The Ultimate Fighting Championship remained at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada for its second event of the weekend tonight at The Ultimate Fighter 19 Finale. The event featured a featherweight trilogy bout between Frankie “The Answer” Edgar and “The Prodigy” B.J. Penn.
In tonight’s co-main event, Corey “Beastin’ 25/8” Anderson took on Matt “Gutter” Van Buren in the TUF 19 light heavyweight final, and rising star Dhiego Lima squared off against Eddie “Truck” Gordon in the middleweight final. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for the TUF 19 Finale main card.
Frankie “The Answer” Edgar vs “The Prodigy” B.J. Penn
Round 1:
Edgar landed quick flurries of punches early on and Penn answered with a knee. Edgar took him down and kicked at his legs, then dropped down into Penn’s guard. Penn kicked him off and Edgar stood. He dropped into Penn’s guard for a second time, but Penn defended well. Edgar stood and kicked at Penn’s legs. He settled into his guard yet again. The fighters were stood up and Edgar landed left and right hooks over the top. 10-9 Edgar.
Round 2:
Edgar landed more right hands in the second round and he avoided most of Penn’s punches, but Penn did connect with a quick flurry. Edgar took him down and punched from top position. He stood up and kicked at Penn’s thighs. Edgar returned to Penn’s guard and landed short punches as the round progressed. He postured up and rained down some hard punches and elbows in the final minute. 10-9 Edgar.
Round 3:
Edgar continued to get the better of the striking exchanges with quick combinations in the third round and he swept Penn’s leg out from under him. From the top in Penn’s butterfly guard, Edgar punched away and he cut Penn near the left eye with elbows. More punches and elbows scored for Edgar and he pinned down Penn’s arms. Edgar continued to tee off with unanswered strikes until referee Herb Dean stepped in to stop the fight.
Winner: Frankie Edgar by TKO (Punches & Elbows) at 4:16 of round three. He improves to 17-4-1.
TUF 19 Light Heavyweight Final
Corey “Beastin’ 25/8” Anderson vs Matt “Gutter” Van Buren
Round 1:
Anderson rocked Van Buren with a big combination in the opening seconds and Van Buren fell against the cage. Anderson continued to batter him with punches, but Van Buren somehow fought back to a standing position. Anderson scored with huge right hands and Van Buren appeared to be out on his feet. He fell forward and turtled as Anderson threw more punches until the fight was finally waved off.
Winner: Corey Anderson by TKO (Punches) at 1:01 of round one. He improves to 3-0-0 and becomes the TUF 19 Light Heavyweight winner.
TUF 19 Middleweight Final
Eddie “Truck” Gordon vs Dhiego Lima
Round 1:
Gordon scored with a series of overhand rights in the opening minute and he dropped Lima against the cage after connecting with a particularly nasty right hook. Lima recovered and got back to his feet, but Gordon hurt and dropped him again with an uppercut. He swarmed on Lima with punches on the ground and Lima struggled to get back to his feet. He got to a kneeling position and Gordon unloaded with left hands. Lima collapsed forward and the one-sided fight was stopped.
Winner: Eddie Gordon by TKO (Punches) at 1:11 of round one. He improves to 7-1-0 and becomes the TUF 19 Middleweight winner.
Derrick “The Black Beast” Lewis vs Carlos Augusto “Guto Inocente” Filho
Round 1:
Filho circled and threw front kicks to the body early in the fight as Lewis looked to close the distance. He clinched with Filho and scored a brief takedown, but Filho quickly returned to his feet. Lewis landed two big right hands and he knocked Filho down after taking a heavy leg kick. Filho threw upkicks from his back and avoided a massive diving right hand. Filho tried to roll to get up and Lewis rained down five punches that cut Filho near both eyes and rendered him momentarily unconscious.
Winner: Derrick Lewis by KO (Punches) at 3:30 of round one. He improves to 11-2-0, 1 NC.
Dustin Ortiz vs Justin “Tank” Scoggins
Round 1:
Ortiz scored a takedown early in the fight, but he soon found himself on the defensive as Scoggins locked on a tight armbar from the bottom. He wrenched back on Ortiz’s arm and briefly flattened him out, but Ortiz managed to escape and he returned to his feet. After an exchange of strikes, Ortiz got Scoggins back down and took his back in search of a rear-naked choke. Scoggins defended and stood up, then tripped Ortiz. He worked for a guillotine choke in a scramble as the fight returned to the feet. Ortiz scored with a hard one-two combo before the bell. 10-9 Scoggins.
Round 2:
Ortiz got Scoggins back down in round two and he initiated a scramble that paved the way for a pass to side control. Scoggins regained half-guard and Ortiz postured up with punches and elbows. Scoggins briefly got back to his feet, but he was promptly taken back down again and Ortiz flurried to the head and body. Scoggins postured for another armbar and Ortiz escaped by landing more punches and elbows. 10-9 Ortiz.
Round 3:
Scoggins opened the final round aggressively with punches and Ortiz fired back with a head kick. He followed with an uppercut and Scoggins landed a left cross behind the ear. Ortiz pressed forward with punches, but Scoggins ducked under and secured a takedown. He looked to set up an arm-triangle choke, but Ortiz scrambled up to his feet. Scoggins got Ortiz down again and Ortiz used the cage to work back up. He tripped Scoggins and Scoggins countered by trying to take his back. Ortiz wound up on top and the fighters traded strikes on the ground until the final bell. Very close round. 10-9 Scoggins, barely.
Winner: Dustin Ortiz by Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. He improves to 14-3-0.
Undercard Fights:
– Kevin “The Motown Phenom” Lee defeated Jesse “The Body Snatcher” Ronson by Split Decision (30-27, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. He improves to 8-1-0 with the win.
– Leandro “Brodinho” Issa defeated Jumabieke “The Wild Wolf” Tuerxun by Submission (Armbar) at 3:49 of round three. He improves to 12-4-0 with the win.
– Adriano Martins defeated Juan Manuel “Fenix” Puig by KO (Punch) at 2:21 of round one. He improves to 26-7-0 with the win.
– Patrick “The Beast of the East” Walsh defeated Dan “Dragon” Spohn by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 5-1-0 with the win.
– Sarah “Cheesecake” Moras defeated Alexis “Sneaky Zebra” Dufresne by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. She improves to 4-1-0 with the win.
– Robert Drysdale defeated Keith “Sha Bang Bang” Berish by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 2:03 of round one. He improves to 7-0-0 with the win.