The Ultimate Fighter Season 7 Finale event on June 21st is starting to take shape with four more additional bouts announced today by the UFC. Spencer Fisher will take on Jeremy Stephens in a lightweight bout while Jeremy Horn will try to once again defeat Dean Lister in a rematch from their King of the Cage 31 bout back in 2003. Drew McFedries will try to knockout Marvin “Beastman” Eastman, and Josh Burkman takes on jiu-jitsu fighter Dustin Hazelett. Although these fights don’t exactly have that excitement surrounding them as we have seen from the Ultimate Fight Night cards and past TUF Finales, there are some battles here that could determine where these fighters are at right now.
Spencer Fisher vs. Jeremy Stephens
On paper, this could be another scrappy war for Spencer Fisher. Both Stephens and Fisher are standup fighters with some decent ground and pound abilities, but can also show the submission game when the chance is available. While Fisher is beginning to maintain a role as a gatekeeper to the mid-echelon talent of the lightweight division, Stephens is beginning to work his way up in the division. He’s 2-1 in the UFC with his lone loss to Din Thomas at UFC 71, and Fisher will be a step up in competition for him. Fisher should be able to use his experience, striking, and overall toughness to pull out a win, but Stephens has a shot with good power in the standup.
Jeremy Horn vs. Dean Lister
A lot of fans are making a fuss about this fight due to the rematch aspect of this fight, but Horn vs. Lister could prove to bore fans who want to see a standup fight. Lister hasn’t been impressive in his stints in the UFC, and “Gumby” has hard times in his last two battles. Nonetheless, Horn is a veteran of the sport and has the submission skills on the ground to defeat a guy like Lister. It could be a grappling chess match on the ground, and I’m always game to see those fights unfold.
Drew McFedries vs. Marvin Eastman
Eastman is known for his appearance, but he certainly hasn’t used it to knock opponents out in the past. At 15-7-1 with 9 wins via decision, the perception that Eastman can flat out strike may be a farce. McFedries, on the other hand, is a power striker that uses his heavy hands to put opponents out. He’s coming off a tough loss to Patrick Cote, but his power alone can change the tide of a fight in no time. Can Eastman avoid the blow for the entire fight if it goes to decision? Will McFedries have the gas this time around? Not a bad battle to add to this free card.
Josh Burkman vs. Dustin Hazelett
I’m definitely not convinced that Josh Burkman can beat up on Dustin Hazelett. Hazelett showed some improved standup in his fight with Josh Koscheck, but Hazelett’s artwork comes from the jiu-jitsu ground game. He has very slick technical grappling skills that can easily overwhelm anyone in his guard. Burkman’s standup needs to improve significantly before I can believe he’s a presence in the division. Looping haymakers don’t win fights unless your opponent walks into one. Let’s hope this one turns out to be a decent scrap, but it could end quickly if Hazelett gets it to the ground.