The main event of The Ultimate Fighter 16 was supposed to serve as a one-on-one bout between coaches Roy Nelson and Shane Carwin, but Carwin had to pull out of the fight a few weeks ago with a knee injury. Matt Mitrione stepped in his place, giving us the main event of Saturday night.
The fight featured an exciting striking battle between two heavy hitters, but it was Nelson’s power that overcame Mitrione’s technical onslaught.
What We’ll Remember About This Fight
The uppercut that was the beginning of the end was memorable. Everyone fears Roy Nelson’s overhand right, but it was the uppercut that snuck in there and stunned Mitrione. The knockout was impressive and keeps him relevant in the heavyweight division.
What We Learned About Matt Mitrione
Mitrione is a great prospect in the heavyweight division and he is going to be a great fighter in the future. His striking is impressive, and even though he got caught by Nelson, he is still a fighter to watch at 265 pounds.
What We Learned About Roy Nelson
It’s hard to say we’ve learned anything about Roy Nelson. He is a power puncher, which we already knew. He beats guys he is ranked ahead of, which we have seen in the past. The question is, can he make the move to the upper echelon of the heavyweight division? That has yet to be seen.
What’s Next for Mitrione
Mitrione needs to go back to the drawing board here and look to improve. His striking defense looked good in the beginning of the fight; he just got caught by a mauling punch. Pat Barry won earlier in the night, so putting them in the cage opposite one another may make sense.
What’s Next for Nelson
Nelson should get another chance to fight a top contender in the heavyweight division. However, most of the top heavyweights are locked into future matchups. Therefore, a fight with Cheick Kongo, a guy who was asked to fight Nelson before Mitrione but turned the fight down, makes sense.
Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com