Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
The Ultimate Fighter 18 season finale took place tonight, featuring a lightweight bout between Gray Maynard and Nate Diaz. This trilogy fight was exciting from start to finish, but it was Diaz who showcased superior striking. He ended up getting taken down by Maynard, but he got right back up.
Diaz would then put on a striking clinic, landing devastating shots on Maynard. After a number of unanswered shots, the ref was forced to step in. Diaz ended up getting the TKO victory in the first round, and it’s one of his best performances ever in the UFC. He is now 2-1 against Maynard, finishing him both times.
It couldn’t have gone any better for Diaz, who now reasserts himself back in the lightweight picture. For Maynard, this is a huge setback for him. He has now been stopped in back-to-back, and one more might send him out of the UFC. He seemed to have a good game plan at the beginning, but couldn’t keep up with the relentless striking of Diaz.
For Diaz, bigger fights are waiting for him in the future. He said before this fight that he was done with the lightweight division, but he may have to reconsider especially after this brutal first-round stoppage. Congrats to him and his team on the impressive performance. He got a huge win under his belt, and it couldn’t have come at a better time.
Jeremy Green is a MMA and NFL contributor at RantSports. You can follow him on Facebook, Twitter, or Google Plus.
