TUF 19 Finale Main Card Recap: Edgar Sends Penn Into Retirement With Brutal Third Round Finish

Tonight’s (Sun., July 6, 2014) The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 19 Finale is in the books from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, and the main card continued the trend of the action-packed International Fight Week.

In the main event, TUF coaches Frankie Edgar and BJ Penn faced off in their trilogy ending grudge match at featherweight. Edgar controlled the first round with his wrestling, smothering Penn with some light shots. It was more of the same in the second, as “The Answer” poured on some vicious elbows on the ground. In the third round, Edgar scored an impressive trip to blast Penn with relentless ground and pound to earn the stoppage from referee Herb Dean.

Its an unfortunate ending for a legend in Penn, who will go down as one of the most accomplished champions in UFC history.

In the light heavyweight contract finals, Corey Anderson met Matt Van Buren. Once again, a contract was awarded quickly, as Anderson pressed an insane press from the tart, rocking Van Buren with a ton of hard punches before slamming him to the canvas and finishing the bout with ground strikes.

Eddie “Truck” Gordon squared off against Dhiego Lima for the middleweight contract. It wasn’t much of a fight, as Gordon pressed the pace early with his striking to blast Lima with a series of overhand rights and uppercuts to earn the stoppage early in the first round.

Derrick “The Black Beast” Lewis put on a show against Guto Inocente at heavyweight. After rocking the Blackzilians kickboxer with a big right hand, Lewis swarmed on the feet to knock Inocente out with a series of brutal ground and pound.

Flyweight Dustin Ortiz faced touted newcomer Justin Scoggins in the opening main card bout. It was a back-and-forth bout that saw Scoggins nearly end it with a tight first round armbar, Ortiz rebounded to absolutely outclass Scoggins on the feet. He won a somewhat surprising split decision.

TUF 19 Finale Main Card Results:

Frankie Edgar def. B.J. Penn via R3 TKO (elbows)
Corey Anderson def. Matt Van Buren via R1 TKO (strikes)
Eddie Gordon def. Dhiego Lima via R1 TKO (punches)
Derrick Lewis def. Guto Inocente via R1 TKO  (strikes)
Dustin Ortiz def. Justin Scoggins via split decision

Photo: Stephen R. Sylvanie for USA TODAY Sports