Carla Esparza, Dave Sholler and Rose Namajunas
Tonight the UFC opens a new chapter as women’s MMA gets headliner status for the first time without the presence of bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey. The strawweights quietly made the their debut earlier this year in the octagon, of course, but the conclusion of “The Ultimate Fighter 20″ opens up the talent pool after the reality show reoriented the pecking order of fighters.
“TUF 20’s” finalists, former Invicta FC champ Carla Esparza and Rose Namajunas serve as the main event for The Ultimate Fighter 20 Finale, which takes place at The Pearl at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas (the card airs on FOX Sports 1 following a pair of UFC Fight Pass prelims). In case you’ve been living under a rock, the fight’s winner will sb crowned the latest titleholder, bringing to 10 the roster of champions within the promotion.
Then, on Saturday, the men top the marquee for UFC on FOX 13, which features a pair of pivotal bouts in the heavyweight and lightweight divisions (the main card airs on FOX following prelims on FOX Sports 1 and UFC Fight Pass). Ex-champ Junior dos Santos meets Stipe Miocic in a fight that could queue up the next contender to champ Cain Velasquez’s belt after interim titleholder Fabricio Werdum attempts to unify the title. Additionally, the winner of the Rafael dos Anjos vs. Nate Diaz co-headliner is on the short list to fight lightweight champ Anthony Pettis.
It’s the last weekend of the year to feature a UFC doubleheader, and surprisingly, the cards have been relatively unaltered by the injuries that racked events earlier this year. But maybe that makes sense with this weekend’s fighters struggling to get to the top rather than maintain position.
The ladies of the strawweight division will still have to prove they’re capable of pulling their weight in the UFC almost two years after Rousey brought women into the octagon. It’s going to be a slow build, judging by the ratings garnered by “TUF 20,” but it’s a commendable step in bringing more of the world’s best fighters to the table. If the UFC is able to cultivate even one more star from the show, it’s a good thing for business.
The heavyweights, meanwhile, are simply forging on after Velasquez put the division on pause with yet another injury. The UFC expects him to return in March, but Dos Santos or Miocic could get the title shot pretty quickly if there are any more delays. And with Pettis lacking a current contender, Diaz or dos Anjos could easily be promoted.
It’s a good weekend of fights considering some of the uneven offerings this year. Here are 10 reasons to watch The Ultimate Fighter 20 Finale and UFC on FOX 13:
1. Straw woman argument
Carla Esparza
TUF 20 Finale: “TUF 20″ finalist Namajunas (2-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) surpassed expectations and then some on the reality show, beating two opponents with more experienced – and finishing them no less. Fellow finalist and No. 1 seed Esparza (9-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC) lived up to expectations, meanwhile, but the real question headed into the final is how the weight of those affect her against the underdog Namajunas, when professional records are on the line.
In the real world, prior to the “TUF” bubble, it was Esparza who burned up the circuit in the all-female Invicta FC promotion while Namajunas appeared overmatched against Tecia Torres, who twice lost in the “TUF 20″ tournament. Namajunas is a different fighter than when she first stepped in the house; that much is for sure. But is she different and ultimately competent enough to overcome Esparza’s experience and skillset?
The other question lingering is whether the winner of Saturday’s bout can be considered the best in the world at 115 pounds. There are plenty of fans (and a ranking panel or two) who think WSOF’s Jessica Aguilar holds that distinction. Until she steps into the octagon, there will be a lot of academic arguments made that the jury is still out.
2. Bangers and mash
Stipe Miocic
UFC on FOX 13: Ex-heavyweight champ Dos Santos (16-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC) has been out of our lives for far too long, recovering from a brutal fight with champ Velasquez and a broken hand that sacked his mid-year return. With two losses to Mr. Metro, the heavy-hanged slugger is undoubtedly stuck in the role of gatekeeper unless interim strap-holder Fabricio Werdum captures the title or Velasquez’s long-running injury problems finally cost him the undisputed belt.
Miocic (12-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) is the first invader to repel, and he brings a few interesting problems to solve: technical hands and strong wrestling. Can Dos Santos hold his spot in line? We’ll get a good idea when Miocic takes a stiff punch from “Cigano,” if he dares to risk one.
3. Who’s the phoenix?
Jeremy Stephens
TUF 20 Finale: Featherweights Jeremy Stephens (23-10 MMA, 10-8 UFC) and Charles Oliveira (18-4 MMA, 6-4 UFC) are two veterans who’ve shown a ton of potential over the years, and yet, they’ve never been able to break into contention.
Stephens had the chance in June against Cub Swanson, and Oliveira had it this past year against ex-champ Frankie Edgar. It’s fitting, then, they meet each other to see who stays closer to the fringe.
They’re both younger than 30 despite being a little long in the tooth in octagon years. Another good push, and who knows what the winner can pull off.
4. The reluctant and the overeager
Nate Diaz
UFC on FOX 13: Diaz does not want to be here. He hates your schedules and your media events. He can’t stand your virgin nose. He loathes your uniforms – no wait, that was someone else.
Despite all this, lightweight Diaz (17-9 MMA, 12-7 UFC) will mope and mug his way to the octagon against dos Anjos (22-7 MMA, 11-5 UFC) in a matchup probably more important than he’d like to admit. Rightful contender Khabib Nurmagomedov won’t be ready for a title shot until spring at best, and most likely ditto for the winner of Donald Cerrone vs. Myles Jury. Champ Pettis already wants to fight. The matchup will make easy money for the UFC. Are we under any illusions that Diaz isn’t in the running for a title shot?
The one problem now is dos Anjos. He’s on a tear, having just knocked out ex-champ Benson Henderson in August. His performances mark an athlete who’s at the peak of his career. And combines his wrestling and striking with a speed that could be a real problem for Diaz, who’s like his older brother Nick in his tendency to chip away at opponents until they fall.
It’s a fight in which Diaz can’t afford to slack, point fingers (middle ones especially), or let up. Big things are on the line, and the guy who wants it more is going to get the big opportunity.
5. Striking similarity
K.J. Noons
TUF 20 Finale: Lightweights K.J. Noons (13-7 MMA, 2-1 UFC) and Daron Cruickshank (16-5 MMA, 6-3 UFC) are birds of a feather in their reliance on fists and feet to win the day inside the octagon.
Noons, a onetime boxer, is tasked with getting inside the unpredictable striking attacks of Cruickshank, who uses his legs far more liberally.
It’s a matchup that could easily produce a knockout, and that’s why it was booked – for our collective violence needs.
6. Heavyweights on the rope
Alistair Overeem
UFC on FOX 13: For Alistair Overeem (37-14 MMA, 2-3 UFC) and Stefan Struve (25-6 MMA, 9-4 UFC), career planning is not the priority. Both heavyweights are just trying to survive in the UFC, let alone map out a title path, though for different reasons.
Overeem is on borrowed time after a loss to Ben Rothwell in September that was his third knockout defeat in four appearances.
Struve, meanwhile, is in the same place as the result of a heart condition that may have contributed to his scratch at UFC 175 and could also one day force an end to his athletic career.
It’s anyone’s guess who’s got more athletic life when they meet in the octagon. Both carry skills that could put away the other. Struve, at 6-11, is a reach nightmare for anybody. Overeem is heavy-handed with solid ground and pound skills. What seems clear is that the loser is headed out of the UFC, and that makes the immediacy of the matchup compelling.
7. Uncrowned ‘TUF’ champs
Randa Markos
TUF 20 Finale: Bantamweights Jessica Penne (11-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC) and Randa Markos (4-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) were early standouts on “TUF 20,” taking out solid competition on the way to the semifinals before respectively running into Carla Esparza and Rose Namajunas.
While they might have come up short on the reality show, they are by no means out of the running for a title. In a division that’s still taking shape, the winner of their main-card meeting stands to challenge the champion in the near future. Opportunity is still within their grasp.
8. The missing ‘TUF’ link
Claudia Gadelha
UFC on FOX 13: Weight-cutting concerns scrapped the undefeated Claudia Gadelha (12-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) from “TUF 20,” leaving unanswered the question of how she would fare against favorite Carla Esparza, who won the Invicta belt after she withdrew from their title fight on short notice. After a rebooking failed, the two were swept up by the UFC.
In the octagon, Gadelha made a successful debut against Tina Lahdemaki while Esparza ran the table on the reality show.
The Brazilian Gadelha could easily become a contender for the title, and we could see how a matchup with Esparza finally plays out (or what Namajunas might have to offer). But only if she’s able to get past Joanna Jedrzejczyk (7-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC), who’s already upset one Brazilian in the octagon, Juliana Lima.
9. Mean girls
Bec Rawlings and Heather Jo Clark
TUF 20 Finale: Bantamweight Heather Jo Clark (6-4 MMA, 0-0 UFC) walked onto the “TUF 20″ set with one established rival, Felice Herrig, and left with at least two more.
Most obvious among them was Bec Rawlings (5-3 MMA, 0-0 UFC), who joined up with Angela Magana as Clark’s chief tormentors on the show.
It wasn’t exactly rocket science to pit them against each other, and depending on who’s side you fall, it’s a chance to watch Clark get smashed or Rawlings to get her comeuppance.
10. Cejudo gets do-over
Henry Cejudo
UFC on FOX 13: U.S. Olympic gold-medalist wrestler Henry Cejudo (6-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) laid an egg in his scheduled UFC debut, falling ill as he tried to make the flyweight limit for a bout with Scott Jorgensen at UFC 177.
Now at his rightful weight class, bantamweight, he looks to make a go of it against Dustin Kimura (11-2 MMA, 2-2 UFC) in a fight guaranteed to put his wrestling chops on display.
Kimura is no pushover, and Cejudo likely has a short leash with UFC officials. It’s time to deliver.
For more on The Ultimate Fighter Finale 20 and UFC on FOX 13, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.
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