There was some great action on the preliminary card at UFC Fight for the Troops 3 Wednesday, but it was a trifecta of low blows that unfortunately stole the show.
Bobby Green picked up a controversial TKO win over James Krause after landing several groin shots. Early in the first round, Green connected with Krause’s cup as the two exchanged kicks; he was given a warning for the inadvertent blow, but later in the round he landed another low kick that sent Krause to the canvas; this time he was deducted one point. Krause recovered and continued, but moments later Green landed a kick to the beltline that appeared to be a third illegal strike.
Krause went to the ground in pain and could not continue, however instead of the bout being called a disqualification or no contest, referee John McCarthy ruled it was a legal strike and Green picked up a TKO win. Though Green did land on the beltline, his foot grazed the top of Krause’s cup.
Featherweights Dennis Bermudez and Steven Siler never fail to entertain and the two delivered yet again. The Ultimate Fighter 14 teammates put on an exciting display of striking, scrambles and submission attempts for 15 minutes with Bermudez’s dominant wrestling game leading him to a unanimous decision win. The win was Bermudez’s fifth straight in the UFC and snapped Siler’s two-fight win streak.
Lorenz Larkin and Chris Camozzi put on a fun and bloody show for the troops on hand at Fort Campbell in Kentucky. Larkin got the better of most of the striking exchanges and walked away with the unanimous decision win.
Amanda Nunes picked up her second straight TKO win inside the Octagon after disposing of elite Muay Thai striker Germaine de Randamie in the first round of their women’s bantamweight bout.
In a lightweight bout, Yancy Medeiros knocked out veteran Yves Edwards in an exciting, albeit brief, standup battle. Medeiros and Edwards exchanged crisp punches and kicks until Medeiros landed a perfect left uppercut that put Edwards to sleep.
Derek Brunson started the night off with a bang, submitting Brian Houston with a rear-naked choke just 48 seconds into the first round after landing a huge head kick right at the start of the bout.
Also on the prelims, Seth Baczynski picked up a unanimous decision over military veteran Neil Magny.
