Maia-Grove, Bonnar-Pokrajac Official for TUF 12 Finale

Former middleweight title contender Demian Maia (left) will collide with “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 3 winner Kendall Grove at “The Ultimate Fighter 12” Finale on Dec. 4 at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. Spike TV officials on Wednesday made the matchup official for the event, which will air live on the network.

One of the sport’s most decorated grapplers, Maia has secured eight of his 13 career wins by submission and earned a record four “Submission of the Night” bonuses in nine UFC appearances. A 2007 Abu Dhabi Submission Wrestling World Championships winner, the 32-year-old Brazilian also holds a pair of Brazilian jiu-jitsu world championships. Maia last fought in August, when he defeated Mario Miranda by unanimous decision at the TD Garden in Boston. Victories against “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 3 finalist Ed Herman, the world-ranked Chael Sonnen and former International Fight League middleweight champion Dan Miller anchor his resume.

Grove has not competed since he earned a split decision over Goran Reljic at UFC 116 in July. The 27-year-old Hawaiian owns a 7-4 mark inside the UFC and remains the tallest middleweight on the promotion’s roster at 6-foot-6. Grove holds notable wins over Duke Roufus protégé Alan Belcher, three-time NCAA wrestling champion Jake Rosholt and the late Evan Tanner. He has been submitted only once in 20 professional appearances.

Meanwhile, “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 1 finalist Stephan Bonnar will square off with Igor Pokrajac in a featured light heavyweight duel.

Bonnar snapped a three-fight losing streak with his second-round technical knockout against Krzysztof Soszynski at UFC 116 in July. A black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and tae kwon do, the 33-year-old Carlson Gracie disciple has delivered 10 of his 12 career wins by knockout, technical knockout or submission. Victories over Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts mainstay Keith Jardine and former World Extreme Cagefighting heavyweight champion James Irvin highlight Bonnar’s resume, along with his historic encounter with one-time UFC light heavyweight king Forrest Griffin in April 2005.

A longtime training partner of 2006 Pride Fighting Championships open weight grand prix winner Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic, Pokrajac notched his first UFC victory when he submitted Irvin with a first-round rear-naked choke at UFC Live 2 in August. The 31-year-old Croatian has proven a stout finisher throughout his career, with 19 of his 22 wins by knockout, technical knockout or submission. Pokrajac enjoyed a streak of eight consecutive victories prior to his 2009 arrival in the Octagon.

“The Ultimate Fighter 12” Finale
Saturday, Dec. 4
Palms Casino Resort
Las Vegas

Demian Maia vs. Kendall Grove
Stephan Bonnar vs. Igor Pokrajac
* Johny Hendricks vs. Rick Story

Not Official