Ultimate Fighter 7 Recap: Grove beats Tanner in main event

Main Card Bouts:

-Evan Tanner vs. Kendall Grove R1- Tanner works for the ground early on and he's able to get Kendall down, but Grove gets back to his feet quickly. Grove looks very strong on his feet landing a nice elbow that opens a cut on Tanner's head. In the clinch, Grove lands a beautiful jumping knee strike. Tanner eats the knee, but is able to get the fight back to the ground where he almost gets caught in a triangle choke. Tanner escapes and closes the round with ground and pound on Grove. MMAWeekly scores R1 10-9 for Kendall Grove

R2- Grove keeps Tanner away early with his jab and kicks. Back in the clinch, Grove lands another nice jumping knee, but Tanner again gets the fight the ground. Grove uses a kimura to force the fight back to the feet where he unloads a nice elbow that rocks Tanner and Evan stumbles and starts to falter. Grove follows up with big strikes trying to finish, but Tanner is able to survive and get back to the clinch. As the round closes, Grove again attacks with another barrage of strikes. MMAWeekly scores R2 10-8 for Kendall Grove

R3- Tanner works for the clinch again early on, but he cannot get Grove to the ground. Grove lands nice inside elbows from the clinch. The fighters separate and Tanner lands a couple of good leg kicks and a few solid punches, but soon enough the fight is back in the clinch. Tanner realizes the urgency in the round and starts to separate to throw punches, but he cannot connect with anything powerful. Grove counters with some nice jabs and knees. MMAWeekly scores R3 10-9 for Evan Tanner

Kendall Grove def. Evan Tanner by split decision (30-26, 30-26, 28-29)

-Ultimate Fighter 7 Finale: Amir Sadollah vs. C.B. Dollaway R1 - Sadollah throws a couple of good front kicks to start the fight, but Dollaway lands a good takedown early on. Dollaway starts to hammer away from the top. Sadollah starts to move his hips from underneath and locks on an armbar. Dollaway tries to persevere, but he can't get out of the hold and he's forced to tap out.

Amir Sadollah def. C.B. Dollaway by submission (armbar) at 3:02, R1

-Diego Sanchez vs. Luigi Fioravanti R1- Luigi lands a good shot early as Sanchez comes out aggressive to start the fight. Sanchez settles in and starts to throw varying strikes including a nice flying knee that glanced Fioravanti but didn't land any real damage. Sanchez stayed the aggressor for the round going for more punches and kicks, but Fioravanti stuffed all of his takedown attempts and actually took Diego down at the end of round one. MMAWeekly scores R1 10-9 for Diego Sanchez

R2- Sanchez lands a big right hand early on in the round that puts Fioravanti down. Diego tries to capitalize on the ground with strikes, working for a kimura but Luigi escapes. Back on the feet, Sanchez again continues to pursue Fioravanti as he tries to take his back while standing up, but Luigi tries to go for a kimura of his own and Sanchez has to let go of the position. Late in the round, the fighters continue to trade with both landing shots at different points. MMAWeekly scores R2 10-9 for Diego Sanchez

R3 - The fighters stay standing to start the third round with Sanchez looking fresher than his opponent, but he soons starts to shoot in on Fioravanti, but Luigi is able to shrug off every attempt. Again the fighters trade back and forth with combinations with Sanchez looking the stronger of the two fighters on the feet. For the third round in a row, Sanchez lands a high kick on Fioravanti, but this time he rocks him hard. Diego follows up with a big knee before unloading punches on the ground forcing a stop to the fight.

Diego Sanchez def. Luigi Fioravanti by TKO (strikes on the ground) at 4:07, R3

-Spencer Fisher vs. Jeremy Stephens R1- The fighters trade early on and Stephens goes for the clinch and the lands a takedown, but Fisher gets right back up. Fisher takes Stephens down this time and works for ground and pound from the top. Fisher gets to mount and attacks from the top, but Stephens is able to roll and get back to guard. Fisher closes out the round with more ground and pound. MMAWeekly scores R1 10-9 for Spencer Fisher

R2- Stephens comes out much more aggressive in this round throwing shots, but Fisher doesn't take much damage and lands a few good combinations of his own. Stephens goes for a takedown about halfway through the round, but Fisher reverses and gets side control on his opponent instead. Fisher starts to unload on Stephens with a strong ground attack. Stephens does manage to get up as the round comes to a close and get a takedown on Fisher. MMAWeekly scores R2 10-9 for Spencer Fisher

R3- Stephens looks solid on his feet in the third round as Fisher looks like starting to lose gas. Stephens almost locks on a guillotine choke on the ground, but Fisher is able to resist. Fisher works the fight back on the ground and gets to mount, moves back to half guard and then back to the feet. Stephens looks strong again, but the round is coming towards the end. He tries to lock on another guillotine choke on Fisher, but the fight ends. MMAWeekly scores R3 10-9 for Jeremy Stephens

Spencer Fisher def. Jeremy Stephens by unanimous decision (29-28 on all score cards)

-Dante Rivera vs. Matthew Riddle R1 - Riddle and Rivera clinch for the majority of the first round, with both fighters throwing knees from the inside. Riddle looks like the stronger of the two fighters, pushing Rivera against the cage consistently throughout the session. Towards the end of the round, Riddle lands a takedown before the first five minutes are up. MMAWeekly scores R1 10-9 for Matt Riddle

R2 - Riddle scores another takedown to open the round, but the fighters are quickly back up to the feet. The fighters stay in the clinch again for much of the round with Riddle displaying his power pushing Rivera against the cage and landing knees to the legs of his opponent. Late in the round, Riddle gets the mount on Rivera and starts to ground and pound before working for an armbar, but Rivera escapes and ends up on top. Rivera tries to ground and pound, but Riddle locks on a triangle choke and armbar, but Rivera gets out just as the round ends. MMAWeekly scores R2 10-9 for Matt Riddle

R3 - Riddle takes Rivera down early in the round. Rivera works for rubber guard trying for a submission, but he is unable to lock anything on. Back on the feet, Riddle again displays his power in the clinch and then to another takedown. Herb Dean stands the fight up after a stall in the action. Riddle gets another takedown, and ends up mounting Rivera where he works for punches and elbows as time runs out. MMAWeekly scores R3 10-9 for Matt Riddle

Matt Riddle def. Dante Rivera by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

Preliminary Bouts:

-Josh Burkman vs. Dustin Hazelett R1 -- Unlike his more recent efforts, Burkman starts at a high pace, looking to throw down. He lands some powerful hands and kicks early before taking Hazelett to the mat. Hazelett captures Burkman's arm in an omo plata shoulder lock, but Burkman gets out. Hazelett then goes for an Anaconda choke, Burkman gets out, but then Hazelett applies it again and secures it deeper, but Burkman holds on and works his way out to half guard and starts dropping down forearms and elbows. Hazelett moves to a rubber guard to defend to the end of round one.

MMAWeekly scores the round 10-9 for Hazelett

R2 -- A brief exchange is followed by Burkman slamming Hazelett down to his back, Burkman in Hazelett's guard. They stand back up and the pace slows. Hazelett jumps guard on Burkman and starts working for a guillotine choke while standing, but slips down out of Burkman's grasp and they clinch on the fence. Burkman lands a couple good punches on the break and throughout the next minute as the pace again slows down. They clinch and kind of mutually take each other down, Hazelett jumps to Burkman's arm locking on an armbar, extends and Burkman taps.

Dustin Hazelett def. Josh Burkman by Submission (Armbar) at 4:46, R2

-Marvin Eastman vs. Drew McFedries R1 -- McFedries starts with a flying knee, but is caught by Eastman and taken down. Back on their feet moments later, McFedries starts landing some brutal punches and a hard knee. Eastman goes down to all fours clutching McFedries' leg, but McFedries continues to punch away at the downed Eastman until the referee stops the fight.

Drew McFedries def. Marvin Eastman by TKO (Strikes) at 1:08, R1

-Matt Arroyo vs. Matt Brown R1 -- Arroyo moving well on his feet, starts tagging Brown with crisp punches. Clinched on the fence, Arroyo takes Brown down and lands some solid punches, but Brown works his way back up to the feet, again clinched along the fence. Arroyo separates and starts landing heavy combinations, rocking Brown. After some slowed exchanges, Brown scores with some solid punches and knees to the body before the round closes.

MMAWeekly scores the round 10-9 for Arroyo.

R2 -- Brown starts off round two where he left off in one, pushing the pace and landing several combinations of punches, knees and kicks before taking Arroyo to the mat. He then starts peppering Arroyo with punches from inside his guard. Brown then starts adding forearms to both the head and body. He then pins Arroyo's head to the cage and lands a huge right hand that puts Arroyo out, and lands a couple more big blows to finish the fight.

Matt Brown def. Matt Arroyo by TKO (Strikes) at 3:40, R2

-Dean Lister vs. Jeremy Horn R1 -- They start trading blows. Lister starts to work for the takedown. Horn underhooks and puts Lister on his back and starts working from half guard. Horn brings it back to standing, stuffing Lister's takedowns and throwing low kicks. Lister scores a takedown with only a couple of minutes left in the round and starts ground and pound from Horn's guard. Horn tries to reverse and gets caught in a guillotine choke as they roll over, then taps out.

Dean Lister def. Jeremy Horn by Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 3:52, R1

-Tim Credeur vs. Cale Yarbrough - CANCELLED

-Rob Yundt vs. Rob Kimmons R1 - Yundt scores a takedown early, as Kimmons tries to lock on a guillotine choke, but his opponent perseveres and gets out of the hold. Yundt works a ground and pound attack from within Kimmons' guard. Kimmons goes for a kimura and reverses positions on Yundt, opening up a ground attack of his own. Yundt tries to reverse the position this time, but Kimmons reacts and locks on a guillotine choke forcing a tap out this time.

Rob Kimmons def. Rob Yundt by Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 3:58, R1