A full night of free UFC, what could be better? Saturday's TUF 13 Finale should go a long way to erase the bitter taste UFC 130 may have left in the mouths of MMA fans. The card is littered with fights that promise to be the type of exciting, back-and-forth brawls that viewers love to see.
Clay "The Carpenter" Guida and Anthony "Showtime" Pettis will meet in the night's main attraction. The last time mixed martial arts fans saw "Showtime" the young fighter surely lived up to his nickname, defeating Benson Henderson on the heels of an incredible off-the-cage, ninja-like head kick to become the WEC lightweight champion at WEC 53.
After claiming the belt, Pettis was promised the first shot at the UFC title following Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard's planned bout. But things are never quite that simple in this sport, and the match ended in a tied, throwing a monkey wrench into Pettis' plans.
With a Edgar/Maynard rematch unavoidable, "Showtime" was given the option between playing it safe and shelving himself for a year until the title picture cleared up, or risking a once-in-a-lifetime chance at the belt by accepting a different opponent. In a noble decision, Pettis chose the latter and was promptly given no favors by UFC matchmaker Joe Silva.
Make no mistake about it, Clay Guida isn't an easy fight. This isn't just a walkover to keep Pettis in game shape. "The Carpenter" comes to the cage ready for a war, bringing with him one of the most relentless, chaotic styles in the UFC. Wherever Guida goes, fireworks are sure to follow.
The night's other co-headlining bout is a match between Anthony Ferguson and Ramsey Nijem to decide the winner of Season 13 of "The Ultimate Fighter". While the show's ratings may have declined throughout the season, this final pairing presents a myriad of fascinating angles that should entertain fight fans.
The Ultimate Fighter 13 Finale will be broadcast live at 9 p.m. EST on SPIKE. All west coast showings will be broadcast at 9 p.m. local time, however the event will be a pre-recorded version so be wary of your internet browsing lest you spoil the results for yourself.
The Ultimate Fighter 13 Finale Betting Odds:
Main Card
Tony Ferguson (-110) vs. Ramsey Nijem (-120)
Clay Guida (+190) vs. Anthony Pettis (-250)
Chris Cope (+145) vs. Chuck O'Neil (-175)
Kyle Kingsbury (-230) vs. Fabio Maldonado (+190)
Tim Credeur (-105) vs. Ed Herman (-135)
Preliminary Card
Reuben Duran (-250) vs. Francisco Rivera (+190)
Scott Jorgensen (-600) vs. Ken Stone (+400)
Justin Edwards (-185) vs. Clay Harvison (+155)
Shamar Bailey (-350) vs. Ryan McGillivray (+275)
Josh Grispi (-550) vs. George Roop (+350)
Danny Downes (+280) vs. Jeremy Stephens (-360)