(Props: IronForgesIron)
After a year in the pokey, War Machine finally returned to competition Saturday night at Ultimate Warrior Fighting 1 in Pharr, Texas, where he faced off against former UFC lightweight darling Roger Huerta in the event’s welterweight headliner. And even though prison ring-rust has to be the worst kind of ring-rust — nutraloaf and sandwich masturbation don’t exactly make for an ideal fighter lifestyle — Mr. Machine handled himself admirably, out-hustling Huerta in a gritty back-and-forth scrap.
Unfortunately, Huerta broke his rib during a scramble in round three, seemingly when War sneaks in that knee at the video’s 15:10 mark. War Machine took advantage of Huerta’s weakened state and laid on punches from the top until the match was stopped. And so, War Machine writes the first chapter of his unlikely comeback story, while Huerta picks up the fifth loss in his last six attempts.
Special props to the always colorful Phil Baroni, who was particularly qualified for his commentary gig considering he’s trained with War Machine at Xtreme Couture, and used to drink snake-blood in Thailand with Huerta. But he’s an even better TV director. (“There’s a ring card girl with a nice ass; put it on her, not on me, dude…The camera guy’s telling me to look at him! Shut up camera-guy before I knock you out!”)
Lord knows the broadcast needed the help. You know you’re watching a second-rate MMA production when they show fans in the crowd while the fight is happening. Check out the portly cowboy at the 2:59 mark. Even he’s like, “bro, of all the people to film right now.”