David ‘Bull Dawg’ Michaud finishes Carey Varnier in Fargo, N.D. via ten-finger choke to move to 7-0 as a professional. COURTESY/Lorna Her Many Horses
Michaud moves to 7-0: Is the UFC next?
By Brandon Ecoffey
Native Sun News Managing Editor FARGO — David “Bull Dawg” Michaud was victorious over Carey Varnier Saturday night in Fargo, ND. The win ups his record to 7-0 as a professional Mixed Martial Artist and rumblings of a UFC call up are beginning to stir from both fans and promotions across the region. The fight that took place under the Dakota Fighting Championship banner at the Scheel’s arena in Fargo, ND was considered by many leading up to the event as the fight to watch on the card. The matchup pitted the fast rising and undefeated Michaud, who just ran off two consecutive wins for the highly competitive Omaha, NE based Victory Fighting Championships, against Carey Varnier, a former product of Jackson’s MMA in Albuquerque and a well-known four fight veteran of the nationally televised promotion Bellator. The fight that took place at a catch weight of 160 pounds was the lightest the Oglala Lakota fighter had competed at since high school. “I haven’t been this light since my sophomore year of high school” said Michaud in a text message to Native Sun News a day before the fight. However the weight cut did not seem to affect Michaud as he entered the cage lean and ready to go. In the opening minutes of the fight Varnier pressed Michaud up against the cage and worked tirelessly for the takedown. The matchup between the two highly skilled wrestlers however quickly became a stalemate as Varnier was unable to secure a takedown on Michaud despite having shot deep in to Michaud’s midsection. The majority of the fight would take place up against the cage with Varnier pressuring Michaud while working for the takedown. Michaud would land multiple elbows and hammer fists to Varnier’s ribs while fighting off takedown attempts with a mixture of under hooks and kimuras. The fight would eventually move away from the cage and after a short exchange Varnier, would find himself on his knees after a failed take down attempt. The small space was all Michaud needed to sink in a modified front guillotine choke to earn the submission. “I felt him getting weaker while he was working for the take down,” said Michaud. With the fight at 160lbs Michaud told NSN in the weeks leading up to the fight that in order to make the weight he had spent more time running and doing distance cardio. The extra cardio seemed to benefit him during the fight. Prior to the win talk around the regional MMA scene was that Michaud was only a couple of victories away from being called upon by the Ultimate Fighting Championship to take the step up to the biggest of all MMA’s stages. After his submission of Varnier, who had fought at the highest level of the sport, the talk has begun to flow as confirmed by Ryan Stoddard, promoter for Victory. Victory is the largest MMA promotion in the region and has developed multiple fighters who have gone on to fight in the UFC including Benson Henderson and Jake Ellenberger. “David is a natural talent. He has a fighting spirit you just can't teach. You will see him fighting for a Victory title very soon and headed to the UFC shortly after that,” said Stoddard. Michaud is currently under contract with Victory for one more fight but did not comment on his plans beyond that. Only that he would like to be back in the stage by late March. (Contact Brandon Ecoffey at staffwriter2@nsweekly.com) Copyright permission Native Sun News
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