TUF 14, Episode 9 recap
UFC president Dana White does intros, and Josh Rosenthal officiates the bout. T.J. lunges with a punch but misses and…
UFC president Dana White does intros, and Josh Rosenthal officiates the bout.
T.J. lunges with a punch but misses and resets in the opening sequence. He again does the same before faking a shot and landing an uppercut. T.J. ducks under a hook and shoots to get the takedown. T.J. postures up to throw a punch and nearly gets his arm caught. He returns to full guard, and Dustin continues looking for a submission. T.J. lands a few punches and elbows from the top. T.J. lands another solid forearm strike. Dustin works his way to the cage, but T.J. pulls him away from it and then postures up for more punches. Dustin nearly gets to his feet, but T.J. takes him right back down. Dustin tries to create a scramble, but T.J. keeps the shots coming from the top. In the final 30 seconds, Dustin finally gets back to his feet and delivers a big knee to the chin, and then he avoids a tiring T.J.’s takedown attempt. T.J., though, gets in nice punches just as the round ends. In the first, it’s all T.J., who takes it 10-9.
In the second, T.J. wings a right that’s checked. He then lands a right and looks to clinch. Dustin returns fire. T.J. sets up a takedown with strikes. He lands in half guard before Dustin pulls him into full. Dustin is against the cage and tries to get back to his feet. He then tries to sweep, but T.J. takes side control. T.J. mixes in some elbows from the top. The Team Miller coaches implore Dustin to get up. T.J. mixes in some knees to the body, but Dustin pulls him back into guard. T.J. drops some elbows, a few of which land flush. Dustin looks to sweep, but T.J. continues dropping punches and elbows from the top. Dustin throws elbows from the bottom, but T.J. is far more effective from the top, and he closes out the round with more shots. It’s all T.J., who takes it 10-9.
The fight goes to the scheduled third round with Dustin in a 2-0 hole. T.J. tries an uppercut from distance and nearly eats a knee. Dustin avoids the takedown, but T.J. shoots again and lifts him and takes him to the mat. T.J. drops punches, elbows and hammerfists. Dustin works butterfly guard and tries to get up, but T.J. is relentless. Both fighters are bleeding now. The fighters trade elbows, but T.J. is dangerous when he postures up. Dustin tries anything to get off his back or secure a submission, but T.J. gives no openings. T.J. moves to side control and delivers elbows to the head and knees to the body. He then moves to full guard and delivers more shots. T.J. intensifies the assault wanting to claim a bonus. Dustin pulls him back into full guard as T.J. keeps posturing up for more shots. The final round is all T.J. again, and he should easily take a 30-27 decision.
Sure enough, the scorecards are read, and T.J. takes it via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-26).