In the last pre-taped episode, the two semi-final fights took place.   Team Dos Santos’ Ramsey Nijem defeated Team Lesnar’s Chris Cope with a TKO in the second round.  In a matchup between two Team Lesnar’s teammates, Anthony Ferguson stopped Chuck O’Neil with a TKO in the third round.

The live finale will take place on Saturday, with Team Lesnar’s Anthony Ferguson taking on Team Dos Santos’ Ramsey Nijem.

The final win tally is 6 Team Dos Santos, 7 Team Lesnar in head-to-head matchups.

Interestingly, the higher ranked fighter won every matchup this season except two: Chris Cope’s upset win over Shamar Bailey, and the first fight between Zachary Davis and Chuck O’Neil.

The following matchups have been announced for the finale:

[#114 WW] Anthony Fergusson (pre-season ranking: #113 WW) vs [#273 LW] Ramsey Nijem (pre-season ranking: #247 LW)

[#440 WW] Chris Cope (pre-season ranking: #441 WW) vs [#298 WW] Chuck O’Neil (pre-season ranking: #289 WW)

[#183 WW] Justin Edwards (pre-season ranking: #182 WW) vs [#350 WW] Clay Harvison (pre-season ranking: #387 WW)

[#377 WW] Shamar Bailey  (pre-season ranking: #364 WW) vs [#216 WW] Ryan McGillivray (pre-season ranking: #200 WW)

Keep reading for the final recap of this season:

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Titan Fighting Championship 18
May 27, 2011
Memorial Hall,
Kansas City, Kansas, United States

Catchweight (140 lbs)

Brian Davidson (7 – 3 – 0) defeated UFC, Pride and WEC vet Jens Pulver (24 – 15 – 1) by submission due to rear-naked choke at 4:04 of round 1.  Davidson, who is on a 2 fight win streak (preceded by a 2 fight losing streak), enters the featherweight “Top 250” at [#215].  Pulver, who was on a 2 fight win streak prior to this loss (preceded by a 6 fight losing streak), remains unranked.

Catchweight (200 lbs)

John Ott (9 – 8 – 0) defeated UFC vet Jake Rosholt (11 – 4 – 0) by disqualification due to an illegal knee strike at 4:23 of round 3.  Ott, who is 3-2 in his last 5, moves from [#321MW] into the light heavyweight “Top 250” at [#71].  Rosholt, who was on a 4 fight win streak prior to this loss, moves from [#64MW] into the light heavyweight “Top 250” at [#79].
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UFC 130 – Rampage vs. Hamill
May 28, 2011
MGM Grand Garden Arena,
Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

Light Heavyweight

Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (32 – 8 – 0) defeated Matt Hamill (10 – 3 – 0) by unanimous decision.  Jackson easily stuffed Hamill’s repeated takedown attempts, answering with powerful punches to the head and body.  Other than leg kicks, Hamill was not able to mount any real offense against the former light heavyweight champion.  Jackson, who is 4-1 in his last 5, holds his ranking at [#4].  Perhaps a rematch with [#5] Lyoto Machida would help show where both men belong among the top of the division. Hamill, who was on a 5 fight win streak prior to this bout, moves 1 spots down the ranks from [#15] to [#16].  He should look to rebound against [#9] Ryan Bader should he defeat [#26] Tito Ortiz, who are scheduled to fight at UFC 132 in July.

Heavyweight

Frank Mir (15 – 5 – 0) defeated Roy Nelson (15 – 6 – 0) by unanimous decision.  Mir took down Nelson repeatedly, once with a textbook judo hip toss in the 1st round.  Nelson’s gas tank failed him by the 2nd round, and Mir continued to capitalize with both strikes on the feet and superior ground control.  Mir, who is 3-2 in his last 5, holds his rank at [#7].  Since the top of the heavyweight division is locked up at this point, Mir should look to face someone like [#22] Travis Browne to stay busy.  Nelson, who is on a 2 fight slide (2-4 in his last 6), moves 1 spot down the ranks from [#25] to [#26].  Nelson could face [#16] Mike Russow next to try and get back on the winning track.

Heavyweight

Travis Browne (11 – 0 – 1) defeated Stefan Struve (21 – 5 – 0) by KO due to a punch at 4:11 of round 1.  Struve nearly locked on a D’arce choke early in the round, but was stopped by a crushing superman punch by Browne.  Struve’s body seemed to fold upon itself as he fell to the canvas, followed by two unanswered blows from Browne.  Browne, who has won 9 of his 11 victories by stoppage, jumps 13 spots up the ranks from [#35] to [#22].  Browne should take a step up and face [#7] Frank Mir in his next bout.  Struve, who is 2-2 in his last 4, falls 16 spots down the ranks from [#34] to [#50].  Struve will need a win in his next bout, and should look to face someone like [#54] Rob Broughton.

Welterweight

Rick Story (13 – 3 – 0) defeated Thiago Alves (18 – 8 – 0) by unanimous decision.  Story used takedowns and clinch work to vex Alves throughout the fight.  Alves fired back with knees and punches that at times backed Story up, but never fully stopped his forward motion.  Story, who is on a 6 fight win streak , jumps 12 spots up the ranks from [#23] to [#11].  Story is making serious waves in the welterweight division, and should look to face a top contender like [#6] Josh Koscheck (who should be returning to competition in mid 2011) or [#4] John Fitch (once he returns from his injury).  Alves, who is now 1-3 in his last 4, falls 5 spots down the ranks from [#12] to [#17].  A fight between Alves and [#16] Jake Ellenberger would prove telling for where both men belong in the division.

Middleweight

Brian Stann (11 – 3 – 0) defeated Jorge Santiago (23 – 9 – 0) by KO due to punches at 4:29 of round 2.  Stann rocked Santiago in the 1st with a left hook that sent him crashing to the mat.  Santiago was able to fight through the ground and pound that followed from Stann.  Santiago’s suspect chin came into play again in the 2nd round, when he ate a right to the side of his head.  Again Santiago hit the mat, and Stann finished it this time with his ground and pound.  Stann, who is  5-1 in his last 6, jumps 12 spots up the ranks from [#18] to [#6].  If [*]Wanderlei Silva makes it past [#23] Chris Leben, that would be a great match to make (as Stann has requested the match personally).   Santiago, who is 3-2 in his last 5 (6 of his 9 losses coming from (T)KO), moves 6 spots down the ranks from [#5] to [#11].  A bout with [#27] Dan Miller would help show if Santiago is in over his head in the deep waters of the UFC.

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British Association of Mixed Martial Arts 6
May 21, 2011
Wembley Arena,
London, England

BAMMA Middleweight Championship

Middleweight (185 lbs)

Tom Watson (14 – 4 – 0) defeated Pride veteran Murilo “Ninja” Rua (20 – 12 – 1) by KO due to head kicks and punches at 2:06 of round 1.  Watson, who is 10-1 in his last 11, jumps 18 spots up the ranks from [#62] to [#44].  Rua, who announced his retirement following the bout, falls 54 spots down the ranks from [#88] to [#142].

Middleweight (185 lbs)

UFC vet Frank Trigg (21 – 8 – 0) defeated John Phillips (13 – 4 – 0) by TKO due to doctor stoppage at 2:41 of round 1.  Trigg, who is on a 2 fight win streak since being released from the UFC following back to back losses to [#6WW] Josh Koscheck and [#24WW] Matt Serra, moves 11 spots up the ranks from [#56] to [#45].  Phillips, who was on a 5 fight win streak prior to this loss (all by TKO via punches), falls 52 spots down the ranks from [#104] to [#156].
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In Episode 9, the two remaining quarter-final fights took place, with Team Lesnar taking both bouts.

In a rematch from the first round, Chuck O’Neil defeated Zachary Davis with a 20-18 unanimous decision. Davis suffered torn retinas in both eyes, requiring emergency surgery and effectively ending his fighting career.

In the last quarter-final, Anthony Ferguson defeated Ryan McGillivray with a TKO in the first round.

The current win tally is 5 Team Dos Santos, 7 Team Lesnar. Ramsey Nijem is the only remaining contestant from Team Dos Santos.

The semi-final matchups will take place in the next week’s episode (all rankings approximated as-of the show’s taping):

[#113] Anthony Ferguson vs [#289] Chuck O’Neil

[#247 LW] Ramsey Nijem vs [#441] Chris Cope

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Ultra X Combat – International Grand Prix
May 20, 2011
Exhibition Park,
Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Welterweight (170 lbs)

Gregor Gracie (5 – 1 – 0) defeated Tiago Tosato (9 – 11 – 0) by submission in round 1.  Gracie, who is on a 3 fight win streak (all by 1st round submission), flies 77 spots up the ranks from [#435] to [#358].  Tosato, who is 2-6 in his last 8, remains unranked.

Middleweight (185 lbs)

Norman Paraisy (9 – 1 – 1) defeated Paulo Filho (22 – 4 – 1) by unanimous decision.  Paraisy, who is 4-0-1 in his last 5,  moves from [#167WW] into the middleweight “Top 350” at [#51].  Filho, who is 2-3 in his last 5,  moves from [#42LHW] into the middleweight “Top 350” at [#59].
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Bellator Fighting Championships 45
May 21, 2011
L’Auberge du Lac Casino and Resort,
Lake Charles, Louisiana, United States

Bellator Light Heavyweight Tournament Final/Bellator Light Heavyweight Championship
Light Heavyweight (205 lbs)

Christian M’Pumbu (18 – 3 – 1) defeated Richard Hale (17 – 4 – 1) by TKO via punches at 4:17 of the 3rd round.  M’Pumbu blasted Hale with a left hook that sent Hale to the canvas.  M’pumbu tried to finish the dazed Hale with a brabo choke, but Hale escaped.  Hale started to gain momentum in the second round, controlling the passive M’Pumbu on the feet.  This continued until midway into the 3rd round, when M’Pumbu again blasted Hale-this time with a strong right hand.  Hale again crashed to the mat, and after a brief pause M’Pumbu followed him with hammerfists.  Hale struggled to regain his guard but was unable to, forcing the ref to stop the bout.  M’Pumbu, who is on a 3 fight win streak (all by TKO via punches), jumps 16 spots up from [#44] to [#28].  M’Pumbu became the inaugural Bellator Light Heavyweight champ with this victory.  Hale, who had a 4 fight win streak broken by this loss, drops 16 spots from [#34] to [#50].

Bellator Featherweight Tournament Final
Featherweight (145 lbs)

Patricio Freire (17 – 1 – 0) defeated Daniel Straus (16 – 4 – 0) by unanimous decision.  Freire kept the distance close, not allowing Straus to use his reach and size advantage.  Freire pressed Straus up against the fence and peppered him with knees to the body.  Freire mocked Straus twice during the fight imploring Straus to come forward, garnering boos from the crowd.  Ultimately, Straus was never able to implement his wrestling based game plan.  Freire, who is on a 3 fight win streak after rebounding from his lone career loss to current Bellator featherweight champ [#4BW] Joe Warren, jumps 6 spots up from [#12] to [#6].  Freire will now get a rematch against Joe Warren.  Straus, who had a tremendous 12 fight win streak broken by this loss, drops 8 spots from [#16] to [#24].

Middleweight (185 lbs)

Sam Alvey (15 – 2 – 0) won a contentious split decision over Karl Amoussou (12 – 5 – 1).  The 1st round was all Amoussou, who landed powerful kicks and a slick judo throw.  He transitioned to mount and landed elbows that opened Alvey up.  These cuts would gush torrents of blood for the remainder of the fight.  Amoussou slowed in the 2nd round, and Alvey started to find his stride.  However, it was not until the 3rd round that Alvey truly got into the driver’s seat.  Alvey took Amoussou down near the end of the 3rd frame and flailed away in guard as the round came to a close.  Alvey, who is on a 4 fight win streak (2 by split decision), moves from [#92LHW] to [#92MW].  Alvey qualified for the upcoming Bellator middleweight tournament with this win.  Amoussou, who is 2-2-1 in his last 5, holds his rank at [#128].
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