By Jim Edwards

UFC International Fight Week 2016 continued last evening with The Ultimate Fighter 23 Finale taking centre stage at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

In the main event, the UFC strawweight title was on the line as champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk defended her title against challenger Claudia Gadelha in a rematch of their first fight from December 2014. 

To say there was no love lost between the two women heading into the fight would have been an understatement. This was a battle of the best 115-pound fighters in the world and their constant bickering and trash talking, seemingly only grew in intensity the further the TUF23 series developed.  

After the months and build up and some intense entrances, the two finally met in the Octagon for the second time and as expected, there were fireworks aplenty.

Round one got underway and Joanna was down early after a slip. Claudia tried to hold her down but the Jedrzejczyk made her way back to her feet. After a brief bit of striking, Gadelha had her down again and this time moved into side control.
 
Jedrzejczyk somehow managed to make her way to the cage and back up to her feet again as Conor McGregor cheered the Pole on from his cageside seat shouting advice. The round closed out with both women exchanging jabs and leg kicks. 

Round two opened and both women found themselves clinched up against the cage. Claudia again took Jedrzejczyk down and then proceeded to lay in some blows to the face with the champion's back against the cage. Jedrzejczyk bravely rose to her feet again but Gadelha clinched her up against the cage and smothered her for space.

A Gadelha slip then gave Jedrzejczyk top position but she could do nothing with it as the Brazilian powered back to her feet. The round ended with Joanna landing a kick to the midsection but it Gadelha's round again.

Round third opened with both women working behind their jabs. Jedrzejczyk landed a good short elbow but Gadelha then took her down again and then clinched her against the cage when she managed to rise to her feet. 

Jedrzejczyk then powered out and landed a short elbow and then followed up with three jabs in what was the best sequence of the fight so far for her. Gadelha then got a single leg but Joanna  scrambled our on top and forced the Brazilian to stand back up with her. Jedrzejczyk looked to be hunting a finish but then the Brazilian landed a short elbow to send the champion briefly down. Jedrzejczyk then fired in elbows with the crowd going absolutely mental as the round finished.

Round four started with Jedrzejczyk looking to fire in elbows on Gadelha who was looking a lot more flat footed. Jedrzejczyk's output at this point was far superior though the Brazilian still fired in the odd counter shot to keep the champion on her toes.

Jedrzejczyk then landed a slick one-two as she really started to assert her dominance. The two then traded elbows before Jedrzejczyk then landed two straight lefts that caused Gadelha to wince in pain. Jedrzejczyk then landed multiple body shots and jabs as she started to pick Gadelha apart for the remainder of the round.

At the start of the final round, Jedrzejczyk offered to touch gloves but the Brazilian was having none of it. Gadelha looked a little more refreshed than the last round but it was still the champion landing the volume. The Brazilian then looked for the takedown but Jedrzejczyk managed to stay on her feet and land strikes as she pushed away. 

The two women then took to the centre of the Octagon with everything still tp play for with half the round remaining. Jedrzejczyk scored with a head kick but Gadelha walked through it. Jedrzejczyk then resisted another takedown and then made the Brazilian stand on her feet once she had her down herself. With one minute remaining, they exchanged strikes at close quarters. Jedrzejczyk then landed a big elbow but the Brazilian bit down on her mouthpiece and bravely continued to duke it out. The fight finished with the two clinched up against the cage. 

After an amazing twenty-five minutes, the fight went to the judges and it was Jedrzejczyk that got the unanimous decision 48-46, 48-45, 48-46. It was an amazing fight and a terrific way to send the fans home happy until UFC 200 tomorrow night.

In the co-main event slots, Tatiana Suarez and Andrew Sanchez won their respective women's and men's TUF 23 competitions. In doing so, both Suarez and Sanchez earned themselves a five-figure UFC contract and a Harley Davidson motorcycle.

Also on the main card, former Bellator MMA champion Will Brooks made a successful UFC debut defeating Ross Pearson, while 'The Korean Wonderboy' Doo Ho Choi knocked out gritty veteran Thiago Tavares in stunning fashion in the first round of their featherweight fight.


TUF 23: Team Joanna vs Team Claudia Results:


MAIN CARD


Joanna Jedrzejczyk def. Claudia Gadelha via unanimous decision (48-46, 48-45, 48-46)
Andrew Sanchez def. Khalil Rountree via unanimous decision (30-25, 30-25, 30-26)
Tatiana Suarez def. Amanda Cooper via submission (D’arce Choke), Round 1,  3:43
Result: Will Brooks def. Ross Pearson via unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Doo Ho Choi def. Thiago Tavares via KO (Punches), Round 1, 2:42
Joaquim Silva def. Andrew Holbrook via TKO (Punches), Round 1, 0:34


PRELIM CARD

Gray Maynard def. Fernando Bruno via unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Matheus Nicolau def. John Moraga via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Josh Stansbury def. Cory Hendricks via majority decision (29-27, 29-27, 28-28)
Cezar Ferreira def. Anthony Smith via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

UFC FIGHT PASS PRELIMS

Kevin Lee def. Jake Matthews via TKO (Punches), Round 1, 4:06
Li Jingliang def. Anton Zafir via KO (Punches), Round 1, 2:46