The UFC heads to the Pepsi Coliseum in Quebec City, Canada tonight to cap off the inaugural season of The Ultimate Fighter: Nations. On the main card, the Middleweight and Welterweight tournament champions will be crowned while the headlining fight features a 185-pound tilt between Michael Bisping and Tim Kennedy. Prior to the main card, eight fights will air between Fox Sports 1 and Fight Pass on the preliminary card.
The preliminary card broadcast will begin on UFC Fight Pass at 3:15 p.m. ET (12:15 p.m. PT) and continued on Fox Sports 1 at 5 p.m. ET. In the Fox Sports 1 feature bout, Lightweight Sam Stout will take on K.J. Noons.
Fox Sports 1 Preliminary Card
George Roop vs. Dustin Kimura
Round 1 – Long left hand and high kick from Roop early as Kimura circles out. Roops snaps his head back with a stiff jab. Kimura tries to time his takedown as Roop unloads but the former keeps his balance and defends. Kimura catches Roop’s next left kick and drives him back with right hands, then gets him down when they hit the fence. Roop gets back up, he’s forced back down from Kimura but again regains his footing. Roop holds Kimura on the fence with the body lock, lets it go to throw two lefts and then regains it to hit a nice takedown.
Closed guard from Kimura, who swings himself over Roops shoulder in search of … well, a kimura. Roop stays patient and pulls his head, then slices down an elbow. Kimura cradles Roop’s head in a possible triangle attempt but Roop capitalizes on his hand position with another big elbow. Roop postures up with another elbow and some punches before the bell that are mostly blocked. 10-9 Roop.
Round 2 – Roop flings out a few lefts, wary of the counter takedown. Kimura is ineffective from distance and waiting for Roop to get off before countering. Kimura tries to counter-clinch on Roop’s next flurry but Roop breaks his hold and separates. Flailing left from Kimura, then finally a decent right hand. Now Kimura is successful with a duck-under takedown as Roop comes in, falling into the lanky man’s guard. Roop boots him off with both feet and gets back up, landing short elbows to the head while Kimura attacks his waist.
Kimura gets him down again and cleverly transitions to back mount. Roop folds onto his hip to keep the hooks out and fights for wrist control. Kimura slips one hook in and then gets the other in when Roop tries to explode, finagling a rear-naked choke. Kimura goes for full mount as Roop spins out but he’s too slippery, and they clinch up. 10-9 Kimura for the more effective and threatening offense.
Round 3 – Roop comes in swinging both hands and turns the tables by surprising Kimura with a takedown. Two stiff rights to the body and one to the head from Roop on top. Good job by Roop of transitioning to something different every time Kimura tries to latch onto something. A volley of top-side elbows from Roop. Kimura swings a leg over Roop’s shoulder in pursuit of a triangle and again Roop bombs his undefended face to dissuade him, this time with a monster elbow that causes a golf-ball-size welt to spring up on Kimura’s forehead.
Roop still in control and pelting with a steady stream of strikes from the top with one minute left. Pressure-release elbow from Roop on the left side, and he closes the frame with more punches. 10-8 Roop, partially for the damaging ground-and-pound but mostly for the glaring absence of any offense whatsoever from Kimura. I have it 29-27 for Roop.
- George Roop defeats Dustin Kimura by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-26)
Ryan Jimmo vs. Sean O’Connell
Round 1 – Jimmo starts southpaw and swings out a big left high kick but slips — O’Connell tries to keep him down but can’t. O’Connell pushes him to the fence in the clinch and peels away Jimmo’s right arm to land an unhindered knee to the body. Jimmo circles off to switch positions but backs off to work strikes. Jimmo flings another left high kick from southpaw before switching stances and throwing a combo with lackadaisical defense. Jimmo looks to be after a showcase performance but needs to be careful, as O’Connell is a gamer and keeping punches in his face.
Jimmo catches an errant blow below the belt and we pause while he recovers. On the restart, Jimmo changes levels and drives O’Connell to the mat but he’s right back, circling off the fence and holding Jimmo on the cage while throwing knees. They each circle off the cage and change positions until Big Dan Miragliotta splits them up. As soon as they’re back in action, O’Connell barges in throwing punches with his head on-center and Jimmo thwacks him with a scorching right that floors him, then elicits the finish with a few follow-up punches.
- Ryan Jimmo defeats Sean O’Connell by TKO (punches), Round 1
Sarah Kaufman vs. Leslie Smith
Round 1 – Smith comes swinging with a little bit of everything, clearly looking to dictate with aggression. Left low kick from Smith, but Kaufman answers in kind and chops out Smith’s leg. Smith is back up and standing in the pocket, trading, though Kaufman’s punches are a bit straighter and tighter. They clinch up and Smith circles off the fence and lands a knee downstairs; Kaufman again answers with the same and Smith goes old school with two foot stomps.
They break the clinch and meet up in the center, once again trading with high volume and Kaufman’s style presenting a slight edge in clean strikes. Smith clinches up again and gets the single collar tie, then lets it go to swing a big left elbow as Kaufman counters with a tight one-two. Smith ties up again and Kaufman pings her with a clean right on the break. Smith has her head down, wading forward with wild punches as Kaufman stays composed and snipes while backpedaling. Nice right land and left high kick from Smith but Kaufman shell blocks both. 10-9 Kaufman.
Round 2 – Smith puts her head down and goes back to work, winging with both hands and clinching betwixt bursts. Smith drives Kaufman back to the fence but Kaufman pries her arms open with double underhooks and blasts two knees through the gap. One-twos and solo jabs and overhand rights from Kaufman. Smith continues to alternate wide rights and lefts in sequence and occasionally closing her combos with a left kick, but she doesn’t have enough strong footing nor balance to add enough mustard.
Kaufman stays in the composed veteran role, calmly boring both hands through any holes and using underhooks to stifle Smith’s clinch, and landing strikes on the way out. Though Kaufman isn’t landing any meatballs, her consistency and overall striking finesse gives her a substantial edge here. 10-8 Kaufman.
Round 3 – More of the same in the third: Kaufman sits down on a combo and anticipates Smith’s counter takedown, easily negating it. Smith is sustaining her output and tenacity but her effectiveness has dwindled since the opening frame. Smith bullies Kaufman into the cage but again eats a volley of straight knees downstairs.
Kaufman is surgical on the feet, smoothly dodging and parrying Smith’s unkempt striking onslaught with a steady stream of straight one-twos and knees to the body when they clinch. Inside leg kick from Kaufman. Lead uppercut, left hook and right cross combo from Kaufman, who then moves into the clinch and hits a body-lock takedown. Smith tries to scramble free but Kaufman body locks her from behind in the turtle position. Smith scoots free and Kaufman sits down on a pair of heavy rights to close the frame. 10-8 Kaufman for a dominant 30-25 on my card, again more so for a complete lack of any effective offense from Smith than extraordinarily demonstrative offense from Kaufman.
- Sarah Kaufman defeats Leslie Smith by unanimous decision (30-27 x 3)
Sam Stout vs. K.J. Noons
Round 1 – Two linear kicks to the knee from Noons to start out. Oh boy … Noons absolutely plasters Stout with a duck-under overhand right that floors Stout, then dives into his guard with a flying left hand that also connects clean. The ref jumps in to wave it off but has his takedown defense and top-game tested by Stout, who’s still out of sorts from the punishment. That’s the first time Stout has ever been finished via strikes in his entire career.
- K.J. Noons defeats Sam Stout by KO (punch), Round 1
Fight Pass Preliminary Card
Mitch Gagnon vs. Tim Gorman
Round 1 – Gorman comes out looking alive and takes the center with a few stiff one-twos. Gorman goes downstairs with a punch and then counters a Gagnon low kick with a right. Gagnon bull-rushes Gorman with a clinch attack and Gorman hits a counter-takedown but Gagnon is working a choke with a strong front head lock. They battle for a better position with Gorman scrambling to end up on top and Gagnon steering Gorman around from a front head lock made tighter by his Gable grip.
The finally separate at the two-minute mark after neither can distinguish themselves and restart in the center. Gagnon gets busy with a combo and a trio of left body kicks to the midsection. Gorman changes levels and snatches a single leg but Gagnon gets back to his feet and Gorman keeps him on the fence while throwing a volley of knees to the thigh. Big Dan Miragliotta splits them up with 20 seconds left in the round and Gagnon glances with a straight left. 10-10 for equal offense with neither differentiating themselves.
Round 2 – After reverting back and forth from southpaw and orthodox, Gagnon stays in southpaw to open the second stanza and unloads more tight punches, then blitzes after Gorman while throwing a risky Superman uppercut and following up more punches that drive Gorman back. Gorman pursues another single leg but Gagnon shuts it down with the front headlock again, but this time wrenches a guillotine to get Gorman’s attention.
Gorman slips his head out but engages aggressively and Gagnon lands a quick up-knee before stifling Gorman with another front headlock/guillotine combo, and this time Gorman is forced to drop onto his back to alleviate the choke threat. He defends well from guard and gets back to his feet a moment later, and Miragliotta separates them after another clinch stalemate. Gorman comes in with his head down and Gagnon goes back to the front-headlock guillotine again, this time falling back to wrench it. Gorman’s loose immediately but the round ends. 10-9 Gagnon.
Round 3 – Gagnon switches things up by ducking under Gorman’s introductory punches and landing a takedown. Gorman pops back up and works for a single on the cage, then tries to switch to a double — Gagnon stays afoot, again relying on the front headlock for leverage and stability. Gorman circles off the fence and lands a punch downstairs, then comes over the top with two big left hooks. Gagnon anticipates Gorman’s level change and easily stuffs the takedown.
Left hook and left uppercut from Gagnon, who’s keying in on Gorman’s habit of dropping his head. They’re separated from a clinch entanglement with two-minutes left and Gagnon hits a duck-under takedown. Gorman tries to manipulate Gagnon’s hips with both of his heels and then attempt a trial, all to no avail. Gagnon wisely plays it safe from top control in the waning moments, shutting down Gorman’s attempts from guard and landing a few strikes. 10-9 Gagnon for a 30-28 his way on my card.
- Mitch Gagnon defeats Tim Gorman by unanimous decision (30-27 x 3)
Rich Walsh vs. Chris Indich
Round 1 – Indich throws a few punches and easily shakes off Walsh’s takedown attempt. Walsh persists and drives Indich into the fence, landing a pair of short hooks in the process. Inside low kick from Indich before Walsh secures a double leg. Indich gets back up and threatens with a guillotine but Walsh takes out his hips to bring him back down. Indich is back up again quickly but still trapped on the wrong side of a fence-clinch, and Walsh gets him down again, though only momentarily.
They separate but assume the same position and Walsh gets him down, this time pulling Indich away from the fence in side control to maintain position. Indich scrambles free and peels Walsh off his back. Walsh is relentless and attacks again, but gets caught in a guillotine that Indich drops back to wrench. Walsh slips out and pings down a few punches while Indich attempts a triangle and lands an up-kick. 10-9 Walsh.
Round 2 – Walsh wades forward with a blistering set of alternating right and left hands, reaching nearly a dozen in count. Though none land flush, he succeeds in pressuring Indich to the cage where he resumes the clinch grind. Indich tells the ref that Walsh is grabbing his glove twice and Walsh steps back and pops him with a left during his second complaint. Heavy left body kick from Walsh, who’s more content to trade in the second. Walsh breaks the tempo with a stiff right hand on his way back into the clinch.
Indich circles off the fence lands a knee to the gut. Indich breaks the clinch with a right hand but it’s Walsh who gets the better of the exchange — Indich curiously initiates the clinch and Walsh circles him onto the fence and lands two short-range elbows, then plants a thudding knee to the body. Walsh off-balances Indich with a body-lock throw and finds the mark with two short lefts at the bell. 10-9 Walsh.
Round 3 – Walsh lands an outside low kick and does a nice job of covering up to defend Indich’s counter-flurry. Walsh steers Indich into the fence with more punches and clinches up with a body lock, then hits a nice inner-thigh throw, aka Uchi Mata. Indich labors back up to his feet but isn’t getting any breathing room from Walsh, who stays glued to him in the clinch.
Indich tries a half-hearted takedown attempt and Walsh hits a counter-throw from body lock, then gets the back-ride when Indich goes on all fours. Indich stands and spins to face Walsh while peeling off his grip with wrist control, but he’s back to being mashed into the fence. Grinding pace from Walsh, still using the body lock to maintain leverage while throwing short elbows and knees. 10-9 Walsh for a clean sweep on my card.
- Rich Walsh defeats Chris Indich by unanimous decision (30-27 x 3)
Nordine Taleb vs. Vik Grujic
Round 1 – Tentative start, with Grujic seemingly respecting Taleb’s stand up. Grujic flails with a wild left and misses a low kick, but Taleb is yet to pull the trigger. Grujic attacks aggressively again and Taleb circles away but is still without any offense of his own. Grujic goes after him again and this time Taleb hits a double leg, falling into Grujic’s open guard. Body/head punches from Taleb after negating Grujic’s armbar attempt.
Taleb finally slips his left arm out of Grujic’s strong overhook and pelts him with an elbow. Grujic tries to scramble loose but Taleb puts him back down with a body lock from the top. Taleb alternating between landing short, safe punches betwixt stifling Grujic’s attempts to scramble out. Grujic finally subdues Taleb’s right arm with wrist control to stand back up but there’s not enough time left to capitalize, and Taleb lands two short knees to the body. 10-9 Taleb.
Round 2 – Grujic throws a hopping side kick and Taleb grabs the body lock, hoists him off his feet and onto the canvas. Grujic stays effectively active with his guard and doesn’t let Taleb mount any offense before getting back to his feet. Shortly after, Taleb hits a sneaky outside trip from the clinch, landing a few short lefts to the head in his guard. Another burst of short lefts from Taleb, who buries his head in Grujic’s chest to keep him in place.
Taleb maintains position and control, and a few ineffective punches and an elbow are all Grujic can muster from the bottom. Taleb picks his spots and postures up to slice down more punches and elbows. 10-9 Taleb.
Round 3 – Grujic charges with punches but anticipates Taleb’s counter-takedown and stuffs it. Taleb backs off on Grujic’s next combo and slices a pair of long jabs through his defense. Grujic lands a lead left but his follow-up shot is once again stuffed and countered, and Taleb goes back to work from top position. Taleb maintains his blend of control and activity from the top to subdue Grujic and his escape attempts, still using his head position and the fence to limit Grujic’s options.
Nasty, GSP-esque top-side elbow from Taleb, who’s flat-out dominating. Taleb postures again and cleaves down with a big elbow, then splits Grujic’s forehead open with a third. 10-8 Taleb for a 30-26 his way.
- Nordine Taleb defeats Vic Grujic by unanimous decision (30-27 x 3)
Mark Bocek vs. Mike De La Torre
Round 1 – Busy right hands from Bocek early, but De La Torre bores a few straight jabs through. Bocek connects with a big right hand that backs De La Torre up, enabling Bocek to lock his hands in the side waist lock and eventually drag De La Torre down. He’s right back up though, punching Bocek in the head to break his body-lock grip. Bocek goes over-under and De La Torre cranks off a few rights to the ribs.
De La Torre hits a brilliant counter-throw and enjoys a few seconds of top control before Bocek gets back to his feet. Single collar tie and short right hands from Bocek; De La Torre circles him onto the fence but Bocek returns the favor and lands an uppercut with the collar tie. Bocek lands a right after disengaging and they restart in the center. De La Torre stays sharp with his left hand from distance, landing two or three and forcing Bocek to clinch out of desperation. Bocek changes levels for a double and goes after either an arm drag or a kimura, but bails on it. De La Torre pushes him away and eats a right hand, but lands one of his own. 10-10 round for even offense.
Round 2 – More jabs and stiff lefts from De La Torre. Bocek attacks with a takedown and De La Torre defends, again pasting Bocek with a short-range uppercut in the clinch. Bocek maintains control with the body lock and lets it go to land a right horizontal elbow. Bocek stays tenacious in the clinch but isn’t getting anywhere, finally pushing De La Torre away and restarting in the center, perhaps with a hint of frustration.
Despite the pause, Bocek pursues the same strategy and De La Torre shucks him off and pelts him with a short right. More stiff and straight jabs from De La Torre, who then connects on a counter left when Bocek throws a right. Another failed takedown attempt from Bocek, who is now disengaging rather than staying glued to De La Torre. Angle jab from De La Torre, and Bocek’s left eye is bloodied up. Counter left hook from De La Torre, who’s finding his rhythm. Bocek finds the mark with a right hand. De La Torre answers with a right. 10-9 De La Torre.
Round 3 – De La Torre’s left dictates things early again. Bocek shoots and De La Torre is thwarting the attempts comfortably now. One-two whiffs from Bocek and De La Torre flings another left in his teeth. This time De La Torre slips in a left hand when Bocek changes levels before brushing it off, and lands a knee to the body when Bocek predictably rinses and repeats.
Bocek tries hanging out in the clinch with rights from the single collar tie but he’s not landing and De La Torre shoves him off. Bocek finally finds the mark with his right and lands a glancing jab on the next exchange. Counter left hook downstairs from De La Torre. Bocek shoots again and De La Torre gets caught in the rear waist cinch for a moment before escaping by breaking Bocek’s grip. Bocek dings him with a right hand and then hops onto De La Torre’s back with one hook in, lands a series of downward elbows and switches to a rear-naked choke attempt at the bell. 10-9 Bocek for an even 29-29 in my eyes.
- Mark Bocek defeats Mike De La Torre by split decision (28-29, 30-27, 29-28)
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