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RESULTS: Detailed Ultimate Fighter Finale Report - Ken Shamrock!
THE FOLLOWING IS FROM MATT BOONE & WWW.MMANEWS.COM:
DIEGO SANCHEZ vs. KENNY FLORIAN (Middleweight final)
Diego Sanchez defeated Kenny Florian tonight live on SpikeTV during the season finale of the UFC reality show, "The Ultimate Fighter" to earn the six-figure UFC contract, and a bunch of other prizes.
The fight started off pretty badly for the first live televised MMA fight on cable television for the UFC. Sanchez and Florian circled each other standing without throwing a punch, knee, elbow, or even a leg kick for over a full minute to a chorus of "boo's" from the crowd at the Cox Pavillion. From there, Diego shot in for a takedown, but Florian defended. That lasted for a good 20 seconds or so before the two finally hit the floor.
Here's where the fireworks come into play. Much like the Diego we're accustomed to seeing on The Ultimate Fighter every week on SpikeTV during the debut season of the show, Sanchez totally dominated the fight and finished it quick. He landed some brutal ground and pound, mostly punches, but a few elbows that bloodied up Florian pretty badly. After failing to intelligently defend himself, referee Steve Mazagatti stepped in to call a hault in the action half way into the first round, giving Diego Sanchez the win by technical knockout in round one.
Your Ultimate Fighter for the Middleweight division is none other than New Mexico's own Diego Sanchez!
Up next is the Light Heavyweight final match between Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar. And don't forget, the main-event tonight will feature UFC legend Ken Shamrock battling up-and-coming Light Heavyweight Rich Franklin, moving up from 185 lbs. (Middleweight) to take this big opportunity to fight the most recognizable name in America in MMA on the first cable televised live UFC fight card.
FORREST GRIFFIN vs. STEPHAN BONNAR (Light Heavyweight final)
Nothing I write here can do justice for what my eyes just stared at for 15 minutes. So, I'll say this. Fight of the year. Watch the replays. I think there's one on tomorrow, I'm pretty sure I read that this show will be replayed after RAW at 11:05 PM EST. on Monday night on SpikeTV.
Judges had it 29-28, 29-28, 29-28 Unanimous Decision for Forrest Griffin. Fans didn't agree, doesn't matter. Dana White decided Stephan Bonnar also gets a 6-figure contract with UFC. So, they're both in.
WATCH THIS FIGHT. You'll never see anything like that again for a long, long, long, long time.
Up next is Ken Shamrock vs. Rich Franklin. Stick with us.
KEN SHAMROCK vs. RICH FRANKLIN (Main-Event)
It could be the last time we ever see "The World's Most Dangerous Man" Ken Shamrock in the octagon. Well, if it wasn't winning and setting up what would undoubtedly be the most ordered PPV in UFC history in a battle of the 40 year olds, Ken Shamrock - biggest draw in UFC history, and Randy Couture - one of the best fighters in the world right now and probably on his way to becoming the new biggest draw due to exposure from The Ultimate Fighter. If it wasn't that, then it's creating a new star to take this sport into the next generation. A generation filled with national cable television shows, mainstream coverage, great PPVs, etc. The only thing I don't get is why they'd even match Franklin with Shamrock if he was planning on going back to 185 lbs. afterwards anyway. I thought the whole idea was to get a new face in the Couture-Liddell-Belfort show at 205 lbs., but that's out the window based on Franklin's post-fight interview tonight. So, they pretty much just wasted the last chance to build a star off Ken Shamrock in my opinion. The Middleweight division in UFC is stacked, probably the most loaded weight class they've got. They added another new face already tonight that millions of people are now familiar with - Diego Sanchez. They aren't in desperate need of something new to mix in with their established stars. They've got enough established stars yet to match up, that it's not really necessary. However, the 205 lbs. weight class is Randy Couture, who simply can't go on that much longer. Chuck Liddell, Vitor Belfort, and maybe Tito Ortiz if UFC gets crazy enough to pay his ridiculous demands, or if Tito lowers his ridiculous demands. That's the division getting fans to open their wallets every two months.
Oh yeah, the fight.
Ken Shamrock and Rich Franklin came out feeling each other out a little bit. Ken started getting aggressive, slipped a little bit. Almost had an ankle lock on Franklin, Franklin kept spinning to try and get out, Shamrock almost had him anyway. Franklin eventually did get out, and the two were back standing. Shamrock goes for a high-kick, slips, falls, and Franklin jumps on him and ground and pounds him - viciously I might add, until "Big" John McCarthy stepped in to call a hault in the action giving Rich Franklin the victory via technical knockout from punches in round one.
Great show from UFC. They couldn't have asked for anything more. Open up with the most dominant fighter on The Ultimate Fighter series doing exactly what he did on the show, pounding the crap out of someone to victory. Then, the fight of the year. Something like I said simply can't be described with words. A war. It stole the show without a doubt in anyone's mind. Then, their biggest name in the company right now and the proven biggest draw in company history - Ken Shamrock either setting up a mega-money showdown between himself and Couture, or building a new star to mix things up at 205 lbs. (or so we thought). You can't hope for anything better for your national cable television live fight show debut. Congratulations UFC on getting it done in a serious way. Every fan of this sport should be grateful, should be happy, and should be satisfied with what we just saw. Great night for the sport of mixed-martial arts.
NEWS FROM THE SHOW
UFC announced tonight during the season finale' of The Ultimate Fighter that they will be doing a second season of the show under the same format.
This time, however, the two divisions that will be featured will be the Heavyweights and the Welterweights. UFC encouraged fighters out there to submit tapes to try and get on the show, the same way everyone did that made the cast this season.
PRELIM RESULTS (Non-televised)
-Alex Karalexis def. Josh Rafferty via Knockout in Round 1.
-Mike Swick def. Alex Shoenauer via Knockout in Round 1.
-Nathan Quarry def. Lodune Sincaid via TKO (punches) in Round 2.
-Josh Koscheck def. Chris Sanford via Knockout in Round 1.
-Chris Leben def. Jason Thacker via Knockout in Round 1.
-Sam Hoger def. Bobby Southworth via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-28).
DIEGO SANCHEZ vs. KENNY FLORIAN (Middleweight final)
Diego Sanchez defeated Kenny Florian tonight live on SpikeTV during the season finale of the UFC reality show, "The Ultimate Fighter" to earn the six-figure UFC contract, and a bunch of other prizes.
The fight started off pretty badly for the first live televised MMA fight on cable television for the UFC. Sanchez and Florian circled each other standing without throwing a punch, knee, elbow, or even a leg kick for over a full minute to a chorus of "boo's" from the crowd at the Cox Pavillion. From there, Diego shot in for a takedown, but Florian defended. That lasted for a good 20 seconds or so before the two finally hit the floor.
Here's where the fireworks come into play. Much like the Diego we're accustomed to seeing on The Ultimate Fighter every week on SpikeTV during the debut season of the show, Sanchez totally dominated the fight and finished it quick. He landed some brutal ground and pound, mostly punches, but a few elbows that bloodied up Florian pretty badly. After failing to intelligently defend himself, referee Steve Mazagatti stepped in to call a hault in the action half way into the first round, giving Diego Sanchez the win by technical knockout in round one.
Your Ultimate Fighter for the Middleweight division is none other than New Mexico's own Diego Sanchez!
Up next is the Light Heavyweight final match between Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar. And don't forget, the main-event tonight will feature UFC legend Ken Shamrock battling up-and-coming Light Heavyweight Rich Franklin, moving up from 185 lbs. (Middleweight) to take this big opportunity to fight the most recognizable name in America in MMA on the first cable televised live UFC fight card.
FORREST GRIFFIN vs. STEPHAN BONNAR (Light Heavyweight final)
Nothing I write here can do justice for what my eyes just stared at for 15 minutes. So, I'll say this. Fight of the year. Watch the replays. I think there's one on tomorrow, I'm pretty sure I read that this show will be replayed after RAW at 11:05 PM EST. on Monday night on SpikeTV.
Judges had it 29-28, 29-28, 29-28 Unanimous Decision for Forrest Griffin. Fans didn't agree, doesn't matter. Dana White decided Stephan Bonnar also gets a 6-figure contract with UFC. So, they're both in.
WATCH THIS FIGHT. You'll never see anything like that again for a long, long, long, long time.
Up next is Ken Shamrock vs. Rich Franklin. Stick with us.
KEN SHAMROCK vs. RICH FRANKLIN (Main-Event)
It could be the last time we ever see "The World's Most Dangerous Man" Ken Shamrock in the octagon. Well, if it wasn't winning and setting up what would undoubtedly be the most ordered PPV in UFC history in a battle of the 40 year olds, Ken Shamrock - biggest draw in UFC history, and Randy Couture - one of the best fighters in the world right now and probably on his way to becoming the new biggest draw due to exposure from The Ultimate Fighter. If it wasn't that, then it's creating a new star to take this sport into the next generation. A generation filled with national cable television shows, mainstream coverage, great PPVs, etc. The only thing I don't get is why they'd even match Franklin with Shamrock if he was planning on going back to 185 lbs. afterwards anyway. I thought the whole idea was to get a new face in the Couture-Liddell-Belfort show at 205 lbs., but that's out the window based on Franklin's post-fight interview tonight. So, they pretty much just wasted the last chance to build a star off Ken Shamrock in my opinion. The Middleweight division in UFC is stacked, probably the most loaded weight class they've got. They added another new face already tonight that millions of people are now familiar with - Diego Sanchez. They aren't in desperate need of something new to mix in with their established stars. They've got enough established stars yet to match up, that it's not really necessary. However, the 205 lbs. weight class is Randy Couture, who simply can't go on that much longer. Chuck Liddell, Vitor Belfort, and maybe Tito Ortiz if UFC gets crazy enough to pay his ridiculous demands, or if Tito lowers his ridiculous demands. That's the division getting fans to open their wallets every two months.
Oh yeah, the fight.
Ken Shamrock and Rich Franklin came out feeling each other out a little bit. Ken started getting aggressive, slipped a little bit. Almost had an ankle lock on Franklin, Franklin kept spinning to try and get out, Shamrock almost had him anyway. Franklin eventually did get out, and the two were back standing. Shamrock goes for a high-kick, slips, falls, and Franklin jumps on him and ground and pounds him - viciously I might add, until "Big" John McCarthy stepped in to call a hault in the action giving Rich Franklin the victory via technical knockout from punches in round one.
Great show from UFC. They couldn't have asked for anything more. Open up with the most dominant fighter on The Ultimate Fighter series doing exactly what he did on the show, pounding the crap out of someone to victory. Then, the fight of the year. Something like I said simply can't be described with words. A war. It stole the show without a doubt in anyone's mind. Then, their biggest name in the company right now and the proven biggest draw in company history - Ken Shamrock either setting up a mega-money showdown between himself and Couture, or building a new star to mix things up at 205 lbs. (or so we thought). You can't hope for anything better for your national cable television live fight show debut. Congratulations UFC on getting it done in a serious way. Every fan of this sport should be grateful, should be happy, and should be satisfied with what we just saw. Great night for the sport of mixed-martial arts.
NEWS FROM THE SHOW
UFC announced tonight during the season finale' of The Ultimate Fighter that they will be doing a second season of the show under the same format.
This time, however, the two divisions that will be featured will be the Heavyweights and the Welterweights. UFC encouraged fighters out there to submit tapes to try and get on the show, the same way everyone did that made the cast this season.
PRELIM RESULTS (Non-televised)
-Alex Karalexis def. Josh Rafferty via Knockout in Round 1.
-Mike Swick def. Alex Shoenauer via Knockout in Round 1.
-Nathan Quarry def. Lodune Sincaid via TKO (punches) in Round 2.
-Josh Koscheck def. Chris Sanford via Knockout in Round 1.
-Chris Leben def. Jason Thacker via Knockout in Round 1.
-Sam Hoger def. Bobby Southworth via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-28).