Oakdale Mixed Martial Arts star and Modesto native Michael McDonald captured his second straight Ultimate Fighting Championships victory on Saturday during the UFC 130 card in Las Vegas.
The 20-year-old McDonald (13-1) is the youngest fighter in the UFC, and ousted 29-year-old Chris Cariaso in a three-round battle during the night’s UFC preliminary under cards aired live on Facebook.
In the end, judges ruled 30-27 for Cariaso, 28-27 for McDonald and 28-27 for McDonald after an exciting contest that saw fast-paced action in both the standup game, and on the ground. After judges ruled the split decision in his favor, McDonald wiped his brow in relief.
He dropped Cariaso to the canvas with a lightning fast combination in the first round, gained full mount control after a late second round takedown and avoided a dangerous Cariaso submission in the final period of action.
The win avenged Cariaso’s victory over Oakdale MMA fighter and Oakdale High graduate Rolando Velasco during a “Rumble In Richmond” card in 2009. The victory was one in a 5-1 streak for the San Francisco native with two WEC (World Extreme Cagefighting) and two UFC fights now under his belt.
But Cariaso’s record dropped to 11-3 after McDonald took home the battle of the UFC’s rising bantamweight fighters. McDonald took the contest on short notice after Noricum Yamamoto was forced to back out of the fight with an injury.
McDonald is one of several Oakdale MMA fighters on the cusp of big careers. His older brother, Justin Smitely, and younger brother, Brad McDonald, also carry strong professional records.
The 20-year-old McDonald (13-1) is the youngest fighter in the UFC, and ousted 29-year-old Chris Cariaso in a three-round battle during the night’s UFC preliminary under cards aired live on Facebook.
In the end, judges ruled 30-27 for Cariaso, 28-27 for McDonald and 28-27 for McDonald after an exciting contest that saw fast-paced action in both the standup game, and on the ground. After judges ruled the split decision in his favor, McDonald wiped his brow in relief.
He dropped Cariaso to the canvas with a lightning fast combination in the first round, gained full mount control after a late second round takedown and avoided a dangerous Cariaso submission in the final period of action.
The win avenged Cariaso’s victory over Oakdale MMA fighter and Oakdale High graduate Rolando Velasco during a “Rumble In Richmond” card in 2009. The victory was one in a 5-1 streak for the San Francisco native with two WEC (World Extreme Cagefighting) and two UFC fights now under his belt.
But Cariaso’s record dropped to 11-3 after McDonald took home the battle of the UFC’s rising bantamweight fighters. McDonald took the contest on short notice after Noricum Yamamoto was forced to back out of the fight with an injury.
McDonald is one of several Oakdale MMA fighters on the cusp of big careers. His older brother, Justin Smitely, and younger brother, Brad McDonald, also carry strong professional records.
