Tonight, there is a lot more on the line than the prestigious title of The Ultimate Fighter. Aside from the division rungs that can be climbed by Jake Ellenberger or Martin Kampmann, the fighters tonight are fighting for a lofty cash prize: Fight Night Bonuses.
While Bleacher Report staff always provides you with previews and predictions on all MMA events, we like to take a guess at who will take home some extra money. Let’s take a look at our picks for the Fight Night Bonuses at the Ultimate Fighter Live: Finale.
Knockout of the Night: John Albert
John Albert likes to strike first. In both of his UFC appearances, he has come out swinging immediately. Albert is 1-1 in the UFC with a quick TKO finish of opponent Dustin Pague in his debut. He followed up the performance with an excellent scrap against bantamweight contender Ivan Menjivar, in which he hurt the veteran with a big knee before jumping to a guillotine.
If Albert hadn’t stopped striking, he likely would have earned the TKO victory; however, he ended up getting submitted by Menjivar after escaping the choke. His opponent is 10-4 and untested against stiff competition.
Despite Ellenberger being on this card, Albert will win the bonus tonight. I think that Kampmann will be able to avoid getting finished in this fight.
Submission of the Night: Charles Oliveira
Charles Oliveira competes for the second time as a featherweight against former TUF winner Jonathan Brookins in a battle that could make Du Bronx a standout in the ever-growing division. With submission skills that have claimed victories from Darren Elkins, Efrain Escudero and Eric Wisely, the Brazilian is one of the top grapplers in his division.
Fight of the Night: Jake Ellenberger vs Martin Kampmann
Tonight’s main event is going to be an absolute war. Ellenberger has excellent wrestling technique and dynamite in his hands. Kampmann has tremendous offensive striking, but he often takes big damage when getting in close.
Both men are prone to getting sucked into a slugfest, and that is the type of fight that gets rewarded in kind.
What do you think? Send us your predictions in the comments below.
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