The Ultimate Fighter 17 Finale continued the trend of exciting UFC action throughout the month of April. Now that the show is over, not only have new names been introduced to fans in impressive fashion, and more established ones returned to a winning track, but we have also seen a new top championship contender emerge. However, this is a look at potential matchmaking for the individuals who were unable to get their hand raised at the end of the night.
Scott Jorgensen vs. Michael McDonald
Urijah Faber outclassed Jorgensen for much of their fight before finishing off his former training partner in the fourth round. In what was another hiccup for the former title challenger, Jorgensen wasn’t able to find any way to match Faber’s activity and effectiveness. However, he’s still a name in the division, and can be a real test for nearly any potential opponent.
McDonald is coming off of a loss to Renan Barao in a matchup where the 22 year old challenged for the interim bantamweight title. At such a young age, his second loss can mostly be considered a much-needed lesson on where he needs to improve. He is expected to be considered a top bantamweight for some time, so matching him against Jorgensen in either a main card bout on a free event or a preliminary bout on a pay-per-view event would offer another opportunity for him to showcase his skill set.
Miesha Tate vs. the loser of Sara McMann vs. Sheila Gaff
While the debate about the alleged illegal knee will rage on for a few days, the sad fact is the final judgment has been rendered for Tate. She lost her opportunity to face off against Ronda Rousey again and coach on the Ultimate Fighter. However, the former women’s bantamweight champion displayed improvement, and always brings exciting fights when she is featured in the cage.
Sara McMann is the fighter that many people expect to be a serious challenge to Rousey, but she is allowing her name to be built up in slow fashion before taking that fight. She’s due to face Sheila Gaff at UFC 159 in New Jersey in her promotional debut. As the UFC continues to develop their sole women’s division, the loser of this fight should not be in fear of being cut from their roster. Instead she should be used as the opponent for Tate, to keep her active in 2013.
Uriah Hall vs. Nick Ring
In his opportunity to make himself the next Ultimate Fighter champion, Uriah Hall fell well short of expectations. After a highlight-filled season, he was unable to capitalize on the opportunity to become an instant star in the sport. Instead, he has to deal with being tagged as over-hyped and outmatched before his next UFC bout.
Nick Ring is a gatekeeper within the middleweight division, and a very tough out for any competitor. He’s shown an ability to pressure opponents from start to finish, and while he has been outclassed in some areas during his fights that never stops him from staying active from start to finish. Placing him in a matchup against Hall on the preliminary card of the inaugural UFC card on Fox Sports 1 would give the organization a chance to highlight Hall (or Ring, if he were to pull out the victory).
Gabriel Gonzaga vs. the loser of Frank Mir vs. Daniel Cormier
Many people forget that Gonzaga was once a heavyweight title challenger, back before the UFC was anywhere near its mainstream position in the sports world. Regardless, with the way he was stopped by Travis Browne, it will be a long time before he is considered for such a position again. He will however remain a tough test for both new and established faces coming into the Octagon, and can be matched against the loser of Mir-Cormier, which takes place this Saturday night at UFC on Fox 7.
Daniel Cormier and Frank Mir have been building up to this bout for nearly a year, and now that the fight is here, they will have a wealth of eyes on their performance. If both guys put forth a strong effort, then neither of them will have to worry about being cut from the roster, and a matchup between the loser and Gonzaga would likely warrant a free TV showcase.
So though these fighters were unable to get their names cheered as the victors, they all gave strong enough performances to keep them on the Zuffa payroll. These fight suggestions offer ways to keep them active against game opponents while giving them the opportunity to reestablish themselves within the UFC’s ranks.
The Ultimate Fighter 17 Finale took place on April 13, 2013 at at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Click the stars to rate how good you think the TUF 17 Finale was.
