Ladies and Gentlemen, we are Liiive for another Ultimate Finale here at the Palms in Las Vegas. The crowd has been shuffling in and the place is starting to fill up. Joe Rogan is taking pictures with his cell phone -I would have thought he'd bring a real a camera, but whatever. Don't forget to stay tuned to Joe's comedy special on Spike TV immediately following the finale. OK, the lights are out and the music is blaring as Cameron Dollar makes his way through the tunnel and we are moments away. Some super hot blond a few rows over can't stop yelling, "I love you, Cameron." I need to learn how to fight. Here comes Jason Dent. His walkout song: a punk remix of The Rolling Stones' Paint it Black and it's pretty awesome. I'll keep the new fights on top, so hit refresh every couple minutes and enjoy. Note to West Coasters: Spoilers included!
Diego Sanchez vs. Clay Guida
Round 1:
Holy crap, Sanchez is here to fu*king fight. Joe Rogan said he was going to call the cops if Lytle and Burns didn't get Fight on the Night and I think he better get the 9 and the 1 queued up in his phone. Now it's Guida puttin some hurt on Sanchez from the top position. Sanchez gets up and time is called for Clay to wipe the blood from face. Action continues and Sanchez drops him. I don't know how he is still standing. This is unbelievable. Sanchez gets a takedown and gets into half guard. Clay is back up and trading punches for the last 10 seconds.
Sanchez really wants his title shot.
Round 2:
I can't believe there is a round 2 right now, but Guida is not intimidated at all and goes right in to score a takedown. Sanchez is working from bottom to do something, but Guida is doing what he does best and smothering Sanchez with a debilitation combination of sweat, hair and blood. Diego now has a lot of blood on his own face but I think it belongs to Clay. Sanchez nearly got an armbar but no dice.
Ridiculous is the only word for this, and for the girl's boobs who keeps jumping up and down in front of me.
Round 3:
This round has started off a little slower than the others, but it's still very intense, these guys are refusing to give in. They look like they have been in a war and are still going at it. Sanchez almost gets Clay's back and sinks in a rear naked choke, but it's more like a side naked choke and Clay slips it to land on top. This looks like a scene from a horror movie. Diego has the kimura, but Clay will not tap. I do not understand this. The bell finally rings.
That was absolutely ridiculous. I have a headache from just watching that. Diego comes back with the spilt decision and the crowd goes insane. Rogan recanted on his Fight of the Night call and Diego throws a nod to Gladiator and screams to a raucous crowd, "Are you not entertained?" Guida is jumping up and down right now. What the fu*k?
I'm out for realz this time. Thanks for reading and stay tuned to Spike TV for Joe Rogan's stand-up special.
Damarques Johnson vs. James Wilks
It's time for the final TUF fight of the night and in just a few moments we'll have our first real US vs UK bout to name the next Ultimate Fighter! The odds-makers had Johnson way ahead in this fight, but that might be a foolish assement. It's probably fair to call him the favorite but Wilks will be in this fight and he could end it at anytime.
Round 1:
Wow, these two are here to put on a show. They start off the round straight up trading blows. Wilks get gets a takedown that was more like Johnson just sitting down. Wilks goes for an ankle lock but Johnson gets out and lands on top. Wilks locks up a triangle choke and JOhnson escapes. Wilksd has his back now and the rear naked choke is secure but again Johnson slips out. He puts it back in and it's tight. The 10 second warning sound and just as looks like he might make it out, he taps.
Absolutely fantastic fight. Wilks knew what he had to do and he did it. Johnson was completely overwhlemed. Wilks absolutely deserves this from his performance; hopefull he put some money on himself this morning, even though he won't really need it with his new six-figure contract.
Chris Lytle vs. Kevin Burns
Round 1:
These guys come out swinging and Burns just landed a nice right hook to the body.Then another to the ear of Lytle. Now it's who scores with a body shot. Lytle gets hit in the nuts and doesn't look too happy about it, but he shakes it off and touches gloves to start back up the action. Burns drops Lytle but Lylts is able to find a leg and hold on. He gets back to the feet but burns unleashes on him and lands a series of solid punches and knees to end the round.
Round 2:
Lytle comes back very strong and sends Burns stumbling back, but Burns answers with some well-timed blows of his own. Burns gets a takedown but gives it up. Lytle is back to working the body, and doing a nice job of it. The left kidney of Burns is taking a lot of punishment right now and it may start to play a factor here. And Lytle catches another one between the legs --very unfortunate. Only a few moments later Lytle gets roshamboed for a third time.
Round 3:
Lytle catches a Burns leg kick and fires a bomb. Burns' face opens up and blood starts streaming down his body. Lytle is getting more aggressive and landing a higher percentage of punches. The cut by Burns' eye might be affecting his vision a little but and Lytle continues to punish. Burns is looking tired and bloody but he's standing strong. To finish off the fight, Burns pours everything he has into last flurry and gets Lytle on his heels but it's not enough to finish him and it's probably not enough to convince the judges he won.
According to the judges, Lytle puts the lights out on Burns.
Ross Pearson vs. Andre Winner
With this fight we're ready crown our next Ultimate Fighter! Pearson is going to be a tough challenge for Winner, but I think he's up for the job. His skills are just a little bit more crisp. It's definitely going to be a sick fight, though. These guys have known each other for a long time and that adds an X-factor that no one can predict. They're here to fight and they're going to fight hard.
Round 1:
Pearson is looking very sharp and surprisingly, Winner looks like he might want to take this to the mat, perhaps by default since he's having trouble making anything happen on the feet. From the clinch, Winner sneaks in a good elbow and follows it with a knee then Peason catches one in the twig n' two berries. After a quick breather we're back to action and Winner goes right for the clinch where he may have taken away some lessons from Dan Henderson; his dirty boxing is definitely getting the better of Pearson.
Round 2:
Winner again is going for the clinch. Now Pearson is going for a takedown, but Winner defends. Pearson gets a nice right uppercut from the clinch. He seems to be more confident now and as he breaks away from the clinch he's much more aggressive. But Winner gets it back where he wants it -the clinch- and rides out the rest of the round.
Round 3:
Pearson again is aggresive out of the gate but he can't stay away from Winner's clinch. Pearson breaks loose and fireworks start to fly but Winner has a smart gameplan and he is not going away from it. Pearson is looking tired and he's probably getting mentally worn down from Winner's refusal to stand toe-to-toe. Ross nearly scores a takedown -he'll try anything now- but he can't get it. Inside the 10 second mark, Pearson is doing anything he can and he clips Winner with a few good ones to end the fight on a good note. Pretty close fight; even though Pearson spent most of the time clinched up, he landed enough shots to keep it close.
The judges come back with a unanimous decision and, blood streaming down his face, Pearson is elated.
Nate Diaz vs. Joe Stevenson
Round 1:
Stevenson scores a quick takedown and Diaz sinks in the guillotine that looks like it could be the end for "Daddy," but he pops out. Diaz continues to fire off submission attempts and Stevenson is struggling to keep up. Amazingly, Stevenson gets Diaz stretched out and starts dropping bombs on his face. Then Stevenson lock up his own guillotine. Diaz escapes and gets another guillotine but it's not very tight and Stevenson gets right out. DIaz is hunched over now and pinned against the cage for Stevenson to send some knees and the bell rings. Great round. Close round.
Round 2:
Diaz gets another guillotine and it looked like Stevenson might have tapped, or thought about tapping, but he didn't and a few moments later he escaped. Stevenson gets a takedown and goes right into side mount. Diaz pulls guard. Diaz goes for an armbar and Stevenson slams him. Back on the feet, Diaz is pinned up against the cage, but nothing really happens. Diaz attempts a takedown but Stevenson reverses. Another very good round.
Round 3:
A fired upStevenson wants to tough gloves but the pride of Stockton refuses. He shows his appreciation by scoring a takedown but Diaz reverses and ends up in Stevenson's guard. He lands a good right from the standing position. Diaz gets Joe's back and goes for a rear naked choke but he can't get it and Stevenson is back on the feet pinning Diaz on the fence. Diaz attempts a takedown, can't get it. With 10 seconds left, Diaz opens up, but there's not enough time left and they hug away their differences. That's cute.
This will go to the judges and it's going to be close but I think Stevenson gets it based on takedowns, "agression" and "Octagon control."
The decision comes back and Stevenson gets the unanimous decision. He tells Joe Rogan that Greg Jackson made it feel like he had Chuck Norris in his corner. No wonder.
