The Ultimate Fighter: A Champion Will Be Crowned

Last updated
The Ultimate Fighter: A Champion Will Be Crowned
Genre Reality, Sports
Created by Frank Fertitta III, Lorenzo Fertitta, Dana White
StarringDana White, Anthony Pettis, and Gilbert Melendez
Country of originUnited States
Production
Running time60 minutes
Release
Original network Fox Sports 1
Original releaseSeptember 10 (2014-09-10) 
December 10, 2014 (2014-12-10)

The Ultimate Fighter: A Champion Will Be Crowned (also known as The Ultimate Fighter 20) is the twentieth installment of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)-produced reality television series The Ultimate Fighter . This season is the first to feature only female fighters and was used to determine the first UFC Women's Strawweight Champion. [1]

Contents

The series was officially announced by the UFC in December 2013. [1] The coaches were announced in February 2014 after Gilbert Melendez re-signed with the UFC and stated he would coach opposite the current UFC Lightweight Champion, Anthony Pettis. [2] [3] This move drew criticism from MMA critics and fans, as some felt it was establishing a significant delay in Pettis' first title defense. [4]

This season aired on Fox Sports 1. [1]

Cast

Coaches

Fighters

Eleven fighters were initially announced as already having been cast for the show in December 2013; [1] however, Cláudia Gadelha, Juliana Lima, and Paige VanZant were eventually removed from the cast due to being unable to stay on weight throughout the program, not speaking English, and being too young, respectively. They got a direct contract with the UFC despite their removal from The Ultimate Fighter. [5] Auditions were held in April 2014 to find the remaining eight contestants. [5] The eight remaining fighters were announced on July 3, 2014. [6]

Episodes

Episode 1: For The Belt (September 10, 2014)
Carla Esparza – Ranked #1 (Team Pettis – first pick)
Angela Hill – Ranked #16 (Team Melendez)
Tecia Torres – Ranked #3 (Team Melendez – second pick)
Randa Markos – Ranked #14 (Team Pettis)
Joanne Calderwood – Ranked #2 (Team Pettis – third pick)
Emily Kagan – Ranked #15 (Team Melendez)
Rose Namajunas – Ranked #7 (Team Melendez – fourth pick)
Alex Chambers – Ranked #10 (Team Pettis)
Jessica Penne – Ranked #4 (Team Pettis – fifth pick)
Lisa Ellis – Ranked #13 (Team Melendez)
Heather Jo Clark – Ranked #11 (Team Melendez – sixth pick)
Felice Herrig – Ranked #6 (Team Pettis)
Justine Kish – Ranked #9 (Team Pettis – seventh pick)
Bec Rawlings – Ranked #8 (Team Melendez)
Angela Magana – Ranked #12 (Team Melendez – eight pick)
Aisling Daly – Ranked #5 (Team Pettis)
Episode 2: We All Came Here to Fight! (September 17, 2014)
Episode 3: Don't Fight Fate (September 24, 2014)
Episode 4: Make A Big Strike (October 1, 2014)
Episode 5: Coming To Get You (October 22, 2014)
Episode 6: Give It All You Have (October 29, 2014)
Episode 7: Risk It All (November 5, 2014)
Episode 8: Skrapettes (November 12, 2014)
Episode 9: Don't Talk to Me (November 19, 2014)
Episode 10: Fighting For Themselves (November 26, 2014)
Episode 11: Best Job in the World (December 3, 2014)
Episode 12: It's About to Get Real (December 10, 2014)

Tournament bracket

 
PrelimsQuarter-finalsSemi-finalsFinale
 
              
 
 
 
 
  1 Carla EsparzaSUB
 
 
 
  16 Angela Hill1
 
 1 Carla EsparzaMD
 
 
 
  3 Tecia Torres2
 
  8 Bec Rawlings2
 
 
 
 3 Tecia Torres*UD
 
 1 Carla EsparzaUD
 
 
 
  4 Jessica Penne3
 
  5 Aisling DalyTKO
 
 
 
  12 Angela Magana3
 
  5 Aisling Daly3
 
 
 
 4 Jessica PenneUD
 
  4 Jessica PenneSUB
 
 
 
  13 Lisa Ellis1
 
 1 Carla EsparzaSUB
 
 
 
  7 Rose Namajunas3
 
  6 Felice HerrigUD
 
 
 
  11 Heather Jo Clark2
 
  6 Felice Herrig1
 
 
 
 14 Randa MarkosSUB
 
  3 Tecia Torres3
 
 
 
 14 Randa MarkosUD
 
  14 Randa Markos1
 
 
 
 7 Rose NamajunasSUB
 
  7 Rose NamajunasSUB
 
 
 
  10 Alex Chambers1
 
 7 Rose NamajunasSUB
 
 
 
  2 Joanne Calderwood2
 
  2 Joanne CalderwoodMD
 
 
  15 Emily Kagan2
 

* 9th seed Justine Kish had to leave the competition due to an injured knee and was replaced by Torres who had previously lost her first round fight. Torres moved from Team Melendez to Team Pettis as Kish had been on Team Pettis.

Legend
 Team Pettis
 Team Melendez
UD
 Unanimous Decision
MD
 Majority Decision
SUB
 Submission
(T) KO
 (Technical) Knockout

Bonus awards

Fans voted to award the following $25,000 bonus awards to fights that took place during the TUF 20 season: [7]

  • Fight of the Season: Rose Namajunas vs. Joanne Calderwood
  • Performance of the Season: Randa Markos and Rose Namajunas

Coaches' fight

UFC 181: Hendricks vs. Lawler II was held on December 6, 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Anthony Pettis defeated Gilbert Melendez via submission (guillotine choke) at 1:53 of the second round.

The Ultimate Fighter 20 Finale

The Ultimate Fighter: A Champion Will Be Crowned
TUF 20 finale event poster.jpg
The poster for The Ultimate Fighter: A Champion Will Be Crowned
Information
Promotion Ultimate Fighting Championship
DateDecember 12, 2014
Venue Palms Casino Resort
City Las Vegas, Nevada
Attendance1,800 [8]
Total gate$143,000 [8]
Event chronology
UFC 181: Hendricks vs. Lawler II The Ultimate Fighter: A Champion Will Be Crowned UFC on Fox: dos Santos vs. Miocic

The Ultimate Fighter: A Champion Will Be Crowned Finale (also known as The Ultimate Fighter 20 Finale) was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship. It took place on December 12, 2014, at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada. [9]

Background

The event featured the finals of the Women's Strawweight tournament between finalists Carla Esparza and Rose Namajunas, which crowned the inaugural UFC Women's Strawweight champion. [9]

The rest of the contestants from the show, with the exception of an injured Justine Kish, filled out the remainder of the card. [10] [11] Filling in for Kish was Seohee Ham, [11] the first Korean female fighter in the promotion. [12]

Oliveira came in at 147 pounds at the weigh ins and was given one hour to cut an extra pound to make the featherweight limit, but he could not make the weight and weighted in at 146.5 pounds. He forfeited 10 percent of his purse to Stephens. Also, Daly originally came in at 118 pounds and did not elect to cut the remaining weight. She forfeited 20 percent of her purse to Chambers. [13]

Results

Main Card (Fox Sports 1)
Weight classMethodRoundTimeNotes
Women's Strawweight Carla Esparza def. Rose Namajunas Submission (rear-naked choke)31:26 [lower-alpha 1]
Catchweight (146.5 lb) Charles Oliveira def. Jeremy Stephens Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 29–28, 29–28)35:00
Lightweight K. J. Noons vs. Daron Cruickshank No Contest (accidental eye poke)20:25 [lower-alpha 2]
Lightweight Yancy Medeiros def. Joe Proctor Submission (guillotine choke)14:37
Women's Strawweight Jessica Penne def. Randa Markos Decision (split) (28–29, 30–27, 29–28)35:00
Preliminary Card (Fox Sports 1)
Women's Strawweight Felice Herrig def. Lisa Ellis Submission (armbar)23:05
Women's Strawweight Heather Jo Clark def. Bec Rawlings Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28)35:00
Women's Strawweight Joanne Calderwood def. Seo Hee Ham Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–26)35:00
Women's Strawweight Tecia Torres def. Angela Magaña Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–26)35:00
Preliminary Card (UFC Fight Pass)
Catchweight (118 lb) Aisling Daly def. Alex Chambers Submission (armbar)14:53
Women's Strawweight Angela Hill def. Emily Kagan Decision (unanimous) (30–26, 30–26, 30–27)35:00
  1. For the inaugural UFC Women's Strawweight Championship.
  2. An accidental eye poke rendered Cruickshank unable to continue; as the fight had not reached the third round, it was declared a No Contest.

[14]

Bonus awards

The following fighters were awarded $50,000 bonuses: [15]

Reported payout

The following is the reported payout to the fighters as reported to the Nevada State Athletic Commission. It does not include sponsor money and also does not include the UFC's traditional "fight night" bonuses. [16]

^ Although not recognized on the official pay sheet, Oliveira was fined $5,400, or 10% of his pay for missing weight for the fight. That money was issued to Stephens, an NSAC official confirmed. [13]
< Both fighters earned show money; bout declared No Contest. [16]
> Although not recognized on the official pay sheet, Daly was fined $3,200, or 20% of her pay for missing weight for the fight. That money was issued to Chambers, an NSAC official confirmed. [13]

See also

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