By Steve Juon, Wrestling Observer
Quick summary —
It’s all tied up 300-300 after Michael Graves from American Top Team came back last week to tap Jason Jackson out. The final fight tonight will determine who wins the entire season. We’re going right to the weigh in just five minutes into the show! Vicente Luque is 170.25. Hayder Hassan is 171.
* Hayder Hassan (ATT) vs. Vicente Luque (Blackzilians)
Round 1
This fight is underway at 16 minutes into the show. Hassan is in the blue trunks and Luque the black. Hassan lands a good overhand right a half minute in and a left jab to the face 10 seconds later. Luque hits a strong right hook at 50 seconds. So far both men just want to stand and bang. Hassan ducks a big overhand. Luque keeps pushing forward. He’s landing a lot but taking a lot too. Big swing and a miss from Hassan. Luque with a really nice hook at 1:55. Leg kick by Luque. Luque’s nose is bleeding.
He’s covering up to avoid more shots to the face but some are getting through. Body kicks by Luque. Luque gets a takedown at 3:14. Hassan is back up at 3:27. Luque picks the ankle and gets him down to one knee but he gets right up. Luque’s corner is screaming STAY HEAVY. Hassan punches his way out. Big right hand by Hassan. Hassan stumbles avoiding a shot but Luque doesn’t pounce. Very competitive first round. Hassan’s corner tells him to “double the jab.” Luque’s corner yells “five more minutes!”
Round 2
Hassan nearly falls down when he tries to rebound off the fence. The Blackzilians think he’s gasses. Luque misses with a knee. Hassan is still jabbing and striking and a lot of the lefts are flush. Luque looks like he’s slowing down too – he’s not avoiding as much as he did in R1. He’s also not pressing forward as effectively.
Hassan complains that one of Luque’s kicks went low and they tap gloves. Very flush left hand by Hassan at 2:54. Power right follows. Luque throws kicks to back him away. Hassan returns them in kind. Hassan is now wearing the fight on his face as much as Luque. Luque tries to push forward for the final minute. Based on when the show started this is clearly going to a third round. Luque fails to get a takedown late and the horn makes them break.
Round 3
Our third round starts 35 minutes in. Hassan is throwing leg kicks and jabs. Luque goes for a takedown but Hassan rolls away from it back to his feet. He gets away clean at 54 seconds. The left side of Hassan’s face (camera right) is very swollen. Luque throws a high kick that’s checked. Hassan keeps popping Luque. A big right hook backs him up. And another. He throws a kick. They throw clashing leg kicks. Hassan eats a knee but avoids another. Hassan eats a left jab. Luque tries a flying knee and misses. Hassan is winging shots. Luque goes for the takedown at 3:20 but doesn’t get Hassan down clean until 3:28. He can’t keep him down as Hassan stands at 3:40 and immediately starts popping him again. Both of these guys seems to be carrying the whole season on their shoulders in the last minute. Hassan unloads with combos but Luque doesn’t fall. He goes for one last single leg and can’t get it before the horn. ATT puts Hassan on their shoulders for a victory lap, but we’ll wait and see after commercial.
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Split decision. 29-28 blue corner. 29-28 red corner. 29-28 for the winner HAYDER HASSAN. ATT WINS THE SEASON!!
Dana White: “Holy shit. Now that’s a fight! That’s the fight we’ve been waiting for the whole season! Glenn has to be wondering how he let this happen. It couldn’t have gone any better. ATT pulls it out at the last minute. But it’s not over.” Now they have to pick their fighters for the TUF finale – where the winner gets a trophy and $300,000 – and only somebody who fought twice can qualify. Sabah Homasi: “Told you we were coming back! You didn’t believe me!” Hassan: “There was no way I was going to lose. I was ready to die tonight. This is something I’m going to remember for the rest of my life.”
Rashad Evans gives the Blackzilians a pep talk. “You have to be able to see the win even in a loss.” Robinson says they’ll get the TUF Finale fight worth $300,000 and “the last word.” Lambert: “I’ll put Hayder up against Godzilla right now.” Kamaru Usman seems to be the favorite. Lambert donates their ENTIRE $200,000 to the Wounded Warriors foundation at the behest of his team. White is blown away. Glenn picks Usman and Lambert picks Hassan as expected. That fight’s Sunday night! Enjoy the TUF 21 Finale!