The Ultimate Fighter season 18 Finale is starting to take shape, as a huge women’s MMA bout between Team Rousey fighters Peggy Morgan and Jessamyn Duke has been announced by the UFC (via MMA Junkie).
TUF 18 has had a load of female talent on display, with almost all the women walking into the House with pro-level skills even before the season’s beginning. Morgan and Duke represented two of the most physically gifted athletes on the show this season, measuring 6’1″ and 5’11” respectively. On top of their frame, they both own strong grappling chops and serviceable striking.
Morgan won her way into the House by beating Bethany Marshall in convincing fashion (which you can watch here). However, she would go on to lose her quarterfinal bout with Team Tate’s Sarah Moras, who took her down and submitted her without incident.
Jessamyn Duke, meanwhile, roughed up Laura Howarth to get into the House (check it out here), but dropped a decision to Raquel Pennington that many pegged as one of the best fights in the history of women’s MMA. Duke’s combination of lengthy, Stefan Struve-like grappling and strong striking in the clinch made her a popular pick to win the show.
While both fighters lost their first official fight of the season, a combination of their obvious skills and the shallowness of the women’s division make them very valuable additions to the UFC in spite of that.
It is unknown as of yet which other fighters from TUF 18 will be making a return, but we know that Shayna Baszler will be cornering Jessamyn Duke and unable to fight at this time due to injury.
Well since it was announced, even tho injury is keeping me from fighting, I will still be at the #TUF18Finale helping corner @jessamynduke
— Shayna Baszler (@QoSBaszler) November 25, 2013
Past Duke and Morgan, we will likely see other eliminated fighters such as Sarah Moras and Michael Wootten make a return at some point in the future.
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