The Ultimate Fighting Championship remained at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada for part two of its doubleheader tonight at The Ultimate Fighter 21 Finale. The card featured a welterweight bout between Jake “The Juggernaut” Ellenberger and Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson.
Also on the card tonight, Kamaru “The Nigerian Nightmare” Usman battled Hayder “Hulk” Hassan in the TUF 21 Welterweight Final. Michael Graves took on Vicente “The Silent Assassin” Luque in another featured matchup at 170 pounds. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for tonight’s card.
Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson vs Jake “The Juggernaut” Ellenberger
Round 1:
Thompson backed Ellenberger up with a counter left cross in the opening minute. He followed with a one-two, but Ellenberger dropped him with a big right hand. Thompson dove at Ellenberger’s legs and clinched as the fighters returned to their feet. Both men landed short punches in close and Thompson scored with a head kick. Ellenberger took him down, but Thompson reversed position and secured a partial back control.
Ellenberger stood and ate a big flurry of punches. A spinning hook kick floored Ellenberger, but he remained conscious as Thompson struck with punches on the ground. A dazed Ellenberger regained his footing, but Thompson sent him careening to the canvas with another spinning hook kick and the fight was stopped.
Winner: Stephen Thompson by KO (Spinning Hook Kick) at 4:29 of round one. He improves to 11-1-0.
TUF 21 Welterweight Final
Kamaru “The Nigerian Nightmare” Usman vs Hayder “Hulk” Hassan
Round 1:
Usman countered an early left hook from Hassan by clinching with him against the cage. He took Hassan down and briefly held back control, but Hassan rolled forward and stood up. Usman got him down again and took Hassan’s back once more. Hassan defended well and returned to his feet, but Usman immediately threw him down and punched from the top. He took Hassan’s back and sunk in both hooks. Hassan scrambled free, but ate hard punches in the process and was promptly taken down. Usman finished the round with elbows. 10-9 Usman.
Round 2:
Hassan rocked Usman with an uppercut right away in round two, but Usman scored a key takedown and locked on a tight arm-triangle choke from mount. He adjusted his grip as Hassan struggled to breathe and Hassan reluctantly tapped out.
Winner: Kamaru Usman by Submission (Arm-Triangle Choke) at 1:19 of round two. He improves to 6-1-0.
Michael Graves vs Vicente “The Silent Assassin” Luque
Round 1:
Graves flurried right away and used a lateral drop to take Luque down into half-guard. He threw knees to the body and followed with right hands as Luque stood up. Graves broke away after landing an elbow, but Luque closed the distance and Graves held him against the cage. He separated and landed a spinning back kick to the body. Luque countered with a flurry, but Graves took him down. Luque stood and Graves landed knees and an elbow. He countered a knee to the body by taking Luque back down. 10-9 Graves.
Round 2:
Time was called early in the second round after Graves landed an illegal knee when Luque put his hand down on the mat in a clinch. Both fighters were warned and the fight continued. Graves scored a takedown against the cage and tried to move to mount. He kept Luque pinned down throughout the round and landed short punches until Luque gave up his back. He stood up and Graves landed knees. 10-9 Graves.
Round 3:
Luque stuffed a takedown and secured a front headlock on the final round. He switched to a Brabo choke and then to an Anaconda. Graves escaped and continued to drive for a takedown during the ensuing minutes as Luque maintained a headlock. The fighters stood against the cage late in the round and Graves finally got Luque down as time expired. 10-9 Luque.
Winner: Michael Graves by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 5-0-0.
Jorge “Gamebred” Masvidal vs Cezar “Mutante” Ferreira
Round 1:
Both men landed punches early on and Ferreira kicked to the body. He ducked under a right hand and took Masvidal down. Masvidal scrambled up and pressed forward aggressively with a knee to the body and punches. Ferreira threw a head kick and Masvidal answered with a straight right. Ferreira clinched, but Masvidal stuffed a takedown and dropped him with a left elbow, right hook combo. He followed with more punches on the ground that left Ferreira unconscious.
Winner: Jorge Masvidal by KO (Punches) at 4:22 of round one. He improves to 29-9-0.
Michelle “The Karate Hottie” Waterson vs Angela “Your Majesty” Magana
Round 1:
Magana clinched and landed knees to the body early on, but Waterson countered by throwing her to the mat. She worked from the top in Magana’s guard and fought off an armbar attempt by landing short punches. Magana locked on another armbar and went belly-down with the hold. Waterson refused to submit and eventually escaped to her feet. She landed a knee as Magana stood and threw Magana down again. Waterson mounted Magana and attempted an armbar of her own before time expired. Close round. 10-9 Waterson due to the late rally.
Round 2:
Right hands were exchanged in round two and Waterson landed kicks that knocked Magana down. Magana stood and Waterson landed punches and knees to the body. Magana caught a body kick and took her down. Waterson quickly countered with an armbar and she used it to set up a move to mount. She landed punches and elbows as Magana held on from the bottom. Magana scrambled back to half-guard as Waterson landed more elbows. Magana tried for a heel hook and Waterson spun free. She mounted Magana again and attempted another armbar before the bell. 10-9 Waterson.
Round 3:
Waterson dropped Magana with a head kick early in the final round and allowed her to stand back up. She suplexed Magana down and took her back. Waterson landed punches to the sides of Magana’s head that set up a fight-ending rear-naked choke and Magana was forced to submit.
Winner: Michelle Waterson by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 2:38 of round three. She improves to 13-4-0.
Maximo “Maxi” Blanco vs Mike “El Cucuy” de la Torre
Round 1:
After a brief exchange of strikes, Blanco landed a short right hook that sent de la Torre crashing backwards. Blanco landed a left hand as de la Torre fell down and referee Yves Lavigne immediately jumped in to stop the fight even though de la Torre appeared to be defending by grabbing Blanco’s leg.
Winner: Maximo Blanco by TKO (Punches) at 0:16 of round one. He improves to 12-6-1, 1 NC.
Undercard Fights:
– Josh “Anqa” Samman defeated Caio “Hellboy” Magalhães by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 2:52 of round one. He improves to 12-2-0 with the win.
– Jerrod “J-Reazie” Sanders defeated Russell Doane by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 15-3-0 with the win.
– Trevor “Hot Sauce” Smith defeated Dan Miller by Unanimous Decision (30-25, 30-25, 30-26) after three rounds. He improves to 13-6-0 with the win.
– George “The Silencer” Sullivan defeated Dominic “Shonuff” Waters by Unanimous Decision (30-25, 29-27, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 17-4-0, 1 NC with the win.
– Willie “Whoop Ass” Gates defeated Darrell “The Mongoose” Montague by TKO (Punches & Elbows) at 1:36 of round one. He improves to 12-5-0 with the win.