The Ultimate Fighter 17 Finale - Fight Card Updates

[keithlewis]

TUF Finales always mark the crowning of a new Ultimate Fighter but at this season's capper, set for April 13, there will be real UFC gold on the line as well: UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson will defend his title against John Moraga. Johnson continues to impress and rise up the pound-for-pound ranks with each bout; while Moraga, looking for his ninth straight victory, has been stellar inside the Octagon so far with impressive stoppages in his last two outings.

The UFC's nascent women's division will have its sophomore scrap between two of its top athletes as former Strikeforce champion Miesha Tate takes on rising star Cat Zingano. The big guys will also be represented on the fight card, with heavyweights Gabriel "Napao" Gonzaga and Travis "Hapa" Browne slated to clash. At featherweight, Cole Miller and Bart Palaszewski will go head to head; also at 145 pounds, striking specialist Justin Lawrence will face well-rounded veteran Daniel Pineda.


The Ultimate Fighter 17 Finale: Team Jones vs. Team Sonnen
April 13, 2012
The Joint at the Hard Rock
Las Vegas, Nevada


Demetrious Johnson (17-2-1) vs. John Moraga (13-1)
Travis Brown (13-1) vs. Gabriel Gonzaga (14-6)
Miesha Tate (13-3) vs. Cat Zingano (7-0)
Bart Palaszewski (36-16) vs. Cole Miller (18-7)
Daniel Pineda (17-9) vs. Justin Lawrence (4-1)

[keithlewis]

The title hopes of the finale for The Ultimate Fighter's 17th season were dashed today when it was announced that UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson is injured and unable to compete at the April 13th event. Johnson had been scheduled to defend his title against John Moraga. A new main event will be announced in coming days. In other news for that event, The Ultimate Fighter Live alumni Sam Sicilia and Venezuela's Maximo Blanco will go at it in a featherweight bout.

www.ufc.com

[keithlewis]

Urijah Faber Meets Scott Jorgensen at TUF FINALE April 13


Fresh off a brilliant submission victory over Ivan Menjivar at UFC 157, “The California Kid” Urijah Faber returns to the Octagon Saturday, April 13 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas to meet Scott Jorgensen in a can’t-miss bantamweight showdown.

Faber, the former WEC featherweight champion ranked second in the bantamweight division, is known for his explosive athleticism and finishing ability, and the 33-year-old Sacramento native owns wins over the likes of Jens Pulver (twice), Raphael Assuncao, Takeya Mizugaki, Eddie Wineland and Brian Bowles.

A three-time Pac-10 wrestling champion at Boise State University, the 30-year-old Jorgensen defeated John Albert in a performance that earned him Fight and Submission of the Night honors in his most recent bout this past December. “Young Guns” also holds notable victories over Jeff Curran and Brad Pickett and has developed a reputation as one of the division’s most exciting fighters.

“Urijah Faber is one of the best bantamweights in the world and he proved it at UFC 157 by submitting Ivan Menjivar in the first round,” UFC President Dana White said. “He’s ready to jump right back in the Octagon on April 13 with Scott Jorgensen, who’s ranked seventh in the world at 135 pounds. Both of these guys like to finish fights. This is a really exciting main event for the TUF Finale!”

In addition to the Faber-Jorgensen main event, this season’s The Ultimate Fighter winner will be crowned when the Octagon makes its way back to the Mandalay Bay Events Center.


The Ultimate Fighter Finale card also includes:

· Former Strikeforce bantamweight women’s champion Miesha Tate vs. highly touted, undefeated contender Cat Zingano in the second women’s bout in UFC history.

· A heavyweight showdown between Travis Browne and Gabriel Gonzaga.

· A featherweight collision between Bart Palaszewski and Cole Miller.

· A featherweight bout between TUF veteran Justin Lawrence and Houston’s Daniel Pineda.

[keithlewis]

After a shoulder injury forced flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson to the sidelines, bantamweights Urijah Faber and Scott Jorgensen have been tabbed to headline this year’s TUF Finale at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.

It’s an intriguing matchup that pits good friends against one another, with a chance to move one step closer to title contention going to the winner. Faber, coming off his UFC 157 victory over Ivan Menjivar, actually helped get Jorgensen involved in MMA following his days as a standout wrestler at Boise State University, but that won’t stop the duo from duking it out inside the Octagon.

This season’s finale will also provide us with one of next season’s coaches as well, as Miesha Tate and Cat Zingano square off in the second women’s bantamweight contest to be contested in the UFC, and there is a lot at stake. UFC President Dana White announced recently that not only will the winner of this bout be the next to challenge Ronda Rousey for her women’s bantamweight title, but they’ll also coach opposite the unbeaten champion on the first co-ed season of The Ultimate Fighter later this year.

Add in the TUF 17 middleweight finale and a bout between hungry heavyweights Travis Browne and Gabriel Gonzaga, and you’ve got a four-fight collection that should produce some can’t miss moments.


The Ultimate Fighter 17 Finale - Team Jones vs. Team Sonnen
April 13, 2012
The Joint at The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Las Vegas, Nevada


Main Bouts (FX):

Urijah Faber (27-6) vs. Scott Jorgensen (14-6)
TUF 17 Final
Miesha Tate (13-3) vs. Cat Zingano (7-0)
Travis Brown (13-1) vs. Gabriel Gonzaga (14-6)

Preliminary Bouts (Fuel TV):

Cole Miller (18-7) vs. Bart Palaszewski (36-16)
Justin Lawrence (4-1) vs. Daniel Pineda (17-9)
Sam Sicilia (11-2) vs. Maximo Blanco (8-4-1)

[keithlewis]

The Ultimate Fighter 17 Finale - Team Jones vs. Team Sonnen
April 13, 2012
Mandalay Bay Event Center
Las Vegas, Nevada



Main Card (FX):

Urijah Faber (27-6) vs. Scott Jorgensen (14-6)
Uriah Hall (7-2) vs. Kelvin Gastelum (4-0) - The Ultimate Fighter 17 Finals
Miesha Tate (13-3) vs. Cat Zingano (7-0)
Travis Browne (13-1) vs. Gabriel Gonzaga (14-6)
Bubba McDaniel (20-6) vs. Gilbert Smith (5-1)


Preliminary Card (Fuel TV):

Josh Samman (9-2) vs. Kevin Casey (5-2)
Luke Barnatt (5-0) vs. Collin Hart (4-1-1)
Dylan Andrews (15-4) vs. Jimmy Quinlan (3-0)
Bristol Marunde (12-7) vs. Clint Hester (7-3)


Preliminary Card (Facebook):

Cole Miller (18-7) vs. Bart Palaszewski (36-16)
Sam Sicilia (11-2) vs. Maximo Blanco (8-4-1)
Justin Lawrence (4-1) vs. Daniel Pineda (17-9)