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Xenia UFC figher Matt Brown dazzles in England

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By Dann Stupp, Contributing Writer 11:09 PM Sunday, November 15, 2009

Continuing his career resurgence and solidifying his spot as a legitimate welterweight contender, Xenia native Matt Brown (11-7) picked up his fourth win in five UFC bouts with an impressive third-round TKO of James Wilks (6-3).

The fight took place Saturday, Nov. 14, at UFC 105 in Manchester, England, and aired on Spike TV.

The fight was Brown’s first since his father, James Brown, a former machine-shop owner, passed away from acute myeloid leukemia this summer.

The booking was a peculiar one. Wilks recently won the ninth season of “The Ultimate Fighter” reality series, and show champs start off with B-level opposition. The 28-year-old Brown, though, was anything but in recent fights.

Brown ultimately was tested but not bested. Even through two rounds, the fight shifted in Wilks’ favor when he secured a kimura — a painful arm submission — in the third. But Brown escaped, took a dominant top position, and secured the stoppage with a lightning-quick flurry of punches.

But even before the fight, Brown was his modest self.

“This is a guy with his first real fight in the UFC,” Brown said. “He’s a tough guy, but I know I’m favored to win. It’s not just about winning all the time. Sometimes it’s about how you win.”

Picking up a victory in a hostile environment on international TV after escaping a dangerous submission? Consider it mission complete for Brown.

Ochocinco in the UFC?

UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva vs. Chad Ochocinco? In the octagon? Talk about a mismatch of epic proportions. But anyone familiar with the Cincinnati Bengal won’t be too surprised to learn it’s actually Ochocinco campaigning for the fight.

On Nov. 11 Ochocinco took to his popular Twitter account and directed a message at UFC president Dana White saying he wanted to fight the UFC’s best — “ASAP” — as a charity fundraiser. White responded and joked that he needed a headliner for the organization’s UFC 108 card in January and should pit Ochocinco against Silva, one of the most dominant fighters in MMA history.

Ochocinco, though, reiterated his sincerity.

“If you are really serious, contact me,” White wrote. “We’ll put a fight together for charity.”

Ochocinco is undoubtedly a versatile athlete, and many NFL vets (including Marcus Jones, Bob Sapp and former Bengal Michael Westbrook) have launched successful MMA careers. But the sport isn’t something you simply try on a whim.

If Ochocinco ever enters the octagon, expect an exhibition sparring or grappling match — not the full-contact type of fighting you see on TV.

Dann Stupp is editor-in-chief of MMAjunkie.com, voted best media outlet in the 2008 World MMA Awards. For the latest mixed-martial-arts news, go to www.MMAjunkie.com.

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