TUF 24 Finale results: Jared Cannonier outworks Ion Cutelaba in move to light heavyweight

LAS VEGAS – For three full rounds, Jared Cannonier and Ion Cutelaba battered each other from one side of the UFC’s small cage to the other.

But when both men refused to go down, even after trading monster shots, this one was decided by the judges, all three of whom saw it for Cannonier (9-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC), despite a gutsy effort from Cutelaba (12-3 MMA, 1-2 UFC).

The light heavyweight bout was part of the main card of today’s TUF 24 Finale event at The Pearl at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. It aired on FS1 following prelims on FS1 and UFC Fight Pass.

Considering the fury with which this fight started, the fact that it lasted the full 15 minutes might have been the most surprising thing about it. From the opening moments, Cannonier and Cutelaba fought like they were trying to remove each other’s heads, with Cutelaba incorporating spinning attacks and the occasional takedown as part of a wide open attack that at times begged for damaging counters.

Beginning in the second round, Cannonier began to oblige him, repeatedly hammering the chin of Cutelaba with sharp right hands that seemed like potential fight-enders, but which failed to even change the expression on Cutelaba’s face.

Instead, it was a scramble on the ground that resulted in Cannonier taking top position that really began to turn the tide, as he battered Cutelaba from the top position in the latter half of the second round.

After that, Cannonier’s confidence only grew. He put it to impressive use in the final round, walking Cutelaba down with his hands at his sides and firing back with heavy counters that had a weary Cutelaba marching backwards in the fight’s final moments.

That proved to be all the convincing the judges needed, as all three gave the fight to Cannonier by scores of 29-28 across the board.

With the unanimous decision victory, Cannonier has now won two straight in the UFC. Cutelaba has lost two of his last three.

Up-to-the-minute TUF 24 Finale results include:

• Jared Cannonier def. Ion Cutelaba via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Sara McMann def. Alexis Davis via submission (arm-triangle choke) – Round 2, 2:52
• Brandon Moreno def. Ryan Benoit via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
• Ryan Hall def. Gray Maynard via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
• Rob Font def. Matt Schnell via TKO (knee, punches) – Round 1, 3:47
• “Maestro” Dong Hyun Kim def. Brendan O’Reilly via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Jamie Moyle def. Kailin Curran via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Anthony Smith def. Elvis Mutapcic via TKO (elbow, punches) – Round 2, 3:27
• Devin Clark def. Josh Stansbury via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

For complete coverage of The Ultimate Fighter 24 Finale, check out the UFC Events section of the site.

(MMAjunkie’s John Morgan contributed to this report on site in Las Vegas.)