UFC News and Results
11/11 UFC: Recap of The Ultimate Fighter 4 Finale
By Mallory Mahling
Nov 12, 2006, 00:25

The Ultimate Fighter 4 Finale aired live tonight on Spike from The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.  Designated as the “Comeback” season, two UFC veterans will make their ultimate comebacks and be poised to take the next step – a shot at the title in their respective weight class.

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The show began with clips of the four finalists discussing their strategy along with the requisite smack talk.

Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan welcomed viewers to the show.  Goldberg noted that Travis Lutter had struggled to make weight and he and Rogan wondered what sort of impact that would have on his match.

The show started with middleweights Edwin “BamBam” DeWees vs. Jorge “El Conquistador” Rivera.  Rivera had the reach advantage, but DeWees was 10 years younger.

(1)     Middleweight Bout:  Edwin DeWees vs. Jorge Rivera.  Yves Lavigne was the referee for this match.  DeWees and Rivera touched gloves and the fight was on.  They started throwing and it appeared Rivera had the advantage, then BamBam laid into Rivera.  But suddenly the match was over when Rivera rocked DeWees and followed up with a flurry of punches.  The referee stopped the match, and DeWees appeared upset and was disappointed by the stoppage.  The announcers said that the referees have to err on the side of caution. 

Your winner by TKO was Jorge Rivera.

Rogan asked Rivera how much the six weeks of training on TUF 4 had improved his game.   After thanking everybody at home, he answered the question.  He said it had helped him a great deal and he had a great deal of respect of the people he’d trained with in the house.  This was his third win in the UFC.

The fighters were shown warming up in their dressing rooms.

A promo aired for next Saturday night’s “UFC 65: Bad Intentions” pay-per-view.  Will Matt Hughes retain his title or will Georges St. Pierre be the winner?  My money’s on St. Pierre.

(2)  Din Thomas vs. Rich “No Love” Clementi.  The referee was Steve Mazzagatti.  Rogan mentioned that on paper, this was an evenly matched fight.  Round one was mostly all stand-up, with Thomas in control.  He rocked Clementi and bloodied him up, but they resumed the standup.  On this Veterans’ Day, Goldberg mentioned that Clementi had served in the military.

Round two started with punches, too.  Clementi ended up on his back, and Thomas pounced.  Back on their feet, Thomas was still in control.  Clementi was tired and hurt, but he battled on.  Thomas locked on the rear naked choke and Clementi tapped out.

Your winner – Din Thomas via submission. 

Bruce Buffer announced that the winner was Din Thomas by tap out due to a rear naked choke.  Rogan asked Thomas how much his time off and joining American Top Team had helped, and his response was effusive.  He concluded by calling out Sean Sherk.

Shonie Carter was shown in the audience.

(3)  Middleweight Bout:  Scott Smith vs. Pete “Drago” Sell.  Big John McCarthy was the referee for this match.  These two had put their close friendship aside for 15 minutes.  Kicks and punches by Smith, countered by Sell.  This match had rockem-sockem action and the round was very exciting.  The crowd was very into it.  Smith was throwing bombs and Sell was responding in kind.  Sell was bleeding from a cut on his face.  The round ended on a jovial note as they hugged and smiled.

Round two started with more standup and Rogan commented that he was surprised Sell hadn’t taken it to the ground yet.  Scott Smith was rocked by Sell’s punch to the ribs, but Smith survived long enough to knock out Sell.  It was amazing.  This one is sure to be on future highlight reels.

Your winner:  Scott Smith.

Bruce Buffer announced that Scott Smith had won by knock out.  Rogan said that it was one of the craziest things he’d ever seen and he asked Smith about that last punch.  Smith said he only had one punch left before he collapsed and had taken it when Sell came at him with his hands down.  He said he and Sell have tremendous respect for each other. 

Anderson Silva, the new Middleweight Champion, was shown in the audience.

Travis Lutter was shown at home in Texas with his son and his girlfriend.  He said his first love was motorcycles and was shown teaching at his jiu jitsu school.

Patrick Cote was shown at home and training in Canada.  He said he was only one knock-out away from the title fight.  He was ready.  “Let the beating begin,” he added. 

(4) The TUF 4 Middleweight Final:  Patrick Cote vs. Travis Lutter.   Big John McCarthy was the referee for this match.  This one went to the mat fairly quickly and it was over just as quick when Travis got Cote wrapped up.  The winner was Travis Lutter.  Anderson Silva was shown looking like he didn’t think that would happen to him when Lutter exercises his option for the title fight.

Bruce Buffer announced that Lutter had won by tap out from an arm bar. 

Dana White congratulated Lutter and said he’d won a trophy, $100,000, a $100,000 Xyience contract, a Scion TC, a diamond watch—and a shot at Anderson Silva’s title.  Anderson Silva joined them in the Octagon for the ceremony.  Through an interpreter, Silva extended his congratulations and said he would have to train some jiu jitsu. 

Next week the welterweight and heavyweight titles will be on the line at UFC 65: Bad Intentions.  Via satellite, Goldberg and Rogan talked with Matt Hughes in Illinois and Georges St. Pierre in Montreal about their upcoming fight.   

(5) Thiales Leites vs. Martin Kampmann.   This had been the first preliminary fight of the evening, according to Bruce Buffer.  This was Leites’ UFC debut and he had been recommended to UFC by B.J. Penn.  Yves Lavigne was the referee.  Kampmann had come to Vegas from Denmark on vacation, was discovered by UFC and hasn’t gone home, noted Goldberg.  He’s a former Danish Thai boxing champion.  Rounds one and two were fairly close; round three saw Leites with a bloody nose and he was looking wobbly.  He was totally exhausted, but hung in their through the end of the third round.

Your winner:  Kampmann by unanimous decision.   

Time for the much-anticipated welterweight final.  Lytle was shown at home in Indianapolis, where he lives with his wife and four kids and works as a fireman. 

Matt Serra was shown on Long Island feasting at his mother’s house with his family and his fiancée.  He has two jiu jitsu academies

(6) The TUF 4 Welterweight Final:  Matt Serra vs. Chris Lytle.   Herb Dean was the referee for this match.  The round started with a show of respect, then Serra went for the take down.  Lytle avoided it.  There was a loud “Serra” chant from the crowd.  Lytle took down Serra, who closed guard.  They got back on their feet for the remainder of the round.  Round two passed uneventfully.  Spinning back fist by Serra to begin the third round, and he took Lytle down.  The ref stood them up and the round continued with neither appearing to be the clear winner.

Bruce Buffer announced that Matt Sera had won by split decision and Lytle appeared to be devastated.      

Dana White made the presentation of the trophy, the $100,000, a $100,000 Xyience contract, a Scion TC, a diamond watch, and a shot at the Welterweight Champion. 

Rogan asked about the moment that Buffer was reading the score cards with the booing and cheering from the audience.  Serra said both fighters had family there rooting for them.  As for next week’s PPV, he said he was rooting for GSP in his heart, but would like to fight Hughes, whom he said was a bit of a dick.

And so ends another season outstanding of The Ultimate Fighter with another outstanding finale.  I can’t wait to see Serra and Lutter in the title matches coming up in 2007. 

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 Comments or feedback?  You can reach me at Mallory at worldwrestlinginsanity.com.