The Ultimate Fighter Nations Finale Date: April 16, 2014 Arena: Colisee Pepsi City: Quebec City, Quebec, Canada Bantamweight bout: Dustin Kimura (+100) vs George Roop (-120) Fight Breakdown: Kicking things off for preliminary card portion of The Ultimate Fighter Nations finale on Fox Sports 1 will be a bantamweight scrap between Honolulu’s Dustin Kimura and Arizona’s George Roop. The betting odds for this bout are at a near coin-flip, with Kimura being +100 ($100 to win $100) and Roop being -120 ($120 to win 100) at Several Bookmakerss. Dustin Kimura (11-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) bounced back from his first defeat three months ago, notching a first round submission victory over promotional newcomer Jon Delos Reyes. The Hawaiian is a very talented submission artist, and most opponents should avoid going to the ground with him as it is dangerous territory. His takedown defense is not great, but that doesn’t matter because he is not at all afraid to go to the canvas. In fact, he feels very comfortable being in the bottom position, as he has a very active and dangerous guard, scoring an armbar from his back in his last bout. Kimura is also very good with sweeps, transitions, and especially taking the backs of his opponents. His striking is average at best, but he does have a nice jab, and possesses some power for a bantamweight. Kimura’s chin is not the best, but he does have good recovery. The Hawaiian has good conditioning as well, so I expect him to have enough in his tank for 15 minutes of action, should the fight go the distance. George Roop (14-10-1 MMA, 5-7-1 UFC) is the only UFC fighter I can think of who has 13 fights with the promotion and a losing record. That says a lot about him, because he brings it every time he steps foot into the Octagon. And win or lose, he always leaves it all inside the cage. Roop is the type of fighter the fans want to see, and the type of fighter the UFC likes to keep around. The TUF season eight veteran is a very tall bantamweight at 6’1”, and with a 72” reach, he enjoys an advantage over everyone else in the division. He is a well-rounded mixed martial artist with a solid striking game. He works excellent kicks, including a nice roundhouse kick he likes to use. He has nice high kicks, as well, and kicks well both his right and left. The Arizona native loves to employ his elbows and especially knees in his brutal striking attack. Sometimes he likes to look to catch his opponents with a flying knee, and given his height, he normally doesn’t have to jump very high to land it. Roop has good footwork and head movement, and a nice lead jab. He is good at using his strikes to set up his takedowns, and when in superior position on the mat, he puts on a vicious ground and pound attack, allowing his elbows to be the stars of the show. The Apex MMA fighter has a pretty good submission game. His defensive grappling isn’t bad, either, as he has good takedown defense and generally does a decent job of defending submissions. Roop has great cardio and will be prepared to go hard for all three rounds, but will indeed be looking for the finish the entire time. Gabe’s Prediction: I have a feeling Roop is going to hurt Kimura on the feet, then follow him to the mat and finish him strikes. Gabe’s Call: Roop by TKO (strikes, 1:21 round 1) Gabe’s Recommended Play: George Roop (-120) 4.2u to win 3.5u
