Spratt Beats Von Flue in Mixed Martial Arts

Spratt Beats Von Flue in Mixed Martial Arts
By B.J. Koubaroulis
Special to The Washington Post
Sunday, April 27, 2008; D11

Instead of gripping Pete Spratt's left leg on his single-leg takedown attempt, Jason Von Flue stumbled face-first into Spratt's step-back right-handed uppercut knockout blow, which folded Von Flue 1 minute 10 seconds into the main event of Ultimate Warrior Challenge-INVASION -- last night's nine-card Mixed Martial Arts cage-style event at George Mason University's Patriot Center.

"On a couple of his shot attempts, he was ducking under my punches," said Spratt, a 5-foot-9 169-pounder, who bounced back after a controversial loss to Ryan Ford. "I thought the next time he shoots, I'm going to throw low and that's what I did. I caught him on the throat and stopped the blood-flow to the brain."

Spratt (20-11) dominated the fight from the start, taking control on a few erratic right hooks during an early flurry. He followed a left roundhouse kick with several devastating body shots that sent Von Flue (12-9-1) back-pedaling and to the hexagon's canvas three times within the first three minutes.

"I saw the fear and smelled blood and went for the finish," Spratt said.

The event, promoted as the biggest ever MMA event here, drew 4,828 fans and featured a mix of top fighters from organizations such as UFC, Pride, IFL and Bodog as well as locals from the region's top gyms.

It was the second event at Patriot Center, following SMASH -- a Nov. 30 10-card bout organized by local promoters that drew fewer than 2,500 fans.

According to promoters, UWC plans another card at Patriot Center in September.

In his return from Albuquerque, former DeMatha wrestler and two-time All-Met Marcus Foran (6-2) was the local favorite, sinking a deep arm-bar that submitted Baltimore's Tenyeh Dixon (2-3) 4:24 into the second round.

Foran spun off a side-mount and caught Dixon's arm and "tried to break it off," said Foran, who threw his hips into the lock, forcing Dixon to tap out. "I've been looking forward to this since the day they said 'Hey, you're fighting in the D.C. area.' "

Herndon-based gym One Spirit Martial Arts went 2-1 with wins from Reshad Woods and Aaron Riley while Reston native and former George Mason wrestler Johnny Curtis dropped to 1-1 in his pro career, falling on a solid right hook knockout blow from Josh Feldman (1-0) 1:07 into the first round.

Woods, a 6-foot-2, 185-pounder, knocked out Ron Stallings (5-2-1) 1:25 into the first round, narrowly avoiding an arm-bar submission by power-slamming Stallings back to the canvas, leaving him unconscious.

"My instinct just took over," said Woods (5-1). The arm-bar "was really tight. . . . That was the last resort."

Riley (24-10-1) overwhelmed Brazil's Thiago Minu, pounding Minu with a series of hammer-fists, body shots and hooks from a mounted position, earning a unanimous decision.

District native Mike Easton (5-1) followed a series of leg kicks with a devastating right that gave him a first-round knockout of Gerald Levato (5-4).