Razor Bounces Back with Decision Victory

Originally posted on MMAweekly.com

McCullough, who put in his first non-Huntington Beach training camp at Xtreme Couture, readied himself for a hyper-aggressive Hicks, whose style would play perfectly into his punch-heavy countering.

Hicks, however, had a different idea. Instead of charging McCullough, he inched forward for much of the fight. Content to box, he surprised the former WEC lightweight champion with an unpredictable left hand. One minute, it would loop in, and the next, it would come straight.

Eventually, the “Wrecking Ball” cornered his man against the cage. But McCullough’s takedown defense was solid, and the two stalemated against the cage. They were twice separated from the referee for failing to advance position.

McCullough realized he would not be taken down, and began to let his kicks go. In the second, he connected with a liver kick that wounded the stout lightweight. Retreating to the edge of the cage, Hicks caught several punch combinations, but snapped McCullough with another left hand that stopped the advance.

By the third, the two men had gained little ground on each other. However, McCullough showed greater ring generalship, landing several kicks to the leg and body, gunning for a high kick knockout.

When another Hicks shot failed, McCullough turned up the pressure, but was unable to put together any combinations to end the fight.

The first judge saw the bout as a draw, 29 apiece, while one gave all rounds to McCullough, 30-27. The final judge gave Hicks a round, with a 29-28 score for the former champ, giving him a majority decision victory.

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