Smith finishes Mutapcic to highlight TUF 24 Finale Fight Pass prelims
Middleweight Bout: Anthony Smith def. Elvis Mutapcic via 2nd-round TKO
Anthony Smith knows how to rebound from a loss.
"Lionheart" dropped Elvis Mutapcic with a short elbow before raining fists on his dome to secure a TKO in the second round of their middleweight contest. Smith got back in the win column after losing a decision to Cezar Ferreira this past July, improving his UFC record to 2-2 over two separate stints.
Anthony Smith turned it around after losing R1 to knock out Elvis Mutapcic with a huge elbow and a brilliant striking. #UFC #TUFFinale pic.twitter.com/6ggf0iwM9O
— Jake Nichols (@JakeNicholsMMA) December 4, 2016
The win wasn't without some adversity, as Mutapcic seized control of the fight in short order after kicking Smith's leg out to take their dance to the ground. The Bosnian native maintained top control from there, landing elbows and short strikes to seal Round 1.
That proved to be the end of Mutapcic's offense, as Smith found his striking range in the second as quickly as he was put on his back. Boasting a sizable reach advantage, "Lionheart" simply could not miss, repeatedly wobbling Mutapcic before putting him out his misery at the 3:27 mark.
.@LionHeartSmith is finding his reach in this 25ft Octagon! #TUFFinale https://t.co/b0kD32DZeC
— #TUFFinale (@ufc) December 4, 2016
The loss puts Mutapcic's future with the UFC on shaky ground, as he's now winless in a three-fight stretch that saw him go 0-2-1 in the Octagon.
Light Heavyweight Bout: Devin Clark def. Josh Stansbury via unanimous decision
Devin Clark picked up his first UFC win, but it left a lot to be desired.
For three mostly uneventful rounds, Clark got the better of his grappling exchanges with Josh Stansbury and mixed in enough punches to win a unanimous decision in the curtain jerker of The Ultimate Fighter 24 Finale on Saturday in Las Vegas.
Victoria de @BrownBearC por decisión unánime #TUFFinale pic.twitter.com/DhzXheqNHv
— UFC Network (@UFCNetwork) December 4, 2016
Clark scored the first notable maneuver of the fight, taking Stansbury down midway through Round 1. But Stansbury finished strong with a guillotine choke that Clark fended off.
Can Clark get out!?! @SandmanStans has the choke! #TUFFinale https://t.co/gblOJkuDhR
— #TUFFinale (@ufc) December 4, 2016
In Round 2, it was Stansbury pressuring Clark against the cage, though without much significant offense behind his grappling attempts. Clark clipped Stansbury with strikes whenever they separated to score points with the judges and he ended the fight having taken Stansbury's back. The crowd may not have been thrilled, but Clark's performance earned him the W.
Clark and Stansbury are both now 1-1 inside the Octagon.