UFC Fight for the Troops 2 Preview & Pick
There’s something about fighting in front of the U.S. troops that gets mixed martial artists fired up. The last time the UFC hosted a Fight for the Troops, the card was particularly wild and bloody, with several fighters hospitalized.
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Will we see more of the same carnage this Saturday night at Fort Hood? Time to make some picks.
Event: Event: UFC Fight Night 23: “Fight for the Troops 2”
Date: Saturday, January 22, 2011
Time: 9 p.m. ET
Location: Fort Hood Army Base in Killeen, Texas
Broadcast: Spike TV
Betting: Bet on UFC Fight For The Troops
Evan Dunham (11-1) vs Melvin Guillard (26-8-2, 1 NC0
UFC Fight for the Troops odds: Dunham -230, Guillard +190
I know it wasn’t fully matchmaker Joe Silva’s fault, as Kenny Florian went down with an injury, but I was disappointed to see Dunham draw Melvin Guillard in the main event. Dunham is 11-1 and has wins over Tyson Griffin and Efrain Escudero. I also think he should be 12-0; many fight fans agree that the decision in his last fight against Sean Sherk should’ve gone Dunham’s way.
But maybe we shouldn’t underestimate Melvin “The Young Assassin” Guillard. Guillard has quietly won six of his last seven fights, with the one loss coming against Nate Diaz. He was winning that fight but got caught in a submission. In theory, Guillard, one of the lightweight division’s hardest punchers, should have the standup advantage.
But I’m not totally convinced that he does. Dunham is a sponge. He gets better every fight and has flashed some very underrated punches and kicks. On the ground, it’s no contest. Dunham is the far better grappler, a BJJ black belt with six submission victories. 
Since Dunham has the huge edge on the ground and since I think he can hang with Guillard standing up a lot better than Guillard thinks, I like Dunham to continue climbing the ranks at 155 pounds. Pick: Dunham -230
OTHER FIGHT FOR THE TROOPS 2 BOUTS TO CONSIDER
Matt Mitrione (-250) vs Tim Hague (+210):
Matt Mitrione is silencing his critics. “Meathead” is a legitimate athlete, an ex-NFLer who improves dramatically every time out. I don’t think Tim Hague can handle Mitrione’s surprising agility. Pick: Mitrione -250
Mark Hominick (-240) vs George Roop (+200)
A win – especially one in which he doesn’t get hurt – lands Hominick a featherweight title shot against Jose Aldo. Looking past Roop? Afraid to get hurt? Title shot on the line? That tells me Hominick will feel extra pressure and (a) get caught trying to finish the fight too quickly or (b) worry about getting hurt and fight tentatively. Either way, this has upset written all over it. Pick: Roop +200
Pat Barry (-220) vs Joey Beltran (+180)
Barry, known for his devastating body kicks, has a lot to prove after he was slammed for going too easy on Mirko Cro Cop in his last fight. He should take out Joey Beltran, who is simply a less skilled fighter.
Pick: Barry -220
