Tag: UFC

The field of The Ultimate Fighter is beginning to take shape, as next week is the last episode before the live finale. The field currently is still even, as Team Faber and Team Cruz both have two fighters apiece left in the tournament.

Both semifinals will occur Friday, May 25, which will be a nice lead-in for Saturday’s UFC 146. Here is a preview of both semifinals.

 

James Vick vs. Michael Chiesa

James Vick has made an unlikely run on the show thus far, proving to be the true dark horse of the season.

Vick is young in his career, holding just a 4-0 record. At 6’3″, he is the tallest fighter on the show and has a good wingspan.

To get into the house, Vick beat the heavily favored Dakota Cochrane by split decision. In an uneventful fight that saw Cochrane shoot for takedowns the whole bout, Vick showed off good takedown defense, which has carried him through his fights.

Vick was the fifth pick of Dominick Cruz, which was the ninth overall pick. Team Faber chose him to fight first against heavily favored Daron Cruickshank.

Giving up a lot of experience and skill, Vick entered the fight with no fear. The bout was uneventful until Cruickshank shot for a takedown and ate an inadvertent knee from Vick, knocking him unconscious.

His latest win saw him take out another heavily favored opponent in Joe Proctor. He defeated the savvy grappler by unanimous decision, earning his spot in the semifinals.

On the other side of the Octagon will be Michael Chiesa, the man fighting in his recently deceased father’s memory.

Chiesa is a perfect 7-0 in his career, with five of his wins coming by submission. He comes from the northwest United States, where many rugged, tough fighters such as Cody McKenzie got their beginnings.

In the elimination round, Chiesa beat Johnavan Viasante via rear-naked choke in just a little more than two minutes. Chiesa showcased his wrestling and submission skills in this fight, wowing the coaches in attendance.

Chiesa was the fifth fighter taken by Team Faber, which was the 10th overall pick. In his first fight in the house, Chiesa was matched up with Jeremy Larsen in a striker versus grappler matchup. During the bout, Chiesa hit Larsen with an illegal knee in the first round. The second round saw Chiesa continue to dominate the fight, en route to a unanimous decision.

In his latest fight, Chiesa was matched up with top overall pick Justin Lawrence, Team Cruz’s golden boy. Chiesa wore down Lawrence in two tough rounds before eventually earning a technical knockout victory over the gifted striker.

This matchup is interesting, as Vick is a solid boxer with good takedown defense, and Chiesa is purely a submission wrestler with relentless takedowns. Chiesa is going to be the physically stronger, bigger guy, while Vick will have the height and reach advantage.

Expect Chiesa to score his takedown and eventually submit Vick to earn his spot in the finals.

Prediction: Michael Chiesa def. James Vick via submission

 

Al Iaquinta vs. Vinc Pichel

Al Iaquinta came into this season with a 5-1-1 record, as the Serra-Longo product has been impressive in the eastern regional MMA scene.

Iaquinta earned his spot in the house by winning a hard-fought decision over Jon Tuck during a fight that saw Tuck deform one of his toes. Iaquinta showcased his striking and ground game in the fight, proving to be a well-rounded fighter.

He was picked first by Team Faber, which was good for second overall, and Iaquinta was the man responsible for turning the tide early when Team Faber was down.

He was picked to fight Myles Jury, an undefeated prospect with a similarly well-rounded game, and it became an absolute war. Iaquinta was able to come out victorious, winning a razor-close split decision. He showed great striking in the fight, which could be in the running for “Fight of the Season.”

In his latest outing, Iaquinta was matched up against his teammate, Andy Ogle. Iaquinta used superior striking in the fight, which saw him earn a first-round knockout of his Team Faber brethren.

Meanwhile, Vinc Pichel has flown under the radar this season and into the semifinals.

Pichel is undefeated in his MMA career, possessing a 6-0 record while fighting in the California regional circuit. All of his wins have come by knockout.

To get into the house, Pichel was matched up against Cody Pfister. In the one-round affair, Pichel tapped out Pfister with a rear-naked choke, earning his spot in the house. He was the sixth fighter chosen by Team Cruz, good for 11th overall, and was eventually matched up with John Cofer.

In the fight with Cofer, Pichel showed his toughness after taking some bombs from Cofer. In the sudden death round, Pichel finished off Cofer with an arm-triangle choke, earning his spot in the quarterfinals.

In the quarterfinals, Pichel faced Chris Saunders, who was the last pick of the season, but still dangerous nonetheless. He went on to take a majority decision victory in a very close fight.

This fight between Iaquinta and Pichel is going to be interesting, as many will choose Iaquinta. Pichel should not be counted out, though, as he is talented in most aspects of MMA.

In the end, it will be a close fight. Expect Iaquinta to use his superior all-around skills to earn the nod on the judge’s scorecards.

Prediction: Al Iaquinta def. Vinc Pichel via decision 

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