411’s The Ultimate Fighter 24: Team Benavidez vs. Team Cejudo Report 11.23.16

The Ultimate Fighter 24: Episode Eleven
The Ultimate Fighter 24: Team Benavidez vs. Team Cejudo is a flyweight spectacular. The coaches are top flyweights, the 16 competitors are top flyweight champions from outside of the UFC, and the winner will receive a title shot against Demetrious Johnson, and a Harley Davidson motorcycle of their choosing, and the six-figure UFC contract. Basically, Demetrious Johnson is a very bad man and has cleaned shit out. LAST WEEK Eric Shelton (Caged Aggression Iowa, 10-2 MMA, 1-0 TUF) defeated Ronaldo Candido de Oliveira (Shooto South America, 6-0 MMA, 1-0 TUF) and Tim Elliott (Titan FC, 16-6 MMA, 1-0 TUF) defeated Matt Schnell (Legacy FC, 9-2 MMA, 1-0 TUF). This week’s fights are Alexandre Pantoja (Resurrection Fighting Alliance, 16-2 MMA, 2-0 TUF) vs. Hiromasa Ogikubo (Shooto (Japan) 15-3 MMA, 2-0 TUF) and Tim Elliott (Titan FC, 16-6 MMA, 2-0 TUF) vs. Eric Shelton (Caged Aggression Iowa, 10-2 MMA, 2-0 TUF).

– FIGHT DAY: We get the basic locker room Warm ups. And overconfident pre-fight trash talk.

– WEIGH-INS:

– FIGHT DAY: We get the basic locker room Warm ups. And overconfident pre-fight trash talk.

Alexandre Pantoja (Resurrection Fighting Alliance, 16-2 MMA, 2-0 TUF) vs. Hiromasa Ogikubo (Shooto (Japan) 15-3 MMA, 2-0 TUF) : ROUND ONE: Pantoja is the highly skilled grappler, Masa is the most likeable guy in the house and has been impressive so far, but mostly fought strikers: Pantoja got Masa to the ground early, three worked to the cage and Masa got back to the feet, landed solid knees to the midsection and pressured Pantoja well. Masa then took the right to the ground, worked from the guard and had good pressure as he worked Pantoja to the cage. Masa started to land strikes, keeping the dominant position. Pantoja would get back to the feet, but Masa controlled well with the striking game, avoiding damage and not allowing Pantoja close for a potential takedown. Masa took it back to the ground to close the round. SCORECARD: Masa 10-9.

ROUND TWO: Pantoja came out aggressively, but was way too reckless and really had no plan other than to throw hands. Masa’s striking is too good here; Pantoja cannot get in close and is no threat to take it to the ground. Also, Masa has been too on the ground, frustrating Pantoja. Masa has easily neutralized Pantoja, takes him down again and continues to dominate. Masa locked him down and dominated to close the round. SCORECARD: Masa 20-18. Masa’s superior striking and counter wrestling were too much for his opponent here.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Hiromasa Ogikubo via unanimous decision

– Hiro is such a nice guy he felt bad for beating Pantoja’s ass. Pantoja was a sad panda in loss.

– Cejudo is a shit corner man. Benavidez is very good and has been able to communicate with Hiro despite the language barrier.

Tim Elliott (Titan FC, 16-6 MMA, 2-0 TUF) vs. Eric Shelton (Caged Aggression Iowa, 10-2 MMA, 2-0 TUF): ROUND ONE: Elliott 10-9. Elliott out quickly, looking to push Shelton back, but it only leads to sloppy striking from both men. Elliott takes Shelton down, hits a short slam/powerbomb as Shelton fished for the arm bar. Good control by Elliott, Shelton is staying calm but Elliott fishes for the guillotine. Shelton fights, switches position and gets into Elliott’s guard. Shelton worked some good body strikes as he looked for a better position, got Elliott’s back but Elliott escaped and locked in a guillotine. “OH MY GOD IT’S DEEP – “ Joe Rogan. It’s really not. We had an accidental clash of heads, and after a short break, Elliott pulled Shelton back down, looking or the guillotine again. Shelton fought, escaped and the round ended. SCORECARD: Elliott 10-9.

ROUND TWO: Second round now, Elliott is more aggressive to begin, looking for a takedown, but Shelton stuffs that. They trade kicks, Shelton then rushes into a guillotine, Elliott takes him down and looks for the submission. Shelton again survives, Elliott with some pitter pat strikes from the bottom, crucified Shelton and then went for a bulldog choke, Shelton was able to slip out and even get Elliott’s back. A good scramble follows, Elliott looks to smother Shelton, gets thru guillotine again, but Shelton survives the round.

SCORECARD: Elliott 20-18

OFFICIAL RESULT: Tim Elliott via majority decision

– Benavidez felt there should have been a third round. I can see the argument for that.

– Next week’s fights are Alexandre Pantoja (Resurrection Fighting Alliance, 16-2 MMA, 2-0 TUF) vs. Hiromasa Ogikubo (Shooto (Japan) 15-3 MMA, 2-0 TUF) and Tim Elliott (Titan FC, 16-6 MMA, 2-0 TUF) vs. Eric Shelton (Caged Aggression Iowa, 10-2 MMA, 2-0 TUF).

– We get a video preview for next week, Tim and Hiro get to call their families. AND THEN TRY TO KILL EACH OTHER IN THUNDERDOME!

Team Joseph Benavidez
#5. Hiromasa Ogikubo (Shooto (Japan) 15-3 MMA, 3-0 TUF)
#15. Eric Shelton (Caged Aggression Iowa, 10-2 MMA, 2-1 TUF)
#7. Ronaldo Candido de Oliveira (Shooto South America, 6-0 MMA, 1-1 TUF)
#3. Tim Elliott (Titan FC, 16-6 MMA, 3-0 TUF)
#11. Matt Rizzo (Ring of Combat, 9-2 MMA, 0-1 TUF)
#4. Damacio Page (Legacy FC, 19-10 MMA, 0-1 TUF)
#8. Terrence Mitchell (Alaska FC, 11-2 MMA, 0-1 TUF)
#16. Brandon Moreno (World Fighting Federation, 11-3 MMA, 0-1 TUF)

Team Henry Cejudo
#1.Alexandre Pantoja (Resurrection Fighting Alliance, 16-2 MMA, 2-1 TUF)
#13. Adam Antolin (Tachi Palace Fights, 11-3 MMA, 1-1 TUF)
#6. Matt Schnell (Legacy FC, 9-2 MMA, 1-1 TUF)
#9. Kai Kara-France (Bragging Rights Australia, 12-5-1nc MMA, 1-1 TUF)
#14. Charlie Alaniz (Hex Fight Series Australia, 6-1 MMA, 0-1 TUF)
#10. Jaime Alvarez (Absolute Fighting Championship, 6-1 MMA, 0-1 TUF)
#2. Yoni Sherbatov (XFFC Canada, 5-0-1 MMA, 0-1 TUF)
#12. Nkazimulo Zulu (EFC Africa, 7-2 MMA, 0-1 TUF)

– Hiromasa Ogikubo (Shooto (Japan) 15-3 MMA, 3-0 TUF) now faces Tim Elliott (Titan FC, 16-6 MMA, 3-0 TUF) for the right to be (likely) humbled by Demetrious Johnson.