Brookins Outlasts Johnson to Take ‘TUF 12’ Crown

Jonathan Brookins took a unanimous decision over Michael Johnson, winning the TUF 12 finale in a bout in which he overcame a slow start.

Winning on cards of 29-28 (twice) and 29-27, Brookins outwrestled Johnson in the final two rounds after Johnson’s solid standup gave him a big lead in a fast-paced first.

Brookins opened by working for a takedown, and was stymied by a nice piece of defensive wrestling from his opponent. Johnson then drilled Brookins with a right, dropping him, and pounded away with a series of shots, including a pair of big knees in close, and then throwing a dazed Brookins to the mat.

Johnson pressed ahead, landing a pair of good punches that connected flush. With the initiative clearly his, he pressed Brookins against the cage, bursting with confidence and letting his hands go a moment later after they broke, landing a punch and a hard low kick that Brookins caught en route to a failed takedown attempt.

Johnson had a big first round, but Brookins rallied in the opening moments of the second, taking Brookins down and popping him a couple times from half-guard. Brookins seemed to benefit from the tactical shift, gathering his wits and working steadily, landing short elbows while trapping Johnson on the mat.

With the bout clearly up for grabs in the third, Brookins went for a takedown and got it, spilling Johnson to the floor while pinning his back to the cage. After a lengthy battle for position, Brookins obtained near-mount, only to have Johnson reverse him with the two returning to standing position. Johnson then missed a takedown and was lateral-dropped by Brookins.

With just more than two minutes left, Brookins rode it out until the finish, capping off an impressive performance to win the season’s lightweight competition.

Bonnar Rolls Over Pokrajac

Stephan Bonnar scored a unanimous decision with all judges tabbing it 29-26, as he dominated Igor Pokrajac in a light heavyweight tilt.

Bonnar scored a takedown forty seconds into the bout, after opening aggressively and pushing forward. Working from top, Bonnar was unable to strike or force a submission attempt, with the two returning to the feet after a brief sequence of grappling. Moments later, Bonnar sunk a guillotine attempt that Pokrajac escaped, with some apparent trouble as it seemed close.

Then, from top again, Bonnar worked in steady if unspectacular fashion, with Pokrajac turtled and Bonnar working occasional strikes and tying up his wrists.

In the second, Bonnar pinned Igor against the fence and delivered some good knees, with Pokrajac reversing the position. Bonnar then scored a nice takedown from the clinch, landing in side control, and driving home some compact elbows to Pokrajac’s head.

Pokrajac got to his feet and mounted a brief rally, only to find himself planted against the cage again. After the second, Pokrajac was deducted a point for using illegal knees to the head from the bottom position.

Bonnar closed the show in the third round. After eating a kick from a floored Pokrajac to the face (which got Pokrajac another warning), dictating top position and striking in spots, while consistently winning scrambles when Pokrajac made occasional bursts to escape. To his credit, Pokrajac never gave up despite taking a steady thumping.

At the end of the bout, while striking from side control, Bonnar got a point deducted for blows to the back of the head, as Pokrajac turned into him, opening up a gray area which prompted the deduction.

Maia Controls Grove for Easy Win

In a textbook display of grappling prowess, jiu-jitsu ace Demian Maia decisioned Kendall Grove in a middleweight contest.

Grove found himself constantly on the defensive as Maia scored single-leg takedowns and dictated the action from top position, using timely ground-and-pound to soften his opponent.

At times, the six-foot-six-inch Grove was able to use his size to get out of bad spots, but Maia simply kept up the pressure, and scored while taking little damage.

The judges scored the bout unanimously for Maia, 29-28 on all cards.

Story Hands Hendricks First Defeat

Rick Story took a unanimous decision over Johny Hendricks in a lackluster bout where both men seemingly canceled out each other’s attack. The defeat was the first of Hendricks’ career.

All three judges scored the bout 29-28 for Story.

The two largely negated one another with little substantive action for the duration of the bout.

Garcia Scores Split Decision Over Phan

In the first main-card featherweight bout in UFC history, Leonard Garcia took a split decision in a close bout against Nam Phan.

Two judges scored the bout 29-28 for Garcia, with the third tabbing it 30-27 for Phan.

Garcia opened up strong in the first round, using his aggressive style and looping hooks to take the stanza. Pham covered and evaded or blocked many of them, but Garcia clearly landed more effectively and seemed to be finding his groove.

In the second, it was more of the same for the opening moments, with Garcia letting strikes go until Phan pounced, landing a series of solid punches -- including several pinpoint rights -- to drop Garcia. Unleashing ground-and-pound that was effective, Phan then took Garcia’s back and attempted to work for a rear-naked choke that he was unable to seriously threaten with, but the shift in momentum clearly won him the round.

Garcia continued to push the effort in the third period, however, mixing in occasional body shots and eating blows from Phan while outstriking him two-to-one.

“The Ultimate Fighter 12 Finale” Prelim Results & Play-by-Play