The Ultimate Fighter Finale recaps
MAIN CARD BOUTS
Jake Ellenberger vs. Martin Kampmann
Round 1
Ellenberger swinging for the fences, and connects with a nasty left hook that drops Kampmann hard. Ellenberger swarming all over a Kampmann prone on the ground and this fight is very nearly over. Kampmann manages to weather the storm and is now working for a guillotine choke. Ellenberger gets his head out of the choke and is trying to reestablish top position. Ellenberger lands several combinations on a Kampmann who quickly goes back to working for a guillotine choke. After an age in that position Ellenberger gets his head out but Kampmann was able to get back to his feet.
Close round but Ellenberger's round due to the damage he did early on. 10-9
Round 2
They start the second round absolutely swinging at each other with Kampmann rocking Ellenberger, only to see "The Juggernaut" come back and put the Dane on wobbly legs. Great start to the round. Kampmann is bleeding badly now. Ellenberger seems to be caught by a glancing blow and is staggered. Kampmann pounces, connecting with several Muay Thai knees. Ellenberger drops to the ground and that's all she wrote.
Very fun fight with Kampmann taking a lot of punishment to earn the victory.
Martin Kampmann defeats Jake Ellenberger via knockout (knees) at 1:40 of the second round
Mike Chiesa vs. Al Iaquinta
Round 1
Iaquinta lands several overhand rights on Chiesa at the start of the fight. Chiesa goes for a single-leg takedown but Iaquinta is able to escape. Iaquinta connects with a straight punch as he punches the action. Chiesa on the offense but Iaquinta catches a leg but can't capitalize. Chiesa gets a body lock and rolls into back mount. Chiesa working for a rear naked choke despite Iaquinta holding onto the inside of the glove. Chiesa holding onto the rear naked choke for dear life ... and ... and ... the Hollywood ending happens when Iaquinta passes out. Just three months after he found out that his dad had died in the middle of his first week inside the TUF house Chiesa has won the entire tournament. His mum and sister are in the Octagon celebrating. Incredible.
Mike Chiesa defeats Al Iaquinta via technical submission (rear naked choke) at 2:47 of the first round
Jonathan Brookins vs. Charles Oliveira
Round 1
Oliveira starts things off with a leg kick. Follows it up with a straight punch and several more leg kicks. Brookins lands several hooks to the head. They clinch up and exchange knees to the mid-section. Oliveira connects cleanly with a straight punch to the jaw. Oliveira goes close with a flying knee but he misses and it gives Brookins the space to get a takedown. Oliveira goes for an armbar but Brookins stands up. Is caught by an upkick. Brookins' wary to reengage on the ground and eventually concedes the standup. Oliveira connects with several shots up against the cage. Catches him with a straight punch that rocks Brookins. Tries to go for a standing guillotine but Brookins escapes. Oliveira dominates on the feet, and has Brookins backpedaling with successive combinations. Brookins find some success of his own but Oliveira comes back strong. Brookins busts Oliveira's nose up with several right hands but Oliveira ends the round on the offense. Good round.
10-9 Oliveira
Round 2
Oliveira again kicks things off with a leg kick. After a brief pause he goes close with a jumping front kick. Brookins comes on strong with some strong boxing combinations. Oliveira comes back, rocking Brookins. He goes for a takedown but Brookins counters by going for a guillotine. Oliveira goes for a takedown but Brookins holds on. Oliveira escapes, lands some strong elbows and goes for a guillotine of his own and gets the submission!
Charles Oliveira defeats Jonathan Brookins at 2:42 of the second round via submission (guillotine choke)
Max Holloway vs. Pat Schilling
Round 1
Pat Schilling misses with an overhand right at the start of the round. Quickly goes for a takedown. Lifts Holloway off the ground but struggles to complete the takedown. Finally gets Holloway on the ground, only for his opponent to shoot right back up. Holloway connects with several straight punches. Schilling drops down for a takedown, doesn't get it, but goes close with a kneebar attempt. Holloway tries for a jumping crane kick but misses. Schilling rushes forward but doesn't land anything. He does, however, connect with a spinning back fist. Holloway reestablishes control with his straight punches, lands some heavy hooks to the body. They seem to have hurt Schilling. Holloway connects with a high kick. Schilling pushed up against the cage, Holloway connects with another body punch that hurts Schilling. Schilling goes for a takedown, Holloway easily steps out of it. Schilling is clearly hurt. Holloway goes close with a flying knee. Schilling goes for a takedown, Holloway blocks, Schilling rolls down for a kneebar. The bell sounds for the end of the round.
Holloway's round 10-9
Round 2
Holloway overcommits with his striking and almost gets takedown for his trouble. He is however able to escape and starts peppering Schilling with more straight punches. Connects cleanly with a right hand. Rocks Schilling with a one-two combination. Holloway follows up and has Schilling on the ground. Backs away and beckons Schilling to his feet. Schilling trapped on the cage with Holloway raining down Muay Thai knees and uppercuts. Schilling escapes but is fighting on dumb guts as Holloway punishes him. Holloway punishes Schilling's mid-section up against the cage with nasty hooks to the mid-section. Schilling goes for a desperation single-leg but he's clearly badly hurt. Holloway continues the onslaught but can't quite land the telling blow on a durable opponent. Schilling trapped up against the cage and again goes for a desperation takedown to earn a pause in the punishment. He somehow manages to end the round by landing a spinning backfist but that only angers Holloway to beat him down to the ground at the very end.
Holloway's round by a two-point margin on my scorecard. 20-17
Round 3
Holloway is just going to town on Schilling, but the gutsy featherweight comes back with some unrefined power shots. But its all Holloway at the moment, with the youngster managing to block all Schilling's takedowns as he just calmly dictates the fight. Schilling misses with the spinning back fist. Holloway dominating the fight with the jab and AGAIN goes to the body with a nasty hook. Somehow Schilling is managing to stand up to all this punishment, incredible. Holloway drops Schilling with a right hand but elects to not follow up on the ground. Back on their feet Schilling goes for a takedown but its blocked. Schilling is a bloody mess as Holloway continues to punish him. As the bell ends, Holloway looks awesome, but my God, Schilling is one tough dude.
I have it 30-26 for Max Holloway. The three judges at ringside have it 30-27 for him.
Max Holloway defeats Pat Schilling via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Justin Lawrence vs. John Cofer
Round 1
Will Cooling coming in for Shawn Smith here, for his first live blog from his new flat in Leicester, England!
Cofer gets Lawrence on his back after Lawrence tried a side kick. Lawrence scrambling and actually mangers to get Cofer on his back briefly. Back on their feet, Cofer rocks Lawrence with a right hand. Can't capitalize and we get scrappy exchanges on the feet with Lawrence repeatedly trying to get the takedown in the clinch. Neither fighter is landing much although Lawrence is throwing more. Action picking up as we enter the last minute, with Lawrence catching Cofer cleanly on the chin. Both fighters have thrown a lot although neither has truly established their rhythm. Cofer tries to push forward but misses, eats a Muay Thai knee for his troubles.
Lawrence's round 10-9
Round 2
Cofer really needs to his impose his takedowns on Lawrence if he's going to get the victory — he's fighting Lawrence's fight at the moment. Lawrence is throwing some nice high kicks early in the second round; changes levels to come forward with some quick boxing combinations. Lawrence catches Cofer with some good counterpunches after an attempted flurry by his opponent. This fight seems to be drifting to a decision with neither fighter really putting together the offense to finish the fight. Lawrence keeping the points ticking over by showing better ringmanship with his footwork and landing the occasional clean shot on Cofer's chin. Cofer does connect with a punch but Lawrence follows up with a nice punch that lands square on the chin. Lawrence tries for a spinning back kick and it gives Cofer the opportunity for a suplex. Cofer has Lawrence's back and is trying to work for a rear naked choke. Lawrence escapes and winds up in top position, but does nothing with it.
Difficult, difficult round to score given how even it was on the feet. I think that takedown may have stolen it for Cofer. 19-19
Round 3
Lawrence gets some short uppercuts in to begin the round, they break and then Lawrence catches him with a DEVASTATING high kick that knocks Cofer out cold. A brutal finish to the fight, with Cofer paying the price for his letting his hands drop for just a second.
Winner: Justin Lawrence defeats John Cofer via knockout (high kick) at 0:19 of the third round.
PRELIMINARY BOUTS
Daron Cruickshank vs. Chris Tickle
Round 1
Tickle comes right at Cruickshank (who flies in for a takedown) and gets a guillotine. Cruickshank is able to fight his way free and is on top of Tickle against the fence. Tickle is able to push up after a minute on the ground, but Cruickshank takes him back down with an inside trip. Big elbow from Cruickshank. Tickle goes for an upkick and Cruickshank is downed so referee Steve Mazzagati stops the fight to deduct a point. On the restart, Tickle eats a kick and gets Cruickshank against the fence. Cruickshank hits another trip takedown in response. Ground and pound by Cruickshank — mostly short elbows that could lead to some serious bruising or cuts later on. The round ends with Cruickshank on top.
Cruickshank 10-8
Round 2
Spin kick from Cruickshank misses. Tickle comes forward with a combination of his own. Tickle grabs a sweet neck crank but Cruickshank pops out and is on top. Good grappling exchange by both fighters as Tickle tries to slip out the back and Cruickshank spins and the two are restarted by Mazzagati. Big lead kick by Cruickshank is taken by Tickle and he lands a HUGE bomb that drops Cruickshank. Tickle is down in open guard. Cruickshank turtles up and pulls Tickle for the last minute as the round ends.
Tickle 10-9
Round 3
Simultaneous leg kicks from both fighters. Tickle goes for a leg kick that leads to nothing. Tickle gets a takedown into side control. Cruickshank scrambles and Tickle tries to take his back. Instead, Tickle slides off and Cruickshank takes top position. Tickle is able to get back to his feet momentarily, but Cruickshank gets the inside trip and ends up back in mount and he rains down with ground and pound. Tickle gets free but is swept into bottom position once again as the horn sounds.
Cruickshank 10-9 and 29-27 overall for Cruickshank
Winner: Daron Cruickshank by unanimous decision (29-27, 29-27, 29-27)
Myles Jury vs. Chris Saunders
Round 1
Solid first minute of feeling one another out as both athletes are coming forward for leg kicks and punches. Push kick from Jury lands clean. Left hand lands on Jury. Jury remains very composed and is using his reach to keep Saunders out of range. Leg kick caught by Jury and a right hand lands on the face of Saunders for his effort. Accidental eye poke on Jury and time is stopped for a moment. He's alright, thank goodness, but it still makes you cringe ever time, doesn't it? Big right overhand lands from Jury. Another cross from Jury lands. Saunders catches a knee from Jury, but Jury takes him to the mat. Tight guillotine is slapped on by Jury and after a good battle to free himself, Saunders is forced to tap.
Winner: Myles Jury by submission (Round 1, guillotine choke, 4:03)
Cristiano Marcello vs. Sam Sicilia
Round 1
Big right misses from Sicilia. Front kick from Marcello doesn't connect, which is good because it was fast. Sicilia is charging in wildly and is almost taken down by Marcello with a single-leg. Good exchange from both fighters with Sicilia taking the advantage. Marcello is moving backward now and Sicilia is looking for a big punch to finish it. Push kick from Marcello gets Sicilia out of range. Body kick from Sicilia lands clean. Sicilia catches a kick and his corner screams for him to back out and not go for long strikes while Marcello is on his back. Marcello with a one-two and body kick. Sicilia throwing bombs from a mile away that Marcello is seeing coming.
Sicilia 10-9
Round 2
Marcello and Sicilia are throwing wilding before a big body kick from Marcello allows him to shoot for a single-leg takedown. Sicilia launches hammerfists to defend. Marcello takes an edge in striking as Sicilia is getting gassed from all of his misses. Big punch from Sicilia puts Marcello's back against the cage. Good thai clinch from Sicilia leads to a knee on the button. Marcello turtles up on the mat and is pounded out for the TKO stoppage.
Winner: Sam Sicilia by TKO (Round 2, knee and punches, 2:53)
Jeremy Larsen vs. Joe Proctor
Round 1
No touch of gloves to start. Good combination work by Proctor who misses on a Thai clinch. Larsen is working the body early. Larsen comes lunging forward with hooks that miss. Proctor counters with a big right. Proctor lands a huge knee that puts Larsen down. Big hammerfists force the stoppage from referee Herb Dean.
Winner: Joe Proctor by TKO (Round 1, knee and punches, 1:59)
