Bronzoulis Flattens Walker at Steel Cage MMA 2

FRISCO, Texas -- While the UFC aired a highlight show featuring some of its recent main events and Strikeforce showed off its stars on network television, Richard Steele’s Steel Cage MMA tried to break into a mixed martial arts hotbed near Dallas on Saturday.

The Steel Cage 2 main event featured Mikel Bronzoulis and Cleburn Walker in what was supposed to be a welterweight bout. However, Bronzoulis could not make weight, and the two men agreed to a catchweight match at 176.5 pounds. Bronzoulis proved any naysayers wrong with one swift movement of his left leg, as he battered Walker’s face with his shin and scored the technical knockout victory at 4:39 of the opening round.

Walker, a Travis Lutter student, had Bronzoulis pinned on the ground, but he fought through the adversity and worked his way free, landing the head kick that ended the fight. Walker was taken out of the ring on a stretcher, as the crowd watched and gasped at repeated replays.

Meanwhile, Derrick Krantz submitted Seth Clifton by rear-naked choke at 1:46 of round one. Clifton, a muay Thai specialist, attempted to keep the fight standing but was taken down by Krantz the first time he attempted a kick. Krantz immediately went to work, pounding Clifton’s ribs until he gave up his back. That set the stage for the fight-ending choke.

In heavyweight action, Matt Smith and Doug Williams squared off in a bout that did not make it out of the opening frame. Smith leaned on Williams for the first half of the round before eventually taking him down. Once on the mat, Smith attempted a North-South choke but Williams bucked him off. Smith then moved to mount and locked up a kimura, which forced Williams to submit at 4:41 of the first round.

Finally, Ira Boyd stopped Saekson Janjira-product Chase Green by rear-naked choke just 53 seconds into their scheduled three-round affair. Boyd softened up Green with several body shots after landing a takedown to start the fight. He moved to Green’s back and forced the tapout. The fight was originally set to be contested in the welterweight division, but Green’s inability to make weight necessitated a 173-pound catchweight tilt. Green was a late replacement for Clay Hantz.

James Hollon def. Justin Wenokur -- Submission (Triangle Choke) 1:37 R1
Andrew Goldthwaite def. James Simpson -- TKO (Head Kick, Punches) 0:30 R1
Jarret Jones def. Roy Spoon -- Submission (Armbar) 1:00 R1
Josh Smith def. Josh Shephard -- KO (Punches) 0:18 1R
Brian Pierce def. Chris Brooks -- Split Decision