The Ultimate Fighter: Live Finale Main Card Live Blog

TUF: Live Finale main card live round-by-round coverage

“The Ultimate Fighter: Live Finale” is set for Saturday, and HeavyMMA.com will be providing live round-by-round updates for the main card.

The event takes place at the Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada and features a welterweight contest between contenders Jake Ellenberger and Martin Kampmann.

Also on the card, the finalists from this season of “The Ultimate Fighter,” Mike Chiesa and Al Iaquinta, face off to determine the first-ever winner under the new live format.

Main card action begins at 9 p.m. ET with all five fights set to broadcast live on FX. Live blogging for the event begins with John Cofer vs. Justin Lawrence.

John Cofer vs. Justin Lawrence
Round 1: Touch of gloves kicks this contest off. Side kick to the body lands for Lawrence, but Cofer sees the opportunity for a takedown and takes it. Lawrence attempts to scoot back to the cage. He does so and threatens an arm. Cofer disengages, standing up. He waits for Lawrence to stand and throws a big kick, which allows Lawrence to take him down. Lawrence doesn’t like the top position, apparently, as he elects to stand. Back to striking now, Cofer scores with a big left. Lawrence seems hurt, but only briefly. Fighters exchange now, each landing. Knees from Cofer, and Lawrence scores with punches. Brief clinch, but they separate with 2:45 to go in the frame. Lawrence with a nice combination. Pace has slowed quite a bit since the early part of the round. Nice straight left for Cofer, and Lawrence lands a vicious left hook of his own. Takedown attempt from Cofer, but Lawrence defends nicely. One minute to go. Lawrence with a flying knee after Cofer attempts to close the distance. He misses, and the round closes. Good back-and-forth action. Heavy.com scores the round 10-9 for Lawrence.

Round 2: Cofer immediately lands a body kick and a flying knee to the body shortly after. Lawrence finishes a nice combination with a head kick, but it does not land flush. Cofer engages with a combination, while ducking under a big overhand strike from Lawrence. Another high kick from Lawrence doesn’ land flush. Fighters trade left hooks, but Cofer landed the better one. Body kick lands for Cofer. Much more tame round two, considering the fierce action we saw early in the first frame. Cofer with a leg kick and combination, but Lawrence comes back with a nice combination of his own. He is extremely confident here, picking his shots. 90 seconds left, and Lawrence takes a leg kick, then misses with another big left hook. They get tied up briefly, and Cofer lands a nice knee in the clinch. Lawrence tries to get fancy with a spinning back kick to the body, but Cofer takes his opponent’s back after slamming him down to the mat. 45 seconds left, and Cofer has his hooks. Lawrence attempts to escape. Big mistake from Cofer allows Lawrence to slip out from behind. He will finish the round on top. Heavy.com scores the round 10-9 for Cofer.

Round 3: Lawrence is the aggressor early in the third, throwing heavy strikes. He doesn’t appear to be landing any, however. They separate for a moment. Wow, Lawrence goes high with a kick to Cofer, who is wheeling backwards. Cofer collapses, and Herb Dean immediately calls the fight. Incredible impact from Lawrence to earn the knockout. Vicious strike.

Official Decision: Lawrence def. Cofer via knockout at 0:19 of Round 3

Max Holloway vs. Pat Schilling
Round 1: Head kick from Holloway is blocked by Schilling, who shoots in for a takedown from quite a distance. He has a single and attempts to lift Holloway off the mat. Instead, he only carries Holloway across the cage. He switches to double, then back to single, up against the cage, finally earning the takedown. Holloway back up immediately. Holloway working his striking game, and Schilling attempts to clinch up, rolling for a leg. Holloway avoids and calls his opponent back up. Midpoint of the round. Schilling lunges forward with strikes, but Holloway avoiding nicely. Spinning back fist lands for Schilling, but Holloway scores with a vicious counter shortly after. He misses with a flying knee after several body shots, then missing with a huge hook. Schilling’s combination does not find a home, and 90 seconds remain in the round. They exchange, but neither land. Body shots from Schilling, but Holloway comes back with several of his own. Schilling is hurt. He shoots in for a takedown, but Holloway pulls away. A few more body shots from Holloway could end this fight. He lands a nice shot, followed by a head kick and a flying knee. Schilling presses him against the cage, rolling for a leg one again. The round comes to a close. Heavy.com scores the round 10-9 for Holloway.

Round 2: Holloway barely lands a long right hand. He throws a flying knee, and Schilling grabs the leg, looking for a takedown. Holloway somehow stays on his feet, rolling away and escaping the clinch. Holloway with a nice combination. Schilling is out-matched on the feet and it really isn’t close. Holloway picking his shots, while Schilling attempts to hold his own. Huge combination lands for Holloway, and Schilling falls to his back. A few punches land for Holloway, but he elects to allow his opponent up. Schilling up against the cage, and Holloway digging in knees. Schilling escapes, but he is still in danger. Long takedown attempt fails for him, and Holloway calls him back up. Holloway with several big shots to the body, while Schilling blindly returns fire. Two minutes to go, and Schilling is not going to survive. He tries to grab a leg, but Holloway escapes. More shots to the body from Holloway. Schilling is hurt. Kick lands to the body for Holloway, and Schilling grabs hold of it. He nearly earns the takedown, but Holloway once again escapes. Holloway misses with a big head kick. One minute to go in the round. Another body shot lands for Holloway. Schilling shoots in for another takedown, but comes up well short. Holloway stalking Schilling, who lands a spinning back fist out of nowhere. Holloway lands a nice punch and a knee, forcing Schilling down. He moves in with more punches. The bell saves Schilling, though Holloway landed a few more punches after it rang. Heavy.com scores the round 10-8 for Holloway.

Round 3: Final round underway, and Schilling is going to need a miracle comeback. It’s amazing this fight is still going on. Holloway with several consecutive jabs. Schilling fires back with a nice right hook. Body punch lands for Holloway. Schilling tries to tie his opponent up, but fails. He then shoots in for a takedown, but that, too, fails. Holloway displaying very good takedown defense. They trade jabs. Jab from Holloway lands, and Schilling fires back with a spinning back fist, though it doesn’t land flush. Holloway with a body shot, then a combination up stairs. Midway through the round, and Holloway lands a few more shots to the body. Schilling attempts to return with his striking, but Holloway keeps him at bay. Schilling looks for a takedown, but Holloway pushes him away and lands a nice combination, finishing with a knee. Schilling lands a nice left hook, but Holloway fires back, hurting Schilling, who falls back to the mat. Holloway may finish it here. No, he instead decides to let his opponent up. Another failed takedown from Schilling. Holloway attempts an Anthony Pettis-like kick, but nearly gets taken down. He avoids and finishes with some combinations. Schilling with a spinning back fist, but he got dominated in this fight. Heavy.com scores the round 10-9 for Holloway.

Official Decision: Holloway def. Schilling via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Jonathan Brookins vs. Charles Oliveira
Round 1: Touch of gloves to start this match up. Leg kick lands for Oliveira, followed shortly after by a short left hook. The Brazilian lands another kick. Brookins landing now, before dodging out of the way of a hook. Brookins looks to close the distance, and the fighters clinch. Knee to the body lands for Oliveira. Big right lands for Oliveira. He scores an outside leg kick, and then some strikes. Huge knee from Oliveira, but Brookins grabs ahold of him and slams him into the mat. Oliveira looking for an armbar, but Brookins escapes. He stands, looking to reengage on the mat, but ultimately lets Oliveira back up. Nice straight left lands for Brookins, but Oliveira closes the distance. Big overhand right from Oliveira nearly drops Brookins. Clinch now, and Oliveira blasts off a knee. They separate with 90 seconds to go in the round. Fighters trade strikes, and Oliveira lands a leg kick. He rushes forward, landing several right hands. Brookins comes back with several big hooks that land. Oliveira with a kick to the body, then just misses with a combination. Flying knee from Oliveira is caught by Brookins, but he lets it go. Good round from the featherweights. Heavy.com scores the round 10-9 for Oliveira.

Round 2: Leg kick from Oliveira to begin the second round. He  lands below the belt and immediately apologizes to Brookins. They continue, and Brookins puts together a nice combination before clinching. He has underhooks up against the cage. Brookins with open-palm strikes, and Oliveira comes back with a much more powerful combination. He is looking takedown up against the cage, but Brookins has a guillotine choke. Oliveira lifts Brookins up and slams him to the mat. His head is still trapped. No, he is free now. Midpoint of the round, and now Brookins gives up his neck. Brookins is postured up against the cage, and Oliveira rolls him over with the choke. Brookins is forced to tap. Great finish from Oliveira.

Official Decision: Oliveira def. Brookins via submission (guillotine choke) at 2:42 of Round 2

Mike Chiesa vs. Al Iaquinta
Round 1: Iaquinta immediately throws an overhand right. Chiesa does well to avoid it. He throws a leg kick, and Iaquinta catches it. Chiesa avoids any damage and nearly earns a takedown. Iaquinta evades, and the fighters separate. Iaquinta with a superman punch, but he doesn’t land flush. He grabs a leg and looks takedown, but Chiesa reverses. He gets a body lock and pulls Iaquinta to the mat. He has his back with both hooks in. Iaquinta is in trouble here, and Chiesa has 2:30 to work. Body lock from Chiesa, and he slips the choke in. Iaquinta goes to sleep. This fight is over. Chiesa is the new “Ultimate Fighter.” Amazing win for Chiesa.

Official Decision: Chiesa def. Iaquinta via technical submission (rear naked choke) at 2:47 of Round 1

Jake Ellenberger vs. Martin Kampmann
Round 1: 20 seconds down without a strike. Ellenberger finally opens up, just missing with a combination. He comes right back, flooring Kampmann with a left hook. Ellenberger is pouring it on early, but Kampmann seems okay. Ellenberger in the guard of his opponent now, as Kampmann appears to be working for a guillotine choke. Ellenberger defending nicely, but he can’t get any offense going. Midway through the round, and we may see a stand-up here. Ellenberger postures up and lands heavy on Kampmann, who is once again working for a guillotine choke. The fighters have reached a bit of a stalemate here, but Kampmann seems to have the edge. He is controlling Ellenberger’s head, threatening with a choke. Just over 60 seconds to go. Kampmann may try to lock this down with time running out. Ellenberger continues to try to pull his opponent’s legs out. Ellenberger escapes, but Kampmann gets back to his feet. Kampmann pressing Ellenberger up against the cage, looking for a takedown. Ellenberger defends nicely as the round comes to a close. Heavy.com scores the round 10-9 for Ellenberger.

Round 2: Ellenberger the aggressor at the start of the second, but Kampmann counters, landing nicely. Ellenberger comes right back, winging punches, landing heavy. Kampmann staggers backwards. He is in trouble and bleeding a lot. Ellenberger maintains his composure and slows his pace after an intense first 45 seconds. Ellenberger misses with a left hook and almost trips. He was very off balance there. Kampmann landed a right. They clinch against the cage, and Kampmann lands a few vicious knees in the clinch. Ellenberger is down. Kampmann with strikes. This fight is over. Very solid comeback from Kampmann after a less-than-promising first round.

Official Decision: Kampmann def. Ellenberger via technical knockout at 1:40 of Round 2

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