Michael Chiesa and Al Iaquinta set to meet in The Ultimate Fighter Live Final
The Ultimate Fighter Live episode 12 – ‘Reality Check’ – aired Friday evening and saw Team Faber nab both semifinal wins in the final episode of the famed reality series. Michael Chiesa defeated James Vick by knockout at 1:55 of the 2nd round while Al Iaquinta walked away with a unanimous decision victory over Vinc Pichel.
The fights are now set for The Ultimate Fighter Live Finale Friday, June 1 at the Pearl Concert Theater at the Palms in Las Vegas. All but four of the fighters will appear on the three-hour season finale on FX.
Mike Rio, who suffered a rib injury in training and Andy Ogle, who was medically suspended by the Nevada State Athletic Commission after being knocked out in the quarterfinals, will both miss the Finale. Following his knockout loss, Vick has also been medically suspended by the Nevada State Athletic Commission and will not compete on June 1. Due to this, Pichel will be unable to fight and will make an appearance on a future UFC card. The complete list of match-ups is below.
TUF Live 1 Finale – The Ultimate Fighter Live bouts:
Jeremy Larsen VS Joe Proctor
Sam Sicilia VS Cristiano Marcello
Chris Tickle VS Daron Cruickshank
Chris Saunders VS Myles Jury
John Cofer VS Justin Lawrence
Michael Chiesa VS Al Iaquinta
Here’s what everyone had to say about the evening’s livefights:
UFC President Dana White:
“There’s no doubt that Vick won that first round but I think the biggest mistake he made was going for that submission at the end of it. I think he should have tried to finish it. He’s a young, tough, bright kid and has a big future in front of him. Chiesa was doing a lot of things to try and make stuff happen in the second round and that’s what he did. The odds said he was supposed to lose twice and here he is. This kid has got a ton of heart.”
“The first round [between Iaquinta and Pichel] was tough to score. I actually think Pichel did more damage but the judges gave Iaquinta the round because of his two takedowns. [Iaquinta] definitely came out and won the second round and got that fight. Al has looked good in both his fights. He looked like he was in great shape. Still moving, still punching and his wrestling was on. This is going to be one hell of a final.”
Michael Chiesa:
“I feel great. It has been quite a journey. A lot of ups and downs but I feel like I’ve earned my spot in the finale and I’m very excited to seize the moment.”
Al Iaquinta:
“I couldn’t have done it without a great team, great roommates. Everyone really helped me out. The coaching staff was just awesome. Everything was a dream come true. When I left I didn’t know what I was getting myself into. Now I have the toughest fight of my life ahead of me, and I’m ready for it.”
Don’t miss the opportunity to catch behind the scenes action by following the fighters on Facebook and Twitter. Find all these links and more on http://www.ultimatefighter.com.
Photo credits: Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC
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Semifinals this Friday on FX at 10 p.m. ET/PT
UFC President Dana White made it official this week, announcing that all but two of THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER LIVE fighters, pending commission approval after the semifinals, will get one more opportunity for redemption and appear on national television during the three-hour season finale on FX, Friday, June 1, from the Pearl Concert Theater at the Palms in Las Vegas.
In addition, the winners of the semifinal bouts this Friday, May 25, live on FX (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) between James Vick (4-0), of Fort Worth, Texas, and Michael Chiesa 7-0), of Spokane Valley, Wash., and Vinc Pichel (7-0), of Sherman Oaks, Calif., and Al Iaquinta (5-1-1), Wantagh, N.Y., will clash in the final fight of the season to crown the ULTIMATE FIGHTER LIVE winner. The winner will earn a lucrative contract from the UFC and a Harley Davidson motorcycle.
Confirmed June 1 matchups include: Jeremy Larsen, Phoenix, Ariz., vs. Joe Proctor, Pembroke, Mass.; Sam Sicilia, Spokane Valley, Wash., vs. Cristiano Marcello, Curitiba, Brazil; Chris Tickle, Bloomington, Ill., vs. Daron Cruickshank, Wayne, Mich.; Myles Jury, San Diego, Calif., vs. Chris Saunders, Long Beach, Calif.; and Justin Lawrence, Villa Ridge, Mo., vs. John Cofer, Hull, Ga.
Regretfully, two of the fighters who have spent the last three months in the TUF House will be unable to participate in the season finale on FX. Mike Rio, of Miami, Fla., suffered a rib injury in training while Andy Ogle was medically suspended by the Nevada State Athletic Commission after being knocked out by Iaquinta in the quarterfinals.
Not surprisingly, the House was buzzing with excitement after the fighters learned they would be getting another shot on FX. Here’s what they had to say:
Jeremy Larsen - “I'm super thrilled about fighting Proctor. He's a tough guy who likes to fight, and that's what I like to do. I think we're going to go out there and put on a fantastic show for the fans."
Joe Proctor - "Train hard. Win easy. It's time for a war!”
Sam Sicilia - “I think this is a huge opportunity for me. He's a legend. We'll see if I belong in the UFC right now or not.”
Cristiano Marcello - “It's a great opportunity. He's a great opponent. Let's do what we need to do.”
Chris Tickle - “It's going to be a great fight, fast-paced and I'm ready to bang.”
Daron Cruickshank - “Hands up. Chin down. Let's bang. It's play time.”
Myles Jury - “I think it's a tough fight, but it's just another chance for me to live my dream."
Chris Saunders - “I’m looking forward to this test. It should be a good fight. Tune in!”
Justin Lawrence - “I think it's a good matchup for me. I think I'm more well-rounded. This is a huge opportunity and me and I'm not going to let it slip through my fingers."
John Cofer - “I’m excited for this fight and the chance at redemption after my last loss on the show. More importantly, though, is winning and landing a job fighting in the UFC.”
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Pichel and Iaquinta round out quarterfinal winners
The Ultimate Fighter Live episode 11 – ‘Like a Spartan’ – aired Friday evening and saw favorites Vinc Pichel and Al Iaquinta win their quarterfinal bouts and move into the semifinals alongside James Vick and Michael Chiesa.
Sherman Oaks, California, resident Pichel won by majority decision, defeating Long Beach, California native, Chris Saunders. This was followed by a win for Iaquinta, of Wantagh, New York, who came into the Octagon® focused and ready to dominate and did so in stunning fashion, recording a big TKO win over Andy Ogle, of Newcastle, England, at 4:44 of the 1st round.
UFC President Dana White closed out the episode by announcing the two semifinal match ups, which will air next Friday, May 25, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on FX.
First, James Vick (#5 Cruz) will face-off against Michael Chiesa (#5 Faber) while Pichel (#6 Cruz) will meet Al Iaquinta (#1 Faber).
UFC President Dana White:
“Pichel vs Saunders was a grinder match. It was a close first round. It could have gone either way. Then in the second round, Pichel just took over. There was no doubt he won that round and deserved the win.”
“I didn’t know what to expect of Iaquinta vs Ogle. There’s no doubt Ogle came to fight, he’s got a great chin and a big heart. But Iaquinta looked good. He looked as good as anyone has ever looked on the Ultimate Fighter.”
“So now, we’re going into the semifinals and it’s dead-even. I have to tell you, I think Pichel’s a tough guy but we just saw what Iaquinta can do. And then there’s Vick, the incredible underdog and Chiesa, the guy who has gone through more than anyone in this house. You won’t want to miss these fights.”
Vinc Pichel:
“I knew to expect a lot of hard leg kicks, just thinking CHECK THAT SHIT AND FIRE! I practiced a lot of movement in this week’s training to keep him on his heels so he couldn’t throw them as often. Certain combinations worked really well for me, and I was able to take him out of his comfort zone.”
Team Cruz Coach - Dominick Cruz:
“Pichel listened perfectly to the game plan, which was to keep Saunders on his heels, throwing heavy shots, which takes away Saunders' kicking ability and forces him to box. This allowed Pichel to dirty box and clinch and grind out the win.”
Thoughts on Barao fighting for the Interim belt: “It's a tough thing to chew on to pass up a spot I've worked so, so hard for. It's testing my heart and determination in this situation. This will prove and test to myself the integrity I have and make me a stronger champion.”
Al Iaquinta:
“I fought smart, I knew if I fought smart I could beat just about anybody.”
Team Faber Coach - Urijah Faber:
“I’m not surprised by the outcomes. Things went as predicted. Saunders losing the first round was a big surprise. I thought he won hands down. Al looked awesome he stalked Ogle down.”
Thoughts on his new opponent: “I’m just excited to have a new opponent. Now that I have someone to focus on and game plan, for it gets me motivated. [My training] will definitely change. [Cruz and Barao] are polar-opposites. Barao is a guy that starts hard, and looks for the finish right away, but seems to fade a little bit as the fight goes on. Dominick is really tricky, has great conditioning and is always looking to out point in a long fight. I’m a good combination of those two put together, I’m dangerous and I thrive in long fights.”
Don’t miss the opportunity to catch behind the scenes action by following the fighters on Facebook and Twitter. Find all these links and more on http://www.ultimatefighter.com.
Photo credits: Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC
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Vick and Proctor first to move into semifinals
Las Vegas, Nevada – The Ultimate Fighter Live episode 10 – ‘So Real it’s Unreal’ – aired Friday evening and saw both Team Cruz and Team Faber walk-away with one win apiece. In the first fight of the night Team Cruz’ James Vick, of Fort Worth, Texas defeated Pembroke, Massachusetts native Joe Proctor by unanimous decision with scores of 20-18. Team Faber followed this up with a win of their own, as Michael Chiesa of Spokane, Washinton defeated Justin Lawrence of Pacific, Missouri by TKO at 1:02 of the sudden victory round.
UFC President Dana White closed out the episode by announcing the next two quarterfinal match ups, which will air next Friday, May 18, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on FX.
First, Vinc Pichel (#6 Cruz) will face-off against Chris Saunders (#8 Faber) while Andy Ogle (#7 Faber) will meet Al Iaquinta (#1 Faber).
UFC President Dana White:
“I expected a lot more from Lawrence and I underestimated Chiesa. It wasn’t that Chiesa’s more talented or outworked Lawrence, it was the size of his heart. Lawrence defended the takedowns for a while and did a good job but then Chiesa finally got him down. There was no doubt and no denyingthat if Lawrence kept it on his feet he would have won. Lawrence basically gave up tonight. When you go to that sudden victory round you see who wants thisfight and who wants to continue in this competition - who really wants it! Chiesa went out there and took it.
“And Vick did a good job of fighting his fight tonight. He stayed outside, used his range and used his punches. What Proctor needed to do was get him to the ground to win that fight. He never gave himself a chance to win. He didn’t really start fighting until the last 30 seconds of the last round. I had Vick winning both rounds. There’s no doubt James Vick was an underdog in this thing when he first set foot in the gym - but now no-one seems to be able to stop him.”
Michael Chiesa:
“First off let me say that Justin truly lives up to the hype. He’s the toughest person I’ve ever fought. I’m glad I was able to get the victory. I had to dig deep down to win that fight. Sometimes I think the heart is a lot stronger then we give it credit for.”
Joe Proctor:
“Sometimes you’re the bug and sometimes you’re the windshield. Tonight, I was the bug. It’s unfortunate, but I’m going to go back to training hard and hopefully the UFC will be in touch soon.”
Team Faber Coach - Urijah Faber:
“To be honest, that wasn’t exactly how I thought the night would go but I’m proud of both my guys, and both the guys on the other team too. They put on great fights tonight. This sport is all about who wants itmore and implementing your offense. Tonight I felt like Chiesa won through shear will power, and Proctor lost because he wasn’t able to put his offense first. Congrats to Vick and hope Justine Lawrence keeps his head up. He’s a young kid with a lot of talent.”
James Vick:
“That was the biggest fight of my life and I’m happy that I could come out on top. Joe’s a very tough guy. I was surprised he stood up to those punches and I wish him the best. As for me, I’m now one step closer to achieving my dream.”
Justin Lawrence:
“I learned a lot about myself tonight. Mike Chiesa has a huge heart and is a hell of a fighter and my hat goes off to him. My adrenaline wasn’t where I wanted it to be, but that’s no excuse. I still think I’m the best fighter here and I’m not going to quit until I get to the UFC. I think I deserve to be there.”
Team Cruz Coach - Dominick Cruz:
“It’s pretty awesome to watch Vick stick to game plan, stay composed. He fought an outstanding fight, he even got a takedown but most importantly, Vick made Proctor fight his fight. Lawrence learned an important lesson tonight about why game plans are built and it’s to force your opponent to fight your fight. He didn’t do that tonight, he fought Chiesa’s fight on the ground and lost by fighting in the area that Chiesa had the best chance to win. In my opinion, if that fight, stayed standing like we game-planned, Justin wins three rounds to none.”
Both coaches and four remaining quarterfinalists competing on May 18 – Andy Ogle, Chris Saunders, Vinc Pichel and Al Iaquinta - will be available via conference call Wednesday, May 16 at 2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT.
Don’t miss the opportunity to catch behind the scenes action by following the fighters on Facebook and Twitter. Find all these links and more on http://www.ultimatefighter.com.
Photo credits: Al Powers/Zuffa LLC
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The Quarterfinals Begin On An All New TUF Live, Plus UFC Primetime Premieres
The quarterfinal round of the tournament begins as Joe Proctor battles James Vick, and Justin Lawrence faces Michael Chiesa! Plus, Junior dos Santos and Frank Mir prepare for their championship showdown in Las Vegas on an all new UFC Primetime! The Ultimate Fighter Live, followed by UFC Primetime - tonight at 10pm on FX
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