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Welcome to the PWInsiderXtra.com live coverage of the UFC Ultimate Fighter 18 Finale Preliminary Card, live from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Fight #1 - UFC Flyweight Division Fight
Ryan Benoit (7-2-0) vs. Joshua Sampo (10-2-0)
Referee: Chris Tognoni
Round One
The round begins with Benoit quickly popping Sampo with a left uppercut, Benoit follows that up with a kick to the midsection and some left uppercuts on Sampo. Sampo stuns Benoit with a right before scoring the takedown on him, Sampo quickly begins to attack Benoit with some ground and pound. Sampo starts hunting for some submissions on Benoit, Sampo looks for the full mount and Benoit scrambles to get on top of him. Benoit transitions to back control on Sampo after he blocked an omaplata attempt, the referee stands up the fighters after inactivity and Sampo attacks Benoit with striking combinations. Sampo lands a kick to the rib cage of Benoit after avoiding a takedown, Sampo then cracks Benoit with a pair of rights as the round ends.
Round Two
The round begins with Sampo attacking Benoit with a high kick, Sampo scores a takedown on Benoit and he gets side control. Sampo gets the inverted full mount on Benoit while landing some strikes, Sampo transitions to the full mount on Benoit. Benoit scrambles at the right time to get himself on top of an attacking Sampo, Benoit transitions to back control on Sampo. Benoit advances to the full mount on Sampo while attacking him with ground and pound, Benoit returns to back control on Sampo. Sampo sweeps at the right time to get back on top of Benoit, Sampo starts attacking Benoit with elbow strikes. Sampo advances to the full mount while attempting a shoulder lock on Benoit, Sampo quickly gets back control on Benoit after a scramble. Sampo locks in a rear naked choke and a tap out follows.
Fight Result: Joshua Sampo def. Ryan Benoit by submission via rear naked choke (4:31, R2)
Fight #2 - UFC Welterweight Division Fight
Drew Dober (14-4-0) vs. Sean Spencer (10-2-0)
Referee: Yves Lavigne
Round One
The round begins with Spencer quickly coming forward on Dober while throwing strikes, Spencer then cracks a swinging Dober with a counter right. Dober pops Spencer with a few leg kicks to keep him at bay, Dober grabs a hold of Spencer and he forces him against the cage wall. The fighters swing wildly at each other as they back away from the wall, Spencer then cracks Dober with a straight left. Dober again forces Spencer up against the cage wall and he eats a right for his effort, Dober hits Spencer with a kick to the rib cage. Spencer keeps on cracking an incoming Dober with some counter punches, Dober again looks for a takedown and Spencer blocks it. Dober cracks a ducking Spencer with a high kick as they moved away from the wall, Spencer hits Dober with a right as the round ends.
Round Two
The round begins with Dober quickly attempting some takedowns on Spencer, Spencer cracks Dober with a knee strike and left hook as they separate. Spencer then cracks Dober with a wild right to the upper body, Spencer follows that up by nailing Dober with a standing elbow strike. Spencer puts Dober up against the cage wall while landing knee strikes to the thighs, Dober goes back to attacking Spencer with leg kicks while looking for the takedown again. The referee separates the fighters after inactivity and Dober hits Spencer with a knee strike, Dober also starts hitting Spencer with some kicks to the midsection. Spencer barely connects with a superman punch on Dober, Spencer then hits a swinging Dober with a counter left hook. Spencer pops Dober with a leaping right as the round ends.
Round Three
The round begins with Dober cracking Spencer with a kick to the rib cage, Spencer responds by hitting Dober with a striking combination. Spencer continuously catches Dober with some lefts, the fighters swing wildly at each other as they stand in the center of the octagon. Spencer regains control by hitting Dober with a knee strike to the midsection, Dober lands a kick to the rib cage of Spencer in response. The fighters exchange knee strikes while in the clinch, Spencer separates from Dober before kicking him in the rib cage. Spencer attempts a few superman punches on Dober, Dober again forces Spencer up against the cage wall while looking for a takedown. Spencer breaks free before nailing Dober with a kick to the belly region, Spencer then hits Dober with a two punch combination. Spencer rocks Dober with a trio of knee strikes and a left hook, Spencer puts Dober against the cage wall while landing some elbow strikes. Dober looks for another takedown as the round ends.
Fight Result: Sean Spencer def. Drew Dober by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Fight #3 - UFC Heavyweight Division Fight
Walter Harris (6-1-0) vs. Jared Rosholt (8-1-0)
Referee: Chris Tognoni
Round One
The round begins with Rosholt attacking Harris with some leg kicks, Harris then cracks a swinging Rosholt with a counter left. Harris follows that up by hitting Rosholt with a right, Harris charges forward on Rosholt while throwing a ton of strikes. Harris then drops Rosholt twice with a few rights, Rosholt tries to back up Harris by throwing a front kick. Rosholt then kicks a backing Harris in the midsection, Rosholt follows that up by popping Harris with a short right. Harris recovers by hitting an incoming Rosholt with a counter left, Harris lands a left on Rosholt as the round ends.
Round Two
The round begins with Rosholt popping Harris with a left hook, Rosholt follows that up by landing a kick to the rib cage of Harris. Harris recovers by nailing Rosholt with a short right, Rosholt then cracks a ducking Harris with a knee to the head. Rosholt pops a leaping Harris with a counter left hook, Rosholt also starts attacking Harris with leg kicks. Harris then hits Rosholt with a two punch combo to the rib cage, Rosholt responds by kicking Harris in the belly. Harris gets some momentum by nailing Rosholt with a pair of lefts, Rosholt cracks Harris with a knee strike as the round ends.
Round Three
The round begins with Harris attempting to kick Rosholt in the midsection, Rosholt scores a takedown on Harris and he gets the half guard. Rosholt quickly starts attacking Harris with some ground and pound, Harris does his best to escape and he fails as Rosholt pounds on him. Rosholt mixes in some elbow strikes in his attack on Harris, Rosholt searches for some submissions on Harris as well. Rosholt continues attacking Harris with strikes as the round ends.
Fight Result: Jared Rosholt def. Walter Harris by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Fight #4 - UFC Featherweight Division Fight
Tom Niinimaki (20-5-1) vs. Rani Yahya (19-7-0)
Referee: Kim Winslow
Round One
The round begins with Yahya quickly attacking Niinimaki with leg kicks, Yahya charges forward on Niinimaki while throwing strikes. Yahya scores a takedown on Niinimaki and he gets the half guard, Niinimaki causes a scramble and he gets on top of Yahya. Yahya rolls for the heel hook and Niinimaki avoids it while staying in top position, Yahya gets back on top of Niinimaki after another heel hook attempt. Niinimaki again scrambles to get back on top of Yahya, Niinimaki starts attacking Yahya with some ground and pound. Yahya quickly sweeps Niinimaki to get back control on him, Niinimaki scrambles again to get the fight standing before gaining a takedown on him. Niinimaki settles in the half guard on Yahya, Niinimaki attacks Yahya with strikes as the round ends.
Round Two
The round begins with Yahya attacking Niinimaki with a few kicks, Yahya clinches up with Niinimaki before using some dirty boxing. Niinimaki forces Yahya against the cage wall while landing a knee strike, Niinimaki scores a takedown on Yahya and he gets leg control. Yahya almost catches Niinimaki in a guillotine choke as he transitions to side control, Niinimaki starts attacking Yahya with some ground and pound. Niinimaki starts to primarily use elbow strikes on Yahya, Yahya eventually forces Niinimaki into the half guard. The referee stands up the fighters after inactivity and Niinimaki looks for a takedown on Yahya, Yahya almost catches Niinimaki in a guillotine choke as they go back to the ground. Niinimaki stays on top of Yahya as the round ends.
Round Three
The round begins with Niinimaki instantly scoring a takedown on Yahya and getting the half guard, Niinimaki attacks Yahya with a few knee strikes. The referee stands up the fighters after inactivity and Niinimaki attacks Yahya with leg kicks, Yahya then hits Niinimaki with a punching combination. Niinimaki scores a takedown on Yahya and quickly gets caught in a guillotine choke, Yahya releases the choke and remains on top of Niinimaki. Yahya starts to attack Niinimaki with some ground and pound as the round ends.
Fight Result: Tom Niinimaki def. Rani Yahya by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)
Fight #5 - UFC Featherweight Division Fight
Maximo Blanco (9-4-1-1NC) vs. Akira Corassani (13-4-0)
Referee: Mario Yamasaki
Round One
The round begins with Blanco charging forward on Corassani while landing some strikes, Blanco nails Corassani with an illegal knee strike and the fight is halted. The doctor checks on Corassani and deems that he is unable to continue, which ends the fight.
Fight Result: Akira Corassani def. Maximo Blanco by disqualification via illegal strike (0:25, R1)
