Nola Fighters Guillard and Barry Victorious at UFC: Fight for the Troops 2

The UFC charity event Ultimate Fight Night 23: Fight for the Troops 2 at Ft. Hood in Killeen, Tx turned out to be a smashing success. The event is reported to have raised over four million dollars for the Intrepid Fallen Heros Fund, which does treatment for Tramatic Brain Injury for veterans.

New Orleans natives Pat Barry and Melvin Guillard were both victorious in their bouts. Barry won a unanimous decision over tough veteran brawler Joey Beltran, and Guillard won by TKO in the first round over Evan Dunham in the nights main event bout.

The Barry bout started slow with Beltran pushing Barry to the fence and using the clinch, dirty boxing, and foot stomps to stifle Barry's kickboxing attack. In the second round Barry began to defend the takedown better and find his distance unleashing his vaunted striking skills. Barry began to punish the lead leg of Beltran with low kicks and mixing in some head kicks as Barry looked for the highlight reel knock out. Barry turned up the heat on his attacks during the final round, he continued to chop down Beltran with thudding leg kicks that caused Beltran to collapse with about a minute left in the bout, but Beltran persevered and lasted to the final bell.

In the nights finale, Melvin Guillard firmly placed himself in the mix to contend for the UFC lightweight belt. Evan Dunham trains out of the famed Extreme Couture camp in Las Vegas and was in the fast lane to contendership, but Guillard had other plans in mind. Guillard began the bout bouncing around, and after blocking a body kick uncorked a lightning fast straight right hand that wobbled his foe. Dunham immediately shot for and secured a takedown. Guillard put his back against the cage and wall walked to his feet. Shortly after Guillard unloaded a combination that again had Dunham in trouble, and Guillard followed up with a trio of knees to the head from the thai clinch that crumpled the highly regarded Dunham to the canvas forcing the referee to step in to save Dunham from more damage. Guillard put the lightweights on notice that he is not to be taken lightly and can ruin an opponent's night at any moment in the fight.

Guillard wins by TKO

After landing a big knee to the body, Guillard finished Lowe with punches as the referee pulled him off his opponent.

Melvin Guillard def. Waylon Lowe by TKO (Knee) at 3:28, R1

Lowe steps up to face Guillard at UFC 114

Waylon Lowe steps up on short notice to replace Thiago Tavares against Melvin Guillard at UFC 114. Lowe, a wrestler, continues the trend of testing the grappling skills of Guillard who has a reputation of being a striker despite his wrestling background. The Nola native Guillard has conquered 4 out of 5 grapplers recently and has moved to the famed Jackson Fighting Camp out of New Mexico.