The 12th and final episode of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 33 brought fight fans one of the best matches of the entire season. It also set the stage for a climatic clash between four of the best welterweight and flyweight prospects in the sport at the highly-anticipated UFC 319 event.
TUF Semifinalists Complete Training, Team Sonnen Aided by Special Guest
Eager to claim their opportunity at fighting in the UFC, the two remaining 170-lb athletes i not in the TUF live finale, Matt Dixon and Daniil Donchenko, readied themselves for what was surely going to be the most important contest of their careers up until that point.
Examining TUF’s Matt Dixon
Scoring a stellar first round knockout in his fight, Dixon punched his ticket to the TUF semifinals with a dominant showing against Team Cormier’s Alex Sanchez. Pushing the pace right from the start, the 29-year old flattened his opponent with a devastating hook to secure the stoppage.
Looking at TUF’s Donchenko
Making a strong impression himself in his freshman outing in the bracket, Donchenko made a strong case for himself to be called the best striker in the house when he defeated Richard Martins. Breaking down his Brazilian counterpart, the Tiger Muay Thai representative battered Martins over the course of ten minutes before being awarded the unanimous decision victory.
Rashad Evans Drops by on TUF Episode 12
Before the last tussle of the season went down, Team Sonnen had one last special move up their sleeve to ensure Dixon’s spot in the finale later in the year, bringing in Ultimate Fighter 2 champion Rashad Evans. For long-time viewers of the show and the UFC, Evans stands as one of the greatest light heavyweight names in promotional history. Ripping the strap away from then 205-lb king Forrest Griffin, “Suga” compiled wins over some of the best in his division like Chuck Liddell, Quinton Jackson and Phil Davis.
TUF 33 Wraps Up With Single Round of Violence
In arguably the most entertaining scrap of the program so far, both welterweights wasted no time in tearing into one another, with Dixon showcasing his usual aggression in closing the distance to in-fight. Donchenko happily obliged the American’s challenge and proceeded to dole out his own damage in the clinch. Although both men displayed immense reserves of heart, it was the Ukrainian who came out on top after delivering a barrage of shots to Dixon while he was on the cage, dropping “Magic” to the canvas before the referee called a stop to the bout.
With that, another epic season of TUF is in the history books. 16 individuals entered the house, and only four qualified for the live finale happening this weekend at UFC 319 in Chicago. In the flyweight championship, the undefeated Alibi Idiris faces promotional veteran Joseph Morales. Then, welterweight phenoms Rodrigo Sezinando and Daniil Donchenko square off in possibly the most anticipated contest of the entire tournament.
!Update!
Sezinando and Donchenko’s finale fight will not take place at UFC 319 as originally planned, as Sezinando has bowed out of the card due to an injury. At this current moment in time, it is unknown when and where the two will finally face off to bring the welterweight bracket to a close.
