Sloppy Affair Gives MD to NFL's Mitrione Over Scott Junk on SpikeTV's The Ultimate Fighter 10

Article Posted: October 28th, 2009 | By: Chad Edward | Comments: 0 | Comment Now

Ex-NFL defensive tackle Matt Mitrione (0-0) won a majority decision over UFC veteran “Punk Haole” Scott Junk (6-2-1) by judges’ scores of 20-18 twice and 19-19 in an exhibition fight on SpikeTV’s The Ultimate Fighter 10 Wednesday night.

“Holy shit! Now that’s a fight,” shouted UFC President Dana White between rounds of the two-round exhibition, and for two-and-a-half minutes it was a hot one. White had picked the Hawai’ian Junk who lost by heel hook submission to “Hungarian Nightmare” Christian Wellisch (8-5) at UFC 76 in Los Angeles in September 2007.

But, Junk was dropped at the end of Mitrione punches four times in round one. Junk began the round with a right kick to Mitrione’s mid-section; but, Mitrione caught the kick and countered with a straight that put Junk on his back. Mitrione allowed Junk to stand, but quickly leveled the stocky heavyweight again with a straight right. Again, Mitrione allowed Junk to erect himself. Junk launched a leg kick which Mitrione again caught and countered with a straight that took Junk off his feet.

Mitirione’s advantage was his sharp punching and quick footwork no doubt honed as a defensive lineman in the NFL.

Back on his feet, Junk shot clumsily and Mitrione dropped bomb’s on Junk’s head while Junk scrambled away on his hands and knees. Mitrione followed, sticking a hard knee in Junk’s thick mid-section as Junk knelt at the cage. But, again Mitrione backed off and allowed Junk to stand, feeling for good reason his advantage was on his feet.

With a hook punch, Mitrione dropped Junk for the fourth time in the round as Junk sought to clinch. Junk stood and Mitrione teed off, though the onslaught was mostly shrugged off by Junk and marked the end of Mitrione’s gas tank for the rest of the fight. Junk shot for a single-leg takedown, but Mitrione scooted away. Junk followed Mitrione with a trio of sweeping hooks among which Mitrione touched Junk’s chin with a straight left. Mitrione had thrown himself out, but still landed a thudding right hook to Junk’s chin.

Junk clinched and the two spent heavies rested on each other for 45 seconds before Mitrione dipped away from the cage and landed a leg kick. But, with Mitrione’s hands at his waist, Junk grazed Mitrione with three right hooks before the first round bell dinged.

Fighters.com scored the round 10-9 for Mitrione after Junk salvaged the second half of the round with right hooks. Otherwise, it could’ve been a 10-8 round for Mitrione.

Mitrione opened round two winging dinky, but quick scoring shots. Junk countered with a heavy right hook that just grazed Mitrione. Mitrione scored again with a leg kick. Junk grazed Mitrione with another right hook, then shot for a double-leg takedown, landing in Mitrione’s full guard. Junk landed right hooks to Mitrione’s body and nose before referee Josh Rosenthal stood the pair for playing patty-cake on the mat.

Mitrione unleashed a brief second wind after the rest on the mat, scoring with a stinging 1-2 combo and a teep kick. A Junk right hook backed up Mitrione, who countered with a right cross that jerked Junk’s chin. Junk followed up with a pair of grazing right hooks. Mitrione continued scoring with winging shots from all angles while Junk loaded up right hooks. The pair traded leg kicks before the end of the second round.

Fighters.com again scored the round 10-9 in favor of Mitrione, but the second round was much tighter than the first.

White was generous after the fight, saying, “Those two stood in front of each and threw bombs. Both took some big shots.”

After the decision was announced for Mitrione giving Team Rashad coached by Fighters.com’s third-ranked light heavyweight “Sugar” Rashad Evans (13-1-1) a 7-0 lead in the contest over Team Rampage coached by now-retired fifth-ranked “Rampage” Quinton Jackson (28-7), Jackson dismantled a door at the UFC gym with his bare hands and bare head.

The final exhibition bout of round one between Team Rampage’s last hope “Big Baby” Marcus Jones (4-1) and Team Rashad’s Mike Wessel (8-3) will be fought next Wednesday on SpikeTV.