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Al Iaquinta Comes Up Huge, May Have Bright UFC Future

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Al Iaquinta

Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

For those of us who still watch The Ultimate Fighter, congratulations, because we are of a dying breed. We can all agree that not only is the platform getting a little tiresome, but the talent that is coming through the show is not what it used to be. I know that there is evidence that points to the contrary, but as whole, not as many fighters are surviving in the UFC as there used to be. One of the prospects who is sold on trying to prove me wrong is Al Iaquinta. Despite a rocky start in the UFC, Iaquinta seems to have found his groove, especially with his latest win over the always-tough Ross Pearson.

In what was a primarily stand-up battle, Iaquinta was able to show just how tough his chin is early on, eating a serious head-kick as well as some of Pearson’s patent counter-rights. During the whole first round, it seemed that Iaquinta was starting to get Pearson’s timing down, but was coming up just a little short each time. Iaquinta finally found his timing and was able to put Pearson away early in the second. It was without a doubt the biggest win of his career and he will carry his well-earned confidence into his next bout.

I hope we don’t see Iaquinta fall into a brawling style just because he has fallen in love with his fist. We are now seeing a pattern of good fighters do that because it is more entertaining. I think that as long as Iaquinta keeps biting off more than he can chew, and chew it, he will get along just fine in the UFC.

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