You would have thought that the main training partner of Georges St. Pierre and Rory McDonald would have come away the winner of the sixteenth installment of The Ultimate Fighter
reality series last Saturday night at The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. Colton Smith, member of Team Carwin had other plans for Tristar Gym member and Team Nelson fighter, Mike Ricci. Ricci, a heavy favorite going into the fight, was shut down for the entire three rounds by Smith’s wrestling as he would go on to become the newest winner of The Ultimate Fighter. Ricci, coming off a knockout win over teammate Neil Magny to advance to the finals, was unable to put any standup game together in the final fight for the UFC contract. Smith, using the same game plan he used all season, easily took Ricci to the ground each round and threatened with the rear naked choke numerous times but could not finish. The only time Ricci had the advantage was in the last minute of the fight where he caught Smith in an armbar but was not able to secure it. Earlier in the night, Dustin Poirier defeated Jonathan Brookins in the first round via d’arce choke. Pat Barry knocked out Shane del Rosario in the second round of their heavyweight matchup and in the main event of the night, Roy Nelson knocked out Shane Carwin replacement, Matt Mitrione in the first round. The Ultimate Fighter will return to FX on Tuesday, January 22nd, and FX and the UFC hope that the combination of a new night and having Jon Jones and Chael Sonnen as the season 17 coaches will be enough to raise the ratings back up.
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