AAMMA 23 Preview: Bill Underwood vs Cody Bruce

Continuing our preview of the upcoming Absolute Action MMA is another key match-up between Bill Underwood (3-2) vs. Cody Bruce (8-4). This bout will be for the vacant AAMMA Amateur Middleweight Championship Title and is one of the seven scheduled title bouts. Bruce will be fighting for the first time for Absolute Action MMA and also be fighting in the backyard of Underwood. Underwood who is a native of Northern Kentucky will definitely have the home crowd advantage in this fight.

Bill Underwood is no stranger to Absolute Action MMA as this is the only organization he has fought for in his young career and has recently signed with them to become an exclusive fighter. He has steadily worked his way up the middleweight ladder and is very deserving of this title shot. Underwood who fought four times last year going a combined total of 3-1 and winning the last two bouts and is looking to extend that to three against Bruce this weekend. Underwood who is a very stocky middleweight has the power to knockout any opponent in the amateur ranks but has yet to score a knockout finish. He has finished all but one fight via submission displaying his growing ground game.

Cody Bruce on the other hand definitely has the experience heading into this bout against Underwood. Bruce who less than two weeks ago fought and defeated Lewis Whitt at Hardrock MMA’s 3-Year Anniversary show is also riding a two fight win streak. Bruce is the current Second2None Amateur Middleweight Champion in which he defeated James Rockwell back in July 2009. He looks to add another title to his waist pending he can stop Underwood this weekend. Bruce who we had on our radio show, BluegrassMMA Live, prior to his most recent bout displayed his trash-talking skills which I thought were just as good as UFC Fighter Chanel Sonnens. I was at that match and he definitely backed up the trash he was talking. Bruce is definitely someone you want to keep an eye on as he is a force to be reckoned with here in the amateur levels.

In this fight, if it stays standing I’d give the advantage to Underwood. I know Bruce can take some punches but he hasn’t fought someone as powerful as Underwood before so not sure if his chin is capable of eating some of his punches. If it gets taken to the ground I’d manage the slimmer Bruce having the speed and cardio to outlast Underwood and he’ll probably score a submission victory. Either way I don’t see this fight going past the second round.