Team Cruz’s Vinc Pichel and Team Faber’s Al Iaquinta advanced to the semifinals after winning their respective bouts on episode 11 of The Ultimate Fighter Live.
In the first fight, Pichel and his opponent Chris Saunders began by gaging their distance, trading short blows and circling. Pichel went for a takedown but Saunders ended up in top position. The two continued to go back and forth in a grinding five-minute frame, but Saunders seemed to control the majority of the action.
In the second, Pichel came out more aggressive and mixed in his strikes with takedown attempts along the cage. Pichel landed the bigger shots and Saunders was not able to create much offence.
However instead of going to a sudden-victory round, Pichel was awarded a majority decision win.
“It was definitely a battle, I just grinded it out,” Pichel said after the fight. “I wanted that third round so I could get the finish.”
Saunders disagreed with the outcome and thought there deserved to be a third round.
“I got the first round, he got the second round clearly,” Saunders said. “It should have gone to a third round.”
In the second live fight, Iaquinta and his Team Faber teammate Andy Ogle engaged in a standup battle. Ogle used his footwork and landed some decent strikes, but Iaquinta was finding a home for some powerful punches. Eventually Iaquinta landed a big overhand right that dropped the Englishman. He followed up with strikes but Ogle worked his way back to his feet only to eat a massive right elbow along the fence that put him away. Iaquinta added a couple hammer-fists for good measure before the referee could step in.
The bout marked the first time teammates competed against one another this season.
“We’ve sparred the whole time here so we know each other,” Iaquinta said. “It was weird.”
Ogle, who has become a fan favourite this season, was disappointed with the loss.
“Each dog has its day,” he said. “It hurts … There was only going to be one winner (of the show), I’m gutted it’s not me.”
Next week is the final episode before the live finale on June 1. The two semifinal bouts will see Team Cruz’s James Vick take on Team Faber’s Michael Chiesa, while Pichel meets Iaquinta.
Also on the show, it was revealed that Urijah Faber will fight Renan Barao for the UFC interim bantamweight title at UFC 148 on July 7. This matchup comes in the wake of last week’s news that Dominick Cruz tore his ACL and was forced to withdraw from his bout with Faber.
