I’d like to think I’m like most fans of MMA when I sit down to watch an event. As a martial artist I appreciate the intricacies of MMA. I realize that there is strategy and timing and hours of training that goes into just one fight. But honestly, I mostly want to see someone get knocked the fuck out!*

So when Spike broadcast The Ultimate Fighter Finale on Saturday night I was supremely excited in anticipation of previously mentioned knock out. No such luck.

Although some of the fights were pretty good, I wasn’t blown away by any fight. As a matter of fact, I think the best fight of the evening was the finale fight between Amir and C.B. I was very, very, very happy that Amir won, controversial or not. (Seriously though, C.B. clearly tapped out.)

Matt Riddle vs. Dante Rivera Matt looked fantastic, but I felt like he should have been able to finish Dante off pretty quickly given his strength and speed over Dante. I was never a fan of Dante and thought he was highly overrated from the get go. I doubt we’ll be seeing  much of him in the UFC and if by some miracle he ends up on a future fight card, I just don’t think he has the skill needed to be a real contender in the UFC.

Spencer Fisher vs. Jeremy Stephens I am a big fan of Spencer “The King”Fisher. He’s a good fighter with a lot of heart which is all I look for in a good fighter. I was impressed with his performance and I am happy he got the “W”.

Diego Sanchez Vs. Luigi Fioravanti I love Diego Sanchez. He’s a fierce fighter who strives for nothing but perfection. Luigi was a tough competitor for Diego and I think Diego showed us that he has truly grown as a fighter since his loses and I am hungry for a rematch between him and Josh Koscheck.

Amir Sadollah vs. C.B. Dollaway What can I say? If you doubted it the first time, he came back and did it again but faster!

Kendall Grove vs. Evan Tanner I am sure Evan was a fantastic fighter in his day, but he is clearly past his prime. Some guys and fight well into their 40’s (generally considered well passed your prime in most sports) such as Randy Couture and Chuck Lidell, but unfortunately I don’t think Evan Tanner is one of those guys. Sorry Evan. And to be honest, I don’t think Kendall Grove looked that good against Evan. His performance was okay, but only in comparison to the aging Evan Tanner.

Overall, I am glad I didn’t have to pay for it, but I am glad I watched it.

(*A tap out or stoppage is just as acceptable.)

Ultimate Fighter 7 Finale Review

Salary Info

Pictures

Ultimate Fighter 7 Finale Play-By-Play Results

So last week Jesse Taylor defeated Tim Credeur to become a finalist in the 7th season of The Ultimate Fighter. I promptly wrote a post entitled, “Why ‘JT Money’ Won’t Make it in the UFC”. I described how Jesse’s fighting style (mostly laying on top of his opponent and running the clock out) just wouldn’t work very well if he ever got into the UFC.

I was right, but for all the wrong reasons.

If you didn’t watch last weeks episode this is going to be a bit of a spoiler for you. Jesse Taylor was disqualified from the finale. First time in the 7 season of TUF someone has been disqualified after the show was over.

Apparently, Jesse decided to stick around after everyone went home (to rest until the finale) and he got really, really drunk and did some really, really stupid things. Eventually it got back to Dana White and he was not happy at all with Jesse’s behavior. Now I don’t believe we got the whole story (there were other guys from the show with him, but they weren’t reprimanded as far I know) but the short end of it is Jesse was kicked off.

Good job, bro.

In other news, my man Amir came through and defeated C.B. Dollaway to become the other finalist. But since Jesse was disqualified, C.B. and Tim had to duke it out to see who would face Amir in Jesse’s place and no big surprise C.B. won. So the finale will be a rematch (a first in TUF history if I’m not mistaken) between C.B. Dollaway  and Amir Sadollah.

If you haven’t figured it out by now I am routing for Amir.

185 lbs. – C.B. Dolloway vs. Amir Sadollah

This fight is for The Ultimate Fighter 7 Championship. Dollaway (6-0) and Amir (0-0) fought eachother in the semifinals of the tournament with Amir getting a 3rd round armbar victory. With the other finalist, Jessie Taylor, being kicked off the show for reckless behavior, C.B. fought Tim Credeur for the vacant position in the finals. Dollaway won and it sets up the rematch. This is the classic striker vs. grappler matchup. The 24-year-old Dollaway was an NCAA Division 1 All-American wrestler at Arizona State. The 27-year-old Sadalloh is a blackbelt in Sambo and is well-versed in Muay Thai kickboxing. Even though those are their strengths, Amir can finish it on the mat with submissions and C.B. has the punching power to end it standing. Being a rematch, it should be interesting to see the adjustmets. I think Amir will come out even more sharp and get a TKO in the 3rd round.

185 lbs. – Evan Tanner [21] vs. Kendall Grove [35]

Evan Tanner (32-7) is 37-years-old and coming off a KO loss to Yushin Okami [11] in March. The former UFC Middleweight Champion hasn’t had a significant win in over 3 years. He needs one here to remain a threat in the division. Kendall Grove (8-5) is 25-years-old and coming off a KO loss to Jorge Rivera [41] in January. It was his 2nd consecutive loss by 1st round stoppage. He has all the tools to be great and getting a win here (after being KO’d) will go a long way in proving he has the mental toughness to go with it. Tanner will look to get this fight to the mat and work his ground and pound. If he doesn’t, he will get KO’d. I see Grove preventing the takedown and getting a KO with knee strikes.

170 lbs. – Diego Sanchez [6] vs. Luigi Fioravanti [34]

Diego Sanchez (18-2) is 26-years-old and coming off a stoppage of David Bielkheden in March. He combines superior mental toughness with a world-class ground game. “The Nightmare” is 7-2 in the UFC with his only losses coming to Josh Koscheck [5] and Jon Fitch [2]. He is looking to gain some momentum with his 2nd win in a row. Luigi Fioravanti (12-3) is 27-years-old and training at American Top Team. He is coming off a unanimous decision victory over Luke Cummo [55] in March. Prior to that, he had lost 2 in a row in the UFC: to Forrest Petz [33] and Jon Fitch [2]. He has solid takedown defense and is tough mentally (he served in Operation Iraqi Freedom for the Marine Corps.) This would be a breakthrough win for Luigi. Both of these fighters are entering their primes and their styles match nicely. The difference will be Diego’s relentless pace. I see him wearing down Luigi before finishing him with strikes on the ground.

155 lbs. – Spencer Fisher [24] vs. Jeremy Stephens [57]

Spencer Fisher (20-4) is a 32-year-old fighter training out of the Miletich Fighting Systems. He is coming off a unanimous decision loss to Frank Edgar [15] in November. He reminds me of a slightly bigger Jens Pulver. He loves to sprawl and brawl. He will never quit and has a granite chin. Jeremy Stephens (13-2) is very young at just 22-years-old. He is on a 2-fight win streak in the UFC with wins over Diego Saraiva and Cole Miller [62]. He also has a ton of heart and will never give up. He is a fighter on the rise with a chance to beat a proven veteran in Fisher. This has the potential to be a fight-of-the-year candidate. Both guys have great chins and great power. I see it going the distance but with lots of highlights and blood. The similar styles make it too close to call.

170 lbs. – Josh Burkman [14] vs. Dustin Hazelett [28]

Josh Burkman (9-5) is 28-years-old and coming off a majority decision loss to Mike Swick [11] in January. He has only lost to the best in the division: Swick, Jon Fitch [2] and Karo Parisyan [8]. He wants to get rid of that “gatekeeper” status. He also needs to be more aggressive. His last 5 fights have gone to a decision. He needs a stoppage here. Dustin Hazelett (10-4) is 22-years-old with a brownbelt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ). He is coming off a TKO loss to Josh Koscheck [5] in March. “McLovin” has lots of heart and is a very well-rounded fighter. He is still very young and seems to be improving with each fight. A win here would be a breakthrough for him. I don’t see that happening however. I think Burkman will come out motivated and will drop Dustin with a punch and then finish him on the mat.

185 lbs. – Marvin Eastman [31] vs. Drew McFedries [50]

Marvin Eastman (15-7-1) is 38-years-old and is coming off a lackluster unanimous decision victory over Terry Martin [40] in February. “The Beastman” has fought a lot at 205 lbs. but has some solid wins at 185, including: Martin, Jason MacDonald [33] and Alan Belcher [51]. He is in the twilight of his career and can’t afford a loss if he is looking for a title shot. Drew McFedries (6-3) is 29-years-old and coming off a TKO loss to Patrick Cote [32] in January. He has some of the heaviest hands in any division and can end the fight with one punch. Style-wise, he is a lot like Terry Martin. Hopefully Eastman will look to engage more in this fight. If he does, he will get KO’d. Even if he clinches early and often, I see Drew being able to muscle him off and land his punches. I see him winning either way.

185 lbs. – Jeremy Horn [22] vs. Dean Lister [55]

Jeremy Horn (79-17-5) is 32-years-old and coming off a 2nd round submission loss to Nate Marquardt [7] in February. He is the quintessential “cagey veteran” with over 100 fights. Dean Lister (10-5) is 32-years-old and coming off a unanimous decision victory over Jordan Radev in December. He holds various grappling titles and is arguably the best grappler in the world. This bout is a rematch of a fight that took place in 2003 that saw Horn win a 4 round majority decision. This is going to be a methodical chess match between two of the smartest men in MMA. Horn is smart enough to keep out of Lister’s guard so Lister will have to get the takedown. If he does, he will finish Horn. If he doesn’t, Horn will pepper him standing and take the decision victory.

185 lbs. – Rob Yundt vs. Rob Kimmons

Rob Yundt (6-1) is a 28-year-old fighter from Alaska. In February, he took a fight with Ricardo Almeida on just 4 days notice. It was his UFC debut and he lost by 1st round submission. His strength is wrestling being that he is a former 2 time high school all-american. Rob Kimmons (20-3) is a 27-year-old making his octagon debut. Of his 20 victories, 17 have come by stoppage. He is an aggressive fighter with a 3rd degree blackbelt in American Jiu-Jitsu. A win would be a career boost for either fighter.

185 lbs. - Tim Credeur vs. Cale Yarbrough

Tim Credeur (9-2) lost in the semifinals of The Ultimate Fighter to Jessie Taylor and then lost in a fight to replace Taylor in the Finals to C.B. Dollaway. The 30-year-old Louisiana native is a former Naval Officer and holds the distinction of being the only BJJ blackbelt (under Rodrigo Medeiros) in the history of his home state. He also holds a blackbelt in Judo. All 9 of his victories have been by 1st round stoppage. His only 2 losses have come when he’s stepped up in competition: to Joey Villasenor [17] and Chael Sonnen [23]. Cale Yarbrough (0-0) is kickboxer from Athens, Georgia. He is very young at just 21-years-old. On The Ultimate Fighter, he was eliminated from the tournament by C.B. Dollaway. Credeur wants this fight on the ground and is crafty enough to get it there. I see him getting a submission victory.

185 lbs. – Dante Rivera vs. Matthew Riddle

Dante Rivera (10-2) is 33-years-old and fighting out of Jackson, New Jersey. He is a brownbelt in BJJ under Ricardo Almeida, so his strength is his Jiu-Jitsu but he can also strike. He was eliminated on The Ultimate Fighter by the ousted Jessie Taylor. Matthew Riddle (0-0) is a well rounded 22-year-old from Tempe, Arizona. He is an accomplished grappler with tremendous punching power. He lost in the 1st round on the show and is looking to redeem himself with a win. Rivera has the experience but Riddle is more athletic. This fight will either end in a Rivera submission or a Riddle knockout.

170 lbs. – Matt Arroyo vs. Matt Brown

Matt Arroyo (3-1) is 25-years-old and fighting out of Tampa, Florida. He holds a brownbelt in BJJ and is coming off a win over John Kolosci in December. “No Regard” was a cast member on The Ultimate Fighter 6. Matt Brown (6-6) is a fearless brawler from Cincinnati, Ohio. The 27-year-old is ultra intense and has fought some tough guys like UFC veterans Pete Spratt and Chris Lytle [15]. Though he lost to them, he was not overwhelmed. This fight is a rematch of a bout fought in 2006. Brown got the victory with a 2nd round TKO. Arroyo is looking to avenge his only loss and Brown will surely be waiting with pleasure.

Near finalist Tim Credeur will be fighting at the finale against Cale Yarbrough.  I believe this should be a win for Tim.  Cale can strike very well, but he didn’t look like he could handle any ground game as C.B. showed in their fight.  I believe Tim has a bight future in the UFC, but he needs a win.  The other fights should be made known soon.  I don’t know how many fights will happen from TUF cast members.  

This is it, the last episode.  This figh between Amir and C.B. will determine the finale.  The fight began right away and lived up to hype.  C.B. came ought and brough it.  He looked good.  For two rounds I believe he won the fight.  He nearly choked out Amir.  I gave rounds 1 and 2 to C.B.   The third round was much of the same.  Don’t get me wrong Amir landed some good kicks and strikes.  However, Amir grabbed an arm and put C.B. in an armbar and Steve M. was forced to stop the fight.  The ones to make it to the finale were Amir and Jesse.  Shockingly, the favorite was beaten by the resilent Amir. 

    Now, for the shocking moment.  Well, kind of shocking.  Most of us figured it would involve Jesse Taylor.  What had happened was Dana allowed the guys to go out on the town.  Apparently, some of the guys stayed longer and drank more.  They enjoyed the casinos and night life.  Not so shockingly, Jesse drank too much.  He went on a rampage.  He kicked out a limo window and went through the casino harassing people.  Dana was forced to boot the dude.  Heads up to Dana for making a good call that built my respect for him.  Jesse blew it.  What an idiot. He has a kid to think of.  Dana was right on when he said physically he was ready, but mentally he wasn’t and wouldn’t be able to handle the UFC.  It wasn’t just this instance for Jesse.  It was the multiple drunken rampages this season.  Hats off to Dana for emphasising be a good representative of the UFC and not condoning his behavior.  So, in come Tim and C.B.  They fly in and are told of the situation and asked to fight.  Three weeks later it is on.  They are to fight for the vacant spot.  The fight stays standing.  Round 1 goes narrowly to C.B.  Round 2 easily to C.B. Tim was nearly KO’d and I thought at one time it would be stopped.  Tim survived.  Round 3 I scored to Tim.   They stay standing and C.B. wins the fight and a re-match at the finale with Amir for the chance at the six figure contract.  Couldn’t ask for more.  The C.B. and Tim fight was awesome, one of the best ever in TUF.  And I think the judges scored it right and C.B. deserves the shot, though he can use some better conditioning, eh?

In my opinion this episode lived up to the hype.  The show featured two awesome fights and some of the best of the history of TUF.  The shock was indeed a shock.  So long Jesse.  I believe the last three guys standing were the best three in Tim, Amir, and C.B.  I like the final match.  Both Amir and C.B. and Tim for that matter have a UFC future.  Wow!  What a great show, maybe the best episode ever.  In my opinion, it was a great season, which is underrated.  I think those three guys could do well in the UFC and 5 or 6 could have a long time career there.  Stay tuned for the other fights for the finale involving cast members.

Last night on the second to last episode of The Ultimate Fighter, Jesse Taylor (aka “JT Money”) fought in the first semi-final match with Tim Credeur for a spot in the Finale on June 21 on Spike TV.

It was yet another lackluster fighter from Jesse where he (as he puts it) “imposed his will” on his opponent, or as the rest of us saw it, he layed on top of his opponent and used his strength and wrestling skills to make it a 15 minute hump session.

Now, that is not to say there weren’t a few exciting moments during the bout, but mostly those moments were exclusive to Tim Credeur and his submission attempts.

To be honest, Tim didn’t do such a hot job either. His corner kept screaming for him to go into butterfly guard and sweep Jesse, but time and time again Tim had Jesse in full guard and was just eating the occasional punch from Jesse. (Of course, its always easier to tell people what they should be doing when you aren’t getting punched in the face yourself.)

When Tim did listen to his corner he had some really great moments where he would almost get Jesse in a submission hold and somehow Jesse would weasel out of it and again lay on top of Tim like a dead hooker.

In the end, it was Jesse who ended up with the “W” and it is Jesse who will most likely meet with C.B. Dollaway (unless Amir pulls something out of his ass) in the Finale. If C.B. and Jesse are the 2 left standing and through some sheer miracle Jesse manages to hump C.B. to a win (doubtful, but anything is possible) he will be (in my opinion) the most uneventful fighter to win The Ultimate Fighter to date.

Speaking of which, if you haven’t been keeping up with the UFC roster, you might want to go check to see how well your favorite fighter is doing because Dana White and the UFC have been cutting some of the less exciting (or poor performers) out of their contracts. The list includes Travis Lutter (TUF 4 Winner), Din Thomas, Tommy Speer (TUF 6 Runner Up), Kalib Starnes, and Jake O’Brien. There are more and the list will continue to grow as the UFC decides to cut out the fat.

All that to say, if (and that’s a big IF) Jesse was to win the whole enchilada and become this season’s Ultimate Fighter, he would be facing some tough (no pun intended) competition that wouldn’t just take his consummate ring humping lying down (pun intended). Especially some of the veterans who have excellent takedown defense and great stand up (Lidell, Jackson, Griffin).

I predict that his career would be short lived in the UFC unless we can see something other than his humping, which is pretty much top notch stuff.