The Ultimate Fighting Championship’s three-event week continued tonight with The Ultimate Fighter 23 Finale in Las Vegas, Nevada. The event was headlined by a UFC Women’s Strawweight Championship rematch between champion Joanna Jędrzejczyk and Claudia “Claudinha” Gadelha.
In tonight’s co-feature, Andrew “El Dirte” Sanchez took on Khalil “The War Horse” Rountree in the TUF 23 Light Heavyweight Final. Tatiana Suarez Padilla clashed with Amanda Bobby “ABC” Cooper in the TUF 23 Women’s Strawweight Final. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for the main card.
UFC Women’s Strawweight Championship
Joanna Jędrzejczyk vs Claudia “Claudinha” Gadelha
Round 1:
Gadelha dropped Jędrzejczyk right away with a lunging left jab and she worked to pass to mount on the ground. Jędrzejczyk recovered and scrambled back to her feet. Both women landed punches and Jędrzejczyk followed with a knee to the body as Gadelha clinched. Gadelha took Jędrzejczyk down into half-guard and scored with short elbows and punches. Jędrzejczyk stood and the fighters exchanged elbows. Jędrzejczyk kicked to the body and Gadelha responded with right hooks. Jędrzejczyk continued to throw kicks in the final 30 seconds. 10-9 Gadelha.
Round 2:
Gadelha looked for a takedown early in round two and flurried with punches in close after Jędrzejczyk stuffed it. Gadelha got her down on her second try and landed right hands while trapping Jędrzejczyk’s right leg. Jędrzejczyk eventually got back to her feet and fought off a takedown attempt by landing elbows to Gadelha’s temples. Jędrzejczyk reversed a takedown, but Gadelha attempted a heel hook and used it to get back up. Jędrzejczyk separated from the clinch and landed two kicks before time expired. 10-9 Gadelha.
Round 3:
The third round began with an exchange of punches and Gadelha secured a takedown after landing a nice combination. Jędrzejczyk worked back to her feet against the cage and both women landed elbows. Jędrzejczyk scored with kick-punch combos and a slowing Gadelha answered with right hooks. Jędrzejczyk continued to land punches until Gadelha shot in and took her down. Jędrzejczyk stood and forced Gadelha to follow. Gadelha rocked her with an elbow, but lost her balance in the process and was unable to capitalise with a takedown. Jędrzejczyk recovered and landed hard elbows of her own. Very close round. 10-9 Jędrzejczyk by a slim margin.
Round 4:
Jędrzejczyk picked her shots with one-twos and kicks to the lead leg and body in round four. Gadelha responded with single punches and looked to close the distance. Jędrzejczyk kept her distance and landed more quick kicks while switching stances often. Hard left hooks landed for Jędrzejczyk and her superior speed allowed her to pick Gadelha apart. Gadelha managed to land a right hook, but Jędrzejczyk immediately answered with a left hand and elbows. 10-9 Jędrzejczyk.
Round 5:
The fighters traded left jabs in the final round and Jędrzejczyk landed a combination. Gadelha clinched in search of a takedown, but she could not get Jędrzejczyk down. Jędrzejczyk broke free with a flurry and a head kick. She remained a step ahead of Gadelha in the exchanges and lunged in with a one-two. Jędrzejczyk tripped Gadelha and avoided an armbar, then stood and beckoned for Gadelha to follow. A right hook landed for Gadelha and Jędrzejczyk replied with a left. She flurried with punches and mixed in elbows late in the close fight. 10-9 Jędrzejczyk.
Winner: Joanna Jędrzejczyk by Unanimous Decision (48-45, 48-46, 48-46) after five rounds. She improves to 12-0-0 and remains the UFC Women’s Strawweight Champion.
TUF 23 Light Heavyweight Final
Andre “El Dirte” Sanchez vs Khalil “The War Horse” Rountree
Round 1:
Sanchez shot in for a takedown in the opening minute, but Rountree stuffed it and countered with left hands. Sanchez got him down on his second try and he took his back on the way up. Sanchez dragged Rountree down again and landed a series of right hands to the face. Rountree stood in the final minute and broke free from Sanchez’s grasp. Sanchez threw a head kick and took Rountree down again. 10-9 Sanchez.
Round 2:
Sanchez opened round two with a combination and he countered a one-two from Rountree by taking him down. Rountree eventually battled back to his feet against the cage, but Sanchez tripped him again and struck from the top in half-guard. Sanchez bloodied Rountree’s nose with punches and kept him pinned down throughout the round. He landed three big shots before the bell. 10-9 Sanchez.
Round 3:
Sanchez secured a leg-sweep takedown in the final round and landed right hands while working for a rear-naked choke from a partial back control. Rountree was unable to move and Sanchez picked his shots with right hands while pinning him against the base of the cage. He landed more punches until the final bell. 10-9 Sanchez.
Winner: Andrew Sanchez by Unanimous Decision (30-25, 30-25, 30-26) after three rounds. He improves to 8-2-0 and becomes the TUF 23 Light Heavyweight Winner.
TUF 23 Women’s Strawweight Final
Tatiana Suarez Padilla vs Amanda Bobby “ABC” Cooper
Round 1:
Suarez wasted no time in taking the fight to the mat and she worked from the top in Cooper’s guard until Cooper countered with a slick armbar from the bottom. Suarez pushed off of the cage and pulled her arm free. She postured up in Cooper’s guard and landed punches until Cooper secured a sweep. The fighters briefly stood and Cooper locked on a guillotine choke as Suarez took her down. Suarez escaped from the choke and landed some solid punches from the top. She transitioned to a tight Brabo choke and Cooper tapped out multiple times before the fight was finally stopped.
Winner: Tatiana Suarez Padilla by Submission (Brabo Choke) at 3:43 of round one. She improves to 4-0-0 and becomes the TUF 23 Women’s Strawweight Winner.
“Ill” Will Brooks vs Ross “The Real Deal” Pearson
Round 1:
The fight began with an exchange of body kicks and Brooks followed with a nice knee. Pearson scored with a lead left hook and Brooks responded with another knee. He shot in for a takedown and landed a knee and an elbow that opened a cut on Pearson’s forehead. Pearson broke free and landed a hood to the body that stopped Brooks’s momentum, but Brooks recovered and worked for another takedown against the fence. Pearson reversed position and the fighters traded knees. Close opening round. 10-9 Brooks, barely.
Round 2:
Both fighters landed jabs and quick punches in the second round. Brooks took Pearson down and he dropped punches from the top. Pearson scrambled up, but Brooks took his back and landed punches that forced Pearson to kneel down against the base of the cage. Both men landed knees as the fight returned to the feet. Brooks kept the pressure on with knees and standing elbows. Pearson retreated after Brooks landed a knee and a right hook to the body. He slipped while throwing a kick and Pearson finished the round on top. 10-9 Brooks.
Round 3:
Pearson opened round three with some nice combinations, but Brooks responded with a knee to the body and a takedown attempt. Pearson stayed on his feet and time was called after Brooks was kneed in the groin. Action resumed and Pearson landed a three-punch flurry. Both men connected with one-twos and Pearson stunned Brooks with a left hook. He peppered Brooks with punches to the head a body as Brooks leaned on the cage. The fighters separated briefly and Pearson landed a hard body kick, but Brooks threw him to the mat. On the feet, Brooks landed an elbow and a knee. 10-9 Pearson.
Winner: Will Brooks by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 18-1-0.
“The Korean Superboy” Doo Ho Choi vs Thiago Tavares
Round 1:
Choi landed a flying knee as Tavares shot in for a takedown, but Tavares managed to get him down and held him against the base of the cage. Choi battled back to his feet and used jabs to create space. He landed a one-two that dropped Tavares and followed with one more right hand that briefly knocked him out as referee Herb Dean stepped in for the stoppage.
Winner: Doo Ho Choi by KO (Punches) at 2:42 of round one. He improves to 14-1-0.
Joaquim “Netto BJJ” Silva vs Andrew Holbrook
Round 1:
Silva dropped Holbrook with a right hook after catching a kick early in the opening round. He immediately pounced on Holbrook and landed a series of hammerfists that left Holbrook unconscious on the mat.
Winner: Joaquim Silva by KO (Punches) at 0:34 of round one. He improves to 9-0-0.