UFC Fight Night: Browne TKOs Mitrione in third round to get back on winning track

Travis “Hapa” Browne has already built a resume brimming with highlight-reel stoppage victories.

Sunday likely did not provide another one, but more importantly than that, it got the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s sixth-ranked heavyweight back on the winning track.

In a bout marred by two eye pokes, Browne used ground-and-pound strikes to stop No. 14 Matt Mitrione at the 4:09 mark on Saturday night at Boston’s TD Garden live on Fox Sports 1’s UFC Fight Night 81.

“Patience. I kept the distance and didn’t try to pressure too much,” Browne told the UFC after the bout. “I got on top and finished it.”

Glendale Fighting Club’s Browne (18-3-1, 9-3-1 in UFC) tallied his 14th knockout win after he slammed Mitrione (9-5 – all fights in UFC) to the canvas from a belly-to-back position, worked to mount and unleashed a stream of right and left punches and elbows until finally bringing about the stoppage.

However, Browne’s victory brought about a rash of boos from the Boston crowd and much was made via social media and mixed martial arts media as the bout was marred by two Browne eye pokes to Mitrione – a pinky to the right eye in the first round and a thumb to the same eye in the second. Referee Gary Forman did not deduct a point for either infraction.

Neither foul looked intentional, as Browne had his lead left hand open and Mitrione frequently jumped inside, adding up to an unfortunate pair of pokes that clearly effected Mitrione.

In a fight that featured two agile, powerful heavyweights coming off defeats, it seemed to promise a slugfest, but, for the most part, it was a tenative bout with Browne looking to establish range on the outside and Mitrione jumping in and out.

Nonetheless, Browne emerged victorious after a May first-round knockout loss to Andrei Arlovski served as the only fight of a tumultous 2015 for Browne and the Glendale Fighting Club, led by coach Edmond Taverdyan who was in Browne’s corner for the third time, with the heavyweight’s record moving to 2-1 since joining Taverdyan. After the May loss, Browne was accused of domestic abuse by his ex-wife, which resulted in his suspension by the UFC from company events. Browne was reinstated when no conclusive evidence was found by an FBI investigator. Not long after, Browne’s relationship with fellow GFC trainee and superstar Ronda Rousey was made public and was one of the talking points in relation to the purported distractions that many believe had a hand in Rousey tasting her first defeat when she lost her UFC women’s bantamweight title to Holly Holm in November.

Leading into Sunday’s fight, Browne, 33, said 2016 was going to be a “great year” and he got the result he needed against Mitrione, 37, to begin carrying out that premonition.
Looking to find range early, the two pawed with jabs early on, with Browne throwing some front kicks, as well. Mitrione came in on occasion with no effectiveness and Browne threw the first solid punch with a nice right cross. The two stayed a bit tenative until the midway point of the round before Browne landed a right high kick and Mitrione then came in close and landed a solid punch. Mitrione came in and connected with a good right, but Browne also landed a right. Browne took a seat moments later after the two came together and Mitrione landed a left hook, but didn’t apear to be hurt. Browne landed a good right cross behind a double left jab later on and seconds later Mitrione took a poke to the right eye. The fight continued and the round ended as a razor-close stanza as little happened other than the left hook from Mitrione.

The Glendale News-Press scored the stanza for Mitrione, 10-9, and had it 19-19 heading into the third, but all three judges’ scorecards had it 20-18 for Browne.

Mitrione came out more aggressive in the second round, rushing in and out and quickly landed well. In the exchange, he grabbed his eye again, but the ref didn’t stop the bout and Browne ran in and the fight continued. Seconds later, Mitrione, still squinting, said something to the referee, who paused the bout, allowing replays to show Mitrione took a thumb to the eye. The bout continued and Browne landed a good kick to the body as Mitrione came in. A left straight by Mitrione later landed and moments later, Mitrione lept in again and overshot, allowing an easy Browne takedown. Browne had Mitrione in side control and looked to be going for an Americana armlock, but Mitrione was able to spin out and Browne took his back only for Mitrione to work up to his feet. Browne landed a good straight right and followed with a knee from the muay Thai clinch. Browne timed Mitrione coming in well with a right knee to the stomach twice before the round concluded.

The third round started out slowly, as well, though Browne was far more active. It was Mitrione who landed the first good shot when he came in with a left straight, but seconds later, Browne connected with a right straight as Mitrione’s right eye continued to swell, possibly due to the eye poke, but likely due to the punch, as shown in a televised replay. As the round went under three minutes, the crowd began to boo the lack of action. Browne came in with a right uppercut and switched to Mitrione’s back, picked him up and slammed him down and quickly moved to full mount. Browne began to drop right hands while working to maintain top control. Browne then postured up and began landing big shots from the top. While he rained down punches, his most telling blows were elbows. With Mitrione covering up on his side and Browne dropping rights and lefts and finally three straight lefts, the referee stopped the bout.

The crowd booed loudly and Mitrione jumped up walking around with a grotesquely swollen right eye.

It was Browne’s third win over a fighter currently ranked in the UFC heavyweight top 15 with the others against No. 3 Alistair Overeem and No. 8 Josh Barnett.

And Browne has eyes on a rematch with champion Fabricio Werdum, who defeated Browne via unanimous decision in a nontitle 2014 match.

“I want the championship,” Browne said, “and I won’t settle for anything less.”