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411’s The Ultimate Fighter 24: Team Benavidez vs. Team Cejudo Report 8.31.16

September 1, 2016 | Posted by Larry Csonka

The Ultimate Fighter 24: Episode One
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. Lets meet our competitors…

* Adam Antolin (Tachi Palace Fights, 11-3 MMA)
* Damacio Page (Legacy FC, 19-10 MMA)
* Kai Kara-France (Bragging Rights Australia, 12-5-1nc MMA)
* Ronaldo Candido de Oliveira (Shooto South America, 6-0 MMA)
* Alexandre Pantoja (Resurrection Fighting Alliance, 16-2 MMA)
* Eric Shelton (Caged Aggression Iowa, 10-2 MMA)
* Matt Rizzo (Ring of Combat, 9-2 MMA)
* Terrence Mitchell (Alaska FC, 11-2 MMA)
* Brandon Moreno (World Fighting Federation, 11-3 MMA)
* Hiromasa Ogikubo (Shooto (Japan) 15-3 MMA)
* Matt Schnell (Legacy FC, 9-2 MMA)
* Tim Elliott (Titan FC, 16-6 MMA)
* Charlie Alaniz (Hex Fight Series Australia, 6-1 MMA)
* Jaime Alvarez (Absolute Fighting Championship, 6-1 MMA)
* Nkazimulo Zulu (EFC Africa, 7-2 MMA)
* Yoni Sherbatov (XFFC Canada, 5-0-1 MMA)

– This has to suck for Benavidez and Cejudo, Demetrious Johnson humbled them and now they are going to coach his next challenger. There are human sacrifices happening at the Benavidez and Cejudo homes that one of these guys win

– The fighters arrive and make their way to the TUF gym, where they all compare belts and check out where they will be spending a lot of time. Dana White, Benavidez and Cejudo all arrive to meet the fighters. It’s actually a really cool sight to see all of these champions assembled. Dana is “beyond fucking pumped” for this season. Demetrious Johnson arrives and thins that this season is a cool idea, and loves being their goal. We get highlights of Johnson humbling both of the coaches. He coaches will evaluate the fighter and then pick teams.

– We see both coaches putting the fighters through their paces as the evaluation process begins. Benavidez works with fighters in the cage, while Cejudo is working on the mats. Both coaches have some favorites early. We then go to the coaches picks. Benavidez gets to go first; the fighters have been seeded and the matches will be set.

– The match ups are…

* #3. Tim Elliott (Titan FC, 16-6 MMA) vs. #14. Charlie Alaniz (Hex Fight Series Australia, 6-1 MMA)
* #1. Alexandre Pantoja (Resurrection Fighting Alliance, 16-2 MMA) vs. #16. Brandon Moreno (World Fighting Federation, 11-3 MMA)
* #4. Damacio Page (Legacy FC, 19-10 MMA) vs. #13. Adam Antolin (Tachi Palace Fights, 11-3 MMA)
* #2 Yoni Sherbatov (XFFC Canada, 5-0-1 MMA) vs. #15. Eric Shelton (Caged Aggression Iowa, 10-2 MMA)
* #7. Ronaldo Candido de Oliveira (Shooto South America, 6-0 MMA) vs. #10. Jaime Alvarez (Absolute Fighting Championship, 6-1 MMA)
* #6. Matt Schnell (Legacy FC, 9-2 MMA) vs. #11. Matt Rizzo (Ring of Combat, 9-2 MMA)
* #5. Hiromasa Ogikubo (Shooto (Japan) 15-3 MMA) vs. #12. Nkazimulo Zulu (EFC Africa, 7-2 MMA)
* #9. Kai Kara-France (Bragging Rights Australia, 12-5-1nc MMA) vs. #8. Terrence Mitchell (Alaska FC, 11-2 MMA)

– The first fight is #1. Alexandre Pantoja (Resurrection Fighting Alliance, 16-2 MMA) vs. #16. Brandon Moreno (World Fighting Federation, 11-3 MMA), while the second fight is #9. Kai Kara-France (Bragging Rights Australia, 12-5-1nc MMA) vs. #8. Terrence Mitchell (Alaska FC, 11-2 MMA). Dana has high expectations since they are dealing with world champions. He also adds that the fighters will be provided with anything they need.

– The fighters all head to the house. Hiromasa Ogikubo admits that his English is not good, but he is good enough to win and make money. The guys then hang their belts in a special display in the house as they discuss how difficult the season will be.

– Team Joseph Benavidez hits the gym first. Benavidez praises all of the guys as world-class fighters and says they are UFC ready, but only one will get a title shot. He also says they are ready to fight, he’s there to provide structure and assistance when they ask. This was mostly some talking and clips.

– Team Henry Cejudo then hits the training center. Cejudo wants to foster a family environment, and is very hands on early. Some of the guys were not sure about getting Cejudo as a coach, but they came away impressed early.

– Alexandre Pantoja and Brandon Moreno got to know each other before their fight, they both live with their father in laws, and look to family for support. This leads to some home video from Moreno, showing off his life in Mexico. He is married and has a daughter, and says he started fighting for ego, but now fights for his daughter. She is his motivation. Moreno is the youngest guy in the house, and became a champion in 2014. He is raw, but well rounded and could cause trouble for standup fighters. We then see some fight prep for Moreno. Coach Danny Castillo is confident of Moreno’s skills, but knows he has a tough fight and has to avoid the takedowns.

– We now get home video footage of Alexandre Pantoja. He’s always loved fighting, and get into Jiu-Jitsu early on. He has two kids, and family is everything to him, he fights to win for them and not himself. White is very impressed with Pantoja, who has been the RFA champion since 2014. White says that RFA is a great company, and says they have gotten over 30 fighters from there. We then see Pantoja work out, and he wants to get the fight to the grind and use his Jiu-Jitsu. Cejudo tells Pantoja that he will not coach the fight, because he is a training partner with Moreno.

– WEIGH-IN TIME: Alexandre Pantoja is 125.5 and Brandon Moreno is 125.5. Moreno is on an eight fight winning streak, while Pantoja is on a nine fight winning streak.

– FIGHT DAY and both guys are excited for the chance to fight and move on in he tournament.

#1. Alexandre Pantoja (Resurrection Fighting Alliance, 16-2 MMA) vs. #16. Brandon Moreno (World Fighting Federation, 11-3 MMA): ROUND ONE: Moreno will enjoy a two-inch reach advantage. Pantoja takes center cage and throws some crazy fists, which get Moreno off balance. Quick exchanges from both, Moreno gets inside but Pantoja’s leg kicks back him off. Pantoja chases a lot here with his strikes, and as he leans in Moreno catches him with an uppercut really clean. Nice stuff in the pocket by Moreno, Pantoja again backs him off with the leg kick. Both men are connecting, but it feels as if Pantoja is just a bit quicker and able to land a bit more. He goes to the body with some good knees, and as the round goes on Moreno is feeling more desperate with his striking. Pantoja again chases him down and is landing more as Moreno is looking tired and a bit scared (backing off way too much instead of circling out and countering). The round ends, it was close. SCORECARD: Pantoja 10-9

ROUND TWO: Moreno got some of his composure back, appearing more focused early. Pantoja backed him off again and opened up with good strikes and a head kick. Moreno is trying to stay in the pocket and gets a takedown, Pantoja got to his feet but Moreno then took him down again. He did some damage on the ground as Pantoja is cut by the right eye. Back to the feet, they trade and then Pantoja takes Moreno down. Moreno was back up quickly, but Pantoja kept pressure along the cage and they traded strikes. Pantoja hit a great knee, and took it to the ground and quickly got the back of Moreno. He worked for the choke as he had the hooks in, rolled back and locked it in, fattened Moreno out and he had to tap. I don’t want to say that Pantoja HAD to finish him, but it’s likely for the best that he did.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Alexandre Pantoja via RD2 Submission

– Team Henry Cejudo is up 1-0. Cejudo is happy his team won, but hates that it came de to his training partner losing. Moreno looked like hell post fight, with a big hematoma over his left eye.

– We get some home video footage of Kai Kara-France, he started Jui-Jitsu and other marital arts because he was small and bullied. He debuted at 17 and earned his way to Thailand, where’s he’s trained out of for the last three years. France teammate was on the same card when he won the title, and he unexpectedly died two weeks later. They both dreamed of fighting for the UFC, so his memory motivates him.

– Team Henry Cejudo trains, with France wanting to work on takedowns because Terrence Mitchell is great on the feet. Cejudo is worried that France is afraid or overly nervous, which concerns him.

– We then get some home video from Terrence Mitchell, who is from Alaska and has a girlfriend and a son. His family means the most to him. he also says MMA is bigger in Alaska than most think. Dana says Mitchell has won eight in a row, undefeated since 2010, and they are all finishes. Dana also puts over Mitchell’s height and reach advantage that he holds over most fighters. In his 11 wins, he has 6 (T)KO finishes and 4 submission finishes; he feels comfortable everywhere. The coaches want him to use his distance to control where the fight goes.

– WEIGN-INS: Kai Kara-France 126 is while Terrence Mitchell is 125.5. Benavidez and Cejudo talks some shit over Cejudo previously missing weight; Cejudo promises to make weight and finish him when they fight

#9. Kai Kara-France (Bragging Rights Australia, 12-5-1nc MMA) vs. #8. Terrence Mitchell (Alaska FC, 11-2 MMA): ROUND ONE: Mitchell has a 7-inch reach advantage and is 5-inches taller than France. France out with a leg kick and good rights, forcing Mitchell back as he then pressures him along the cage. He then just ENDS Mitchell with an overhand right in quick order, that was awesome.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Kai Kara-France via RD1 KO

– Team Henry Cejudo is up 2-0.

– Mitchell is devastated, as Benavidez tries to rally the troops after losing the fist two fights.

– Next week’s fight is #5. Hiromasa Ogikubo (Shooto (Japan) 15-3 MMA) vs. #12. Nkazimulo Zulu (EFC Africa, 7-2 MMA).

– We get a video preview for next week.

Team Joseph Benavidez
#3. Tim Elliott (Titan FC, 16-6 MMA)
#4. Damacio Page (Legacy FC, 19-10 MMA)
#5. Hiromasa Ogikubo (Shooto (Japan) 15-3 MMA)
#7. Ronaldo Candido de Oliveira (Shooto South America, 6-0 MMA)
#11. Matt Rizzo (Ring of Combat, 9-2 MMA)
#15. Eric Shelton (Caged Aggression Iowa, 10-2 MMA)
#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, 1-0 TUF)
#9. Kai Kara-France (Bragging Rights Australia, 12-5-1nc MMA, 1-0 TUF)
#2. Yoni Sherbatov (XFFC Canada, 5-0-1 MMA)
#6. Matt Schnell (Legacy FC, 9-2 MMA)
#10. Jaime Alvarez (Absolute Fighting Championship, 6-1 MMA)
#12. Nkazimulo Zulu (EFC Africa, 7-2 MMA)
#13. Adam Antolin (Tachi Palace Fights, 11-3 MMA)
#14. Charlie Alaniz (Hex Fight Series Australia, 6-1 MMA)