The Ultimate Fighter 18 Finale Date: November 30, 2013 Arena: Mandalay Bay Events Center City: Las Vegas, N.V. Bantamweight bout: Chris “Hold ‘em Down” Holdsworth (-210) vs “Dangerous” Davey Grant (+190) Fight Breakdown: The Ultimate Fighter season 18 finale will feature the finals for the men’s bantamweights, with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu ace Chris “Hold ’em Down” Holdsworth taking on the Brit, “Dangerous” Davey Grant. Holdsworth is the favorite in this bout at -210 ($210 to win $100), while Grant is the underdog at +190 ($100 to win $190) at Several Bookmakerss. CHRIS “HOLD ‘EM DOWN” HOLDSWORTH (4-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) is making his promotional debut in the finals for The Ultimate Fighter season 18. He took his unblemished 4-0 record onto the show and a submission victory over Louis Fisette earned him a spot in the TUF house, where he defeated Chris Beal and Michael Wootten by submission en route to the finals. Holdsworth is a very talented Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner who is dangerous to go the ground with, regardless of whether he’s on top or in the bottom position. He has a Gracie Jiu-Jitsu logo tattooed on his shoulder and wears it proudly. Jiu-Jitsu is his biggest passion in life. He works good takedowns, and once on the mat, it is his world. On top of his three submission victories on the reality series, all four of his official wins are also by way of tapout. Usually when a fighter is as talented of a grappler and submission artist as Holdsworth is, he tends to lack in the striking department. That is not the case with Holdsworth. He has sharp boxing and kickboxing, good footwork, and works a solid jab. Not only is he a threat on the mat, he is also dangerous on the feet. Training out of Team Alpha Male in Sacramento, C.A., Holdsworth has some of the best lighter weight training partners on the planet. Holdsworth has a good chin, and a big heart. He’s a fighter I don’t see quitting, under any circumstance. “DANGEROUS” DAVEY GRANT (8-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) made his professional mixed martial arts debut in the summer of 2009, where he suffered defeat via armbar in the first round. He took over a year off, and did not fight again until the winter of 2010. He sharpened his skill-set, and made sure he was ready before getting in the cage again. Ready he was, as he scored two submission victories on the same night in his return to the cage, being victorious in a tournament. He followed those with up six other victories, all of which came inside the distance. After his first fight which resulted in a loss, he has put together eight wins and followed his dream of becoming a UFC champion by trying out for The Ultimate Fighter. He is a big bantamweight, and in his fight to get into the house, he was matched up against a flyweight. After being deducted a point for an illegal knee, he finished the fight with an armbar and earned himself a spot in the TUF house. In the quarter finals, he faced Louis Fisette, another natural flyweight. He ran through Fisette, beating him up, and then finishing him with a choke. His opponent for the semifinals, Anthony Gutierrez, did not make weight for the fight, so Grant received a free pass to the finals. Basically, he easily defeated two flyweights who he towered over, and is now fighting for the finals. His route to the finals do not seem just, but that shouldn’t take anything away from the guy. He is a very well-rounded fighter, and he hits hard. He has good boxing and kickboxing skills. He likes to throw heavy punches, and hard knees. He likes to work opponents against the cage, but more-so on the mat via ground and pound attack. Once on the canvas, his opponents have to look out for more than just his vicious strikes, as he is very skilled in the submission game, owning seven of eight career wins by tapout. He has never made it out of the second round, which leads me to question his cardio. Grant is a fighter who, much like Holdsworth, has a ton of heart, and absolutely no quit in him. Whether he gasses or not, he will give it his all. He is not the type of fighter who will give up just because he is tired. Fight Prediction: Neither of these fighters have ever been past the second round, and they are the toughest tests of each other’s respective careers. I think Holdsworth has the better cardio of the two, so if the fight reaches the later rounds, it may favor him. I can’t say that confidently, though, because I’ve never seen either fighter go past round two. What I do know is that Holdsworth trains incredibly hard, even his cardio. I don’t expect to see him breathing hard, even after a five round fight, yet alone three. I can’t say the same for Grant, but he seems to also have an incredible work ethic. This fight could be very close both on the feet and on the mat, but it is my feeling that Holdsworth will be able to get the better of Grant in both areas, ultimately finding a submission finish, or winning a decision. Gabe’s Pick: Chris Holdsworth by Submission (rear naked choke, 4:16 round 3) Gabe’s Recommended Play: Chris Holdsworth (-210) parlayed with Jessamyn Duke (-210) for +118 4.75 to win 5.6u
