TUF China Finale results: Zhang Lipeng edges Wang Sai to win 'TUF: China'

MACAU – In what turned out to be the only one of two planned tournament finals to take place at the event, Zhang Lipeng (7-7 MMA, 1-0 UFC) defeated Wang Sai (6-5-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC) at the TUF China Finale.

The welterweight tourney final co-headlined today’s TUF China Finale event at The Venetian Macao’s CotaiArena in Macau. It streamed on UFC Fight Pass.

With a planned featherweight tournament final postponed due to injury, Sai and Lipeng concluded the first Chinese edition of the UFC’s long-running reality series. The season, though, was essentially void of UFC-caliber talent. And though it showed in the tourney’s conclusion, the finalists did put on a competitive – though not always technically sound – bout, which Lipeng won via split decision.

Early on, despite both fighters entering the cage with an abundance of energy, little action followed. An extended feeling-out process included a few low kicks and not much else. However, just as the boos began to ring out, Lipeng shot and scooped up Sai to score a takedown. He immediately moved to his opponent’s back, secured a body lock and tightened a rear-naked choke. The end looked likely, but Sai escaped, took top position and delivered a few elbows before taking Lipeng’s back and threatening with a choke of his own.

After the back-and-forth opening round, Lipeng looked for an early trip-takedown, but Sai fended it off and scored elbows from the clinch. However, illegal knees to a downed opponent brought about a brief timeout. Lipeng immediately scored a double-leg takedown on the restart and then continually tossed around his opponent while trying to work his way to Sai’s back. But like the first round, Sai scrambled, got dominant ground positions, and closed out the round in top position.

With the fight still up for grabs, Sai scored a third-round takedown, and after a questionable standup, again forced the fight to the mat and took Lipeng’s back. But like the first two rounds, each fighter benefited from swings of momentum during sometimes-sloppy scrambles on the mat.

With no clear-cut winner in any round, the scores were up for debate. But ultimately, the judges scored it a split decision for Lipeng via 29-28, 27-30 and 29-28.

Lipeng snaps a two-fight skid with the win while Sai falls to 1-3 in his past four.

“I’m overjoyed to become China’s first ‘Ultimate Fighter,’ Lipeng said. “My original game plan was to engage him in a standup match, but it changed in the first round when we took it to the ground. I credit my win today to my defensive moves. I worked really hard on it in practice and it worked out.”

“I felt I won today, but I guess the judges didn’t agree,” Sai said. “In the first round, after a few punches, my left thumb started hurting again. It’s an old injury and I decided to take it to the ground. I have been training hard in Thailand in preparation for this fight, but it’s pity we didn’t achieve the end goal.”

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

• Zhang Lipeng def. Wang Sai via split decision (29-28, 27-30, 29-28)
• Matt Mitrione def. Shawn Jordan via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 4:59
• Hatsu Hioki def. Ivan Menjivar via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Yui Chul Nam def. Kazuki Tokudome via split decision (29-27, 27-28, 29-28)
• Vaughan Lee def. Nam Phan via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)
• Anying Wang def. Albert Cheng via TKO (doctor’s stoppage) – Round 1, 5:00
• Mark Eddiva def. Jumabieke Tuerxun via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

For complete coverage of the TUF China Finale, stay tuned to the UFC Events section of the site.

John Morgan contributed to this report on-site in Macau.