Riot at the Hyatt Results: Isaiah Larson Outlasts Whisper Goodman in Minneapolis

This past Friday night was a big night for Minnesota mixed martial arts as the Riot at the Hyatt event took place in downtown Minneapolis, MN. It was Viking vs. Packer in the main event as Minnesota’s Isaiah Larson defended the pride of his state against Wisconsin’s Herbert “Whisper” Goodman.

Goodman had been on a two-fight win streak, but the loss was his third straight which took place outside of his home state and dropped his overall MMA record to 18-11.

Fellow Wisconsinites Floyd Hodges and Brian Learn also had tough nights as they fell short in their respective fights. Learn lost a split decision to Nick Kirk while Floyd Hodges dropped a unanimous decision to Donal Williams.

With their team 0-3, Vikings fans had a weight lifted off of their shoulders for one night.

Here are the full results from Riot at the Hyatt on Sept. 23.

Nick Caron and Adam Osterkamp are B/R MMA writers. Both reported from Riot at the Hyatt first-hand.

Craig Early (3-5) vs. Brandon Bucholz (4-6): 135 Pounds

The bantamweight bout between Brandon Bucholz and Craig Early got things started on the main card.

Round 1

Brandon Bucholz looked to touch gloves, but Craig Early elected not to.

Early came with a quick flurry that landed, but Bucholz just smiled back, not showing that it affected him. He was bleeding out of the left side of his head in two spots, but neither was too bad and Bucholz didn’t let it bother him.

Lots of back-and-forth leg and body kicks before a big takedown from Bucholz brought the fight into Early’s guard. Early worked a rubberguard from the bottom, but Bucholz passed into side control and moved quickly in to mount up against the cage.

He rained down punches from the mount for a few seconds, but Early quickly swept him and landed up in Buckholz’s guard in a great display of jiu-jitsu. Bucholz worked for a triangle from his back and connected with some nice elbows while continuing to work for the submission.

Early finally escaped and the two fighters shot to their feet, immediately clinched against the cage. A nice slam from Bucholz put the fight back on the ground, but Early instantly grabbed his neck and applied a guillotine choke!

It was in deep and there wasn’t much that Bucholz could do. He desperately tried to break loose, but finally had to submit.

Winner: Craig Early, submission due to guillotine choke at 3:39 in the first round

Chad Vaudrin (6-3) vs. Lloyd McKinney (3-2): 130 Pounds

Round 1

As often happens with the local events where fighters don’t have much tape on one another, there was a feeling-out process early between these two combatants. Neither man seemed to want to commit to doing much, other than Lloyd McKinney throwing one big leg kick that connected on Chad Vaudrin in the opening minute.

McKinney finally pushed Vaudrin into the cage where he exploded with  flying knee to the body before Vaudrin spun around and the two fighters ended up on the ground, in Vaudrin’s half-guard. McKinney landed from half-guard, causing Vaudrin to try to improve the position to a full-guard, but McKinney quickly took his back when the opening got there.

McKinney’s jiu-jitsu expertise was evident as he quickly flattened his opponent out and landed some punches on him, but Vaudrin finally escaped when McKinney tried to get a kimura. When he broke loose, McKinney shot to his feet first where he landed a couple punches on his downed opponent, including a brutal-looking kick to the body.

The kick seemed to completely change the outlook of the fight as Vaudrin didn’t seem to be looking to go on the offensive anymore, and McKinney just looked for his opportunity to inflict more damage to his opponent’s body.

After taking countless shots both to the body and head, Vaudrin finally submitted to strikes.

Winner: Lloyd McKinney, submission due to strikes in the first round

Reilly Griffin (2-0) vs. Chad Waldron (3-1): 195 Pounds

Round 1

Reilly Griffin shot out of the gate and immediately looked to end the fight with flying knee, but Chad Waldron sidestepped him and answered with a solid punch to the body.

Griffin pushed his opponent into the cage and landed some knees to the body, but Waldron waited him out and eventually timed one perfectly and used it to secure a takedown against the fence. Waldron was unable to do much with the takedown, though, and it was obvious that the knees damaged him as his nose was bleeding a bit early as the two fighters scrambled to their feet.

A nice trip from Waldron landed him in Griffin’s half-guard against the fence again, but this time he would not let go. Waldron hammered down as Griffin desperately tried to cover up, but the punches were making their way through and the referee finally had to put an end to the bout.

Winner: Chad Waldron by TKO due to punches, 2:45 in the first round

Wes Ronchi (13-13) vs. Dan Kiser (4-2): 150 Pounds

As these two fighters walked to the cage, fans were delighted at the ridiculously amazing hairdo from Wes Ronchi, who had dyed the sides of his hair blue, surrounding a curly blonde mohawk-like middle.

Round 1

These two fighters appeared to know one another well as they bypassed an opening glove touch to hug in the middle of the cage.

Wes Ronchi was wild early, throwing haymakers and body kicks, but nothing landed. Dan Kiser missed a punch and Ronchi takes the opportunity to bring his opponent down right in front of his corner.

Ronchi’s cornerman instructed him right next to the action as the fighter secured side control and eventually worked his way to mount.

A desperate Kiser sensed the fight slipping away, though, and beautifully escaped by walking up the cage, pulling Ronchi back into his guard. At that point, Ronchi was unable to do much damage and the referee finally stood them up after some stalling.

Ronchi slipped trying to throw a kick and landed on his back, so Kiser jumped on him but Ronchi flips it back over and ends the first round in side control.

(Unofficial score: 10-9 Ronchi)

Round 2

The fighters clinched in the center of the cage early in the second round, but Kiser pulled a standing guillotine choke and yanked his opponent to the ground with it! Ronchi battled to try to escape, but was forced to submit after easily winning the first round.

Winner: Dan Kiser by submission due to guillotine choke in the second round

The victory was Dan Kiser’s fifth professional victory in a row.

Brian Learn (18-12) vs. Nick Kirk (5-0): 145 Pounds

Round 1

A feeling-out process early saw some leg kicks back and forth. Learn was the first to really go for something when he grabbed Kirk’s head and went for a standing guillotine, but Kirk quickly yanked his head out. As he was escaping, Learn accidentally connected with a kick to the groin and there was a momentary stop in the action.

When the fighters came back, Kirk quickly shot in and took Learn down with a single-leg against the cage. Kirk then worked it into side control. Learn attempted to use the cage for leverage, but Kirk took the opportunity to drive some knees into his left arm and ribs.

The round ended in this position, with Learn mostly protecting, but having landed practically nothing thus far in the fight.

(Unofficial score: 10-9 Kirk)

Coach Greg Nelson was in Kirk’s corner, helping him between rounds.

Round 2

Learn made use of his reach advantage early in the round, out-striking his shorter opponent, but left himself open by attempting another flying knee and got taken down yet again.

Kirk laid on his opponent, not really making much of an effort to pass and the referee stood the fight back up pretty quickly.

Learn continued to out-punch Kirk, but it was nothing very significant, leaving Kirk the opportunity to time a gorgeous double-leg takedown. Learn was in trouble again as he simply could not do anything off of his back.

Brian Learn worked a rubberguard and appeared to possibly be looking for a submission, but his leg slipped back down and Kirk finally opened up with a few punches from the top as the round ended.

(Unofficial score: 20-18 Kirk)

Round 3

As we headed into the third round, Learn was likely down two rounds to none and needed to try to finish this fight in the third.

Sensing the desperation, Learn went for another knee, but got taken down yet again, this time against the fence right in front of Kirk’s corner. Coach Greg Nelson talked directly in his fighter’s ear, helping him control the bout.

Learn finally got back to his feet and tried to let his hands go, but one final double-leg takedown from Kirk ended the fight with Learn’s back on the mat.

(Unofficial score: 30-27 Kirk)

Winner: Nick Kirk by split decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

Nick Kirk admits that he was disappointed in his performance, “I didn’t bring it on my feet,” but Learn respectfully gave props to his opponent. Kirk remains undefeated as a professional with what is now a 6-0 record. 

Floyd Hodges (8-4) vs. Donald Williams (1-1): 140 Pounds

Round 1

Floyd Hodges went to touch gloves in the beginning of the fight, but his opponent Donald Williams did not oblige.

Williams got a takedown early, but Hodges sprung out of it quickly. The explosiveness of these two fighters was very evident from just this exchange.

Williams, who looks intense despite his relative inexperience, landed a leg kick followed by an unanswered punch combination. He then pushed his opponent into the cage where he drove him into the mat with a nice slam.

Knees were being driven into Hodges’ ribs as Williams laid on him in side control and Hodges hadn’t put up much of a fight at this point. Williams was dominating, but the fight was stood up when he apparently landed a head-butt.  

After a warning from the referee, Williams’ fire seemed to be a little less intense and Hodges came out with more intensity now. His striking was not quite as loose as it possibly could have been as he was still cautious of Williams’ takedowns.

A violent leg kick from Williams had the entire crowd groaning with Hodges’ pain and back-and-forth striking ends the first round.

(Unofficial score: 10-9 Williams)

Round 2

Floyd Hodges looked for a head kick, but Williams took the opportunity to slam him into the fence with another takedown. Hodges got back up, but was taken down yet again against the fence, this time right in front of Williams’ coach, Greg Nelson.

Williams worked into side control and as he landed a few punches to the body, but was not really doing much on the ground. The referee stood the fight back up.

Another takedown from Williams led to an arm triangle attempt, but Hodges escaped and ended the second round on his back.

(Unofficial score: 20-18 Williams)

Round 3

Williams nearly took Hodges’ back in the opening seconds, but Hodges was able to use the cage to his advantage in a great show of cage experience and stayed on his feet.

As the two fighters battled on the feed, Hodges unintentionally poked Williams in the eye and the fight had to be stopped momentarily.

When the fight started back up, Williams went for takedown attempt against the cage. Hodges stopped him for a while before finally being taken down again.

Without doing much damage, Williams was unable to keep Hodges down as he was on all fours, trying to get back to his feet. It was at this point that Williams threw a standing kick to the body that barely missed his opponent’s head in the final seconds of the fight.

Controversy came up quickly as the referee thought that the foot connected to Hodges’ head which could have resulted in a disqualification, but it was determined that the kick landed on the body and we went to a judges’ decision.

(Unofficial score: 30-27 Williams)

Winner: Donald Williams by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Chris Lane (4-3) vs. Michael Richman (9-1): 150 Pounds

Round 1

Chris Lane starts off tagging his opponent with punches to the face, pushing him back into the cage with aggression, but Mike Richman tossed him head-first into the cage and took back the center of the cage.

Mike Richman looked very confident and Chris Lane looked a bit anxious. Richman’s confidence led him to land the better of the standup as Lane seemed to be covering a lot and not throwing much himself.

Richman’s striking skills were too much as he landed a few big punches to the body that sent his opponent crashing into the cage right in front of his own corner. Mike Richman then followed it up with a series of huge punches to the head.

Sensing that their fighter was outmatched and taking too much damage, Chris Lane’s corner threw in the towel, ending the fight by corner stoppage midway through the first round.

Winner: Michael Richman by corner stoppage in the first round

It was obvious that Richman’s nose was broken in the post-fight interview, but the crushing victory has to make it feel better.

Main Event, Whisper Goodman (18-10) vs. Isaiah Larson (12-6): 185 Pounds

The main event featured the border battle billed as “Viking vs. Packer” as Minnesota’s Isaiah Larson took on Wisconsin’s Herbert “Whisper” Goodman.

Larson got the fans pumped up with one of the greatest entrances in Minnesota MMA history as he walked to the cage to "Jump Around" by House of Pain. Larson's entourage to the cage resembled that of a top-level boxer as everyone was wearing their "Striking Viking" shirts in support of their fearless combatant. 

Round 1

It was another feeling-out process early, but Larson was clearly getting the better of it early, landing punches to the body as they clinch before he backs things up into the fence.

More body shots from Larson as he pushed Goodman from each side of the cage to the next. He wasn’t doing much with it, though, and the referee finally broke it up.

When the fighters came back into the center of the cage, Larson quickly grabbed Goodman again and pushed him into the cage. It looked like it was going to be more stalling, but Larson popped him with a nice punch before stepping back to the center of the cage.

Larson worked and secured a single-leg takedown as the round came to an end.

Not much offense from Goodman early in this one as he appeared to be playing on the defensive mostly, waiting for his opponent to make a mistake, which he hadn’t done yet.

(Unofficial score: 10-9 Larson)

Round 2

An inside leg kick from Larson starts this round, but Goodman finally tried to get some offense going. Larson continued to avoid just about everything he did, but it was good to see Goodman at least looking to score some points.

Goodman went for a punch and kick combo, but Larson simply grabbed him again and tossed him into the cage where he has clearly dictated that the majority of the fight will take place.

A huge trip and a takedown from Goodman looked like it might change the fight, but Larson immediately fought back to his feet, much to the crowd’s approval.

Larson pushed Goodman against the cage again for a while before the referee finally broke it up again.

More tentative striking from the two fighters led to Larson shooting for a single-leg. He got a hold of the leg and ate some punches for his trouble, but continued to fight for it though and finally secured the takedown.

Goodman went on the complete defensive as he just grabbed both of Larson’s wrists and refused to let go, which essentially led to nothing else happening in the round.

(Unofficial score: 20-18 Larson)

Round 3

A big leg-kick from Goodman started the round, but it might be too late to have much of an impact on the fight, given that it’s already the third round.

Goodman went for another leg kick, but Larson caught it and immediately worked for a single-leg against the cage, but Goodman escaped.

Goodman began opening up with his striking midway through the round and Larson was certainly feeling it as he began backing up, but a nice shot from Goodman finally led to a takedown against the fence. This could have been Goodman’s opportunity to get a submission in the final moments, but he decided instead to stand up in an effort to get the knockout.

Big punches from Goodman ended the fight, but the final bell rang and this fight went to a judges’ decision.

(Unofficial score: 29-28 Larson)

Winner: Isaiah Larson by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)