File Photo: Sherdog.com
MINNEAPOLIS -- Travis Wiuff defeated former UFC heavyweight title contender Jeff Monson in the Xtreme Kombat League/Cage Fighting Xtreme “Mayhem in Minneapolis” main event on Saturday at the Target Center.
Wiuff withstood Monson’s repeated shots to the left kidney and rib cage, along with two low blows, both of which forced a pause in the action. The 32-year-old UFC and Pride Fighting Championships veteran stood toe-to-toe with Monson, who entered the bout on a two-fight winning streak.
Save for a couple takedown attempts, the heavyweight veterans chose to stand, as they traded a flurry of jabs in between clinching against the cage. With a minute left, Wiuff asked his cornermen for the time, and when he heard the 10-second warning near the end of round three, Wiuff kicked it into high gear, scored a takedown and secured the decision.
Menne Edges Miles
In the co-main event, former UFC middleweight champion Dave Menne outpointed Adrian Miles by unanimous decision. Miles, out of Birmingham, Ala., was a late replacement for Ireland’s Colin McGee, himself a stand-in for Menne’s original opponent, Dave Strasser.
The action was non-stop, as Menne, the hometown favorite, started the bout with two leg kicks. Miles answered with an attempted left-right combination, as he defended Menne’s takedown. Back and forth the action went until Menne achieved the takedown. On Miles’ back, Menne set his rear-naked choke in place, only to have Miles stand. With Menne completely off the ground and sinking the choke into place, Miles held on and refused to succumb to the submission. Miles ultimately escaped, and the two traded blows until the end of the first period.
The second round saw much of the same. For the second time, Menne took Miles’ back, this time on the ground, and cinched the rear-naked choke. Yet again, Miles refused to give in, and his tenacity paid dividends. Attempting a kimura, Miles took top control and dropped blows until the second round was over.
Miles kept pace with Menne in the third but fell short on the scorecards. The 34-year-old Menne has won three of his four fights since being released by the UFC following a 2006 defeat to Luigi Fioravanti.
Fickett Takes Controversial Win
In the event’s most controversial bout, former Marine Derrick Noble fought valiantly against fellow UFC veteran Drew Fickett, a late replacement for Gideon Ray. An action-packed first round saw Fickett throw kicks and Noble respond with body shots. Fickett later attempted a kimura, but Noble answered and force fed him with right hooks.
Shortly into round two, Noble landed two huge kicks to Fickett’s head. A dazed Fickett appeared to be near the end of his rope. He stumbled but regained his composure and took Noble to the ground. Grappling back and forth, the fight came to an abrupt stop when Fickett secured a rear-naked choke. Noble and his corner were irate and traded words with referee Nick Gamst. The bout was called 1:09 into round.
When asked whether or not he felt Noble tap out, Fickett was quick to answer: “No, I didn’t.”
Gamst attempted to explain his decision afterward.
“My job is to look out for the fighters,” he said. “I’d rather call it like that then to see them go to a hospital.”
Other Bouts
Shana Olsen def. Yoko Takahashi -- Unanimous Decision
Brendan Seguin def. Isaiah Larson -- Unanimous Decision
Matt Delanoit def. Ray Steinbeiss -- Submission (Heel Hook) 1:44 R2
Brock Larson def. Brian Green -- Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) 4:39 R1
Ryan Roberts def. Chaz Haag -- TKO (Punches) 0:20 R1
Travis Fulton def. Brad Kohler -- KO (Punch) 1:01 R1
Nathan Schut def. Bobby Ferrier -- Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) 4:33 R1