Robert Whittaker and Brad Scott came to fight. The welterweight final for The Ultimate Fighter: Smashes delivered. It was an action-packed, even contest.
Whittaker found a home for his strikes in the first round and looked to be on his way to an easy victory, but Scott hung around and made it a fight. Scott came on strong in the second. The third was a back and forth a battle, but eventually Whittaker landed more shots in the closing minutes.
Whittaker picked up the unanimous decision victory and the TUF: Smashes title.
What we’ll remember about this fight
We will remember how fun it was.
Sometimes these Ultimate Fighter fights leave a lot to be desired, but these two men put on a fantastic fight. Fans cannot ask for much more.
It was constant action from bell-to-bell, but not a brawl. Both fighters were technical in their striking. Scott got the takedown and showed some quality control on the mat, and Whittaker fought back showing his defense.
The third round exchanges were exciting and ultimately gave Whittaker the edge he needed.
What we learned about Robert Whittaker
Whitaker is a good young prospect.
He is only 21-years-old and ran through the TUF: Smashes competition.
Whittaker finished each opponent en route to the finale, and put on a quality performance that showed the youngster has skills already.
Over the next couple of years he will be an interesting prospect to watch grow inside the Octagon.
What we learned about Brad Scott
Beside his resemblance to former UFC Light Heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin, we learned that Scott can take punishment and still push the action as he looks for a finish.
Whittaker landed several hard blows, but Scott weathered the storm. Not only that, but he came back to run the second round. He could not finish Whitaker on the mat, but he was looking for his opportunities to do so.
Scott is only 23 himself. TUF: Smashes has given us at least two young fighters with a potentially bright future to add to the UFC roster.
What’s next for Robert Whittaker
Even though he won the inaugural season of TUF: Smashes he still is nowhere near ready to be thrown in to the deep end of the UFC’s lightweight division.
Whittaker will need to start from scratch in the division. The UFC needs to build him slowly like they have done with past TUF winners. He is only 21 and has a lot of room to grow and improve as a fighter.
What’s next for Brad Scott
Scott falls in the same category as Whittaker.
The UFC should find a home for Scott on Facebook or Fuel prelims for the foreseeable future as he develops his overall MMA skills.
Perhaps Scott could face another TUF cast member in his next outing to determine who should keep their spot on the roster.
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