The TUF 28 TUFtermath
It’s week two of The Ultimate Fighter Season 28 and that means it’s time for the ladies to fight! Coach Kelvin Gastelum will send out former Invicta FC title contender Pannie “Banzai” Kianzad to take on and Coach Rob Whittaker’s Katahrina Lehner! With Team Gastelum’s Maurice Greene winning the first fight last episode, will Team Whittaker be able to even the score? Let’s find out.
The Big Three
#1) Big Engine, Small Tank – Justin Frazier continued to have cardio issues in training, much to the consternation of Coach Gastelum. He worked to the point of vomiting, which may come back to haunt him when it’s fight ime.
#2) The Ground Is Lava – In a completely unsurprising revelation, Katahrina Lehner revealed that – like many other Central Europeans – that she prefers to keep the fight on the feet. This has been a recipe for disaster in previous seasons for European fighters.
#3) Dental Jeopardy – In a freak headgear adjusting accident, Pannie Kianzard injured a tooth during a training session, requiring a dental visit. The damaged tooth was removed, a temporary cap given, and “Banzai” was miraculously able to still fight.
The Stock Report
Stock Up:
The Fight
Round one started with Katahrina Lehner being the more active fighter, throwing lots of combinations. Pannie Kianzad, for her part, was looking to clinch and take the fight to the mat. This proved difficult until around the 1:30 mark, where “Banzai” was able to clinch and hold Lehner against the fence for about 30 seconds. After the break, Lehner continued to be the more active striker, though Kianzad would again return to the clinch. Pannie started to loosen up at around the 3:30 mark, becoming more active and mixing in kicks with her simple 1-2 combinations. THis would eventually set up a takedown for the Team Gastelum fighter with 30 seconds left in the round. Once on the mat, it was clear that Lehner was out of her element as Kianzad may have stolen the round 10-9.
Round two started with a double-leg takedown by Pannie Kianzad on Katahrina Lehner. It didn’t take long for Kianzad to pass to an advantageous position and begin imposing her will on a strong, but inexperienced Lehner. After nearly 90 seocnds on the mat, Lehner was able to get her back against the cage and get to her feet, but she couldn’t get away from the fence. Near the 3 minute mark, Kianzad hit a judo trip that nearly went awry, but was able to slip out from underneath Lehner and avoid having her back taken. “Banzai” took top position, and eventually the back. Pannie would get over eager in the dying seconds of the round and allow Katahrina to get on top, but it was still a clear 10-8 round for the Team Gastelum charge.
Pannie Kianzad was awarded the unanimous decision victory.
Next week, Team Whittaker’s Anderson da Silva will take on Team Gastelum gasguzzler Justin Frazier in the second preliminary heavyweight bout. Keep it locked to MMASucka.com for the next TUF 28 TUFtermath!
