In the final part of our TUF12 preview, Chris Roberts takes a looks at the fighters that will compete to be the next Ultimate Fighter!
J.J. Ambrose
Record: 14-3-0, 1 NC
Fighting Out Of: Lakewood, CA (American Kickboxing Academy)
Most Recently Fought With: Pacific Xtreme Combat
Key Win: Iure Silva
Key Loss: Mike Pyle
Paul Barrow
Record: 3-1-0
Fighting Out of: Tampa, FL (Gracie Tampa)
Most Recently Fought With: Real Fighting Championship
Key Win: Marcelo Cabral
Key Loss: Michael Byrnes Jr.
Jason Brenton
Record: 6-0-0
Fighting Out of: Grand Junction, CO (Eighth Street Impact Boxing)
Most Recently Fought With: Bush Cree Promotions
Key Win: John Sargent
Key Loss: None
Jonathan Brookins
Record: 11-3-0
Fighting Out of: Orlando, FL (Gracie Berra Orlando)
Most Recently Fought With: G-Force Fights
Key Win: Stephen Ledbetter
Key Loss: Jose Aldo
Mike Budnik
Record: 9-4-0
Fighting Out of: Tulsa, OK (Triton Fight Center)
Most Recently Fought With: C3 Fights
Key Win: Greg McIntyre
Key Loss: Shane Roller
Alex Caceres
Record: 4-2-0
Fighting Out of: Miami, FL (Young Tigers Foundation)
Most Recently Fought With: G-Force Fights
Key Win: Jahmal McLennan
Key Loss: Farkhad Sharipov
Sako Chivitchian
Record: 5-0-0
Fighting Out of: Glendale, CA (Hayastan Studio)
Most Recently Fought With: National Fight Alliance
Key Win: Marcos Gonzalez
Key Loss: None
Joseph Duffy
Record: 7-0-0
Fighting Out of: Donegal, Ireland (Falcon Martial Arts)
Most Recently Fought With: Spartan Fight Challenge
Key Win: Norman Parke
Key Loss: None
Pablo Garza
Record: 9-0-0
Fighting Out of: Fargo, ND (Academy of Combat Arts)
Most Recently Fought With: Crowbar MMA
Key Win: Nate Bell
Key Loss: None
Toby Grear
Record: 7-4-1
Fighting Out of: Los Angeles, CA (True Warrior)
Most Recently Fought With: Call to Arms
Key Win: Mike Sandez
Key Loss: Bobby Green
Dan Head
Record: 7-2-0
Fighting Out of: Sharpsville, IN (Indiana Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy)
Most Recently Fought With: Colosseum Combat
Key Win: Rocky France
Key Loss: Kurt Kinser
Michael Johnson
Record: 8-4-0
Fighting Out of: Springfield, MO (Springfield Fight Club)
Most Recently Fought With: FM Productions
Key Win: Chris McDaniel
Key Loss: Eric Marriott
Amir Khillah
Record: 6-4-0
Fighting Out of: Kalamazoo, MI (Elite Performance)
Most Recently Fought With: Jeremy Horn’s Elite Fight Night
Key Win: Brad McRae
Key Loss: Pat Curran
Jeff Lentz
Record: 5-1-0
Fighting Out of: Lanoka Harbor, NJ (Pellegrino MMA)
Most Recently Fought With: Ring of Combat
Key Win: Eddie Fyvie
Key Loss: Anthony Morrison
Sevak Magakian
Record: 8-3-0
Fighting Out of: Glendale, CA (Hayastan Studio)
Most Recently Fought With: Called Out MMA
Key Win: Jeremy Umphries
Key Loss: Bobby Green
Steve Magdaleno
Record: 5-1-0
Fighting Out of: Torrence, CA (VMAT MMA Gym)
Most Recently Fought With: MEZ Sports
Key Win: Carlos Garces
Key Loss: Nick Reale
Andy Main
Record: 4-1-0
Fighting Out of: Boonton, NJ (AMA Fight Club)
Most Recently Fought With: Ring of Combat
Key Win: Melvin Rodriguez
Key Loss: Lester Caslow
Cody McKenzie
Record: 11-0
Fighting Out of: Metaline, WA (Fancy Pants Fight Team)
Most Recently Fought With: Ford Fight Night
Key Win: Brandon MacArthur
Key Loss: None
T.J. O’Brien
Record: 15-3-0
Fighting Out of: Prole, IO (Round Kick MMA)
Most Recently Fought With: Extreme Challenge
Key Win: Dakota Cochrane
Key Loss: Chris Mickle
Spencer Paige
Record: 7-2-0
Fighting Out of: Watertown, NY (Central New York MMA)
Most Recently Fought With: Northeast MMA
Key Win: Nathan Schut
Key Loss: Josh Grispi
Nam Phan
Record: 15-7-0
Fighting Out of: Garden Grove, CA (Ma Du Academy)
Most Recently Fought With: Tachi Palace Fights
Key Win: Hideki Kadowaki
Key Loss: Josh Thomson
Mike Richman
Record: 8-0-0
Fighting Out of: Rosemount, MN (Minnesota Fight Factory)
Most Recently Fought With: Seconds Out
Key Win: Ryan Stock
Key Loss: None
Dane Sayers
Record: 7-1-0
Fighting Out of: Fargo, ND (Academy of Combat Arts)
Most Recently Fought With: Max Fights
Key Win: Tom Van Kley
Key Loss: Indalecio Tat Romero
Ariel Sexton
Record: 6-2-0, 1NC
Fighting Out of: San Jose, CA (Renzo Gracie Academy)
Most Recently Fought With: Fite Nite
Key Win: Humberto Brown
Key Loss: Derrick Noble
Marc Stevens
Record: 12-5-0
Fighting Out of: Lorraine, NY (Team Balance)
Most Recently Fought With: Iron Will Fighting Championship
Key Win: Al Buck
Key Loss: Luis Palomino
Kyle Watson
Record: 12-6-1
Fighting Out of: Granite City, IL (HIT Squad)
Most Recently Fought With: Corral’s Combat Classic
Key Win: DeCarlo Johnson
Key Loss: Bart Palaszewski
Ran Weathers
Record: 13-7-0
Fighting Out of: Atlanta, GA (Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts)
Most Recently Fought With: Wild Bill’s Fight Night
Key Win: Phil Cardella
Key Loss: Billy Stamp
Aaron Wilkinson
Record: 6-3-0
Fighting Out of: Manchester, England (Wolfslair Academy)
Most Recently Fought With: Ultimate Cage Championship
Key Win: Neil Harwood
Key Loss: Tim Newman
After digging through troves of information about fighters that are basically unknown to mainstream audiences it is still near impossible to pick out favorites or potential winners. Of course a few things do stand out.
– Jason Brenton’s 6-0 record may strike you as impressive but perhaps it shouldn’t. His opponents combined record currently stands at 5-28.
– Watching his fights online J.J. Ambrose looked amazingly impressive. A short and stout fighter with heavy hands and a dangerous ground game. Plus he is involved with the most impressive camp on the roster, the American Kickboxing Academy, which should give him a leg up on the competition.
-Aaron Wilkinson only carries a 6-3 record into the show and the victories of his that I could find online left me less than impressed. He has a knack for swinging wildly and real luck when it comes to finding submissions.
– There are two European fighters on the card (Wilkinson and Duffy) and one of the most interesting aspects of the premier episode tonight will be seeing how well they stack up against their American counterparts. This is especially true with the recent announcement of a new television deal for The Ultimate Fighter in Britain.
-Jonathon Brookins has the most note worthy loss on his record, a 3rd round TKO loss to current top 5 pound for pounder Jose Aldo that happened at WEC 36. It was Brookins one stop at that promotion, and his most recent loss. Last year he took part in Bellator’s inaugural show and scored a victory.
Picks to make the Final 16
Ambrose, Brookins, O’Brien, Sexton, Wilkinson, McKenzie, Magakian, Phan, Duffy, Stevens, Sayers, Garza, Khillah, Lentz, Chivitchian, Caceres
Finals Prediction
Phan over Ambrose
