TUF 9 Finale Set

After the last TUF episode, the finale for TUF 9 which takes place this Saturday in Vegas has been set. Team USA's Damaques Johnson taking on UK's James Wilks, with an all-UK lightweight finale, pitting Ross Pearson against Andre Winner. TUF 9 had some great fights play out, especially in the early episodes.

The fight between James Wilks and Frank Lester played out much like the first fight. Lester was throwing bombs, with Wilks countering with his longer reach. Lester successfully defended numerous takedowns throughout the bout.

In the second round, Wilks' reach became more a factor, as he bloodied Lester's nose and started to work him over. In the third, knees to the face ended Lester's run. Lester should hold his head up, as he fought 4 times in 34 days and earned a spot on the undercard of the Finale.

The TUF 9 Finale will take place this Saturday. Here is the rumored Line-up:

Clay Guida vs. Diego Sanchez
Ross Pearson vs. Andre Winner- TUF LW Final
DaMarques Johnson vs. James Wilks- TUF WW Final
Nate Diaz vs. Joe Stevenson
Kevin Burns vs. Chris Lytle

UNDER CARD

Jason Dent vs. Cameron Dollar- TUF 9 Fighters
Frank Lester vs. Nick Osipczak- TUF 9 Fighters
Mike Ciesnolevicz vs. Tomasz Drwal
Brad Blackburn vs. Edgar Garcia
Melvin Guillard vs. Gleison Tibau


(Andre Winner pictured)

TUF 9: UK Domination

This episode featured the two lightweight semi-final fights to make the live finale. From the start, UK's Andre Winner has been a favorite to win the entire show. Ross Pearson has been looked at as a solid brawler who favors the clinch.

In contrast, USA's Jason Dent hasn't adjusted to the house at all. He has routinely gone out of his way to make situations awkward. Cameron Dollar has been kind of crazy, getting emotional at many turns. It appears he has a rib injury before his fight that hampers his training.

Once again, USA's Jason Pierce has given the UK team secrets on how to beat Team USA's fighters. In the Dollar fight, Pierce tipped off Team UK as to Cameron's love of the uppercut and ranging hook. Sure enough, in the fight Dollar uses both those punches.

Instead of sticking to the game-plan, Dollar looks to stand and trade. By the time he tries a takedown, he is out of position and tired. It doesn't take long for Andre Winner to lock in a triangle and secure the submission victory and his place in the finals.

In the Dent v. Pearson fight, Dent tries to be exciting rather than win the fight. He goes for big looping kicks, spinning back kicks and big punches and knees. Ross prefers to brawl and look for the clinch. For three rounds the fighters battled, but in the end, it was Pearson who got a couple takedowns to seal two rounds for the decision victory.


Finals- 155- Andre Winner(UK) v. Ross Pearson(UK)
Finals- 170- Damarques Johnson(USA)

TUF 9 - Ep 5 - Split

This episode featured two fights, one in the 155 and one in the 170 division. At this point in the show, Team USA is getting frustrated with the situation of living without family, friends, television, books, music, ect.

Team UK seems to be having fun, playing soccer in the backyard, or garden in Team UK talk. To make matters worst, USA teammate Cameron Dollar rubs most the wrong way and brags about sexual exploits and fighting skills. Dollar seems like a young guy who needs to be humbled.

The first fight features Andre Winner v. Santino DeFranco. DeFranco seemed to be landing kicks and working for a takedown to begin the round. Winner was content to throw counter punches and take his time. Near the end of the round, Defranco attempted a single leg and missed. Instead of regrouping, he pulled guard.

From there, DeFranco came close with a triangle, omaplata and armbar. Winner powered out, and started throwing punches. Instead of trying to get up or rolling, DeFranco did what he did in his first fight, sat there, covered up, and took punches. This time, the ref called a stoppage.

In the second fight, Dean Amasinger fought Damarques Johnson in the 170 pound division. Johnson was calm before the fight and really seems to enjoy his craft, saying a prayer inside the cage before the fight. Mysteriously, Team UK coach Michael Bisping was nowhere to be found.

During the fight, punches were thrown and Amasinger found himself in the same position as his first fight, nearly caught in a triangle. This time, Johnson finished off the triangle, forcing a submission in the first round.

As it stands, Team UK leads 2-1.

Second Round UK- LW Andre Winner, WW Nick Osipczak
Second Round USA- WW Damarques Johnson

TUF 9 Debut - UK Edition

The Ultimate Fighter Season 9 debut featured 16 fighters from the UK trying to make Team UK and earn a shot to Las Vegas. Every fighter seemed ready to brawl and was hungry to get that ticket. The fights were staged at the Wolfslair which is coach Michael Bisping's home gym.

It was kind of awkward throughout the 8 fights as Bisping had 3 fighters from his gym trying out and a few more that he knew personally. As such, some fighters got a little more coaching than others. Regardless, I enjoyed the episode and the raw feel of a cage and only a few spectators.

These guys seemed to be matched up well. The only slight favorite to go down was Che Mills, who got a tough draw in the more experienced James Wilks. I had Che as a 2-3 seed, and Wilks around 4-5. Team UK's advancing lightweights might have more talent than the welterweights.

Matches-

Andre Winner def Gary Kelly via KO(knee) R1- Andre Winner completely dominated the Wolfslair trained Gary Kelly. Kelly got stuck in a Thai clinch and ate a vicious knee to the face. Winner followed Kelly as he crumpled to the canvas and the bout was called. An oxygen mask was needed, but Kelly was ok.

Jeff Lawson def James Bryan via Sub(armbar) R1- Judo ace Jeff Lawson showed off some skills in his defeat of the younger James Bryan. Lawson executed a nice hip toss to get the fight to the ground, then went to work. After some posteuring, Lawson locked in an armbar to defeat Bryan.

James Wilks def Che Mills via Sub(kneebar) R1- Wilks ate some serious punishment from Mills until the fight went to the ground. Wilks leaned back and sunk in the kneebar with Mills responding too late. Wilks stated that he had been training in the US for the past few years.

Martin Stapleton def Dan James via Sub(rear naked choke) R1- Stapleton controlled the action standing, sneaking in punches on James. Once the bout got to the ground, all James could do was try to grab Stapleton's gloves before the rear naked choke was in. Stapleton, a military man, declared it the fight of his life.

Ross Pearson def A.J. Wenn via KO(punches) R2- Pearson and Wenn spent most of the first round in the clinch trading shots before Pearson snuck in two vicious standing knees to close out the round. With Wenn wobbled, Pearson smelled blood and attacked in the second round landing a left right combination followed by punches.

Nick Osipczak def Tommy Maguire via KO(knee) R1- Osipczak controlled the action from start to finish as Maguire seemed to run out of gas about three minutes in. From there, Osipczak threw a flurry of punches before a knee knocked out Maguire.

Dean Amasinger def Alex Reid via decision- Amasinger won by getting the fight to the ground. Reid attempted a number of triangles, but none were sunk deep enough.

David Faulkner def James Bateman via Sub(kneebar) R1- Bisping's training partner Faulkner went for a takedown early before getting in the clinch. After eating a little punishment, Faulkner got the takedown, rolling into a kneebar.

TEAM UK Welterweights - 170

James Wilks
Nick Osipczak
Dean Amasinger
David Faulkner

Team UK Lightweights - 155

Andre Winner
Jeff Lawson
Martin Stapleton
Ross Pearson


*By the looks of the next episode, it appears one of the potential Team USA fighters will have issues making weight.