SCROLL DOWN FOR RESULTS! WARNING: SPOILERS!
On Saturday, June 21st at 9:00 PM Eastern, Spike TV will be televising the 3 hour Ultimate Fighter Finale from The Pearl in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The telecast will re-air Saturday 6/21 @ 12 am, Sunday 6/22 @ 4 pm and Saturday 6/28 @ 7 pm. and will also be available in HD. In Canada, watch on Rogers SportsNet in high-definition where available.
The fight card with my picks in bold:
Preliminary Fight (Non-televised):
Rob Yundt (7-1) Vs. Rob Kimmons (20-3)
Tim Credeur (10-4) Vs. Cale Yarbrough (Pro Debut)
Jeremy Horn (88-17-5) Vs. Dean Lister (10-5)
Matt Brown (9-6) Vs. Matt Arroyo (3-1)
Marvin Eastman (15-7-1) Vs. Drew McFedries (6-3)
Josh Burkman (20-5) Vs. Dustin Hazelett (12-5)
Main Card:
Matt Riddle (Pro Debut) Vs. Dante Rivera (10-2)
Spencer Fisher (21-3) Vs. Jeremy Stephens (15-2)
Diego Sanchez (21-2) Vs. Luigi Fioravanti (14-3)
Amir Sadollah (1-0) Vs. CB Dollaway (7-1) (Final TUF Match)
Evan Tanner (34-8) Vs. Kendall Grove (10-5) (Superfight)
One of the fights that interests me the most is the Jeremy Horn Vs. Dean Lister fight. I am one of the world’s greatest Horn fans (and a lookalike I am told), and would like nothing more to see this MMA pioneer get the recognition and paydays he deserves. Lister’s 10-5 record is simply misleading. He’s an amazing grappler that has almost made the transition to MMA. Keys to winning this fight for Horn are to keep the fight standing. The fortitude and confidence he showed in the Liddell fight as well as moments where he shined lead me to think he could actually grind out a decision or even get the TKO. Obviously Lister’s best option is to get it to the ground where he has the best options. However, Horn is no joke on the ground and can hang with Lister.
I think that in the Marvin Eastman Vs. Drew McFedries fight, Drew is far too big, strong and aggressive and he KO’s Eastman in an easy fight.
With the Matt Riddle Vs. Dante Rivera I think based on Dante’s fights on TUF this season, he has lost the desire and passion. The word on the gym circuit is Riddle is taking this seriously and is training hard. I am thinking Riddle’s chance is to keep it standing and use the KO power that he demonstrated in his entry fight.
In the Amir Sadollah Vs. CB Dollaway rematch, I am figuring that CB has improved his cardio since the first fight as well as continued to work on his submission defense. In the initial fight, he was on his way to winning a decision and I think he will manage to pull out the finish against “TUF Nog”. Will not in the slightest be surprised if Amir “Nogs” Dollaway though.
In the Evan Tanner Vs. Kendall Grove fight, I am picking the “white guy” to win. ?!?!?!? Kendall Grove doesn’t consider himself to be “white”. Apparently, they don’t possess mirrors in Hawaii. Anyhow, I am an immense Evan Tanner fan and am completely biased. This is Evan’s last hurrah. WAR TANNER! Let’s see a dramatic KO, G&P with elbows or one of Evan’s triangles! I think Evan has more ways to win and will.
RESULTS AND PLAY BY PLAY!
Preliminary Fight (Non-televised):
Rob Yundt (7-1) Vs. Rob Kimmons (20-3) wins by Guillotine!!
Tim Credeur (10-4) Vs. Cale Yarbrough (Pro Debut) THIS FIGHT HAS BEEN CANCELED!
Jeremy Horn (88-17-5) Vs. Dean Lister (10-5) wins by Guillotine!
Matt Brown (9-6) Vs. Matt Arroyo (3-1) wins by TKO!!
Marvin Eastman (15-7-1) Vs. Drew McFedries (6-3) wins by TKO
Josh Burkman (20-5)Vs. Dustin Hazelett (12-5) wins by armbar!!
Main Card:
Matt Riddle (Pro Debut) Vs. Dante Rivera (10-2) wins by decision!
Spencer Fisher (21-3) Vs. Jeremy Stephens (15-2) wins by decision!
Diego Sanchez (21-2) Vs. Luigi Fioravanti (14-3) wins by TKO!!!
Amir Sadollah (1-0) Vs. CB Dollaway (7-1) (Final TUF Match) wins by armbar!
Evan Tanner (34-8) Vs. Kendall Grove (10-5) wins by decision!
Tim Credeur tested positive for Adderal, so his fight with Cale Yarbrough was canceled. According to Keith Kizer, the Executive Director of the Nevada State Athletic Commission:
“Adderall acts as a cardio-vascular restrictor and that’s the main reason it’s banned because it can cause athletes to have a cardiac episode with the stress they’re under when they’re in an athletic competition. Secondly, it can have a performance-enhancing effect as well.”
These prelim fights are from Sherdog’s play by play:
Rob Yundt Vs. Rob Kimmons
“Yundt tries a lazy takedown but slips right into a tight guillotine. He’s out but is caught in an armbar. He’s out of that too. Yundt stuck in Kimmons’ guard and landing elbows and punches to Kimmons’ side. Kimmons misses a kimura but sweeps Yundt into half-guard. Kimmons passes and now has full mount and lands hard punches. Yundt scrambles but lunges into a guillotine. He can’t escape and taps out. Very impressive win for Kimmons. The official time is 3:58 of the first.”
Jeremy Horn Vs. Dean Lister
“Hard left jab by Horn early jolts Lister. Horn reverses a single-leg attempt and lands in half-guard. Working from half-butterfly, Lister fails an omaplata. Horn scrambles and pops back up to his feet. Lister tries a few takedowns before finally scoring a double-leg. Lister sweeps and pulls guard when Horn tries to scramble again but is caught on a deep guillotine. It looks grim for Horn. He taps out. The time of the submission is 3:52 of the opening frame. ”
Matt Brown Vs. Matt Arroyo
“Round 1
Good right cross by Arroyo early but Brown shrugs it off. Hard low kick by Arroyo followed by a flurry. Arroyo pins brown along the fence. Arroyo scoops up brown and pins him at the bottom of the fence. Brown scrambles back up but Arroyo pins him again along the fence. Good punches by Arroyo pepper Brown’s face. Brown’s nose is pouring blood. Arroyo is just faster and more assertive. Brown won’t quit and fires back. He hurts Arroyo with a tight hand and just misses a left head kick. Great action. 10-9 for Arroyo.
Round 2
Arroyo a little tentative early. Brown really picking up the pace and fires a tight kick to Arroyo’s head that grazes him. After a clinch, Arroyo pulls guard. Arroyo trash talking after each punch from Brown. Arroyo tries a triangle but Brown has none of it. Brown scoots Arroyo onto the fence and really pours on the ground-and-pound. Several hard punches hurt Arroyo. A few more land, forcing referee Herb Dean to step in. TKO for Brown with the time being 3:40 of the second round. ”
Marvin Eastman Vs. Drew McFedries
“They come out banging. Eastman rocked by a right uppercut. McFedries tees off and lands a series of glancing punches and knees. Marvin flops around trying to score a single, but McFedries shimmies away. It’s going to end soon; Marvin is in bad shape. McFedries throws Eastman to the canvas and unloads punches. Referee Steve Mazzagatti quickly stops it at 1:08 of the first.”
Josh Burkman Vs. Dustin Hazelett
“Round 1
Hazelett yawning just before bell. Both guys throwing head kicks but nothing lands. Brief exchange of punches and Burkman has a small cut over his left eye. Huge double leg by Burkman but he falls into a guillotine. He escapes but Hazelett applies a deep omaplata. He escapes that but is now caught in a rear-naked choke then a D’arce. It’s very deep. He somehow escapes that and is now in Hazelett’s half-guard. Very intense grappling. Round ends once Burkman scrambles out of full-guard and onto his feet. 10-9 for Hazelett.
Round 2
Burkman clips Dustin with a spinning back kick to the head. Hazelett counters with a stiff overhand right. Not much action now; just missed kicks and random punches. Hazelett leaps onto Burkman’s chest to try and pull guard, but Burkman pins him into the cage. Burkman circling away with not much offense. They flurry late and Hazelett clips Josh with a right head kick. They clinch and Hazelett tries a wizzer but Burkman stuffs it. From there Hazelett slinks over Burkmans right shoulder and latches on an armbar. Burkman taps out! The official time is 4:46 of the second. ”
Now onto the Spladdle Play By Play:
Matt Riddle Vs. Dante Rivera
Round 1
Dante presses Riddle against the cage. Riddle with double collars. Both guys working knees. Riddle drops for a single and Dante captures his head and is working a guillotine. Dante keeps the head and turns out pressing Matt against the cage. Riddle waits it out and frees his head. Riddle presses Dante against the cage. Both guys occasionally punching and kneeing. Riddle landing some nice knees. Mouthpiece of Rivera flies out and Herb Dean stops the action to put it back in and separate them. Rivera throws a wild overhand left and closes the gap into the clinch. He has an over/under bear hug on Riddle. Riddle pummels out. Riddle trips Dante to the mat and starts his G&P and some elbows until the bell rings!
Round 2
Dante throws a punch to distract Riddle and get to the clinch. However, it backfires as Riddle trips Dante again. Dante is on his back and Riddle is looking for an opening. Dante scrambles and stands. They exchange a few punches, clinch and Riddle is pressing Dante against the cage and working some nice knees, especially to the thigh. Dante gets angry and throws some punches. They separate and he throws an overhand left and clinches again. Riddle with foot stomps. They separate. Dante with another overhand left that completely backfires. They clinch and Riddle trips him to the mat and mounts Dante. Riddle begins to throw some G&P. Dante leg threads to the turtle and escapes, they scramble and Dante is in Riddle’s guard. Riddle goes for a triangle…switches to an armbar. It looks deep!!! 12 seconds left. Dante is keeping his cool. Bell rings!!!
Round 3
The fighters waste no time getting to the clinch. Riddle gets another trip takedown and is in Dante’s guard. Dante gets to Mission Control and then abandons it. They stand up and exchange some kicks and then back to the mat, this time with Riddle in Dante’s guard. Nothing is happening, so Herb Dean stands it up. A second in the clinch and another trip gets Dante down with Riddle in the mount! He drags Dante to the fence, rears up and begins to punch! Riddle goes for a triangle from the top!! Bell rings!!
Riddle wins a decision!!!
Spencer Fisher Vs. Jeremy Stephens
Round 1
A few punches exchanged and they are against the fence. Stephens takes Spencer down, but he springs up. Spencer then takes him down, and he attempts a guard pass. Spencer sits up to G&P, but Stephens has an aggressive guard and looking for subs. Spencer stands and drops some solid punches. He drops down and keeps working. Stephens landing some elbows on the head and attempts a triangle. Spencer like a buzzsaw and relentless. Stephens with more elbows to the head. Stephens tries a triangle and gets his guard passed. Stephens shrimps and gets his knee in. WTF? Spencer does a spinning elbow from half mount and returns to posture!! Spencer working HARD to pass that guard. Spencer working elbows and punches. Spencer slides his leg out of half guard and mounts. Stephens turtles and Spencer back mounts. Stephens rolls and gets his guard back. Nice transitions! Spencer stands lands two hard body shots. Spencer doing damn good considering he just had a motorcycle accident!! Bell rings!!
Round 2
A few punches, a clinch, and Stephens presses Spencer against the cage. They separate and both land punches. They clinch and are against the cage. Spencer working his knees to the thigh. A punch by Stephens sends Spencer’s mouthpiece flying. The heferee stops the action and puts it back in. Inside leg kick by Spencer. They clinch again. More knees to the thigh by Spencer. Stephens tries a back heel double leg and Spencer wizzers him to his back!!! Spencer is in side control for 10 seconds, and Stephens shrimps, and gets half guard. Spencer working his G&P. 3 elbows by Spencer! He is buzzsawing again. Stephens gets full guard. Punches, elbows, body shots. Spencer is a cardio MACHINE. Spencer passes to half guard. Stephens shrimps, gets some distance, gets to standing and picks up Spencer and slams him. Before he can do anything, the bell rings!!
Round 3
Body kick by Spencer. Right hand by Stephens. Right hand followed by a knee to the body by Stephens. This round they both seem to want to keep it standing. Spencer shoots a double! Stephens goes for a guillotine!!! Spencer goes to half guard. Stephens trying to finish!! He gets his head out! Spencer mounts!! He DISMOUNTS and gets to side control. Stephens gets half and then full guard. BIG right hand by Stephens. Spencer clinches and Stephens trips Spencer to the mat. Spencer is working butterfly guard. Both fighters seem to take a break. Stephens stands up and allows Spencer to stand, as Spencer stands he shoots for a guillotine. Spencer escapes and reverse Stephens and presses Stephens against the cage. Stephens works for a guillotine and rolls to his back. THIS looks TIGHT!! Spencer has wrist control. The 10 second warning is heard. Spencer stalemates the guillotine and waits. Bell rings!
Spencer Fisher wins the decision!
Diego Sanchez vs. Luigi Foirvanti
Round 1
Diego comes out and stalks Luigi down. He shoots and Luigi backs away. Diego stalks again. Big inside leg kick by Luigi. Luigi coming forward now and lands a high leg kick. Diego lands a HUGE uppercut! Then a flying knee!! Luigi stays composed. High left kick from Diego!! Diego shoots, Luigi sprawls and they separate. Diego fires off a combo and charges and presses Luigi against the cage. Luigi pushes off and separates. Diego goes for a flying knee pick?!?!?! Luigi rolls and flips him off and they get to standing. Diego lands an uppercut. Not a very active fight, but there is EVERYTHING on the strikes that they are throwing. Diego shoots for a double out of nowhere and gets him against the cage. Luigi turns the tables and PICKS up Diego and slams him to the mat as the bell rings!!!!
Round 2
Right hand and a left by Luigi!!! Hard punches! Luigi twists and ankle or something and starts staggering around the ring. HUGE right hand by Diego knocks Luigi to the mat. Diego has half mount and is working to pass. He grabs a Kimura/DWL….switches to huge body punches. Diego stands and Luigi comes up and they separate. Huge high left kick lands!!! Diego clinches and gets behind Luigi and is trying to mount him standing. Luigi goes for the Sakuraba Kimura/DWL and Diego spins and they separate again. Right hand by Luigi. Diego is walking him down. 3 punch combo by Luigi, but Diego knocks Luigi down on the 3rd punch in the combo similar to what happened when he fought Riggs!!! They are scrambling!!! Deigo is trying to finish him on the ground…he switches to a Kimrua…Luigi scramble out and they separate!! AWESOME fight! The crowd cheers! A knee by Diego. Luigi lands a combo stunning Diego. Diego shoots and the bell rings.
Round 3
Left check hook lands by Luigi. Left body kick by Luigi. Diego shoots. Luigi sprawls. They separate. Right hand by Diego. Diego with a combo, he shoots and gets behind Luigi, they fall to the mat in ‘Turtles up’, Luigi scrambles and gets back to standing. High left kick by Diego rocks Luigi and sends him to the canvas!!! Luigi tries to get up and eats a long knee!!! Luigi is in half guard and Diego is RAINING down punches like a madman!!! The heferee stops it!! Finally a televised fight that wasn’t a decision!!!
Diego Sanchez wins by TKO!!!
CB Dollaway vs. Amir Sadollah
Round 1
Hard leg kick bu CB. Front kick by Amir. CB shoots and gets the double leg. He begins to work to pass instead of G&P. Amir isn’t letting him, so CB stands and starts to pound away. He drops and works his pass. He gets to side control! Amir leg threads to the turtle and CB grabs a FHL. Amir rolls to guard. They are against the cage. Cb works G&P. He stands and stacks Amir and punches down. Amir goes for an armbar!! Herb stops the fight. CB is pissed and says he did NOT tap.
On the replay, it appears he makes a sole tap, perhaps trying for something else, but does not follow it with a second one. There is a two tap rule, so fights don’t end like this. A fighter has to tap 2x, so a single random hand motion doesn’t accidentally end a fight like this.
BAD REFEREEING by Herb Dean, who is usually damn good.
Amir Sadollah wins by armbar!
Looks to me that he was trying to PULL on his other hand and it slipped out. He was trying to regain his grip, but couldn’t see because Amir had his legs wrapped around his head.
Evan Tanner vs. Kendall Grove
Round 1
They clinch and Tanner has him against the cage. Grove with an elbow. Evan working for a takedown. Grive trying for the thai clinch. Battle of wills. Evan gets the takedown! He moves to side control. Punches from Evan. Grove stands and eats a knee for his troubles. Evan has him against the fence again and working. Elbow and a switch by Grove. Evan is bleeding. Another elbow. They clinch. Grove lands a knee. They are against the fence again. Evan working a single leg. Grove does a jumping knee and lands it. Evan still fighting for the takedown and gets it. Evan in Kendall’s guard. Kendall scrambles and stands and gets Evan’s back! He’s working to get his hooks in. Evan stands and shkes him off. Grove on his back working upkicks. Evan drops into his guard. Evan passes to half guard. Kendall is trying to stand. As he gets up Evan punches him. Bell rings! Great fight!
Round 2
They come out striking. Tanner with a leg kick. Uppercut by Grove. Evan charges and gets him against the fence. Right hand by Grove. A knee by Grove. An uppercut by Grove. Grove coming on strong. Body kick by Grove. Left hook by Tanner. Evans clinches him against the cage. Evan drags him down. Kendall is trying to stand and working for the guillotine. He lets go of the guillotine. Evan still trying to get the single and eats another jump knee. Elbows by Grove on the head get him taken down. Evan has passed to half. Grove regains full guard. Kendall tries to stand and works for a Kimura/DWL. He is standing. Evan with a good knee to the body. Evan shoots. Grove sprawls and Evan peeks out. Grove with a HUGE uppercut!! A huge ELBOW by Grove!!! It looks like it’s going to end!! Evan gets a bodylock against the cage. Elbow by Tanner. Grove with a huge knee. Knee by Tanner. They are against the cage. Elbow by Grove. They separate. High kick by Grove rocks Tanner. Jab and a high kick by Grove land as the bell sounds.
Round 3
Left hook by Tanner. Left hook by Grove. Evan had Grove against the fence. Tanner with an uppercut. Evan working for the takedown. Grove switches to double collars and lands an elbow. Another elbow. They separate. Leg kick by Tanner. Right hand by Tanner. Right hand by Tanner! Against the cage again. Elbow by Grove. Evan backs out. Big right hand by Tanner!! Uppercut by Tanner in the clinch. Grove looks tired. Right hand by Tanner!! Knee to the body by Grove. Left hand by Tanner! Right hand almost knocks Grove down! Bell rings!!
Kendall grove wins the decision!
Stumble it!