Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) newcomers Andrew Sanchez, Khalil Rountree, Amanda Cooper and Tatianna Suarez looked to make a strong first impressions last night (Fri., July 8, 2016) at The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 23 Finale inside MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
In the first of the two Finale matches, Amanda Cooper and Tatianna Suarez faced off. Cooper turned out to be a rather well-rounded athlete on her way through the house, whereas Suarez showed some excellent wrestling and physical prowess, proving herself a solid prospect.
Suarez wasted little time in shooting for a double leg and landed it without much issue, though she had to fight off a very dangerous armbar immediately. Cooper continued to attack from her back, landing a sweep and stand up, but Suarez simply kept forcing her way back to top position.
Her wrestling was simply too much.
After throwing Cooper to her back a third time, Suarez listened to her corner and passed guard into side control. Cooper tried to roll to her knees, but Suarez countered by sliding her arm through for a d’arce choke.
From there, the fight was over quickly, as Suarez squeezed until her foe tapped frantically.
In just several minutes of fighting, Suarez proved herself to be a fighter to watch in the Strawweight division. Against an opponent who seemed well-prepared to deal with a grinding wrestler, Suarez was able to dominate.
Suarez is undoubtedly a future contender in her division. Very few women at Strawweight can wrestle like her, and Suarez showed another edge to her game with that d’arce choke. That’s an intelligent weapon for a top control wrestler, and she used it expertly.
She looks to be a serious force in her division.
*****
Later, in the co-main event, Sanchez and Rountree took to the Octagon. Sanchez was riding a considerable wave of momentum, as he scored a violent knockout in the semifinals and was definitely the more experienced man. However, Rountree had already fought back from adversity on the show and is a very powerful athlete.
Veteran vs. athlete? That’s a classic TUF match up.
Sanchez opened up fighting from a Karate stance, utilizing the dangerous combination of kicks and takedown attempts. While Rountree defended the first shot and swung with power, Sanchez avoided the blows and was successful with his second shot.
Rountree was active in his attempts to scramble back to his feet, but Sanchez stayed tight and simply brought him back down from the clinch. In the final two minutes, Sanchez was able to secure wrist control and do decent damage while controlling his opponent.
It was a strong start for the veteran.
Both men were tired to start the round, and Sanchez tried to rush into a takedown. Rountree defended well but failed to really create separation. Eventually, Sanchez was able to transition into a double leg against the fence and finish the shot.
Though his opponent was tired as well, Rountree was far less explosive from his back this time around. Sanchez was able to control his foe without expending much energy, chipping away with small shots for much of the round.
Heading into the third round, Rountree needed a knockout to win.
Once again, it took Sanchez a couple attempts, but he scored with a takedown about a minute into the round. Similarly to the second round, Rountree didn’t have the energy or technique to scramble back to his feet, which allowed Sanchez to advance into a controlling position and pound away at his opponent.
While it wasn’t devastating ground striking, it was certainly dominant. In fact, the judges scorecards (30-25, 30-25, 30-26) reflect just how well "El Dirte" performed.
Sanchez may not be an immediate contender like Suarez, but this was still a pretty strong debut opposite a dangerous knockout puncher. Furthermore, Sanchez is very clearly a Middleweight, which makes his wrestling success more impressive. In his new division, it should be a lot of fun to watch him compete.
Last night, two new Ultimate Fighter winners were crowned. Where will their careers take these young prospects?
For complete TUF 23 Finale: "Jedrzejczyk vs Gadelha 2" results and play-by-play, click HERE!