The Ultimate Fighter 12 Finale

Rich Attonito vs. Dave Branch

The Ultimate Fighter 11 cast member Rich Attonito (9-3) will shoot for his third straight organizational victory at the TUF 12 finale when he meets Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Dave Branch (7-1) in a middleweight bout on the preliminary card.

Attonito, 28, is a New Jersey-born mixed martial artist who is training out of the American Top Team gym in Florida. Now a six year professional, Attonito began his career with seven victories over his first ten fights while competing for King of the Cage, Mass Destruction, and Reality Fighting organizations, among others. He made his way into the octagon through the TUF 11 show where he made it into the semifinals while fighting for Team Liddell, however had to withdrawal because of a broken hand. Attonito came back for the June finale and collected a TKO victory over Jaime Yager for his first UFC victory. He then added a unanimous decision victory over Rafael Natal at UFC Fight Night 22 in September after only three months off.

Branch, 28, is a North Carolina-born mixed martial artist who calls Renzo Gracie Jiu-Jitsu his training home. Branch began competing as a professional in 2007 and won his first six official bouts while fighting for promotions like Ring of Combat, UCC, and Bellator Fighting Championships. After stoppages in his first six fights, he was defeated with a vicious KO slam by Gerald Harris at the July UFC 116. He rebounded only two months later at UFC Fight Night 22 with a unanimous decision victory over Tomasz Drwal for his first official octagon win.

Prediction – Branch submission

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Fredson Paixao vs. Pablo Garza

WEC veterans and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu specialists Fredson Paixao (10-3, 1 NC) and Pablo Garza (9-1) will be the first to make the transition into the octagon in a TUF 12 finale preliminary card bout in the featherweight division.

Paixao, 31, is a Rio de Janeiro, Brazil-native who now considers Las Vegas his home where he trains out of the Gracie Barra Combat Team. Paixao made his debut in 2004 and won eight of his first ten while fighting for Jungle Fight, DEEP, and Pancrase organizations. He made his WEC debut on April 5, 2009 at WEC 40 and was defeated by Wagnney Fabiano before fighting to no contest at WEC 42 against Cole Province. He kept his roster position and rebounded with back-to-back victories defeating Courtney Buck and Bryan Caraway at WEC 47 in March and WEC 50 in August.

Garza, 27, is a North Dakota-based mixed martial artist who calls the Academy of Combat Arts his fight home. He made his professional debut in 2007 and won nine straight bouts while fighting all over North Dakota and Minnesota for Max Fights, King of the Cage, and Crowbar MMA organizations. Of those nine victories, six came via submission, two by way of decision and one via KO. He was a participant on the most recent season of The Ultimate Fighter, but was sent home during the opening round after losing to Michael Johnson. He found his way into the WEC and debuted at WEC 51 this September but lost via guillotine submission to China’s Zhang Tie Quan.

Prediction – Paixao submission

Cody McKenzie vs. Aaron Wilkinson

The Ultimate Fighter 12 cast members Cody McKenzie (11-0) of Team GSP and Aaron Wilkinson (6-3) of Team Koscheck will meet in a TUF 12 finale preliminary card bout in the 155-pound division.

McKenzie, 22, is an Alaska-born mixed martial artist who fights out of the Fancy Pants Fight Team in Spokane, Washington. McKenzie made his professional debut in April 2007 winning via TKO and then followed that with ten consecutive submission wins, nine of which came via guillotine choke. Competing for promotions like Cage Sport MMA, Rumble on the Ridge, and Conquest of the Cage, McKenzie won twice this year before joining the TUF 12 cast. McKenzie defeated Amir Khilah to punch his ticket into the house and was then picked 12th overall by Team GSP before earning a submission victory over Team Kos # 1 pick Marc Stevens in the preliminary round. McKenzie was overwhelmed in the quarterfinal round and was defeated via TKO against Nam Phan to end his run on the show.

Wilkinson is a Manchester, England-native who fights out of the Wolfslair MMA Academy with the likes of Michael Bisping and Cheick Kongo. Wilkinson debuted in October 2008 and won five of his first seven bouts before splitting his last two bouts. He has fought for British organizations like Cage Gladiators, House of Pain, OMMAC, and UCC. He won his only fight this year defeating Jacek Tacydlowski in March for the UCC promotion. He earned his way into the TUF 12 house by defeating Mike Richman and then was picked 11th overall by Team Koscheck. Fighting for Team Kos, Wilkinson lost to Michael Johnson in the preliminary round, defeated Marc Stevens in the wild card fight, and lost to Kyle Watson in the quarterfinals.

Prediction – Wilkinson TKO

Sako Chivitchian vs. Kyle Watson

TUF 12 quarterfinalist and Team Koscheck-trained Sako Chivitchian (5-0) will try and keep his unblemished record intact as he faces Team GSP semifinalist Kyle Watson (12-6-1) in a TUF 12 finale preliminary card bout in the lightweight division.

Chivitchian, 26, is a Soviet Union-born mixed martial artist who spent most of his time growing up in Armenia. Now a black belt in judo, Chivitchian made his professional debut in 1999 but took almost a full decade off before returning in 2009. He won four bouts in 2009 before earning the right to fight for a TUF 12 slot. He defeated Toby Grear by decision in the elimination round to earn his way into the house and after being selected 3rd by Team Koscheck (5th overall), he also defeated Dane Sayers in the preliminary round. His run was ended when Jonathan Brookins dominated the action and submitted Sako in their quarterfinal round bout.

Watson, 31, is an Illinois-born mixed martial artist who now fights out of Matt Hughes’ H.I.T. Squad in Hillsboro, IL. Watson made his pro debut in 2003 and battled to a mediocre 6-5-1 record over his first three years. He then turned it around and won six of his last seven going into the TUF 12 house. In the TUF 12 tournament, Watson defeated Joseph Duffy to win a spot in the house. After being selected 5th on Team GSP (10th overall), Watson defeated Andy Main in the preliminary round and Aaron Wilkinson in the quarterfinals before falling to Jonathan Brookins in the semifinals.

Prediction – Watson submission

Tyler Toner vs. Ian Loveland

History will be made when promotional newcomers Tyler Toner (10-2, 1 NC) and Ian Loveland (13-7) meet in the first ever UFC featherweight bout, it will take place on the TUF 12 finale prelims.

Toner is a Colorado-born mixed martial artist who fights out of Denver and specializes in boxing. Toner made his pro debut in 2005 and won six of his first seven fighting mostly for Ring of Fire. He won nine of his first eleven overall when coming to an agreement with the WEC. He defeated Brandon Visher at WEC 48 in April and then lost to Diego Nunes at WEC 51 in September. Toner has also been an employee of the Strikeforce organization.

Loveland, 27, is an Oregon-born mixed martial artist who fights out of Team Quest in Portland. He debuted in 2005 and was 7-7 over his first two years in the sport. He competed for notable promotions like Ring of Combat, IFL, King of the Cage, Sport Fight, and Mars. He turned his average career around in late 2007 and won his next six fights to earn an opportunity to fight for the UFC. His last five victories have come by way of stoppage. He owns career wins over Bryan Caraway and Will Kerr, but has also been in battles with Wagnney Fabiano and Akitoshi Tamura. He has six submissions and six TKO finishes to his credit.

Prediction – Loveland TKO

Will Campuzano vs. Nick Pace

Former WEC competitors Will Campuzano (7-2) and Nick Pace (5-1) will compete in the very first UFC bantamweight bout at the TUF 12 Finale on the unaired preliminary card.

Campuzano, 24, is a Mexico-born mixed martial artist who now trains out of the Texas-based Mohler MMA gym. The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu blue belt debuted in 2008 and won his first six bouts while fighting in small organizations throughout Texas and Louisiana. He debuted for the WEC in October 2009 at WEC 43 with a submission loss against Damacio Page, and after picking up a win at WEC 46 over Coty Wheeler, he was sent packing after losing at WEC 49 via TKO against Eddie Wineland. He did earn close split decision victory in August over Steve Garcia at King of Kombat 9 to make his way into his UFC debut.

Pace is a New York City-based fighter who trains at Team Tiger Schulmann’s Fight Team gym. He made his professional debut in November 2008 and won his first five bouts, four in the Ring of Combat organization and once for Bellator. In June, Pace won the Ring of Combat Bantamweight Title with a submission victory over Steve DeAngelis. He debuted at WEC 51 this past September with a unanimous decision loss against Demetrious Johnson.

Prediction – Campuzano decision

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Nam Phan vs. Leonard Garcia

The Ultimate Fighter 12 Team Koscheck fighter Nam Phan (16-7) will make his official octagon debut at the TUF 12 finale against former WEC featherweight title contender Leonard “Bad Boy” Garcia (14-6-1) in a 145-pound battle in a Spike TV main card bout.

Phan, 27, is a California-born mixed martial artist who fights out of the Ma Du Academy. Now a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, Phan began his pro career back in 2001 and won twelve of his first fourteen bouts competing for organizations like the WEC, King of the Cage, and Palace Fighting Championships. His success has failed in recent bouts, losing three of his last five while fighting for Strikeforce, Sengoku, and Tachi Palace Fights promotions. Phan has been in fights with well known mixed martial artists like former Strikeforce lightweight champ Josh Thomson, Strikeforce vet Billy Evangelista, and UFC vet Michihiro Omigawa. In the TUF 12 tournament, Phan defeated Mike Budnik, Spencer Paige, and Cody McKenzie to advance into the semifinal round, however lost a hard-fought split decision to Michael Johnson.

Garcia, 31, is a Texas-born mixed martial artist who fights out of Jackson’s Submission Fighting in New Mexico. Garcia, a BJJ brown belt, debuted in 1999 and won nine of his first ten while fighting for organizations like Ring of Fire, WEC, and Unified Shoot Wrestling Federation. He earned an opportunity inside the UFC, but won only once in three total bouts before dropping down a weight class and transitioning into the WEC. He tasted early success and won three of his first four for the WEC losing only to Mike Brown for the organization’s Featherweight Title in 2008. He hasn’t been as successful during recent fights, winning only one time in his last four fights. He lost his most recent fight at WEC 51 this September via split decision against Mark Hominick.

Prediction – Phan decision

Johny Hendricks vs. Rick Story

A welterweight match-up featuring two of the UFC’s most unheralded 170-pounders will begin The Ultimate Fighter 12 main card as Johny Hendricks (9-0) puts his undefeated record on the line against the red-hot Rick “The Horror” Story (11-3).

Hendricks, 27, is a former NCAA Division I wrestling champion from Oklahoma State University who has made a successful transition into mixed martial arts. His professional career began in late-2007 as he easily won his first three bouts while fighting on the local circuit in Oklahoma for organizations like Masters of the Cage and HD Net Fights. He was brought into the WEC in October 2008 and won back to back bouts before making the move into the UFC ranks. Since making the octagon his fighting home, Hendricks has quietly won four consecutive bouts defeating Amir Sadollah, Ricardo Funch, TJ Grant, and Charlie Brenneman. His victory over Brenneman was his most recent, earning a TKO this August at UFC 117.

Story, 26, is a Washington-born mixed martial artist who fights out of the Brave Legion in his home state. He made his pro debut in November 2007, and after losing two of his first three official bouts, went on to win six in a row earning a UFC contract. He was brought into the company in June 2009 at UFC 99 where he lost to John Hathaway in Germany. Since his octagon debut, he has also been victorious in four consecutive fights. He owns wins over Brian Foster, Jesse Lennox, Nick Ospiczak, and Dustin Hazelett. His most recent action was in August at UFC 117 where he pulled off a 2nd round TKO over Hazelett in a mild upset.

Prediction – Hendricks TKO

Demian Maia vs. Kendall Grove

A middleweight bout featuring Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu specialist Demian Maia (13-2) versus Kendall “Spyder” Grove (12-7, 1 NC) will be part of The Ultimate Fighter 12 main card.

Maia, 33, is a Sao Paulo, Brazil-native who now fights out of the Las Vegas-based Wand Fight Team. Maia, a 2nd degree BJJ black belt, began fighting professionally in 2001 by winning his first six official bouts primarily in his homeland. Since he landed inside the octagon, he has seen a great deal of success winning six of his first seven UFC bouts to earn a shot at the 185-pound title belt. He fought Anderson Silva at UFC 112 in April 2010 for the belt; however had his stand-up skills exposed en route to a less-than-entertaining unanimous decision loss. He did rebound in his most recent fight at UFC 118 this August posting a unanimous decision victory over Mario Miranda.

Prediction – Grove TKO

Michael Johnson vs. Jonathan Brookins

The Ultimate Fighter 12 Team GSP competitors Michael Johnson (8-4) and Jonathan Brookins (11-3) will make it official in the battle for the six-figure UFC contract and a spot on the lightweight roster at the TUF 12 finale in the co-main event slot.

Johnson, 24, is a Missouri-based mixed martial artist who fights out of the Springfield Fight Club in his home state. He began competing as a professional in 2008 by winning four of his first five, however dropped three of his next four while competing in several Midwest promotions. Prior to making his way onto the show, Johnson won three consecutive bouts within a four-month span to earn some much needed momentum. Since the taping for the competition began, Johnson posted an elimination round victory over WEC-vet Pablo Garza, a submission victory over Aaron Wilkinson, and decision wins over both Alex “Bruce Leeroy” Caceres and Nam Phan.

Brookins, 25, is an Orlando-based mixed martial artist who fights out of Gracie Barra Orlando in Florida. Brookins began his career in July 2006 and won seven of his first eight professional bouts. He lost two of his next three including a WEC 36 bout against current Featherweight Champion Jose Aldo, losing via 3rd round TKO. He did rebound to earn three consecutive victories before making it into the TUF 12 house. Brookins began his tournament run with a decision victory over Ran Weather, followed by submission victories over Sevak Magakian and Sako Chivitchian and capped with a semi-final win over Kyle Watson.

Prediction – Brookins decision

Stephan Bonnar vs. Igor Pokrajac

Veteran light-heavyweight Stephan “The American Psycho” Bonnar (12-7) will try for back-to-back octagon victories when he meets Croatian Igor Pokrajac (22-7), who is also in search for his second octagon win, at The Ultimate Fighter 12 main event.

Bonnar, 33, is an Indiana-born mixed martial artist who now trains out of the One Kick’s Gym. “The American Psycho” debuted in late-2001 and won six of his first seven prior to appearing on The Ultimate Fighter 1. He finished as the light-heavyweight runner-up on TUF 1, but went on to stardom and posted wins in his next three bouts. He would drop bouts to Rashad Evans and another fight against Forrest Griffin before defeating Mike Nickels and Eric Schafer in 2008. Despite his early UFC success, he has only one victory inside the octagon since the beginning of 2009. He dropped fights against Jon Jones, Marc Coleman, and Krzysztof Soszynski before ending the losing skid in a “fight of the night” TKO performance at the July UFC 116 against Soszynski.

Pokrajac, 31, is a Croatian mixed martial artist who regularly trains with both Mirko Cro Cop Filipovic and Fabricio Werdum in Zagreb. He turned pro and made his debut in 2003 earning an impressive 21 victories in 26 bouts over his first six years as a professional. He won his last eight while fighting primarily in Croatia to earn a UFC opportunity. He kept his UFC roster spot despite dropping back-to-back bouts to Vladimir Matyushenko and James Te-Huna in his first two bouts with the promotion. Pokrajac earned a much needed submission victory over James Irvin at UFC Live 2 this August in his most recent action.

Prediction – Bonnar TKO