Brendan Smith vs. Tom Wilson gave us our UFC fix for the week…sort of.
In an NHL game between the Washington Capitals and Carolina Hurricanes, the Hurricanes took care of business and won the game 6-1. While this may seem like a regular one-sided win in hockey, the Capitals-Hurricanes game was overshadowed by a mid-third period brawl between Brendan Smith and Tom Wilson. Apparently, the two hockey stars have some beef between one another, and this was put on full display with 10:41 left and with the game already out of reach.
Smith didn’t make Wilson’s skull fracture recovery present, as he went to work on Wilson the second the referee said “go.”
Brendan Smith vs. Tom Wilson was reminiscent of Diego Sanchez vs. Gilbert Melendez
Smith and Wilson did their best impersonation of Diego Sanchez vs. Gilbert Melendez, a UFC fight that took place in 2013. Like Sanchez and Melendez, both NHL’ers went to war before Wilson caught Smith with the perfect punch that sent the Carolina fan favorite crashing to the ice, forcing the Capitals to take a five-minute major penalty for, you guessed it, fighting.
Wilson and Smith clinched for awhile before Wilson pushed off of Smith, grabbed his head as if he was attempting a guillotine, before knocking him unconscious. It would have probably been one of several POTN bonuses, and maybe a FOTN bonus.
As for the UFC fight, Melendez and Sanchez went the full distance, as Melendez took home the victory.
So, yes, fighting does take place outside of the ring or cage. Just ask NHL teams.