Welcome to FOXSports.com/InsideFights.com’s live coverage of The Ultimate Fighter 17 Finale. We are live cageside at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, the site of tonight’s event. We will be here for all 12 of the fights on the card. Stay tuned for live play-by-play of the night’s FUEL TV preliminary card. If you missed the Facebook portion of the preliminary card, we have full coverage posted and stay tuned for continuing coverage of the main card on FX.
Clint Hester vs. Bristol Marunde
Referee: Steve Mazzagatti
ROUND 1- They feel each other out to start. Not much action in the first 30 seconds. Hester starts with a quick leg kick. Crowd starts to boo quick as there is no action. Still not much action 90 seconds in as Hester looks to be wanting to shoot for a takedown. Hester with a leg kick and Marunde counters with a punch. They trade some punches as Hester still seems to be looking for a takedown chance. Marunde makes Hester eat some punches. Halfway through the round and still not too much action. Hester connects with a straight right hand. Marunde looked to switch levels but Hester charged back. Hester lands a big overhand right. Hester tries to land a front kick but Marunde catches it and takes the fight to the ground. Marunde looking to improve position while Hester tries to create a scramble. Hester lands an elbow from the bottom. Marunde with a body punch. They get back and Hester drops Marunde with a punch. Hester trying to finish but Marunde survives and gets Hester down and is on top. Marunde trying to break Hester’s guard but Hester is holding on. Round ends with a soft punch from Marunde. 10-9 Hester.
ROUND 2- They get to the center of the Octagon quickly as Hester looks to land his jab. Hester lands a double jab that backs Marunde up. Marunde thought about shooting for the takedown but Hester saw it. Hester lands a big right hand and they tie-up. Both land knees but Hester gets a Thai-plumb and lands some big knees. They break. Marunde with a leg kick. Hester backs him up with a left jab. Marunde tried an overhand right but Hester saw it coming and backed up. Hester controlling the center of the Octagon as Marunde is near the cage. Marunde tries a head kick and slips and Hester gets quickly on top and has Marunde’s head. Marunde tries to spin out but Hester blocks it and starts to land body shots. Back to thge feet and Marunde scores a takedown and Hester is on his back. Marunde looking to posture up but Hester has a good grasp of him. Hester looking to secure a triangle choke but Marunde fights out. Hester lands an upkick that knocks Marunde down and Hester now has the advantage. Back to the feet and Hester begins to unload on Marudne with punches and knees. Marunde tries a desperation takedown but Hester stuffs it and ends on top. Hester looking to grab the head and get a choke in. Back to the feet and they trade punches. Hester rocks Marunde down and goes for the takedown but Hester stuffs it as the round ends. 10-9 Hester.
ROUND 3- Big reaction from the crowd to Hester to start the round. Marunde tries a right hand but Hester counters with a left. Hester looks to be the fresher fighter of the two. Marunde looking to land a big punch to set-up a takedown. Hester misses a right and Marunde tries to take it to the mat but Hester blocks it. Marunde misses a telegraphed uppercut and Hester backs him against the cage. Hester lands a big shot and Marunde misses a takedown. Hester making Marunde pay against the cage with knees and punches. Marunde keeps going for the takedown but Hester continues to block them. Hester has a front headlock on Marunde on the ground and is landing punches. Back to the feet and Marunde looking gassed out. Marunde misses a head kick. Hester lands a jab and Marunde misses some punches. Hester clinches with Marunde and lands some knees and punches. Marunde lands a leg kick. Hester knocks Marunde down with a hard shot and Steve Mazzagatti rushes in to stop it as Marunde was clearly in trouble. Replay shows it was an elbow right to the head of Marunde and he was clearly out of it.
Official Result: Clint Hester def. Bristol Marunde by TKO (elbow) at 3:53 of Round 3
Dylan Andrews vs. Jimmy Quinlan
Referee: Chris Tognoni
ROUND 1- They come out firing early. Quinlan looks for a takedown and pushes Andrews against the cage. Quinlan has one leg and gets it down for a second. Back to the feet and Quinlan has Andrews back against the cage with a grasp of his right leg. Quinlan still fighting for the takedown but Andrews is showing good defense. Andrews lands some punches to Quinlan’s head. Quinlan with Andrews planted against the cage still looking for the takedown. Quinlan lifts Andrews up and gets him down and Quinlan is into side control. Quinlan trying to step over for an arm choke but it gets back to the feet. Quinlan back looking for the takedown against the cage but Andrews is landing punches. Quinlan fighting for it but Andrews has good defense. The referee breaks them up as not a lot of action is taking place. They trade and Andrews drops Quinlan with a punch and starts to throw a ton of punches on the ground. Quinlan is taking a lot of shots and the referee finally steps in a few seconds after he could have.
Official Result: Dylan Andrews def. Jimmy Quinlan by TKO (punches) at 3:22 of R1
Luke Barnatt vs. Collin Hart
Referee: Kim Winslow
ROUND 1- Hart comes out looking to take out Barnatt’s legs. They go against the cage and Hart starts throwing punches to Barnatt’s body. They start firing away and Hart pushes Barnatt against the cage. They tie-up as both are looking for the takedown and Barnatt briefly gets it. Back to the feet and they start trading punches. Barnatt lands a few nice jabs. They separate and start exchanging. Hart lands a combo ending with a kick to the cup of Barnatt. A brief break in the action as Barnatt recovers. They come back out and Hart misses on a huge left hand. Hart grabs Barnatt’s back and is looking for a slam and gets it. Hart tries to take Barnatt’s back and Barnatt gets to the feet with Hart on his back. Hart drops to his feet and looks for another takedown. Barnatt turns it around and they separate. Hart bleeding from the nose. Hart lands big on Barnatt and they start to exchange. Barnatt eating Hart up with the jab. Barnatt and Hart are exchanging with some hard punches. They back up against the cage as both look for a takedown. Hart firing away at Barnatt but Barnatt survives. Barnatt with a body punch. Barnatt lands a standing knee and a few punches to end the round. 10-9 Barnatt.
ROUND 2- They exchange to start and Hart tags Barnatt. Barnatt lands a standing flying knee. They are firing back-and-forth at each other. They slow the pace for a moment as Barnatt looks to land the jab. Hart tries a spin kick that lands a little. They fight against the cage and Barnatt lands a big knee to the body. They separate and both are looking to land a big punch. Hart attacks with a nice combination that backs Barnatt up. Barnatt counters with a left hand. Hart pushes Barnatt back to the cage. Hart looks for a takedown but Barnatt shakes him off as the separate again. Hart still bleeding from the nose. Barnatt lands a hard overhand right. Hart misses on a left hook but lands a body kick followed by body punches. They exchange leg kicks. Hart misses a right but backs Barnatt to the cage. Hart attacking the legs of Barnatt with a kick. Barnatt goes down for a second. They exchange and clinch back up against the cage. Hart looks for the takedown but Barnatt rolls out and is looking for an arm. Back to the feet but Barnatt has Hart’s head and neck. Barnatt looking for a standing guillotine but breaks it with a big knee. Barnatt falls to the mat and Hart rushes in as the round ends with Hart in Barnatt’s guard. 10-9 Barnatt.
ROUND 3- They exchange to start the round as they battle for Octagon control. The pace begins to slow. Barnatt lands a straight right hand. Hart counters with a kick. Hart lands another leg kick. Hart fires a combo but Barnatt lands a double jab. Barnatt really looking to land the jab. Hart attacks Barnatt’s body and they are against the cage. Barnatt lands a superman punch. Hart keeps backing Barnatt up against the cage but both are landing good. Hart attacks Barnatt and forces him against the cage. Barnatt landing better but Hart is controlling the Octagon which could play a difference in the decision. They are tied up and Barnatt pushes Hart against the cage before they break. Hart goes for a takedown but Barnatt stops it. Hart takes Barnatt’s back and gets a quick takedown but it’s back up immediately. They fight against the cage as both look for control before they break. Hart keeps moving forward but Barnatt working good while backing up. They exchange as both are looking fatigued. Hart bleeding from the nose again. Hart looks for the takedown and they work against the cage. Hart gets a takedown and they end with Hart on top. 10-9 Hart.
Official Result: Luke Barnatt def. Collin Hart by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Josh Samman vs. Kevin Casey
Referee: Herb Dean
ROUND 1- They trade to start and Casey slips on a kick. Casey looks for a triangle but Samman picks him up and slams him. Casey still looking for the triangle and he has it locked it. He actually has a triangle armbar sunk in but Samman slams him down to the ground and breaks it up. They are moving quickly on the ground in an exciting manner. Casey takes top position as the pace slows just a little. Casey starts landing punches to Samman’s head on the ground. Samman looking to create a scramble. Casey remains on top as they’re against the Octagon cage. Casey looking for mount as Samman is looking for a triangle of his own. Casey stays on top and is in Samman’s guard. Casey starts to reign down more punches but Samman grabs him. Casey with left hands on the ground and he is in Samman’s guard. Casey with some body punches as he looks to improve his position. Casey back to his feet and lands a knee to the body as Samman gets up. They clinch against the cage and Casey has his back against it. Samman lands some knees to the body and the head as he has Casey’s head tied up. The round ends with Samman landing more knees. 10-9 Casey.
ROUND 2- They clinch up to start the round and Samman looks to land knees but Casey counters with body shots. Samman has Casey against the cage and is landing knees. Casey lands some short uppercuts but can’t break the clinch. They both land body shots before Samman lands a knee to Casey’s ribcage. They exchange knees as Samman pushes Casey against the cage. Samman with some big knees that drop Casey and he swarms on him. Casey survives but is still against the cage. Samman continues to land knees. Casey is having trouble breaking the Thai-plumb that Samman has gotten control of. Samman lands another knee that drops Casey again and Samman finishes it with some punches as referee Herb Dean runs in to stop the fight.
Official Result: Josh Samman def. Kevin Casey by TKO (knee & punches) at 2:17 of Round 2
