TUF Nations Finale Review and Results

TUF Nations Finale Review and Results
by Sam Heard - @samheard_

Those of us who risked jeopardising our ability to wake up for work the next morning to watch the mid-week TUF Finale from Quebec, Canada were rewarded with an entertaining card of fights. Though for us Brits the night would end in disappointment, the overall standard was high with several massive KO/TKOs (though no one was submitted). With ‘UFC on Fox 11: Werdum Vs. Browne’ but a few days away it would be a great shame if any of the tremendous performances from Wednesday night get swept under the rug.

Michael Bisping (24-6 MMA, 14-6 UFC) vs. Tim Kennedy (18-4 MMA, 3-0 UFC)

Following a lay-off just a few days shy of a year, I think I speak for the entire MMA community when I say it was nice to see Bisping back where he belongs. However, frustratingly for The Count and his fans, the Bisping we saw last night was a ghost of his former self.

Mike is usually a fighter who outclasses his opponents by chipping away at them with a ridiculously high output of varied strikes. Against Tim Kennedy Bisping was overly tentative and far less active than normal. He was overwhelmed at points in the fight by Kennedy’s solid top-game with the American landing some vicious ground-and-pound from full mount on more than one occasion.

Bisping’s takedown defence is normally some of the best in the entire Middleweight division; Kennedy was able to put Mike on his back more times than we’ve ever seen in his lengthy UFC career. To me it seems clear that the lay-off and the injury played a factor – Bisping managed to skilfully avoid the takedowns of Chael Sonnen (arguably the best wrestler the division has ever had) yet was thrown to the mat by Kennedy who is at best an above average wrestler.

The judges came to the right decision, however that 50-45 scorecard is laughable. There can be no denying that Mike at the very least won the second round as he found the range with his left jab. Regardless of this small quibble, it was a disappointing night for The Count.

Result: Tim Kennedy def. Michael Bisping via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 50-45)

Patrick Cote (20-8 MMA, 7-8 UFC) vs. Kyle Noke (20-7-1 MMA, 4-3 UFC)
If ever there was a fight that didn’t go according to the script this was it. Prior to the fight it was widely believed that either Cote would utilise his heavy hands to smash Noke or the Aussie would use his larger frame to pressure Cote against the fence, take him down and exploit the Canadian’s supposedly weaker ground game.

Part of the reason you and I love MMA is its unpredictability and this fight gave even more legitimacy to the statement that anything can happen in the Octagon. In all three rounds Noke was getting the better of Cote on the feet only to be taken down and dominated in the later halves of the rounds. Despite executing a beautiful knee straight to the Canadian’s granite chin to counter a takedown in the 2nd, Noke didn’t do enough to sway the judges and lost a Unanimous Decision to rival coach and fan favourite Patrick Cote.

Result: Patrick Cote def. Kyle Noke via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)

Elias Theodorou (9-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) vs. Sheldon Westcott (8-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC)

Elias Theodorou impeccably demonstrated the significance of conditioning in the final of the TUF Nation’s Middleweight tournament as he decimated Sheldon Westcott enroute to a TKO victory. Though Westcott had been hugely impressive on the show, he had exploited Team Australia’s general lack of submission defence and consequently hadn’t even seen the 2nd round. These quick victories proved to be somewhat disadvantageous as Wescott came out overly aggressive and seemed gassed by the end of the opening round.

Theodourou, who was all too aware of how exhausted his opponent was, went into overdrive, lighting his fellow Canadian up with strikes and dumping him on his head with some huge power takedowns. Wescott was finally saved from more of Theodorou’s brutality as a series of nasty punches and elbows from side-control meant Phillippe Chartier had seen enough to step in.

Result: Elias Theodorou def. Sheldon Wescott via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 4:41

Olivier Aubin-Mercier (4-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC) vs. Chad Laprise (8-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC)

In this clash of unbeaten Canadian Welterweights someone would taste not only their first defeat but also miss out on the title of Ultimate Fighter at the final hurdle. As expected Aubin-Mercier was pursuing the takedown while Laprise – who had put together a few savage KO/TKO victories on the show – wanted to keep proceedings on the feet.

In matchups such as these we tend to see the grappler’s hand raised more often than not but Laprise was able mostly stuff the takedown of Aubin-Mercier and beat him up on the feet. I had Chad Laprise up 30-27 by the end of the third so was shocked that one of the judges believed Aubin-Mercier won. These MMA judges really know how to leave us fans scratching our heads.

Result: Chad Laprise def. Olivier Aubin-Mercier via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 30-27)

Akira Corassani (12-4 MMA, 3-1 UFC) vs. Dustin Poirier (16-3 MMA, 8-2 UFC)

IThe ultra-aggressive Dustin Poirier has been tearing it up in the 145-lbs division of late and for many this match-up was a curious step backwards for the American Top Team fighter. Akira proved himself worthy of being in there however as he momentarily dropped Poirier mid-way through the first round with a big left. This forced Poirier to reset and compose himself as he had been disrespectful of the Swede’s clear power until that moment. Both fighters slugged it out, smiling at one another until Poirier demonstrated his killer ground game with a near d’arce choke before switching to the rarely seen Peruvian necktie.

The second round had barely started when Poirier hit Corassani with a perfectly timed uppercut which rocked him before swarming him with punches. Dan Miragliotta had no choice but to step in and give Poirier another victory inside the distance. Fair play to Akira for a valiant effort where everyone expected him to be instantly overwhelmed, earning him a Fight of the Night bonus.

Highlights from the Undercard

K.J. Noons (13-7 MMA, 2-1 UFC) vs. Sam Stout (20-10-1 MA, 9-9 UFC)

Noons reminded us of his professional boxing past with a massive right hand followed up with some of the most devastating strikes to a stunned opponent you’re ever likely to see.

Sarah Kaufman (17-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC) vs. Leslie Smith (6-5-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC)

The former Strikeforce champ put on a boxing clinic, picking the incredibly tough Leslie Smith apart on the feet. We were told she had trained her striking with the Diaz brothers and this was apparent last night.

Bisping vs Kennedy and Bocek vs Dunham announced for TUF Nations Finale

Bisping and Kennedy finally set to meet in the Octagon

by Ben Heather @benheather

Michael Bisping will finally get the chance to shut up Tim Kennedy when then meet in a 5 round fight which will headline the TUF Nations Finale in April.

For as long as I can remember Tim Kennedy has been calling out Michael Bisping, it didn't matter on the circumstances, whether Bisping was injured or not or even whether Bisping already had a fight lined up. To be fair though, in that time so has pretty much every other middleweight fighter who is trying to make a name for themselves.

Now finally it seems set for the English middleweight contender to get his hands on Tim Kennedy and make him back up all the talk. As Bisping has said himself, a win in this fight will not do much as far as push him towards the title shot he so badly desires but it will finally give him the chance to end all of the abuse he has been receiving from Tim Kennedy. That being said though it would put Bisping on a two fight win streak and with some big match ups in the division already announced could leave him fighting in a number one contender fight later this year.

As far as Kennedy is concerned a win over Michael Bisping will be one of, if not the biggest win of his career. Kennedy joined UFC in 2013 and in his debut picked up a win over Roger Gracie in a lacklustre display. He then got the opportunity to headline the UFC Fight for the Troops 3 event where he was scheduled to face Lyoto Machida before he got pulled from that fight to step in for Bisping and fight Mark Munoz in Manchester. Kennedy then easily defeated Rafael Natal via KO in round 1, but the fight had lost the big name opponent to really push Kennedy up the rankings. Now he will get the shot he has been asking for.

The question that remains to be seen is: Has Tim Kennedy talked himself in to a fight that he can't win?? We will find out in April.

Also announced on the card for the TUF Nations Finale is a lightweight clash between two UFC veterans as Mark Bocek and Evan Dunham are set to battle it out in the Octagon.

Both fighters will be looking to get back to winning ways after losing their last fights. Dunham faced off against Donald Cerrone and saw the Cowboy return to the old form we all know he can bring when he submitted Dunham. Before that fight Dunham also lost to Dos Anjos so a win against Bocek will be crucial if he wants to continue in the UFC.

Bocek did not feature in the Octagon last year and like Dunham lost to Dos Anjos in his last appearance back in 2012.

The TUF Nations Finale takes place on April 16th and will be shown on Fox Sports 1 in the USA but as yet there is no word on whether this card will be available on BT Sports in the UK.