The Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale – Main Event Preview & Tale of the Tape
By Dave Carpinello
*Click here for The Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale Weigh-In Results*
*Click here for Live Results & Event Coverage from The Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale*
This weekend will mark the end of the UFC and Spike TV’s relationship in regards to The Ultimate Fighter and live UFC events on the network as the promotion will be moving to the FOX family of channels to start 2012. For the first time in nine seasons the coaches of the show will face off at the Finale, Jason “Mayhem” Miller and Michael Bisping.
The Finale will also feature the finals of The Ultimate Fighter 14 as John Dodson faces T.J. Dillashaw in the bantamweight finals and Diego Brandao will fight Dennis Bermudez for the featherweight UFC contract. The UFC has also added Tony Ferguson versus Yves Edwards and several of this season’s contestants that were unable to make the finals.
Jason “Mayhem” Miller (24-7-1) vs. Michael Bisping (21-3)
Main Event
Jason “Mayhem” Miller is well known in MMA circles for his wild antics, but is probably better known in America for his appearance on MTV’s show “Bully Beatdown”. But for those of you who are casual fans who only know of the TV “Mayhem”, don’t be fooled – Miller can fight too. Miller has competed professionally in mixed martial arts since 2001 and has faced stiff competition including jiu-jitsu ace Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza, UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre, former EXC middleweight champions Robbie Lawler and Frank Trigg, Falaniko Vitale, Chael Sonnen, and Ronald Jhun.
In 2008, Miller made his Dream debut with a showboating first round TKO over Katsuyori Shibata. He then faced Ronaldo Souza in the promotion’s Middleweight Grand Prix but lost by decision. After rebounding in the main event of a smaller show with a win over Kala Hose, Miller rematched Souza for Dream’s middleweight championship. Miller landed an illegal kick however which cut Souza and stopped the bout, forcing a no contest only 2:33 into the fight. Mayhem then went onto Strikeforce to fight Jake Shields for the vacant middleweight title and he once again came up short losing a unanimous decision. In Miller’s last two fights though he rebounded with a TKO over Tim Stout, starting a brawl in Nashville and submitting the legend Sakuraba.
In twenty-four professional victories he has submitted fourteen opponents. Miller’s extensive resume has seen him fight in the UFC, Dream, Strikeforce, WFA, WEC, Superbrawl, ICON Sport, and HDNet Fights.
Quick Facts:
UFC Record: 0-1
Strikeforce Record: 1-1 (1 TKO)
Dream Record: 2-1-1, (1 Sub)
Strengths: Good submissions, durable, excellent cardio
Weaknesses: Weak wrestling
Key Wins: Kazushi Sakaraba, Robbie Lawler, Denis Kang, Hiromitsu Miura, Tim Kennedy, Kala Hose, Falaniko Vitale, Hector Urbina, Ronald Jhun, Toby Imada
Notable Losses: Jake Shields, Georges St. Pierre, Ronaldo Souza, Frank Trigg, Chael Sonnen, Tim Kennedy, Todd Carney
Michael Bisping first made his mark by winning season three of The Ultimate Fighter. He strung together four wins in the UFC before losing to former champion Rashad Evans. At that point he opted to drop to middleweight where he has compiled a 7-2 record.
Bisping began his middleweight career with a pair of TKO wins over Charles McCarthy and Jason Day before outpointing Chris Leben. Bisping then suffered his first knockout loss at the hands of former PRIDE champion Dan Henderson, but was able to rebound with a second round comeback against PRIDE veteran Denis Kang. Bisping lost his next bout against former PRIDE champion Wanderlei Silva, but is currently on a three-fight win streak with decisions over Dan Miller and Yoshihiro Akiyama and a TKO over the internet trash talking Jorge Rivera.
Bisping is a well-rounded fighter with good counter-striking and brutal ground and pound. The key for Bisping Saturday night is to put Miller on his back and grind away with strikes and constant pressure. Despite criticism that he lacks stopping power, Bisping does deliver big shots on the ground and as long as he maintains ground control he has a chance to put Miller away.
Quick Facts:
UFC Record: 11-3 (7 TKO)
Strengths: Devastating ground and pound, good counter-striking, conditioning
Weaknesses: Lacks stopping power on the feet
Key Wins: Yoshihiro Akiyama, Chris Leben, Denis Kang, Jason Day, Matt Hamill, Dan Miller, Eric Schafer, Jorge Rivera
Notable Losses: Dan Henderson, Wanderlei Silva, Rashad Evans
John Dodson (11-5) vs. T.J. Dillashaw (4-0)
The Ultimate Fighter 14 – Bantamweight Final
John Dodson:
Strengths: Striking, takedown defense and overall toughness
Weaknesses: Smaller than most bantamweights
Gym: Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts
T.J. Dillashaw:
Strengths: Wrestling, submissions and GNP
Weaknesses: Attitude and questionable chin
Gym: Team Alpha Male
Diego Brandao (13-7) vs. Dennis Bermudez (7-2)
The Ultimate Fighter 14 – Featherweight Final
Diego Brandao:
Strengths: Ferocious, Great Striking and heart
Weaknesses: Questionable chin
Gym: Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts
Dennis Bermudez:
Strengths: Durability and striking
Weaknesses: Submission defense
Gym: Blackman MMA
The Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale – Fight Card
Main Card (Spike TV):
Michael Bisping vs. Jason Miller
The Ultimate Fighter 14 Bantamweight Final:
John Dodson vs. T.J. Dillashaw
The Ultimate Fighter 14 Featherweight Final:
Diego Brandao vs. Dennis Bermudez
Tony Ferguson vs. Yves Edwards
Louis Gaudinot vs. Johnny Bedford
Preliminary Card (UFC Facebook):
Marcus Brimage vs. Stephen Bass
Dustin Pague vs. John Albert
Roland Delorme vs. Josh Ferguson
Steven Siler vs. Josh Clopton
Bryan Caraway vs. Dustin Neace
