The Ultimate Fighter Season 11 Finale – Keith Jardine Vs. Matt Hamill Play By Play

This seems like one of the weaker TUF finale cards. From the show, Jamie Yager and Rich Attonito are going to fight in addition to the Court McGee and Kris McCray final, but no one else is on the main card. And I’m not too excited about Jardine/Hamill, even though it should be a good fight. Jardine is either going to leg kick Hamill to death, or get hit on the button and go down.

Chuck Liddell is also scheduled to be at the show only one week after his loss to Rich Franklin.

Ken Florian is with Mike Goldberg tonight.

1. Rich Attonito vs. Jamie Yager

Yager is more active and at times, too quick for Attonito with his quick kicks and good movement. Attonito shot in for a takedown and Yager kept it upright. Yager’s boxing is odd and he leaves himself open by throwing loopy punches, but Attonito hasn’t been able to take advantage of it yet.

Attonito landed some hard shots that looked to break Yager, much like he was broken in the fight he lost during the season. He shot in for the takedown and got it. He quickly got Yager’s back and went for a rear naked choke. He didn’t get it, but he eventually flattened him out and finished him with strikes to the side of the head while he was laying on his stomach.

Winner: Rich Attonito by way of 2nd round TKO

2. Dennis Siver vs. Spencer Fisher

I know I’ve said this before, but Siver looks like a midget Brock Lesner. Siver is more robotic in his striking while Fisher is in and out with feints and lots of side to side movement. Siver’s left eye was cut somehow and it’s a big cut. Siver is also throwing high kicks, but Fisher sees them coming.

It looks like the cut was from an accidental headbutt. Much better round for Siver and he might’ve eked it out. He was starting to land his right hand which was opening up even more room for his front kicks. Fisher landed some good shots as well and started to land body kicks.

This is such a close round. For the first three minutes, I thought it was Siver’s round, but Fisher might’ve done more enough at the end of this round to take it. It’s very close to what I’d score a 10-10 round. Siver shot in right as the bell rang to end the match, and it’s probably something he could’ve done earlier in the round to steal it.

Winner: Dennis Siver

The scores were 30-27, 29-28, and 29-28. I thought the first round was Fisher all the way.

3. Aaron Simpson vs. Chris Leben

Typical Leben fight – Simpson out-wrestled him and out-struck him too. He was way more active and Leben’s defense was to use his face to block his punches. You know Leben wants to unload with that big left hand, but until then, he’s taking some decent shots.

Classic Chris Leben. He took a lot of shots to give Simpson the confidence that he could hang out with him on his feet. And as Simpson landed more shots, Leben landed the bigger shots. He knocked him wacky and Simpson ran to the other side of the cage dazed. Before Leben could pounce on him, the referee stopped it, probably to save the guy from taking more punishment. Weird stoppage, but I guess I understand where the referee was coming because Simpson didn’t deal very well with getting hit.

Winner: Chris Leben by way of 2nd round TKO

Brock Lesnar and Shane Carwin did one of those satellite interviews that never works out. It was pretty boring and nothing much was said. Carwin was particularly subdued for whatever reason. Robotic even.

4. Keith Jardine vs. Matt Hamilll

Talk about two unorthodox stand-up styles. Jardine is doing a good job at keeping Hamill at bay with leg kicks and Hamill can’t really get in and isn’t using his wrestling to get closer.

The second round picked up. Jardine started off the second strong again, but caught a kick and Hamill smelled blood. He knocked out Jardine’s mouth piece with a nice shot and then Jardine thumbed him in the eye. Hamill went down to all fours and Herb Dean took a point away from Jardine. Kenny Florian thinks Jardine is winning this round and that it’ll be 9-9, but I disagree. I think it’s Hamill’s round and thus, 10-8. Hamill is throwing a lot of uppercuts and landing them.

Keith followed up with a strong round, even though Dean stopped it twice because of his cut. The only problem with Jardine winning this round is that because of the point taken away in the second, this could be a draw. The third round is key. Hamill didn’t really follow up his great second round, but he did get a takedown early in the third.

Winner: Matt Hamill by majority decision

The scores were 29-27, 29-27, 28-28.

Hamill says the game plan was to take Jardine down, but Jardine is a good fighter and Hamill isn’t happy with his performance.

5. Kris McCray vs. Court McGee

Most of the first round saw McGee on top of McCray after takedowns. McCray is active and coming forward, but taking nasty counters too. McGee is all business.

McGee got an immediate takedown and got the mount. He put him in a neck and arm choke, but it wasn’t deep and McCray bucked out of it. But McGee kept working and pushed him towards the cage. He put him up against it and worked a rear naked choke for the win.

Winner: Court McGee by way of 2nd round submission

McGee said that he wanted to dedicate the fight to anyone with struggles. And if you remember from the TUF show, he was a drug addict who made his way all the way back in part thanks to MMA. He also dedicated the fight to Chuck. Chuck looked pretty emotional.

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