The Ultimate Finale 10 Recap
Another winner of The Ultimate Fighter was crowned, one of MMA’s best young fighters showed what all the hype was about, and Kimbo Slice won his UFC debut. However, that sentence made the event sound much better than it actually was.
All eyes were on Kimbo Slice as he made his UFC debut against Houston Alexander. Alexander had come off three straight losses in the Octagon. However, as an exciting striker with no ground game to speak of, Alexander appeared to be a good stylistic matchup for Slice. No one expected this fight to last three rounds or hit the floor, but it actually did both.
Alexander spent the majority of the first round circling on the outside, offering little besides the occasional leg kick. Kimbo didn’t seem willing to press the action either, though he landed a couple decent jabs when Alexander got within striking range.
The action picked up a little in the second round. Kimbo connected with a decent jab, and moments later, used a clinch and took Alexander down. Kimbo quickly moved to mount, but Alexander escaped to his feet. Another clinch came later in the round, and this time Kimbo slammed Alexander. He landed a few good shots while Alexander was still a little dazed from the slam, but again Alexander got to his feet. One more takedown, a half-hearted rear naked choke attempt from Kimbo, and a few more punches ended the round, a clear win for Slice.
The third round featured two gassed fighters. Alexander threw a few more leg kicks, one which seemed to hurt Kimbo. Kimbo had one more takedown where he did little damage, but that was about the extent of the action for the last round. The first and third rounds were difficult to score due to the lack of action between the two fighters. In the end, all three judges scored the fight for Kimbo, 29-28 (twice) and 30-27.
There were definitely some positive signs for fans of Kimbo. His ground game was improved from what we’ve seen in the past, but a few things need to be kept in mind. First, Alexander has shown no semblance of a ground game in any of his previous fights either. A fighter with better ground skills wouldn’t have been controlled like Alexander was. Second, Alexander is a natural light heavyweight. Kimbo cut down to take the fight at a catchweight of 215 pounds, but has stated he doesn’t want to fight in the light heavyweight division. Therefore, the majority of guys that Kimbo fights in the future won’t be 208 pound light heavyweights, they will be guys in the neighborhood of 240 pounds or more. He won’t be able to throw guys that size around like he did to Alexander.
Kimbo needs to learn how to check leg kicks, as his bad left knee was clearly a target for Alexander. His striking looked a little better in general, but we really didn’t get to see enough of it to make a clear judgment. It will be interesting who the UFC decides to put against Kimbo in the future. There aren’t many heavyweights currently in the UFC that I think Kimbo can really handle.
In the co-main event of the evening, Jon Jones showed why there has been so much hype about his future in the sport. At just 22 years old, Jones basically manhandled a solid light heavyweight with a good wrestling pedigree in Matt Hamill. Jones successfully defended a takedown attempt from Hamill, and moments later, utilized his own Greco-Roman wrestling background to throw Hamill to the canvas. He got full mount and was raining down shots on Hamill. He looked like he thought the fight should have been stopped, but eventually began to drop down 12 to 6 elbows (elbows that come straight down as opposed to elbows that come from the side or diagonally). The blows are illegal in the Unified rules, and since Hamill was unable to continue, Jones was disqualified.
Even though the fight will show up as a loss on his record, Jones basically will be looked at as the winner of the contest. The loss will have no bearing on his advancement through the light heavyweight division. Jones moves to 4-0 inside the UFC. Look for him to matchup with another mid-level UFC light heavyweight in the near future. There’s no need for the UFC to rush him to the front of the class with his whole future ahead of him. There are still some things that Jones needs to work on before he can hang with the top of the division, but his training with Greg Jackson will help him continue to improve.
In finale of The Ultimate Fighter, MMA veteran Roy Nelson took on Brendan Schaub. The striking was pretty even early, as Schaub was connecting with decent jabs. Nelson was able to get the clinch and a takedown, but Schaub was able to scramble to his feet without taking much damage. However, the end would come soon after. Schaub landed a few more good shots before a big right hook from Nelson landed behind Schaub’s ear. The shot knocked Schaub out cold, and a follow up shot from Nelson finished the fight.
Nelson, the favorite before the show started, claim’s the “six-figure contract.” Since Nelson has much more MMA experience than most of the past Ultimate Fighter winners, expect him to get a shot at a mid-tier heavyweight for his next fight. He’s a good addition to the UFC’s heavyweight crop, and can compete with almost anyone in the division. I still think Schaub is a good prospect as well. He’ll probably land a UFC contract of his own. Hopefully they’ll work him up very slowly.
Full Results:
Roy Nelson def. Brendan Schaub via KO (punch) – Round 1, 3:45
Matt Hamill def. Jon Jones via DQ (illegal elbow strike) – Round 1, 4:14
Kimbo Slice def. Houston Alexander via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Frankie Edgar def. Matt Veach via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 2:22
Matt Mitrione def. Marcus Jones via KO (punches) – Round 2, 0:10
James McSweeney def. Darrill Schoonover via TKO (strikes) – Round 3, 3:20
Jon Madsen def. Justin Wren via split decision (30-27, 28-29, 29-28)
Brian Stann def. Rodney Wallace via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
John Howard def. Dennis Hallman via KO (punches) – Round 3, 4:55
Mark Bocek def. Joe Brammer via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 3:36
Photo courtesy of Sherdog.
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Ultimate Finale 10 Preview and Predictions-Main Card
Marcus Jones vs. Matt Mitrione: The televised portion of the card begins with a matchup of two former NFL players, Marcus Jones and Matt Mitrione. Jones came into the show with a 4-1 record, with all five fights ending in the first round. He trained with Gracie Tampa early in his career before switching to American Top Team. His striking is still very raw, but he showed good takedowns during the show, and has shown flashes of jiu jitsu skills as well. He defeated Mike Wessel in his first fight on the show via armbar, and then beat Darrill Schoonover via TKO in his 2nd fight. Jones eventually was knocked out by Brendan Schaub in the semifinals, and there are lingering questions about his chin. Mitrione came into the show with no pro fights. He outstruck former UFC heavyweight Scott Junk in his first fight, winning a decision. However, Mitrione got caught in a guillotine by James McSweeney in his second fight, ending his run on the show. He has good power, but it one of the sloppiest strikers I’ve ever seen. He also has very little to offer on the ground, something that I think Jones will take advantage of. I’m expecting the fight to start off standing, but Jones will eventually take Mitrione down. From there, I don’t think Mitrione’s guard will present Jones with too many problems. Jones via TKO in the 1st.
Frankie Edgar vs. Matt Veach: Edgar wants to continue to climb up the lightweight rankings. He won his first three fights in the UFC over Tyson Griffin, Mark Bocek and Spencer Fisher, but his momentum was halted when he lost to Gray Maynard at UFC Fight Night 13. Edgar has rebounded from the loss to win consecutive fights over Hermes Franca and Sean Sherk. Edgar is a very solid wrestler. His jiu jitsu skills are improving, and he also displayed a better striking game against Sherk than he had shown previously. Edgar’s opponent for this fight was scheduled to be Kurt Pellegrino, but when Pellegrino had to pull out due to an injury, Matt Veach stepped in. Veach is an impressive 11-0 in his MMA career, and beat Matt Grice via TKO in his UFC debut in February. In that fight, Veach was in danger of being stopped, but rebounded and pulled out the victory. He also has a collegiate wrestling background and trains with Matt Hughes and the HIT Squad. Unfortunately for Veach, everything he does, I think Edgar does better. Edgar via unanimous decision.
Kimbo Slice vs. Houston Alexander: For many, this fight will act as the main event of the evening. Slice shocked many by agreeing to participate on The Ultimate Fighter this season. However, once he got on the show, many were impressed by his dedication and his willingness to improve. Slice was beaten by the much more experienced Roy Nelson in his first and only fight on the show, showing absolutely nothing in terms of ground skills. Since the show ended taping, Slice has been training with American Top Team in Florida. They have talked about Kimbo’s improvement, but most camps say that about their fighters. I’ve noticed some not-so-good signs from Kimbo in recent days. He talked about how he was doing the weight cut by himself and that it was taking a toll on him mentally. There have also been reports about his “entourage” having more of an influence on him than his coaches this week. If he comes into this fight unprepared, it’ll be a short night. Alexander is a dangerous light heavyweight. He burst onto the UFC scene with a devastating TKO victory over Keith Jardine at UFC 71, and followed that up with another first round victory over Alessio Sakara at UFC 75. From there, Alexander ran into some trouble, dropping three consecutive contests to Thiago Silva, James Irvin, and Eric Shafer. He’ll need a win here to keep his spot in the UFC. He also has shown no signs of a ground game, but his striking is much more refined than Kimbo’s. Alexander makes good use of kicks and also has Muay Thai skills. These are things that Kimbo hasn’t really seen yet. I don’t think this fight hits the ground, and I doubt it makes the 2nd round either. Neither of these guys are known for having even adequate chins, so the chance that somone drops in the opening exchange of the fight is quite good. Alexander will be too much for Kimbo here. He may get another chance at a lesser opponent, but it’s also possible Kimbo’s UFC career begins and ends tonight. Alexander via TKO in the 1st.
Roy Nelson vs. Brendan Schaub: One of the most experienced contestants in Ultimate Fighter history, Roy Nelson will have a huge edge in that department tonight against Brendan Schaub. Nelson eliminated Kimbo Slice, Justin Wren and James McSweeney on his path to the finale. He’s a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and has fought guys like Andrei Arlovski, Ben Rothwell and Jeff Monson during his career. He doesn’t look the part of a dangerous UFC heavyweight, but he definitely has the skills to compete. My pick to win the show before it started, Schaub was impressive in his road to the Finale. He beat Demico Rogers in the first round of his first fight, then KO’d Jon Madsen in the 2nd round of his next fight, before KO’ing Marcus Jones in the semifinals. He’s still learning, but for a guy who just started training MMA a few years ago, he’s very impressive. He has good striking and impressive power in his hands. He’s still working on his ground game, but the trips he’s made to Greg Jackson’s camp in New Mexico along with the work he’s done with Nate Marquardt and Shane Carwin in Colorado have helped him greatly. Nelson is obviously the safe pick here, but I think Schaub can surprise some people. I’m going with the upset and picking Schaub. Brendan Schaub via unanimous decision.
Jon Jones vs. Matt Hamill: In the main event of the night, rising light heavyweight prospect Jon “Bones” Jones will try and take the next step towards the top of the light heavyweight division as he takes on Matt Hamill. Jones, at only 21 years of age, is one of the top prospects in all of MMA. He brings a solid wrestling background, good athleticism and flashy, unorthodox and accurate striking to the table. He’s 9-0 in his young MMA career, and a perfect 3-0 in the UFC. He defeated Andre Gusmao in his UFC debut at UFC 87, then followed that up with a very impressive decision win over Stephan Bonnar at UFC 94. Jones defeated Jake O’Brien at UFC 100 with a guillotine. Hamill also brings very solid wrestling skills into this contest. He was a three-time Division III national champion. He’s made the transition to MMA nicely, going 6-2 to start his UFC career. His last fight was a win over Mark Munoz at UFC 96. He knocked Munoz out with a headkick in that fight, something he hadn’t really shown before. He’s one of the stronger guys in the division. His striking has certainly improved since he entered the UFC, but isn’t on the level of Jones. Hamill can definitely pose some threats to Jones in the wrestling department, but I think Jones is the overall better fighter. Look for Jones to take the next step up the ladder with a victory tonight. Jones via unanimous decision.
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Ultimate Finale 10 Preview and Predictions-Preliminary Card
The finale for the highest rated season of The Ultimate Fighter promises to deliver huge ratings itself. The reason for the ratings success of this season was due to the presence of street-fighter turned MMA fighter (sort of) Kimbo Slice. Slice will be making his official UFC debut on the finale, squaring off against Houston Alexander. Brendand Schaub and Roy Nelson will be fighting for the “six-figure contract,” and light heavyweights Jon Jones and Matt Hamill will fight in the main event. First though, we have the prelims:
Joe Brammer vs. Mark Bocek: Brammer will be making his UFC debut after going 7-0-1 in his first eight fights, all which took place in regional promotions in Iowa. He’ll be making a huge leap up in competition in this one. Bocek is 7-2 in his career, and is 3-2 in his UFC career. His most recent fight was against David Bielkheden at UFC 97 in April. Bocek dispatched of him with a first round submission. He’s a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and has trained under Renzo Gracie in the past. Everything that Brammer does well, Bocek does better. I don’t see many ways Brammer wins this fight. Bocek via submission in the 2nd.
John Howard vs. Dennis Hallman: Howard is 12-4 in his MMA career, and is undefeated at 2-0 in his brief UFC career. He last fought at UFC 101, defeating Tamdan McCrory by split decision. Howard is a very solid wrestler, and also boasts decent submission skills, as well as good submission defense. His striking is still a work in progress. Hallman is making his return to the UFC after a four-year absence. His biggest claim to fame in his MMA career is his pair of submission victories over UFC welterweight Matt Hughes. His wrestling has always been his biggest strength. I don’t see this UFC run ending much differently than his first UFC run. Howard should have the advantage in the wrestling department, and is a poor matchup for Hallman. Howard via unanimous decision.
Brian Stann vs. Rodney Wallace: Former WEC light heavyweight champion Brian Stann will be looking to get build a winning streak in the UFC after his split decision victory over Steve Cantwell at UFC Fight Night 19. Stann is now 1-1 since making the transition to the UFC after the WEC eliminated the upper weight classes. Stann showed improvement in many areas during his last fight with Cantwell. He still possesses good power in his hands, which is his biggest strength. His ground game is still a work in progress. Wallace will be making his UFC debut after going 9-0 in the U.S. and overseas. His biggest strength is his wrestling, and six of his nine pro fights have gone to a decision. I don’t think this one is going to. It’s a big step up in competition for Wallace, and I think Stann’s striking strengths will eventually prove too much for Wallace. Stann via TKO in the 3rd.
Jon Madsen vs. Justin Wren: In the first of the fights involving competitors from the past season of The Ultimate Fighter, Jon Madsen will take on Justin Wren. Madsen trains with Matt Hughes at the H.I.T. squad in Granite City, Illinois. In his first fight on the show, Madsen utilized his strong wrestling base to pummel Abe Wagner. In the 2nd round of the competition, Madsen was knocked out by Brendan Schaub. He showed good wrestling skills throughout the season, but offered little else. Wren was one of the more impressive heavyweights that I saw on the show. He easily finished UFC veteran Wes Sims in the first round of their fight with an arm triangle. He took on Roy Nelson in the 2nd round, and lost a decision. The fight was closer than many people thought it would be. Wren is also an accomplished wrestler, but in Greco-Roman wrestling, where he has trained at the U.S. Olympic training center. He’s 8-1 in his MMA career. I think that Wren is far too well-rounded for Madsen in this fight. Madsen is a solid wrestler, but just doesn’t set up his takedowns well, and offers very little striking skills or jiu jitsu skills. Wren should take this one easily. Wren via submission in the 2nd.
James McSweeney vs. Darrill Schoonover: In another matchup from the show, James McSweeney will take on Darrill Schoonover. McSweeney trains with Greg Jackson in New Mexico. He has a kickboxing background, but his MMA career to this point has been disappointing. He’s 3-4 in his pro career, with losses to middling UFC heavyweights Neil Grove and Mostapha Al-Turk. In his first fight on the show, McSweeney struggled with a completely gassed Wes Shivers, winning via majority decision in a fight that I thought should have went to a 3rd round. However, given how completely exhausted both fighters were at the end of that fight, I’m kind of glad it didn’t go another round. In his second fight, McSweeney choked out an overmatched Matt Mitrione but then lost to Roy Nelson in the semifinals. Schoonover was picked by some to be a darkhorse candidate to win the season. He came into the show with an impressive 10-0 record, and showed some of the most well-rounded skills in the house. Schoonover beat Zak Jensen with a triangle choke in his first fight, but lost to Marcus Jones via TKO in his second round fight. Schoonover probably should be fighting in the light heavyweight division, where he used to fight, but has gained weight since returning from active duty in the U.S. Army. He is being recalled into service after this fight, and has made it known that he wants to lose some weight and drop back into the light heavyweight division. McSweeney hasn’t impressed me at all during the show. I think his sriking is sloppy and overrated, and he has shown very little else to go along with it. I’m sure he’s improved since the show while training with Greg Jackson’s camp. You also have to question Schoonover’s mental state, knowing he has to report for duty not long after this fight. However, I think Schoonover is the better overall fighter, and he’ll win this fight. Schoonover via split decision.
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Quinton “Rampage” Jackson Will Return to the UFC
Two and a half months after saying that he “was done fighting,” and that he would instead concentrate on his acting career, former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson has apparently had a change of heart.
Jackson posted a new blog minutes ago on his website. Here is a portion of what he had to say:
Now, I wanted to let my fans know that I’m going to come back to the UFC & finish my contract. Not because the haters are talking shit about me being scared of Rashad or Titties or anybody else. I’m coming back for my fans & to shut Rashad’s mouth up & shut Dana’s mouth up. Then after that I’m going back to doing movies & I might do a boxing match once a year just to stay in shape. Hate on dis!
It doesn’t seem as if Jackson is exactly thrilled to go back to the UFC, but feels obligated to at least finish up his contract with the organization. Jackson was signed to fight Rashad Evans at UFC 107 on December 12th. The event takes place in Memphis, Tennessee, Jackson’s hometown. After Jackson pulled out of the fight and said he would instead concentrate on acting, the UFC scrambled and put B.J. Penn and Diego Sanchez in the main event.
Jackson made no mention of a timetable for his return, or if a fight with fellow Evans would be his first fight back.
With the rash of recent injuries to top stars Anderson Silva, Brock Lesnar, and Georges St. Pierre, Dana White and the UFC may have offered Jackson a tidy sum of money to come back and finish his contract. I’m sure more details will emerge in the coming days.
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Kimbo Slice and Houston Alexander Pre-Fight Interviews
Watch and listen to what Kimbo Slice and Houston Alexander have to say before their fight this Saturday:
Kimbo Slice:
Houston Alexander:
Interviews courtesy mma.fanhouse.com
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Koscheck vs. Thiago II Scheduled for UFC 109
Following his impressive 2nd round submission victory over Anthony Johnson, Josh Koscheck practically begged the UFC to put him against Dan Hardy for a shot at Georges St. Pierre. He didn’t get that wish, but a rematch with the fighter who handed him his most recent loss was probably 2nd on Koscheck’s wish list. Wish granted. Koscheck will get a rematch against Brazilian welterweight Paulo Thiago at UFC 109.
Koscheck and Thiago previously met at UFC 95 in February. Koscheck was controlling the early action on his feet, but Thiago landed an uppercut that hit Koscheck flush and ended the fight. Koscheck complained that the stoppage was early, but to no avail.
Since that fight, Koscheck has a TKO victory over Frank Trigg to go along with the submission victory over Johnson. Thiago followed the Koscheck win with a decision loss to Jon Fitch at UFC 100, and then beat Jacob Volkmann at UFC 106 in November by unanimous decision.
UFC 109 takes place February 6th, 2010 in Las Vegas. Other fights rumored for the card include a heavyweight showdown between Randy Couture and Mark Coleman, as well as a middleweight fight between Nate Marquardt and Chael Sonnen.
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Nelson vs. Schaub Set for ‘TUF’ Finale/Kimbo vs. Alexander Also Official
The final of this season of The Ultimate Fighter is finally set. Roy Nelson won his semifinal fight against James McSweeney while Brendan Schaub impressively finished Marcus Jones to earn the spot in the final. The Ultimate Finale takes place this Saturday night in Las Vegas, starting at 8 pm Central on Spike TV.
The huge edge in experience goes to Nelson, who has a 13-4 overall record. He’s also fought the likes of Andrei Arlovski, Ben Rothwell, and Jeff Monson during his career. Schaub will only be in his fifth professional fight, and his most impressive win to date was probably the win against Jones in the semifinals.
Also finally made official after the airing of the latest episode, is a catchweight contest between Kimbo Slice and Houston Alexander. The fight will be contested at 215 pounds. Slice lost in the first round of the show to Nelson. The UFC and Spike teased his possible return for the rest of the season, but when given the opportunity to come back for the quarterfinals as an injury replacement, Slice turned down the fight, saying he would only have been at “40%” due to lingering knee issues. The fight with Alexander has been rumored for weeks, but has now been officially announced.
Alexander made a huge splash into the UFC by getting a first round TKO victory over Keith Jardine at UFC 71. He followed that up with another first round TKO over Alessio Sakara at UFC 75. However, Alexander’s weak ground game was evident in a loss to Thiago Silva at UFC 78. He followed that up with an 8 second loss to James Irvin at UFC Fight Night 13, and then another submission loss to Eric Schafer at UFC Fight Night 15. The UFC allowed him to take a fight outside of the organization against Sherman Pendergarst at Adrenaline 4. Alexander finished the overmatched Pendergarst in the first two minutes of the fight. He’ll probably need a win over Slice to keep his spot in the UFC.
Since taping of The Ultimate Fighter finished up, Slice has been training at American Top Team in Florida. ATT is considered one of the top camps in MMA, with a roster of fighters that includes Thiago Alves, Jeff Monson, Thiago Silva, Mike Thomas Brown, Denis Kang and Wilson Gouveia amongst many others. ATT head trainer Ricardo Liborio has been in charge of sharpening Slice’s skills and teaching him some semblance of a ground game. We’ll find out how much his learned on Saturday.
The main event of The Ultimate Finale is an intriguing clash of light heavyweights Mat Hamill and Jon Jones. Jones is one of the top prospects in the division, and it will be interesting to see how he fares against the wrestling skills and toughness that Hamill always displays.
Other fights that feature members of this season of The Ultimate Fighter include:
Marcus Jones vs. Matt Mitrione
Darrill Schoonover vs. James McSweeney
Justin Wren vs. Jon Madsen
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