MONTREAL, Canada, May 5 — The Pierre Charboneau Centre was host to a capacity crowd to witness the return of Mark Hominick (Pictures). There was a definite buzz in the arena as the featherweight title holder made his way to the TKO ring to defend his belt for an unprecedented 10th time.
Hominick defended the takedown well, and eventually put Hioki on his back with a beautiful throw. However this was short lived as the Japanese fighter turned the tables and it was "The Machine" who found himself on his back on the defensive.
Throughout the opening round, Hominick spent much of his time on the mat trying to get back to his feet with Hioki working his ground game on the befuddled champion.
Round two saw Hominick, now attacking, take command of the early exchanges by landing good clean punches. Yet Hioki remained calm. The two fighters find themselves on the ground after a Hioki takedown, it was Hominick who looked to lock in the armbar.
Hioki managed to free himself from the hold, mount Hominick and apply a triangle from the mount only to be reversed and put on his back by the champion. Unfazed, Hioki slapped on a tight triangle-armbar with Hominick struggling to free himself.
The bell sounded and the referee separated the fighters signaling the end of the round. However, referee Yves Lavigne saw Hominick unconscious and called a halt to the bout at 5:00 of round two for the winner, and new TKO featherweight champion, Hatsu Hioki (Pictures).
Chris Horodecki (Pictures) put his undefeated record on the line against a tough Mike Bell (Pictures) and was tested early and often. Both fighters came out slugging, trading shots one for one until midway through the first a crisp overhand sent the Team Tompkins phenom to the mat.
Bell jumped all over Horodecki and the "Polish Hammer" found himself on the defensive as Bell rained down blows. Horodecki weathered the storm and the two continued the make war on the feet. Bell scored a takedown and mount on Horodecki, who swiftly gave up his back. While Bell attempted a choke, Horodecki slid out and into the guard of his foe.
The two fighters worked to better position, with Horodecki ending the round with side mount. Round two opened with the two fighters teeing off on one another. Horodecki managed a takedown and almost sunk in a rear-naked choke, but Bell slipped out.
Horodecki, now with full mount, pounded away until the referee jumped in to call a halt to the action at 2:38 of round two. With the win, Horodecki runs his record to 4-0.
The last time Damacio Page (Pictures) fought in a TKO ring, he dispatched local fan favorite Stephane Vigneault (Pictures) with a vicious overhand right and promised the fans in attendance yet another exciting fight. His opponent, Thierry Quenneville (Pictures), who came away on the short end of a war with Ryan Diaz (Pictures) in King of the Cage, was the home crowd's hope to knock off the impressive Page.
Damacio came out guns blazing just like we remember and Quenneville was automatically defending. Page went for a takedown but Quenneville nullified that and looked to lock in the armbar early. Page, sensing the danger, lifted his opponent in the air, slamming him hard to the mat and knocking him unconscious.
With Quenneville now face own on the mat and still out, Page unleashed a series of right hands to the head until the referee jumped in to save him from any further damage. Another impressive win in TKO for the Albuquerque-based fighter, who took home fighter of the night honors for his efforts.
Brazilian Top Team Canada leader Fabio Holanda (Pictures) returned to action to face Alvin Robertson. Robertson, who was on track to fight at the next Ultimate Fight Night, looked good early, taking the fight to Holanda.
The two fighters didn't spend a whole lot of time on their feet as this looked more like a grappling match at times. Early on it appeared as though Holanda was looking for the Kimura, but Robertson, a talented grappler in his own right, would reverse and almost sink in a rear-naked choke.
Back and forth the two fighters went throughout the opening round trying to impose their will upon one another. The second round saw much of the same with the fighters almost immediately going to the ground. However it was becoming evident who was the better man on the mat. Using his back, Holanda trapped the arm of Robertson (think Goodridge-Rahnavardi) and began to pepper his opponent with punches.
With Robertson unable to defend at this point, the referee made the correct call and stopped the fight, giving Fabio Holanda (Pictures) the win at 4:30 of round two.
In other action Martin Desiltes submitted Stephane Pinet by rear-naked choke after 3:11 of round one.
Stephane Dube made a triumphant return to the ring after more than a two year layoff to knockout Greg Compton (Pictures) at 0:55 of round one.
Martin Grandmont (Pictures) weathered the storm to defeat Jarid Bussemaker by TKO at 1:23 of round two.
Steve Claveau (Pictures) was also successful in his return to TKO with a first round TKO win over newcomer Toan Lam at 1:18 mark of round one.
In preliminary action, Chris Clements brought the arena to it's feet with a record three-second knockout over Lautaro Tucas.
Sebastien Gauthier defeated Brett Pearson by TKO at 0:47 of round two.