‘The Ultimate Fighter 14’ Finale Preview

---

Lightweights
Tony Ferguson (12-2, 2-0 UFC) vs. Yves Edwards (41-17-1, 9-5 UFC)

The Matchup: After two impressive fights in the UFC, “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 13 winner Ferguson has the look of a prospect with a bright future ahead of him. Enter Edwards, a respected veteran who can provide the type of test that determines whether “El Cucuy” is ready to ascend to the next level in the promotion.

Edwards is well-rounded, mixing punches and kicks well in the standup while possessing a crafty ground game, as well. The 35-year-old Bahamian has displayed a generally solid chin for most of his career, which made his first-round knockout loss to Sam Stout at UFC 131 so surprising. Edwards rebounded by defeating Rafaello Oliveira at UFC Live 6, countering the AMA Fight Club product with a steady diet of kicks to the legs, head and body. He will need to be on alert against Ferguson, an adept boxer who has shown an affinity for countering opponents from the pocket.

The 27-year-old dropped Ramsey Nijiem at “The Ultimate Fighter 13” Finale with a counter left hook and broke Aaron Riley’s jaw with a pair of left uppercuts at UFC 135. If the punch that Stout used to put Edwards to sleep is an indication that his chin is fading after years of battles in the cage, Ferguson has the tools to put it to the test once again.

Edwards is capable of keeping Ferguson off guard with an array of spinning back fists and unorthodox kicks, but if Ferguson finds himself in a dicey situation, he can change the direction of the fight with his excellent wrestling. On the ground, he will need to proceed with caution, as Edwards remains adept at transitioning to submissions when his opponents become too comfortable.

The American Top Team representative’s best chance of defeating Ferguson is to take him deeper into the fight, where his years of experience can take over. If Edwards can survive his opponent’s onslaught of power punches early on, he will have a better chance of frustrating Ferguson and baiting him into a grappling contest.

The Pick: There is something to be said for experience, and Edwards has plenty of that. Unfortunately, the years of wear and tear may have taken its toll on him. Ferguson’s athleticism and wrestling ability will allow him to dictate the location of the fight, and his boxing ability gives him a solid chance of finishing every time out. Edwards makes things interesting with a variety of attacks early, but Ferguson gets a TKO in round two.

Finish Reading » Last Fight: Johnny Bedford vs. Louis Gaudinot