· “The Ultimate Fighter: Team Lesnar vs. Team Dos Santos Finale” Results
Saturday night’s “The Ultimate Fighter: Team Lesnar vs. Team Dos Santos” finale from The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nev. served as a proving ground for nearly all fighters on the card. In the the feature bout of the evening, Clay Guida and Anthony Pettis squared off in order to establish the potential lightweight title contender. Tony Ferguson and Ramsey Nijem stepped in to the cage to become the next “TUF” champion and receive all of the rewards that come with that distinction.
With a six figure contract and UFC stardom up for grabs, reality show finalists Ramsey Nijem and Tony Ferguson met in the center of the cage, in front of a national television audience. Ferguson took the early advantage in the fight, taking the fight to the ground quickly. Nijem managed to get back up to his feet, but he wouldn’t be there long. After another brief exchange on the ground, Ferguson landed a left hand that sent Nijem crashing to the canvas. Following a few insurance blows, the fight was waved and Ferguson walked away with the riches.
The pressure could not have been more extreme for Anthony Pettis coming into Saturday night. Pettis’ star has been burning brightly after the highlight reel kick landed in his WEC title win over Ben Henderson. That pressure was intensified on the grounds that a win over Guida ensured him a shot at the UFC lightweight title. The pressure on his shoulders was only surpassed by the constant pressure from his opponent. Guida used superior wrestling and relentless aggression to keep Pettis from applying his brand of offense. Thus, leading Clay Guida to take a unanimous decision victory.
Coming off of extended injury layoffs Time Credeur and Ed Herman were fighting to stay relevant to UFC brass and fans. Herman needed just 48 seconds to regain his status. Herman landed a big uppercut and a series of follow up punches, stopping Creduer by TKO in the first round.
In the “Fight of the Night” Kyle Kingsbury defeated Fabio Maldonado by a razor-thin decision. Kingbury worked well from a distance, while punishing Maldonado with knees in the clinch. Maldonado, meanwhile, worked the body of his opponent and left him looking the worse for wear at the end of the fight. With his eye swollen shut, both Kingsbury and Maldonado looked surprised at the reading of the scores.
The rest of the card also featured several intriguing and entertaining bouts.
Full Results:
- Tony Ferguson def. Ramsey Nijem via KO (punches) - Round 1, 3:54
- Clay Guida def. Anthony Pettis via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Ed Herman def. Tim Credeur via TKO (punches) - Round 1, 0:48
- Kyle Kingsbury def. Fabio Maldonado via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Chris Cope def. Chuck O'Neil via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Jeremy Stephens def. Danny Downes via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-26)
- George Roop def. Josh Grispi TKO (body punch) - Round 3, 3:14
- Shamar Bailey def. Ryan McGillivray via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Clay Harvison def. Justin Edwards via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
- Scott Jorgensen def. Ken Stone via KO (punches) - Round 1, 4:01
- Reuben Duran def. Francisco Rivera via submission (rear-naked choke) - Round 3, 1:57
