The Ultimate Fighter 26 finale card was one of the best TUF finales in recent memory. Brimming with finishes from the start, the event saw three arm-bar finishes on the prelims alone. The first six bouts ended early, and seven of eleven fights total saw finishes. With that in mind, dishing out the TUF 26 Finale bonuses was surely no easy task. In the end, headliners Nicco Montano and Roxanne Modafferi were among the winners.

Capturing the Fight of the Night bonus, Modafferi and newly crowned champ Montano fought in a bloody five round war that saw each land serious damage on the other. Montano slowly crept ahead in the significant strikes department as the bout progressed; ‘The Happy Warrior’ came closest, perhaps, to finishing the fight with a late arm-bar attempt. It wasn’t to be, however, as Montano pulled free and went on to claim a unanimous decision. With that, Nicco Montano put herself in the history books as the UFC’s first ever women’s flyweight champion.

There was no shortage of competition for Fight of the Night, either. Barb Honchak and Lauren Murphy fought to a split decision in a spirited, back and forth war. Sean O’Malley and Terrion Ware then upped the ante, putting on a stellar performance brimming with creative striking and close calls in the co-main event.

Still, Montano and Modafferi were too good not to get the nod.

Performance Bonuses were no easy pick either, but in the end, the UFC went with two finishes that made lasting impressions. Gerald Meerschaert quite simply floored Eric Spicely with a body kick that stunned the crowed in attendance. Since body kick finishes are rare, its selection as a Performance of the Night isn’t that surprising, despite some solid finishes in the prelims.

Even less surprising, however, was the selection of Brett Johns for the other Performance of the Night bonus. Just thirty seconds into his fight with former title challenger Joe Soto, he had his opponent tapping out to a rarely seen calf slicer. The submission was just the second calf slicer finish ever witnessed in the UFC. The Welsh fighter improved his UFC record to 3-0 with the win.

All four fighters will receive $50,000 for their bonus winning efforts.

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It was a main event no one was expecting. Throughout The Ultimate Fighter 26, the smart money was on one of the top two seeds, if not both, to make it through to the end. Roxanne Modafferi, a long-time veteran of the sport who had appeared on TUF 18 as a bantamweight, was seeded first. Barb Honchak, a former Invicta FC flyweight champ, was second. Both women, in fact, had honed their skills in Shannon Knapp’s promotion. Either would have been an easy pick to make the final, where the inaugural UFC women’s flyweight title was on the line.

Yet neither did. Instead, little-known Nicco Montano eliminated Barb Honchak in the semi-finals. It was a unanimous decision upset, and the upsets weren’t over. Sijara Eubanks, perhaps even less familiar than Montano to MMA fans, upset Modafferi next. That set up a Eubanks vs. Montano finale.

Only, it wasn’t to be. Eubanks, who struggled with her weight cuts while on the show (but ultimately made weight three times), went to hospital early Thursday, prior to the TUF 26 Finale weigh-ins. It was a disastrous effort at making weight, with the fighter suffering kidney failure. Sijara was out, Roxanne, the girl she defeated in a hotly contested semi-final bout, was in.

Who would make come out on top in this historic title fight Friday?

Modafferi took the center early, while Montano opened with a leg kick. Nicco was showing that she had definitely improved since the show. Roxy kept her cool, landing an inside leg kick. Roxanne pressed the attack, pushing forward; they’d clinch, with Modafferi looking for a trip. Instead, she’d drive Montano into the fence, but they wouldn’t stay there long. Montano went high with a kick, that Modafferi blocked. Nicco Montano, however, caught a kick around the halfway mark of the round that allowed her to get her opponent to the ground. Modafferi stayed active off her back, looking to latch on to an arm. She would eventually make it back up. Roxxane would then secure a takedown via a trip, and go right to side control. The round, however, would come to an end.

In the second, Modafferi pressed the action early and connected with a right hand that stunned Monatno. She then pressed forward with a barrage of strikes, but Montano seemed to recover. They’d clinch along the fence, and Montano would lash out with an elbow. Modafferi’s angles were giving Montano trouble, but Roxanne had expended a lot of energy  early in the round, which allowed Montano to battle back. Modafferi would land another big right hand, and Montano was showing some damage. She answered back with a left of her own, then added a pair of hard leg kicks. Montano seemed to be timing her opponent; a takedown in the final minute would have been big for Modafferi, but Montano locked in a triangle. Modafferi survived, but how would the judges see that?

The third round saw Modafferi go high, then press forward with a combo. Montano would take the fight to the fence, but couldn’t finish the takedown. Another head kick attempt by Roxanne was blocked.  Montano was finding success with her hands as well, and the round turned into a very back and forth affair. A hard body kick looked to hurt Montano. The round ended with the pair trading to the bell, which pretty much summed up the action to that point.

Roxy started round four with a yell, and looked ready to go. Montano, however, appeared to clip her early. She recovered, and the pair continued to exchange. It was Montano’s clean striking against Modafferi’s awkward movement and angles. A right from Roxanne landed, but Montano charged forward with a combination in response. She then tied Modafferi up against the cage. Modafferi would look for a throw but wound up on bottom. She popped back up, and went back to work. Montano scored with a kick to the body; Roxy answered with a right. Both women were bloodied and landing. Roxanne initiated a clinch and tried to wrestle Montano to the ground. She drove her opponent into the cage, but could not complete the takedown. Back in the middle a number of right hands by Modafferi hurt Montano; Nicco took her down in response. Montano would work from side control, landing some ground and pound; Modafferi would make it back to the feet.

The fifth and final round saw Roxanne Modafferi open with a kick to the body. Montano, however, scored a big takedown early. She did not, mind you, want to stay on the ground with Modafferi, who looked to score a takedown of her own only to have it reversed by Montano. Roxanne would escape, and fight off a subsequent takedown attempt. Modafferi then connected with a number of hard punches, set up by a body kick. She had Montano in retreat, but after a clinch was taken down. Modafferi grabbed an arm and held on tight in the final minute, threatening to finish but Montano broke free! That was huge, as it appeared Montano had crept ahead on the scorecards. It would go to the judges, who saw it in favor of Nicco Montano. A great fight for the inaugural UFC women’s flyweight championship.

Nicco Montano is your first UFC women’s 125lb champ!

Nicco Montano def. Roxanne Modafferi by unanimous decision (50-45, 49-46, 49-46)

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In the co-main event of The Ultimate Fighter 26 Finale in Las Vegas on Friday, a pair of Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series vets faced off. Sean O’Malley and Terrion Ware were looking at the biggest opportunities of their respective careers to date. Or, at the very least, the biggest spotlight. So which fighter would capitalize at the TUF 26 Finale?

O’Malley brought the flash, while Ware brought the more traditional approach early in the co-main event. Ware sought to press the action, while the lankier O’Malley looked to counter. A question mark kick connected on Ware just past two minutes in; Ware seemed stunned if only for a moment. For his part, Ware displayed excellent movement on the feet, but O’Malley’s angles still gave him fits at times. By the end of the first round, this bout was becoming a barn burner.

In the second, Ware battled back, and O’Malley paid the price for fighting with his hands down. Nose bloodied, O’Malley ate a number of big shots from Ware, which forced him to cover up. Ware added in knees, and when O’Malley launched a head kick with about ninety seconds left in the round, he slipped, and Ware was able to easily stay in control. O’Malley would get back up, but he clearly had slowed a step. He would try a jumping triangle towards the end of the round, and look for a leg after that. Neither attempt was successful.

Round three saw Sean O’Malley show he had some fight left in him, opening with a spinning back kick. They’d pick things up where they left off in round two, with O’Malley at least somewhat refreshed. The creativity of his attacks shone through, with a spinning back fist transition to a spinning back kick underlining that. A late takedown by O’Malley, followed by a head kick and another takedown, may have won him the round; he’d work for a late D’Arce, but couldn’t sink it in. Ware would show some flash of his own at the end, but finished the fight on the ground eating elbows.

Sean O’Malley def. Terrion Ware by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

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One of the least expected, yet nevertheless anticipated bouts at the TUF 26 Finale in Las Vegas Friday was Lauren Murphy vs. Barb Honchak. The bout came together after Sijara Eubanks was forced to seek medical attention after a bad weight cut. As Eubanks defeated Roxanne Modafferi to make it to the main event, it was Roxanne getting the nod to step into the title fight atop the card.

That left Modafferi’s original TUF 26 Finale opponent Honchak without a dance partner. However, Lauren Murphy, who also had an opponent fall through at the finale, was ready with her weight on point. That led to a tantalizing match-up between Murphy and Honchak, two of the grittiest fighters on the show this past season.

Both fighters were quick to meet in the center of the octagon, exchanging strikes and going back and forth as they moved around the octagon. Murphy landed a big punch that Honchak walked through as the two continued to exchange; Honchak started to work in the leg kicks, eventually landing a big right hand. Murphy fired back and Honchak was up to the task as both fighters circled each other, throwing punch after punch and absorbing strikes to end the round.

The start of the second kept up the pace of the first, with both fighters again quick to engage in the middle of the octagon. Murphy’s face began to show damage from the previous round. Unfazed she continued to push the fight. Honchak landed a big overhand right, hurting Murphy, but Lauren Murphy was quick to recover and fired back. Honchak started to land the right overhand counter on Murphy, who remained undeterred and fired back. Honchak went to throwing kicks again until Murphy shot in for a takedown that drove Honchak into the cage. There, Murphy got her to the ground and took her back. Honchak got back to her feet with Murphy still on her back, working for an arm, eventually taking her back down with Honchak landing on top to end the round.

The final round, like the previous, saw both fighters come out quick to engage, with Honchak working the inside leg kick and overhand right. Murphy caught a body kick and quickly took Honchak to the ground, landing in full guard. From there, Murphy attempted to work the ground and pound until Honchak exploded for an armbar that Murphy defended. Barb quickly switched to a triangle that Murphy again defended; this caused Honchak to switch back to the armbar and again Murphy was able to defend. She then worked her way onto Honchak’s back, locking in a body triangle to end the round. It would go to the judges, two of whom gave Lauren Murphy the nod.

An emotional Murphy was looking for a title shot afterwards, speaking to Daniel Cormier post-fight (who humorously called her Barb in a flub during the interview).

Lauren Murphy def. Barb Honchak by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

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Eric Spicely, who got his start in the UFC on TUF 23, faced off against ten year MMA vet Gerald Meerschaert Friday. The bout went down in the middle of the Ultimate Fighter 26 Finale’s main card, and was an opportunity for Spicely (2-2 in the UFC) to get back in the win column. After submissions of both Thiago Santos (a sizeable upset) and Alessio Di Chirico, Spicely had hit a road block in the form of Antônio Carlos Júnior.

At the TUF 26 Finale, he was tasked with taking on a fighter with more than twice as many pro bouts. Meerschaert began his career in 2007, and had a full thirty-two bouts before joining the UFC. Since coming on board with the promotion, the Wisconsin native had gone 2-1 in the promotion.

Meerschaert landed a few straight rights to start the fight and followed that with a body kick. Meerschaert backed Spicely up, and unloaded a flurry of shots. Spicely escaped, then drove in and worked Meerschaert to the mat. On the ground Spicely took Meerschaert’s back and worked for the choke, landing punches to open him up. Meerschaert defended until Spicely locked the body triangle and went in for his neck. Meerschaert defended, but was still in a bad spot as Spicely continued to throw punches and jumped for an arm-bar when the opening was there. However Meerschaert defended and ended up on top to end the round.

Round two saw both fighters trying to open with their own strengths, with Meerchaert throwing strikes and Spicely shooting for a take down that was stuffed. The two went back and forth with Meerchaert throwing strikes again, and Spicely once more going for the take down. Meerschaert landed a few stiff body kicks in the process. Meerschaert continued to work the body kicks, landing two in a row that wound up crumpling Spicely to end the fight. Wow — painful.

Listen to this wicked body kick Gerald Meerschaert delivered to Eric Spicely's kidneys for the win. YIKES! #TUFFinale https://t.co/IqikyCuyrt

— FOX Sports: UFC (@UFCONFOX) December 2, 2017

Gerald Meerschaert def. Eric Spicely by TKO, Round 2, 2:19

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At Friday’s The Ultimate Fighter 26 Finale, former TUF teammates DeAnna Bennett and Melinda Fabian threw down. While Bennett held a significant advantage in experience (both in fights and quality of competition), Fabian was looking to hold her own. Would she?

The bout went down as part of the main card of the TUF 26 Finale, held at the Park Theater in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Fabian opened landing a couple quick strikes, then moved into the clinch on the cage. The two exchanged knees while working for position. Bennett worked for the take down and Fabian defended it well. The action get back to the middle of the cage, where Fabian started to land some rights that backed up Bennett; she then countered with a take down attempt, driving Fabian into the cage once again. Both women worked for position once again and once the two separated, Fabian landed a big head kick dropping Bennett to end the round.

The second round saw Fabian look to bring the pressure, and once again Bennett moved her into the fence and back into the clinch. The two worked in the clinch with Bennett going for a single and Fabian defending, grabbing the fence and causing Big John to step in and take a point for the infraction. The action resumed back on the fence with Bennett again working for the take down and Fabian defending until the two were broken up. Bennett immediately shot in driving Fabian into the fence to work the take down, with Big John once again needing to break up the action. Rinse, repeat. Bennett immediately shot in and drove Fabian into the cage to end the round.

The final round opened with Bennett throwing a high kick followed by a punch combo. Fabian started to press Bennett and landed some stiff strikes until her kick was caught by Bennett and she was driven back into the cage. The two worked in the clinch with Fabian defending while throwing some knees until they two are broken up again. Back in the center of the ring Fabian landed a body kick that Bennett replied to with, you guessed it, she shot in driving Fabian into the fence. The two broke again and started to exchange with Fabian getting the better until Bennett landed  a strike that sent Fabian to the mat to end the final round. It was the first bout of the night to hit the scorecards, ending in a majority draw.

DeAnna Bennett vs. Melinda Fabian ended in a majority draw (29-27, 28-28, 28-28)

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It seems like forever ago now, but Joe Soto was once a Bellator champion, and received a surprise title shot on short notice upon joining the UFC. While he fell short to once-and-again bantamweight champ T.J. Dillashaw, Soto got a lot of credit for taking on the toughest of challenges on next-to-zero notice. After that opportunity, he dropped his next two bouts, risking being bounced from the UFC altogether. The promotion, however, gave him another chance. Good thing — Soto has quietly put together a comfortable win streak heading into the TUF 26 finale.

Now 3-3 in his UFC career, Soto met Brett Johns in Las Vegas on Friday, opening the main card of The Ultimate Fighter 26 Finale. Johns, a former Cage Warriors and Titan FC bantamweight champ, had won both his UFC fights to date. Would Soto become the first man to stop him?

Soto circled early, as Johns pressed forward. It was Brett Johns would would open with the first combo, but Soto would sneak in for a quick single leg takedown. in a flash, however, Johns rolled into a calf slicer and forced the tap! If you blinked, you missed it! Soto was clearly in pain, and Johns had earned himself an incredible submission win.

That was just the second calf slicer submission in the UFC. A standout, despite the TUF 26 Finale being full of memorable submissions.

Brett Johns def. Joe Soto by submission (calf slicer), Round 1, 0:30

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Ultimate Fighter 26 cast member and LFA vet Montana Stewart, married following TUF 26’s filming, returned Friday at the show’s finale in Las Vegas. Opposite her in the octagon was cast mate Christina Marks. Could Montana De La Rosa get the better of the Xplode Fight Series and KOTC vet Marks?

The girls went at it fast and furious on the feet early. Ultimately, it was Montana De La Rosa who was hurt early in an exchange of punches on the feet, and looked to clinch. With a takedown not forthcoming, however, the action went back to the center.

After a brief feeling out period, they went back to the ground. There, Montana worked to isolate an arm. Marks stepped over De La Rosa’s body, but to the wrong side. It proved to be a critical error. De La Rosa had the arm-bar in, and while Marks would try to step over again, she was trapped. Montana De La Rosa had the submission hold in tight. Marks was forced to tap shortly after.

Following her win, which helped set a new record for arm-bar submissions in a night, De La Rosa spoke of supporting her daughter. And of finding a finish, saying “I’d finish any way I could – I really want that bonus!”

Montana De La Rosa def. Christina Marks by submission (arm-bar), Round 1, 2:00

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The UFC was looking to see if a former TUF winner could right the ship at the Ultimate Fighter 26 Finale in Las Vegas, NV on Friday. Andrew Sanchez, who won the 23rd season of the reality fighting series, was booked to face Ryan Janes at the event. Sanchez, who had won his first two UFC bouts including the TUF 23 Finale, was coming off a loss to Anthony Smith heading into the night.

Canada’s Ryan Janes, meanwhile, was looking to shake off a two-fight losing streak. With losses to Gerald Meerschaert and Jack Marshman, his back was against the wall.

Early in the first, Sanchez came out with a low stance, throwing overhand rights. He’d follow one with a big kick to the body, and despite winning the battle on the feet, would later look for a takedown. It wouldn’t last, but back on the feet, Sanchez was connecting again. Janes would answer back with a right, but Sanchez would then score a knockdown! Sanchez landed clean with both lefts and rights. It looked like Janes might be done, as he ate some follow up shots and looked out on his feet, but the ref let it continue, and somehow, Janes survived. Sanchez was in danger of punching himself out.

In the second, Janes looked to be the fresher fighter, and landed a good knee coming in. Sanchez, still looking a bit tired, connected with a right again, and looked for a takedown. Janes used a guillotine to keep himself upright. The bout soon devolved into a sloppy brawl, and Janes began to land more, putting Sanchez in a similar spot to where Janes was in round one. Sanchez, however, managed to avoid serious damage and land a takedown. On the way up Janes landed a knee to the head. A left hook would then wobble Sanchez.

In round three the pair would clinch early and continue trading. Janes wobbled Sanchez, who covered up along the fence, eventually falling to one knee. The ref had seen enough, and called it — what a comeback by Ryan Janes!

Ryan Janes def. Andrew Sanchez by TKO, Round 3, 0:58

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Hosted at the Park Theatre in Las Vegas, the Ultimate Fighter 26 Finale featured the bulk of the show’s talents filling out the card. Among them, Invicta FC veteran Rachel Ostovich-Berdon, who took on Armenian Karine Gevorgyan in prelim action. With both women having fewer than ten fights to their name, this was a chance to make an impression on a big scale. Ostovich-Berdon, with a number of fights under the Invicta banner, arguably had faced stiffer competition thus far in her career; otherwise, this was a fairly even match on paper.

Gevorgyan, however, missed weight for the fight, and the bout was contested at a catchweight of 130lbs.

Ostovich opened with a pair of leg kicks, while Gevorgyan looked to counter. Gevorgyan was then taken down, as Ostovich opted to change levels. Gevorgyan looked to lock in an arm-bar, but the Hawaiian escaped. Gevorgyan, however, would make it back up, and look for a takedown of her own. That backfired as Ostovich was able to take the back, but she was high. She was, however, able to lock in an arm-bar. Gevorgyan was in trouble, and moments later, she was forced to tap!

Rachel Ostovich def. Karine Gevorgyan by submission (arm-bar), Round 1, 1:40

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