Tim Sylvia (30-7) picked up his sixth in seven fights, even if he didn't win any fans in the process.
In the headliner of Saturday's latest offering from the resurrected ProElite organization, the former UFC heavyweight champion scored a shutout unanimous-decision victory over Pedro Rizzo replacement Andreas Kraniotakes (12-5).
"ProElite 2: Big Guns" took place Saturday at iWireless Center in Moline, Ill., and the main card aired on HDNet.
Sylvia got the victory, but despite fighting near home, he was showered with boos afterward.
Sylvia spent much of the fight with Kraniotakes in the clinch and stuffed against the cage. That led to long periods of inactivity between the occasional short punches and knees. Kraniotakes simply was worn down with the energy-depleting clinchwork, and he ultimately suffered a loss via 30-27 scores.
During the announcement of the decision, the crowd lustily booed Sylvia, who apologized for the workmanlike and otherwise-dull performance.
Arlovski scores last-second head-kick KO
Another ex-UFC heavyweight champion earned a victory as Andrei Arlovski (17-9) controlled journeyman Travis Fulton (247-49-10) for three rounds before scoring a last-second head-kick KO to pick up a win at the 4:59 mark of the final round.
The night's co-main event plodded along as the fighters circled and stalled against the cage while in the clinch. Fulton tried to work the fight to the mat, especially in the third round, but he found himself giving up top position as Arlovski defended.
Although Arlovski appeared well on his way to an uninspired unanimous-decision victory, he then unloaded the surprising left head kick. Fulton took the full brunt of the kick and was knocked out cold at the 4:59 mark of the final frame.
It was the polish on what was otherwise a proverbial turd of a fight.
With the victory, Arlovski has now won back-to-back fights since a career-worst four-fight losing streak (three of which came via knockout). Before Saturday, Arlovski hadn't won back-to-back fights in more than three years.
Cutts outlasts Penn
In other action, welterweight Evan Cutts (3-0) remained undefeated and notched a solid win by outlasting Reagan Penn (1-1) for a lopsided unanimous-decision victory.
B.J. Penn's brother faded early, and Cutts dictated the pace and spent most of the fight in dominant positions after frequent takedowns. He threatened with submissions but never got the submission.
Instead, Cutts, who was featured this past week's in MMAjunkie.com's "Fight Path" series, earned the unanimous decision via 30-26, 30-27 and 30-27 scores.
Heavyweight-tourney semifinalists determined
In the opening round of ProElite's prospects-driven heavyweight tournament, Ryan Martinez, Cody Griffin, Jake Heun and Richard Odoms all advanced.
Martin (6-1) upset former NCAA Division I national wrestling champion Mark Ellis (1-1). Martin used effective takedown defense and some solid striking to take a unanimous decision via 30-27 scores.
Meeting Martin in the semifinals will be Griffin (5-2), who was down two rounds to Justyn Riley (4-3) before staging a comeback with a flurry of punches that set up a TKO victory in the first minute of the final frame.
Heun (2-1), meanwhile, used heavy hands and a vicious combo to drop and ultimately finish Ed Carpenter (5-2) with a first-round TKO.
In the semifinals, Heun now meets Odoms (6-0), who remained undefeated by controlling 43-year-old Rod Housley (3-3) standing and on the mat for a unanimous-decision victory.
The full results included:
MAIN CARD
• Tim Sylvia def. Andreas Kraniotakes via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Andrei Arlovski def. Travis Fulton via KO (head kick) - Round 3, 4:59
• Evan Cutts def. Reagan Penn via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)
• Ryan Martinez def. Mark Ellis via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) - heavyweight-tourney opening round
• Jake Heun def. Ed Carpenter via TKO (punches) - Round 1, 3:17 - heavyweight-tourney opening round
• Cody Griffin def. Justyn Riley via TKO (punches) - Round 3, 0:32 - heavyweight-tourney opening round
• Richard Odoms def. Rodney Housley via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) - heavyweight-tourney opening round
PRELIMINARY CARD
• Waylon Lowe def. Floyd Hodge via TKO (doctor's stoppage) - Round 2, 5:00
• Todd Monaghan def. Richard McCraw via submission (rear-naked choke) - Round 1, 0:29 (heavyweight-tourney reserve bout)
