The Ultimate Fighter 5 finale was quite satisfying and the UFC delivered an entertaining night on free TV.
They promised only three fights on TV but since no fight went over two rounds, we got to see seven. Whether this was poor matchmaking is pointless because each fight was entertaining unto itself.
Doug Evans vs. Roger Huerta
The night started with the poster boy of the Latino community and UFC fighter Roger Huerta vs. Doug Evan. Doug is a top-flight wrestler and no push-over himself.
Round one starts with Doug getting the first lick in. Roger manages to grab a kick and throws Doug down but Doug spins out and grabs a body lock from behind Roger. They get back up to their feet after a brief spat on the ground and Doug starts to dominate Roger on the feet in a suprising manner. Roger is looking over-classed and we are all wondering if he has been nothing but hype. Roger uses a head kick and push kick to try and shoot but Doug will have nothing of it. He does pick up Doug but is blocked from a decent slam by a possible guillotine. The round ends with Doug chasing Roger around the cage with some nice strike combos.
Round two starts with Roger finally asserting himself. He has woken up and realized that the UFC is not going to keep feeding him guppies. Roger advances with Doug retreating around the cage for a bit. Doug does get a nice leg kick in but Roger counters nicely with a body kick. Roger then opens up with some nice kick combos that Doug cannot answer. Doug finally advances and gets a single leg trip off one of the exchanges but Roger spins out and tries to get up but Doug takes him back down. After some posturing and maneuvering on the ground, Doug finally over-extends on a triangle and Roger passes to get his back. After Doug wriggles around a bit, Roger flattens him out and starts to apply some major GNP. Eventually the ref is forced to step in and call the fighter due to inactivity.
Roger Huerta wins in the second round by Ref Stoppage
Thales Leites vs. Floyd Sword
Floyd is from Pete Jackson’s camp, which is the same camp that Keith Jardine and Diego Sanchez train in, and this is his first fight in the UFC. You can’t ask for a harder opponent than Thales so you can’t help but feel sorry for him a little bit.
Thales opens up the first round with some nice spin combos that include a spinning back kick which doesn’t land. Sword immediately jumps in and lands a nice combo. Thales tries a knee to the head but Sword grabs it and pushes him against the cage. Thales then reverses position and gets a nice hip throw in and lands perfectly on top. Sword eventually gets up and to his feet and utilizes some nice takedown defense to keep Thales off him. Thales eventually over-balances Sword yet again and gets the delivers the same hip throw we saw earlier.
Floyd is looking way over-matched at this point and it doesn’t get much better. Thales continues to dominate and eventually stacks Sword. He then uses his hands to cover Swords face and distract him so that he could pass and take his back. Thales gets one hook in and purposefully leaves his guard open so that Sword spins and lands in an arm triangle, forcing him to tap out.
Thales wins in the first round due to arm triangle submission.
Gray Maynard vs. Rob Emerson
Rob has changed camps since we last saw him on the show. He used to train with Marc Laimon’s Cobra-Kai and now he trains with X-treme Couture. Gray is looking as strong as ever and is a worthy adversary having made it to the semi-finals in the house.
Round one starts and both come out swingin with Gray landing some nice shots. Emerson gets the takedown on Gray and rolls him trying for an armbar but misses and ends up on his back. Rob then gets back to his feet after a long tim on the bottom. Gray tries for a guillotine and then goes for a suplex which lands him in side mount. Gray persists with some nice GNP that includes some short elbows. rob tries for another armbar but Gray fasses to north-south to block and then side mount on the opposite side. Gray then gets full mount but Rob slips back to half guard. Emerson counters with a heel hook and misses. Gray delivers a dropping body shot right on Rob’s ribs and hurts him bad. Gray comes down in side control and they scramble until the bell. Rob gets up holding his arm at his side.
Gray tags Rob to start round two with a left and then a right hook. Gray then picks up Rob and slams him down hard but catches his own head on the mat. Rob screams in agony and immediately taps clutching his ribs. Gray appears knocked out himself as the officials rush in to aid Rob. The NSAC eventually rules it a no-contest because both fighters were knocked out simultaneously, much to Gray’s chagrine and protest.
No-contest declared due to simultaneous KO
Joe Lauzon vs. Brandon Melendez
Brandon could not make weight for the match and was off by a pound. This is considered the ultimate disgrace in fighting circles but Joe just wants to fight. Brandon is docked 10% of his purse with 5% going to Joe.
Round one begins with Brandon getting a nice hand combo in on Joe. Joe shoots in and gets a single, throws Brandon down, and goes for North-South positioning. Joe then proceeds to lay some massive GNP but eventually ends back in the guard. Joe stacks Brandon, picks him up by one arm, and then slams him down hard. Joe mounts Brandon and forces him to roll and give up his back. They scramble with Joe eventually keeping the back after a position change. Brandon scoots back and forces Joe against the cage event though Joe is on his back. They eventually get back up and Brandon tries to throw a sloppy body kick but Joe catches it and they both go to ground with Joe ending up in the back position yet again. It appears that Brandon is purposefully giving up his back. He unhooks Joe’s feet and spins out of the position. Joe goes for a heel hook and gets it in deep but Brandon just waits the round out.
Round two starts with Joe working the angles and Brandon cutting him off. Brandon throws a trash haymaker but Joe times it, ducks, and shoots in to get a double take down. Joe again passes and gets mount. Brandon rolls and gives up his back. Joe then allows him to spin and sets the triangle as Brandon spins forcing him to tap out.
Joe wins in the second round due to triangle choke.
Manny Gamburyan vs. Nate Diaz
The interviews play the matchup quite well. They again accentuate the tiff that Karo and Nate had during the show. Nate Diaz even said, “Living in the shadow of Nick Diaz? What’s bad about that? Not as bad as living in the shadow of Karo Parisyan.”
Round one starts with Manny shooting in, getting the single, and spinning Nate down. Manny plays the pitbull well and Goldberg managed to use the term often. Manny ends up getting ahold of Nates neck for a guillotine and locks up the head nicely but forgets the full guard. Nate steps out, rolls, and pops out of the hold nicely. Manny keeps up the pressure and applies the GNP nicely. The rest of the round is pretty much the same. Nate tries about every submission he can think of an Manny keeps working in a bullish manner. Nate eventually gets up and tries for a single but Manny gets an anaconda grip when the round ends.
Round two starts with Nat landing some nice combos that cause Manny to shoot in. As Nat goes to sprawl, Manny’s shoulder dislocates from the impact and causing him to immediately tap out on the floor in utter pain. Apparently, it was a reocurring injury from the series that he suffered when fighting Joe for the finals position.
Nate wins by tapout in the second round and is “The Ultimate Fighter” of season 5
Cole Miller vs. Andy Wang
Cole Miller is 6’1” and in the lightweight division and quite a quandary for new fighters because of his height and reach difference. He has a brother in the WEC who is cornering him. This fighter is fast so if you blink you might miss it.
Cole engages first with a combo to start round one and then lunges in with a knee. Andy tries to shoot but gets stuffed from the weak attempt. Both stay up top exchanging although Andy is trying to close the distance. Cole gets a huge left high kick that floors Andy and he immediately jumps into to GNP his downed opponent. After a few seconds and a clean shot from Cole, the referee steps in and stops the match, much to the protest of Andy.
Cole Miller wins 1:10 into the first round by referee stoppage.
B.J. Penn vs. Jens “Lil Evil” Pulver
The opening has them both talking. B.J. Penn has a new strength and conditioning coach and if he is following what the man sets forth, everybody in the 170 lb. division is in trouble. There is something in Jen’s eyes as he is standing there waiting for the fight that already declares him defeated.
Round one starts and they meet in the middle of the ring. B.J. is dominating the stand up and rocks Jens early. He then gets a body lock on Jens and slams him down, lands in half guard and goes to work. Jens stands back up and BJ yet again gets a body lock and a slam. BJ easily mounts Jens from the open half guard. BJ locks down on an armbar but gives it up for the triangle. Jens eventually postures out of the precarious position after eating a couple elbows and lays the smackdown on BJ as he pushes him up against the cage. Jens manages to throw a nasty overhand elbow from guard but BJ manages to get back up. They both work the dirty boxing with BJ winning the hand game which is Jens forte. Jens throws a high kick and throws a couple hooks to end the round
Round two starts and Jens throws a nic left but BJ has him times and shoots in for a single leg takedown. BJ passes off the open half guard and finally gets the mount. After some massive GNP from mount, Jens is forced to roll and give up his back. BJ then uses his legs to trap Jens arm and sinks in his forearm underneath Jens chin forcing the tapout.
BJ Penn chokes out Jens Pulver in the second round via RNC
Not one match shown on TV went three rounds and were highly entertaining. B.J. Penn has finally got his conditioning under control and looks to be a force in the 170 lb. division but everybody is confounded on why he doesn’t stay at 155. Jens is not looking to retire but states that he will be going to the 145 lb. division which probably means he will be transitioning to the WEC. Joe looked absolutely stellar and should have been in the finals. It was an all-around great finale for an above-average season.