TUF Finale: Team Carwin vs. Team Nelson – The Rundown

As the Christmas holiday nears, two 170-pound hopefuls aim to pick up the biggest win of their professional career this weekend granting them the gift of a life changing opportunity. With victory comes the coveted title of The Ultimate Fighter along with a 6-figure UFC contract and a custom-made Harley-Davidson motorcycle. Headlining the event vying for the contract will be this season’s finalists; talented striker Mike Ricci and relentless wrestler Colton Smith. The other main attraction that night features former TUF Heavyweights cast members battling it out when Roy Nelson and Matt Mitrione collide in a battle between hard hitting powerhouses. With a guaranteed slugfest set to take place and a new TUF champion ready to be crowned, here is an idea at what to expect from the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino that night.

Roy “Big Country” Nelson (17-7) vs. Matt Mitrione (5-1)      3-round Heavyweight Bout

Stepping in for the injured Shane Carwin who was originally scheduled to face Roy is Matt Mitrione, a fighter comfortable under the TUF scenery seeing as how he easily won his fight on the TUF Heavyweights Finale via 2nd round KO over Marcus Jones in 2009. After that, the former NFL player went on the warpath viciously stopping 3 out of his
next 4 opponents. It wasn’t until UFC 137 last October that Matt suffered his first defeat, losing a decision to Cheick Congo so he is looking to this weekend as not only a night for redemption but the start to his climb back up the heavyweight ladder. Across from Mitrione stands former IFL champion and TUF Heavyweights winner, Roy Nelson. Out of Roy’s 17 wins, 10 of them have come via highlight reel KOs and that wasn’t any different in his last fight when he took out Dave Herman at UFC 145 with a perfectly timed overhand right. That 1st round stoppage earned him a “Knockout of The Night” bonus and reminded the rest of the division that “Big Country” can end any contest with a single strike.
Considering Matt’s lay off, ring rust might affect the outcome this weekend. Not in a negative way but rather reassure fans in need of a spectacular finish that this sort of result is usually found between two heavy hitters that love to march forward.  Matt won’t waste his time trying to take the fight to the ground and that’s just what Nelson will expect in a fight that likely gives the judges a break from using their score cards.

Mikel Ricci (7-2) vs. Colton Smith (3-1)                         3-round Welterweight Bout

Roy Nelson’s 4th pick, Colton Smith, has grinded his way to the finals thanks to his clean strikers, aggressive wrestling and dominant top control of opponents. The 6-foot tall military soldier successfully applied that formula to every foe, securing decision wins leading into the semifinals. There, he applied his game plan to fellow Team Nelson teammate Jon Manley capturing another decision, landing his spot in the finale. Now, the 24-year old active Army Ranger has one last
threat locked in his crosshairs before becoming the Ultimate Fighter. The man prepared to topple Colton’s plans is Shane Carwin’s 3rd pick, Mike Ricci. A product of the famous Tri Star Gym which is home to countrymen and training partners Rory MacDonald and UFC champion Georges St. Pierre, Ricci steps into the Octagon this Saturday with
the ambition to become the first Canadian fighter ever to win TUF. After picking up decision victories to make it to the semifinal match, Ricci showcased his capabilities as a talented striker when he met fellow Team Carwin teammate Neil Magny and KO’d him with a devastating elbow strike in the 1st round of their match.

Mike Ricci’s diverse striking combined with his devastating KO power should make each moment in the Octagon that much more intense but Colton Smith’s uncanny knack for controlling distance and getting takedowns is the perfect recipe to counter said offense. Whether its Smith’s motivation to represent the Army and make his country proud or Ricci’s dream to cement himself in history as the first Canadian TUF winner, the finale match-up guarantees that it’s going to be a war of
wills come Saturday night. One thing is for sure, the stakes have never been higher as The Ultimate Fighter Finale heads to Sin City to crown a new TUF winner live this weekend. Just which welterweight finalist gets a little holiday cheer and who goes home with a lump of coal live from The Joint at The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino this Saturday?