The first LIVE Season of The Ultimate Fighter has come to an end. Dominick Cruz started the competition strong but in the end, it has come down to two Team Faber members in the Final; Michael Chiesa and Al Iaquinta. We also have Jake Ellenberger vs. Martin Kampmann in a five-round Main Event to see who will emerge as the next Welterweight Contender!
MAIN EVENT
-Welterweight Contender-
Jake Ellenberger vs. Martin “The Hitman” Kampmann
Official: Round 2 – KO 1:40, Martin Kampmann (20-5)
Both guys very patient. Ellenberger drops him bad! He’s trying to finish! Kampmann tries to regain composure as Ellenberger begins to control position from the top. Kampmann keeps a hold of Ellenberger’s neck. Ellenberger fights it off which allows Kampmann back up. Kampmann lands some great strikes but Ellenberger goes insane and bloodies Kampmanns face, definitely a broken nose. Ellenberger gets rocked by a punch! Kampmann ties him up and Knees! It’s over! Crazy! The Juggernaut has been stopped!
Knockout of the Night
-TUF 15 Final-
Michael “The Maverick” Chiesa vs. Al Iaquinta
Official: Round 1 – Technical Submission 2:47 Rear Naked Choke, Michael Chiesa (8-0)
Iaquinta tries to display his punching power early but Chiesa grabs him and tries for a takedown but Iaquinta fights it off. Chiesa grabs him again! Has him down and his back! He’s working for the Rear Naked Choke with lots of time left! There it is! He’s out! UNBELIEVABLE! WOW! NO WAY! AMAZING!
Submission of the Night
Johnathan Brookins vs. Charles Oliveira
Official: Round 2 – Submission 2:42 Guillotine Choke, Charles Oliveira (16-2-1)
Brookins peppers Oliveira early with some long jabs. Oliveira lands a big Right Hand. Huge Flying Knee by Oliveira but Brookins slams him down! Oliveira attacks hard off his back but Brookins slips out of any submission grips. Another big shot from Oliveira! Oliveira begins to open up but Brookins fires back some shots of his own! Brookins seems to be trying to work the “Stockton Slap” but it’s not quite working on Oliveira who fires back hard, straight punches. Brookins locks up a tight Guillotine! Oliveira pops out. Oliveira snags a Guillotine of his own and it’s over!
Max Holloway vs. “Thrilling” Pat Schilling
Official: Unanimous Decision – 30-27, Max Holloway (5-1)
Holloway takes little time to establish his striking range forcing Schilling to go for a takedown but Holloway isn’t having it and fights it off. Schilling rolls for a Kneebar but doesn’t get it. Holloway is definitely more comfortable on the feet, good footwork. Schilling tries to pressure forward but eats some punches for his trouble. Schilling is confused now, not sure how to gain control of the fight. Holloway beats him up against the cage. Schilling is fading fast. Schilling rolls for another Kneebar and it’s tight! But the Round ends. Schilling goes hard for another takedown early but Holloway has some great defense and gives Schilling some punches to the face. Schilling has mentally checked out now, flat-footed, just taking punches. Clearly wants out of this fight. Holloway pounces on him again in the corner, again and again. Big body shots! Corner should really throw the towel in at this point, this is hard to watch. Every once in a while, Schilling will come back and land something but, it’s so minimal at this point. Schilling goes down from a hard combo but Holloway stays on the feet and lets him back up. Schilling is a bloody mess. Holloway tries for an Off-the-Cage Spinning Back Kick, ala Pettis vs. Guida, but fails rather miserably. Dominates the fight regardless.
Justin “The American Kid” Lawrence vs. John Cofer
Official: Round 3 – KO 0:19, Justin Lawrence (4-0)
Cofer pounces on Lawrence when he through a single kick. Lawrence does the same the second he works back up! They separate. Lawrence gets rocked by a punch! But recovers very quickly. Lawrence begins to land some strikes now. The pace begins to pick up, both landing hard punches! Cofer is winging punches from his hips. After a bit of a stalemate on the feet, Cofer finally find an opening for a takedown! He takes his back but Lawrence escapes. Things get aggressive once again and Lawrence lands a Highlight Reel Roundhouse Kick from Hell! WOW! What a knockout!
Fight of the Night
Knockout of the Night
PRELIMINARY FIGHTS
Daron Cruickshank vs. Chris Tickle
Official: Unanimous Decision – 29-27, Daron Cruickshank (11-2)
Brawl off the bell! Tickle gets a Guillotine! Cruickshank isn’t having it and pops his head out. Cruickshank crushes him in the Guard. Tickle loses a point for an accidental Up-Kick (that didn’t land, and was only one of) which brings us back to the feet. Tickle rushes in again but gets takendown once again. Cruickshank lands some Elbows from the Guard now. Tickle looks like’s he’s mentally defeated now. Back on the feet and the aggression continues. Tickle locks up an Anaconda choke of sorts but once again, Cruickshank works his way out of it and begins to control from Half-Guard. They get stood up and Cruickshank lands a huge Head Kick! Tickle fires back with a hard Straight Right which drops Cruickshank! Tickle follows him to the ground and tries to work from the top. Round Three and Tickle works his way inside, getting a takedown to pick up where he left off. Cruickshank reverses and is now on top. Mounts! Tickle escapes.
“The Fury” Myles Jury vs. Chris Saunders
Official: Round 1 – Submission 4:03 Guillotine Choke, Myles Jury (10-0)
Both guys having trouble finding their range. A lot of kicks, none that land. Jury begins to pick up the aggression, jumps in for a Flying Knee after a combo and ends up snagging Saunders’ neck for a Guillotine.
Christiano Marcello vs. Sam Sicilia
Official: Round 2 – TKO 2:53, Sam Sicilia (11-1)
Both guys try to figure out their range. Sicilia moves forward, throwing heavy hands but can’t connect yet. Marcello gets gut with a big shot! Marcello still has issues going straight back, holding his chin very high, leaning back. Terrible thing to do in a fight. Marcello seems puzzled as to how to get this fight to the ground; doesn’t want to risk closing the distance, doesn’t want Sicilia to close the distance either. Marcello’s gameplan may be to get Sicilia tired from chasing him around. Sicilia’s punches are hugely telegraphed and wild. Marcello explodes out a combo and tries to get a takedown at the end but Sicilia defends and breaks away. Marcello gets Sicilia cornered and begins to unload but Sicilia stays safe. Sicilia is very fatigued. Marcello chin is straight up, gets clipped! Goes down and is punched out! Slow stoppage. Really amateur fight.
Jeremy Larsen vs. Joe Proctor
Official: Round 1 - TKO 1:59, Joe Proctor (8-1)
Larsen keeps engaging rather recklessly, trying to land an occasional big shot but Proctor calmly lands shots that make Larsen back out. This happens a few times and the last time it happens, Proctor times a well placed Knee and the fight is over.
John “Prince” Albert vs. Erik Perez
Official: Round 1 – 4:18 Referee Screwjob, Erik Perez (10-4)
It doesn’t take long for this fight to become a brawl! Albert presses him to the cage and tries for a takedown. As Perez tries to get back to his feet, Albert jumps for a Rear Naked Choke but slips off trying to get a Triangle Choke on the way down but ends up on his back. He locks up the Triangle on the other side! It’s tight but Perez fights on! Perez begins to rain down punches while defending the Choke as Albert tries to tighten it up! Albert switches to the Armbar but Perez defends! Perez locks up an Armbar of his own! Albert defen-What? Wait… what just happened!? Referee Kim Winslow has stopped the fight!? Oh my, this is not going to help her reputation at all. She says Albert verbally tapped. He barely grunted (if that) while actively defending the Armbar, working to improve his position. What a shame. Albert is not happy.