STEVE BRUNO VS. MATTHEW RIDDLE: Round 2 - Riddle uses an overhand right to secure the clinch and delivers knees to the body before forcing Bruno the mat. He again frees one leg and delivers elbows from half guard. The position worked well in the first round, and he again has success with elbows. Bruno ties up one of Riddle's arms and has the youngster looking confused. However, Riddle gets to his knees and rains down a series of elbows to the face and side of Bruno's head. Bruno shows damage from the flurry but again works to tie up Riddle. After rolling to his knees, Bruno nearly escapes, but Riddle takes his back and forces the fight to the mat. Riddle gives up the position for half guard and continues popping Bruno with elbows and punches. One big blow lands with a thud, and Bruno assures the ref he's OK. Bruno tries to escape again but eats additional shots after leaving himself exposed. As Bruno gets to his feet, Riddle tags him with a knee to the body and locks in a guillotine. However, he eventually takes Bruno's back, locks in his hooks and then batters him with punches and hammerfists. With 10 seconds to go, Bruno wants to ride out the round, but Riddle punishes him for it with continued blows.
NICK CATONE VS. DEREK DOWNEY: Round 1 - Catone lands an early right, but Downey shoots for the single-leg takedown. Catone sprawls and spends the next half minute fending off the takedown. Downey presses Catone into the fence and delivers a knee to the body and instantly dips and again looks for the takedown. After switching to a single leg, he finally gets it and drags Catone to the mat. Catone, though, quickly reverses the position and puts Downey on his back. From north-south position, Catone works punches to the body, but Downey gets back to his feet, secures a leg and tries to take Catone to the mat. Catone defends well and knocks Downey off balance and puts him on the mat. Catone again works from north-south position and then attempts to take Downey's back. After a battle for position, Catone secures half guard and delivers a steady stream of elbows that appears to open a cut. From the ground, Catone works for a choke, but Downey gets to his feet. Catone pops him with a couple punches and then pushes forward to put Downey on his back with a bumrush takedown. Catone frees a leg and delivers elbows from half guard as the round comes to a close. As Downey gets back to his feet, he has a protruding half-baseball-sized swelling on the side of his head.
MATT GRICE VS. MATT VEACH: Round 1 - Veach with an early leg kick that connects, and once he tries to clinch, Grice hits him with a couple uppercuts. After a scramble, Veach gets the takedown and works from inside full guard. Veach delivers a steady stream of blows, but Grice works his way to feet while crawling up the cage with his back. Veach throws Grice to the mat and nearly locks in a choke, but Grice again gets back to his feet. The fighters clinch, and Grice connects on an uppercut and a subsequent blow that sends Veach staggering to the mat. Grice pours on the blows as Veach desperately tries to defend. The crowd stands and senses the finish, but Veach miracously holds on and ties up Grice. However, Grice soon secures mount. Veach reclaims guard, but Grice secures a guillotine when he tries to get back to his feet. Veach escapes, and we're back standing. Grice throws a glancing right that staggers Veach. But Veach throws a right that connects. The two fighters then stands toe and toe and swing wildly, each connecting with major power shots. Grice's legs buckle after abosrbing a huge right uppercut, and he falls to the mat. Veach follows with a series of punches to earn the come-from-behind TKO victory. Grice is upset about the stoppage and refuses to shake Veach's hand. While waiting for the decision, he continues to protest to the referee. Matt Veach def. Matt Grice via TKO (strikes) -- Round 1, 4:34.
LUIGIO FIORAVANTI VS. ANTHONY JOHNSON: Round 1 - Fioravanti swings first and misses wildly. After a lull in the action, Johnson lands a solid leg kick. After another lull, Johnson lands another. Both fighters look tentative in the earlty going. Johnson connects on a body kick and another leg kick, and Fioravanti gets through an overhand left. Johnson lands a nice leg kick and follows with a stiff jab. Johnson gets another leg kick. Fioravanti shoots for a single-leg takedown, but Johnson sprawls out of it. Fioravanti keeps him pinned against the fence and then tags Johnson with an accidental knee to the groin. The fight is stopped so Johnson can regain his composure. After a touch of gloves, we're back underway. Again, the both fighters try to fight from a distance, but both connect on a quick exchange. Back to the center of the cage, Johnson drops Fioravanti to a knee with a quick right. Fioravanti gets back to his feet, but he's wobbly, and Johnson goes in for the kill. A battering of knees, punches and kicks have Fioravanti on the run, and he then drops to the mat. Johnson unloads a quick barrage of punches until the referee is forced to halt the bout. Anthony Johnson def. Luigi Fioravanti via TKO (strikes) -- Round 1, 4:39.
MAC DANZIG VS. JOSH NEER:Round 2 - Neer gets the fight to the ground early and rains down a barrage of elbows from inside guard. The heavy blows land consistently. Danzig survives and nearly escapes, but Neer regains the position and continues the assault. Neer stands, and Danzig tries to escape again. However, Neer takes his back and then an arm, but Danzig pops free and takes the top position. The crowd roars at the turnaround. Danzig frees one leg, but Neer quickly pulls him back into guard. Danzig winds up and lands a big right, but Neer ties him up, and the referee warns the fighters to get busy. Danzig continues trying to work throw his opponent's guard, but Neer slaps on a triangle choke and secures his legs to make it tight. Neer then secures an arm, rolls over, and forces the tapout from the choke. Neer throws his mouth guard into the stands in celebration, and the crowd quickly turns on him and boos. Danzig immediately leaves the cage (but eventually returns to shake hands with Neer). Josh Neer def. Mac Danzig via submission (triangle choke) -- Round 2, 3:36.
As you can no doubt see, UFC Fight Night 17 was action packed with some of the biggest upcoming stars in the UFC. Some saw victory by submission and some chose to overwhelm their opponents with big shots. But they all have one thing in common: a bright future in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. - 31491
NICK CATONE VS. DEREK DOWNEY: Round 1 - Catone lands an early right, but Downey shoots for the single-leg takedown. Catone sprawls and spends the next half minute fending off the takedown. Downey presses Catone into the fence and delivers a knee to the body and instantly dips and again looks for the takedown. After switching to a single leg, he finally gets it and drags Catone to the mat. Catone, though, quickly reverses the position and puts Downey on his back. From north-south position, Catone works punches to the body, but Downey gets back to his feet, secures a leg and tries to take Catone to the mat. Catone defends well and knocks Downey off balance and puts him on the mat. Catone again works from north-south position and then attempts to take Downey's back. After a battle for position, Catone secures half guard and delivers a steady stream of elbows that appears to open a cut. From the ground, Catone works for a choke, but Downey gets to his feet. Catone pops him with a couple punches and then pushes forward to put Downey on his back with a bumrush takedown. Catone frees a leg and delivers elbows from half guard as the round comes to a close. As Downey gets back to his feet, he has a protruding half-baseball-sized swelling on the side of his head.
MATT GRICE VS. MATT VEACH: Round 1 - Veach with an early leg kick that connects, and once he tries to clinch, Grice hits him with a couple uppercuts. After a scramble, Veach gets the takedown and works from inside full guard. Veach delivers a steady stream of blows, but Grice works his way to feet while crawling up the cage with his back. Veach throws Grice to the mat and nearly locks in a choke, but Grice again gets back to his feet. The fighters clinch, and Grice connects on an uppercut and a subsequent blow that sends Veach staggering to the mat. Grice pours on the blows as Veach desperately tries to defend. The crowd stands and senses the finish, but Veach miracously holds on and ties up Grice. However, Grice soon secures mount. Veach reclaims guard, but Grice secures a guillotine when he tries to get back to his feet. Veach escapes, and we're back standing. Grice throws a glancing right that staggers Veach. But Veach throws a right that connects. The two fighters then stands toe and toe and swing wildly, each connecting with major power shots. Grice's legs buckle after abosrbing a huge right uppercut, and he falls to the mat. Veach follows with a series of punches to earn the come-from-behind TKO victory. Grice is upset about the stoppage and refuses to shake Veach's hand. While waiting for the decision, he continues to protest to the referee. Matt Veach def. Matt Grice via TKO (strikes) -- Round 1, 4:34.
LUIGIO FIORAVANTI VS. ANTHONY JOHNSON: Round 1 - Fioravanti swings first and misses wildly. After a lull in the action, Johnson lands a solid leg kick. After another lull, Johnson lands another. Both fighters look tentative in the earlty going. Johnson connects on a body kick and another leg kick, and Fioravanti gets through an overhand left. Johnson lands a nice leg kick and follows with a stiff jab. Johnson gets another leg kick. Fioravanti shoots for a single-leg takedown, but Johnson sprawls out of it. Fioravanti keeps him pinned against the fence and then tags Johnson with an accidental knee to the groin. The fight is stopped so Johnson can regain his composure. After a touch of gloves, we're back underway. Again, the both fighters try to fight from a distance, but both connect on a quick exchange. Back to the center of the cage, Johnson drops Fioravanti to a knee with a quick right. Fioravanti gets back to his feet, but he's wobbly, and Johnson goes in for the kill. A battering of knees, punches and kicks have Fioravanti on the run, and he then drops to the mat. Johnson unloads a quick barrage of punches until the referee is forced to halt the bout. Anthony Johnson def. Luigi Fioravanti via TKO (strikes) -- Round 1, 4:39.
MAC DANZIG VS. JOSH NEER:Round 2 - Neer gets the fight to the ground early and rains down a barrage of elbows from inside guard. The heavy blows land consistently. Danzig survives and nearly escapes, but Neer regains the position and continues the assault. Neer stands, and Danzig tries to escape again. However, Neer takes his back and then an arm, but Danzig pops free and takes the top position. The crowd roars at the turnaround. Danzig frees one leg, but Neer quickly pulls him back into guard. Danzig winds up and lands a big right, but Neer ties him up, and the referee warns the fighters to get busy. Danzig continues trying to work throw his opponent's guard, but Neer slaps on a triangle choke and secures his legs to make it tight. Neer then secures an arm, rolls over, and forces the tapout from the choke. Neer throws his mouth guard into the stands in celebration, and the crowd quickly turns on him and boos. Danzig immediately leaves the cage (but eventually returns to shake hands with Neer). Josh Neer def. Mac Danzig via submission (triangle choke) -- Round 2, 3:36.
As you can no doubt see, UFC Fight Night 17 was action packed with some of the biggest upcoming stars in the UFC. Some saw victory by submission and some chose to overwhelm their opponents with big shots. But they all have one thing in common: a bright future in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. - 31491
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