411's UFC The Ultimate Fighter 8 Finale Report 12.13.08

Posted by Jeremy Lambert on 12.13.2008

Ryan Bader and Efrain Escudero are the latest to claim that they are The Ultimate Fighter. Bader scored a big KO over Vinny Magalhaes while Escudero took Nover to a decision and getting the victory. Junie Browning also showed that he's more than a reality star by showing a lot of skill in a victory against Dave Kaplan. Click for the full report.

-LIVE from The Pearl at the Palms in Las Vegas, Nevada.

-Hosted by Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan

-Goldberg thanks everyone for donating on Wednesday night and you can still donate at fightforthetroops.com. Rogan steps in and breaks down the Lightweight and Light Heavyweight Finals.

-Video package for Junie Browning vs. David Kaplan

Lightweight Fight: Junie Browning (2-1) vs. David Kaplan (3-1)

Pre-Fight Notes: Steve Mazzagatti is the referee.

Round One: Junie catches Kapan with a low kick to start. Kaplan shakes it off and the action continues. Junie throwing really good combos and tagging Kaplan. Kaplan is cut under the eye. Junie falls after a kick and Kaplan jumps on him and tries for an ankle lock. Junie escapes, ends up on top, and gets the back of Kaplan. Kaplan gets to his feet and they break. Junie tagging Kaplan at will. Kaplan gets a body lock and takes down Junie. He goes for another leg lock but doesn't get it. Junie ends up on top of Kaplan. Junie gets the back of Kaplan and tries to lock in the rear naked choke. Kaplan fights it off and turns into the guard of Junie. Junie gets to his feet though. They trade knees and punches in the clinch as the round ends. 10-9 Junie.

Round Two: Junie scores with an early takedown and gets half guard. Junie passes to side control. He goes for an armbar and locks it in. Kaplan taps out.

Official Decision: Junie Browning by Submission (Armbar) at 1:32 in Round Two

-Junie apologizes to Frank Mir for how he acted on the show.

-Joe Rogan interviews Kevin James who plugs his new movie about a mall cop. James picks Bader to defeat Vinny.

Light Heavyweight Fight (Preliminary): Eliot Marshall vs. Jules Bruchez

Round One: Eliot tags him quickly and stuffs a takedown. Eliot gets a takedown right into side control. He easily mounts Bruchez and gets his back. Eliot locks in the rear naked choke and Bruchez taps out.

Official Decision: Eliot Marshall by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 1:27 in Round One

-Eliot puts of Greg Jackson's camp.

-Video package for Jason MacDonald vs. Wilson Gouveia

189 Catchweight Fight: Jason MacDonald (22-10) vs. Wilson Gouveia (11-5)

Pre-Fight Notes: This was a Middleweight fight but Gouveia missed weight by four pounds. He forfeited 20% of his purse to MacDonald. Josh Rosenthal is the referee.

Round One: MacDonald shoots and gets a leg but Gouveia does a nice job staying on his feet. They separate. Gouveia drops MacDonald with a left and tries to pound him out with elbows. MacDonald is cut. Gouveia keeps dropping elbows and the ref stops it.

Official Decision: Wilson Gouveia by Submission (Strikes) at 2:18 in Round One

-Gouveia apologizes for missing weight.

-Video package for Kevin Burns vs. Anthony Johnson.

Welterweight Fight: Kevin Burns (8-1) vs. Anthony Johnson (5-2)

Pre-Fight Notes: This is a rematch of their July fight that ended when Burns poked Johnson in the eye. Burns was credited with a victory in that fight. Mario Yamasaki is the referee.

Round One: Burns throwing leg kicks early. Both men scoring with the jab. Johnson gets the takedown. Johnson passes to side control. Burns goes for a triangle but Johnson pops out. Johnson ends up back in the guard of Burns. Burns taking limited damage on the bottom. Yamasaki stands them up. Burns gets tripped up throwing a body kick. Johnson stands over him and kicks the legs of Burns. Yamasaki allows Burns to stand up. Big exchange where both men connect at the end of the round. 10-9 Johnson.

Round Two: Johnson attacking the body of Burns with kicks and punches. Johnson scores with another takedown. Burns goes for a kimura but Johnson pulls out. Burns controls Johnson in his guard. Johnson working the body of Burns in the guard. Johnson staying busy enough to keep the fight on the guard but not doing too much damage. The round ends. 10-9 Johnson.

Round Three: Johnson scores with a big head kick that knocks Burns out cold.

Official Decision: Anthony Johnson by KO at :28 in Round Three

-Johnson says the head kick, "just happened."

-Joe Rogan interviews Forrest Griffin and Frank Mir. They'll be at the Video Game Awards tomorrow on SpikeTV. Griffin just wants to meet LL Cool J and get his ab routine. Mir talks about what his belly is going to look like in the new UFC game. Griffin says he has a plan for every scenario at UFC 92, including the arena catching on fire. Mir says Nog will be the toughest fight of his life. Mir says that he's obsessed Nogueira.

-Video package for Ryan Bader vs. Vinny Magalhaes

TUF8 Light Heavyweight Final: Ryan Bader (8-0) vs. Vinicius Magalhaes (3-2-1)

Pre-Fight Notes: Herb Dean is the referee.

Round One: Vinny using the left jab and body kick early. Bader lands a nice combo before rushing in with a knee. Bader slips on a body kick. Bader drops Vinny with a big right and follows up until Dean stops it.

Official Decision: Ryan Bader by KO at 2:18 in Round One

-Dana White presents Bader with TUF8 plaque. Bader says his gameplan was to keep it on the feet.

Light Heavyweight Fight (Preliminary): Shane Primm vs. Krzysztof Soszynski

Round One: Big punches by Soszynski early. Primm scores with the takedown. Soszynski gets to his feet. More big punches by Soszynski. Primm shoots for a takedown but it's stuffed so he pulls guard. Soszynski picks him up and slams him down before stands up and allowing Primm to stand. They trade punches in the clinch. Primm shoots and it's stuffed. Soszynski gets to half guard on Primm. Soszynski goes for a kimura but can't finish it from the half guard. Soszynski scores with a big punch as the round ends. 10-9 Soszynski.

Round Two: Soszynski scoring with more punches as Primm tries to clinch. Primm shoots and Soszynski stuffs it. They clinch against the cage and Soszynski scores with more punches. Primm with a shot that is stuffed. Primm pulls guard and Soszynski gets to half guard. Soszynski goes for the kimura in half guard again. He locks it in and Primm taps.

Official Decision: Krzysztof Soszynski by Submission (Kimura) at 3:27 in Round Two

-Soszynski says the kimura is his favorite submission

-Goldberg and Rogan talk about the match up between Phillipe and Efrain.

-Video package for Phillipe Nover vs. Efrain Escudero

TUF8 Lightweight Final (Main Event): Phillipe Nover (6-0-1) vs. Efrain Escudero (11-0)

Pre-Fight Notes: Steve Mazzagatti is the referee.

Round One: Nover presses forward and Escudero gets the takedown. Nover gets to his feet and eats a right that drops him. Escudero gets the back of Nover on the ground. Escudero moves to the mount. Nover pushes him off but Escudero lands some big punches. Escudero comes down and Nover goes for a triangle. Escudero escapes and they both stand. Takedown by Escudero. Nover gets to his feet. Nover misses with a punch and goes to the ground with Escudero standing over him. Escudero comes down with a big punch. Escudero stands above Nover again. Nover stands up. Nover comes forward with a knee and they clinch. The round ends. 10-9 Escudero.

Round Two: Nover comes forward and Escudero takes him down into side control. Escudeor stands above Nover and kicks the legs. Nover stands. They clinch against the cage and trade knees to the leg before breaking. Escudero gets a trip takedown and ends up in half guard. Efrain stays busy on the ground but doesn't do too much damage. Nover gets up and the round ends with Escudero scoring a big takedown. 10-9 Escudero.

Round Three: Big punches by Nover but Escudero gets another takedown. Escudero stands over him and kicks the legs before Nover stands up. Nover connects with a nice combo but gets taken down again. Escudero ends up in half guard. Nover uses the rubber guard and begins throwing elbows to the arm of Escudero. Nover sweeps and gets to his feet. He stands above Escudero and gets side control as the round ends. 10-9 Nover.

Official Decision: Efrain Escudero by Unanimous Decision (29-28 across)

-Dana White gives Efrain his TUF8 plaque as Nog lifts him up. Efrain said he followed his gameplan of ducking under and taking down Nover.

-Goldberg and Rogan recap the event.