Tonight we have the final preliminary fight of the series as Team Cruz’ final to even things up hope Mike Rio meets Team Faber’s Andy Ogle in the evenings featured fight.
We begin with a highlight package of last week’s action that saw Chris Saunders beat Sam Sicilia in a bout that UFC President Dana White stated needed a third round.
Team Faber celebrate their victory while Ogle discusses how his fight with Mike Rio will be very “sexy”, in the next room Sicilia is upset as his team support him.
Time for the coaches challenge, the US Marines set up an obstacle course for both the coaches to go through that includes climbing ropes, shooting targets at four stations, type flipping, carrying training dummies and carrying ammunition cases.
Dominick takes the lead early climbing the rope and ringing the bell early and doesn’t let go of the lead as Faber is hot on his tail the entire time before he slows at the machine gun station that gives Faber his chance to make the comeback.
Faber takes the lead, carries the ammunition and gets to the final station – The grenade launcher where Faber blows up the three targets to earn $20k and $1.5k for his team while taunting the bantamweight kingpin.
We cut to a Team Faber training session showing off his game with good footwork and submission chops that should make for an entertaining scrap.
Rio is up next as they show a training montage showing off his jiu-jitsu game and improved wrestling and his coach discuss his knee injury and that he’s 100% heading into this fight.
Time to weigh-in as Keith Keizer is once again in charge with both men being on point with six minutes before the fight kicks off.
Both coaches give their final pieces of motivation and instructions moments before they step foot in the cage.
Mike Rio vs. Andy Ogle
Ogle opens up the proceedings with a powerful uppercut, both men trade back and forth with Ogle being the aggressor pushing forward with strings of punches but Rio is quick to get out of danger. Ogle circles around the outside picking his shots as Rio is sort of playing into his hands before he shoots for a powerful takedown before Ogle attempts to wall-walk to freedom.
Against the cage Rio has his pressured before finishing with a knee that breaks the clinch, both men exchange on the feet with Ogle continuing to circle and pick his shots and Rio pushing the action but not landing with his shots. Rio shoots for a takedown late to try steal the round but nothing is done with it, 10-9 Ogle.
Round two opens with much of the same before Rio moved forward with a flurry of punches and presses Ogle against the cage but is able to break free immediately. Ogle sticks on the outside throwing leg kicks and superman punches before Rio again shoots for the takedown before landing some shots on Ogle on the mat and taking his back seeking a rear-naked-choke but Ogle is fighting it.
Ogle is able to break free and wind up on-top in the guard of Rio throwing down punches before getting on the back of Rio with both hooks in as he pancakes him flat while hammering with punches and sinking a rear-naked-choke to get the win.
Post-fight Jon Anik speaks with both fighters who are both respectful, graciously praising the others abilities.
The quarter-final bouts are set up by UFC President Dana White via satellite pairing James Vick & Joe Proctor and Justin Lawrence & Mike Ciesta for next week.
