TUF 19: Episode 12 – The Big Show
Other than some of the initial training, the show got right into the last middleweight semifinal. In the fight Team Edgar’s Dhiego Lima starts out with two kicks to Team Penn member Roger Zapata‘s leg. However, Zapata is able to come back with a punch that puts Lima down and Zapata follows for ground and pound. Lima though recovers quickly and is able to secure an arm bar, popping Zapata’s arm out before he has time to submit. With that Lima not only makes it into the semifinals but guarantees that he will get the submission of the season.
At the Team Penn training the next day, BJ Penn brings in UFC Hall of Famer Chuck Liddell. Liddell proceeds to teach the various Team Penn members various moves on the mat related to MMA. Penn’s goal of having Liddell teach semifinalist Daniel Spohn a few things is successful and Spohn learns somethings. Later on members of both teams begin celebrating their last day in the house with a few drinks and some singing. Team Edgar member and semifinalist Matt Van Buren gets a little irritated though and sulks a little bit upstairs.
Fight day happens and for the most part the first round goes more for Spohn as he is able to get some take downs. The second round however has several moments that go for Van Buren as he is able to rock Spohn several times. Then at one point he rocks Spohn to the point that he falls and Van Buren finishes the fight with strikes. Afterwards Spohn notes that he got an accidental eye poke during the match but kept going. He also believes that referee Herb Dean stopped the fight early as he was still aware but accepts the fight stoppage.
UFC President Dana White later notes that with all four finalists being from Team Edgar, it has been a while since one team dominated another. He also notes that Van Buren finally turned on the urgency. Penn and Edgar when later talking about each other note that they are confident that they will come away with the win. Then finally the finalists are announced in the middleweight division with Lima facing off against fellow teammate Eddie Gordon. Lastly in the light heavyweight division the finalists are Van Buren against teammate Corey Anderson, all of whom will face off at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.