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Roy Nelson Combo Buries Matt Mitrione in ‘The Ultimate Fighter 16’ Finale Headliner

Roy Nelson (right) lamped Matt Mitrione in Las Vegas. | Jim Kemper/Zuffa LLC/Getty Images



Matt Mitrione was not ready for Roy Nelson.

Nelson (18-7, 5-3 UFC) dispatched the Blackzilians representative with a crushing three-punch combination and follow-up ground strikes in the first round of their main event at “The Ultimate Fighter 16” Finale on Saturday at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

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It was over 2:58 after it began.

Mitrione (5-2, 5-2 UFC) did well for a time, as he belted the former International Fight League champion with heavy kicks to the arms, body and legs. However, Nelson’s punching power made its appearance a little more than midway through round one, as he floored Mitrione with a right uppercut-left hook-overhand right combination. “Big Country” -- whose original opponent, Shane Carwin, withdrew from the event with a knee injury -- finished it with a series of jackhammer right hands on his turtled adversary.

“I used to submit everybody when I first started, but when I got my first knockout, I said, ‘Man, this is so much easier than this wrestling and jiu-jitsu stuff,’” Nelson said. “I was looking to pick him apart in the second and third and show all the critics that a fat boy can go five rounds.”

Smith Captures Latest ‘Ultimate Fighter’ Crown


J. Kemper/Zuffa LLC/UFC

Smith (top) blasted Ricci.
Colton Smith utilized a spirit-sapping clinch game and excellent positional grappling to defeat Tristar Gym export Mike Ricci by unanimous decision in “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 16 welterweight final. All three cageside judges scored it for Smith (4-1, 1-0 UFC): 30-27, 30-27 and 30-26.

Ricci, a natural 155-pound fighter, entered the cage with all the fanfare, but had no answer for what he encountered. Smith delivered takedowns and transitioned to the Canadian’s back in all three rounds, threatening with chokes and peppering him with light but effective punches and elbows. The 25-year-old Des Moines, Iowa, native benefitted from an inadvertent low blow in the second round that went unnoticed by referee Steve Mazzagatti. It was an advantage he did not need.

Smith controlled virtually every minute of the bout. Ricci made one last bid for victory late in the third round, where he reversed into top position and transitioned to an attempted armbar. Smith defended, freed his arm and moved out of danger.

“It’s sweet. I wanted to finish the fight,” Smith said. “Ricci, first of all, is a 155-pound fighter. He’s tough as nails, and he whooped the crap out of everybody in the house. I knew he was a very dangerous opponent, and I had to be careful with him.”

Heavy-Handed Barry Victimizes Del Rosario


J. Kemper/Zuffa LLC/UFC

Barry left del Rosario down and out.
Pat Barry bushwhacked Team Oyama’s Shane del Rosario with a brutal multi-punch combination 26 seconds into the second round of their featured heavyweight matchup. An overhand left put del Rosario (11-2, 0-2 UFC) on shaky footing and a searing right hook resulted in a highlight-reel knockout.

Barry (8-5, 5-5 UFC) wandered into danger in the first round, as del Rosario struck for a takedown, transitioned to his back and threatened him with a series of submissions. The rear-naked choke, the armbar and the omaplata all failed, and Barry survived to see round two.

Once there, the New Orleans native wasted no time in getting down to business. He rocked del Rosario with a left, pursued him with more heavy artillery and finished him in violent fashion.

“It’s a rough ride coming out here,” Barry said. “Anybody who says they don’t get nervous before a fight is a liar, or they’ve never been hit in the head. There have just been a lot of ups and downs.”

Poirier Choke Submits Brookins


J. Kemper/Zuffa LLC/UFC

Poirier blew Brookins away.
American Top Team’s Dustin Poirier submitted “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 12 winner Jonathan Brookins with a first-round brabo choke in an entertaining featherweight showcase. Brookins (13-6, 2-3 UFC) conceded defeat 4:15 into round one.

Poirier (13-2, 5-1 UFC) engaged in a wild early exchange with the Floridian and weathered several clubbing right hands. As the fight deepened, Poirier slowly established his superiority. He buckled Brookins with a right hand of his own with a little more than a minute to go in the first round, swarmed with punches against the cage and cinched the choke on an ill-advised takedown attempt.

“I knew Brookins had a solid cross,” Poirier said. “He hurt me early on against the fence, but, luckily, I clipped his chin and made him back up a little bit. I watched his last fight a lot, and he got caught against the fence with an anaconda. When he gave it to me, I thought, ‘This is unreal. He’s not doing it again.’ Sure enough, it was in there.”


More TUF 16 Finale »
‘The Ultimate Fighter 16’ Finale Prelims: Mike Pyle Knee Sinks James Head
TUF 16 Finale Play-by-Play
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