerous weapons.
Roop, a 29-year-old Arizona native, is coming off the biggest win of his career -- a highlight reel head kick knockout of talented South Korean prospect Chan Sung Jung at WEC 51 last September.
Much like Hominick, Roop doesn't boast the most impressive record on paper, but that is no indication of how far he has come since his run on "The Ultimate Fighter."
After dropping from 155 pounds to compete at featherweight, Roop now possesses a clear size advantage over most adversaries and Hominick will be no exception.
Although Roop has also trained under Tompkins, he understands the nature of Hominick's close friendship with the Las Vegas-based coach. As a result, Roop made the move back to Arizona to train for Hominick under coaches Ed West and Joey Rivera.
Also known as a striker, Roop will likely be playing right into Hominick's game. Hominick's technique may be second to none, but Roop could very well be the heavier hitter.
Hungrier than ever for a shot at the title, Hominick is not looking past this fight. He will look to put on a clinic for the American troops as he tactically outpoints Roop en route to a decision victory.
Verdict: Hominick via Unanimous Decision
Pat Barry (5-2) vs. Joey Beltran (12-4)
Two heavyweight up-and-comers will square off with their UFC careers potentially on the line.
Nursing a broken hand and foot, the 31-year-old Barry has been absent from the spotlight after being heavily pushed by the UFC marketing machine ahead of his heavyweight tilt with Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic at UFC 115 last June.
Despite a valiant effort that saw Barry drop "Cro Cop" several times, the Croatian legend finished him with a third-round rear-naked choke, further exposing a glaring weakness in Barry's submission defense.
The Duke Roufus student was an integral part of former heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar's training camp as he prepared for his fight with Cain Velasquez last October.
The former K-1 standout, who owns kickboxing victories over Scott Lighty and Gary Goodridge, has stopped Dan Evensen and Antoni Hardonk in his UFC campaign.
A Sanshou specialist, Barry has some of the most devastating kicks in the division. As he continues to improve his wrestling and ground game, Barry can re-emerge as a force to be reckoned with in the world's most prestigious organization.
The 29-year-old Beltran, a San Diego native of Mexican descent, was inked to a UFC contract after stopping UFC veteran Houston Alexander on a regional show in Oklahoma last January.
Beltran subsequently rattled off wins over Rolles Gracie and Hague before falling victim to Mitrione in a hard-fought battle last September.
A BJJ blue belt, Beltran has yet to showcase any of his ground game, which should be his primary strategy against the less experienced Barry.
However, Beltran has too often settled on trading blows with his opponents, a potentially fatal proposition against a seasoned striker the caliber of Barry.
Verdict: Barry via TKO, Round 1
Cole Miller (17-4) vs. Matt Wiman (12-5)
In lightweight action, the proud American Top Team representative Miller will face the stiffest test of his UFC career against the durable wrestler Wiman.
Miller, 26, is a crafty submission virtuoso, tapping out notable BJJ players such as Jorge Gurgel and Dan Lauzon in his UFC run.
Conversely, Miller has been caught several times on his feet as he was knocked out by Jeremy Stephens and Efrain Escudero, but he is now riding a two-fight winning streak and hopes a win over Wiman will propel him up the lightweight ladder. He is coming off a second-round submission of Ross Pearson, winner of the ninth season of "The Ultimate Fighter."
Wiman, 27, recently had the best training camp of his career, working primarily with the Easton Jiu-Jitsu team and alongside Jake Shields and Gilbert Melendez in San Francisco.
He too is riding a two-fight winning streak, including a controversial technical submission win over Mac Danzig last June.
Though he dropped bouts to the likes of Roger Huerta, Spencer Fisher, Jim Miller and Sam Stout, Wiman has impressively defeated Michihiro Omigawa and Thiago Tavares in his UFC career.
Wiman has yet to taste defeat via submission, which isn't a promising sign for Miller. Wiman's gameplan will rely heavily on grinding his opponent and smothering him with top control. If he stays out of trouble on the mat and keeps the pressure on Miller, he will cruise to a triumphant decision.
Verdict: Wiman via Unanimous Decision
