The Ultimate Fighter 18 Finale Full Fight Card, Date & Details
The Ultimate Fighter 18 Finale
United States
Main Card • Final
R1, 2:38
Knockout of the Night
R1, 4:59
Tournament Final
Canada
R2, 2:10
Tournament Final
Submission of the Night
England
R3, 5:00
R3, 5:00
Prelims • Final
Sweden
R1, 0:25
Venezuela
Finland
R3, 5:00
Brazil
R3, 5:00
R3, 5:00
Early Prelims • Final
R2, 4:31
Fight of the Night
Official Event Results
Tournament Final
Tournament Final
$50k SOTN
$100k FOTN
Official Post-Fight Bonus Awards
$50,000 Post-Fight Bonus Recipients
Knockout of the Night: Nate Diaz earned $50,000 for his blistering first-round standing TKO barrage against Gray Maynard in the main event.
Submission of the Night: Chris Holdsworth received $50,000 for submitting Davey Grant via second-round rear-naked choke to win the TUF 18 men’s bantamweight tournament.
Fight of the Night: Josh Sampo and Ryan Benoit put on an electric back-and-forth flyweight bout. However, because Sampo missed weight (127.5 lbs), his $50,000 bonus was forfeited directly to Ryan Benoit, who collected the entire $100,000 payout.
TUF 18 Season Bonuses ($25,000 Fan Awards): Jessamyn Duke vs. Raquel Pennington (Fight of the Season), Jessica Rakoczy (Knockout of the Season), and Sarah Moras (Submission of the Season).
Reported Payouts & Disclosed Purses
Fighter Purses & Total Payout Estimates
| Fighter | Result | Base Purse | Win / Finish Bonus | Performance Bonus | Estimated Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WIN | $15,000 | $15,000 | $50,000 | $80,000 | |
| LOSS | $45,000 | — | — | $45,000 | |
| WIN | $8,000 | $8,000 | $50,000 | $66,000 | |
| LOSS | $8,000 | $1,600* | $100,000 | $109,600 | |
| LOSS | $20,000 | — | — | $20,000 | |
| LOSS | $17,000 | — | — | $17,000 | |
| WIN | $8,000 | $8,000 | — | $16,000 | |
| WIN | $8,000 | $8,000 | — | $16,000 | |
| WIN | $8,000 | $8,000 | — | $16,000 | |
| WIN | $8,000 | $8,000 | — | $16,000 | |
| WIN | $8,000 | $8,000 | — | $16,000 | |
| WIN | $8,000 | $8,000 | — | $16,000 | |
| WIN | $8,000 | $8,000 | — | $16,000 | |
| WIN | $6,400* | $8,000 | — | $14,400 | |
| LOSS | $8,000 | — | — | $8,000 | |
| LOSS | $8,000 | — | — | $8,000 | |
| LOSS | $8,000 | — | — | $8,000 | |
| LOSS | $8,000 | — | — | $8,000 | |
| LOSS | $8,000 | — | — | $8,000 | |
| LOSS | $8,000 | — | — | $8,000 |
*Disclosed purses reported by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC). These figures do not include sponsor pay, discretionary back-room bonuses, or separate TUF 18 season bonuses ($25,000 fan awards). Josh Sampo was fined 10% of his purse ($1,600) for failing to make the 126-pound flyweight limit, with that money forfeited directly to Ryan Benoit. Additionally, Sampo was ineligible for the Fight of the Night bonus, allowing Benoit to collect a full $100,000 award.
Historic UFC Records Set
Promotional Records Established at The Ultimate Fighter 18 Finale
Julianna Peña cemented her place in MMA history by becoming the first female fighter ever to win The Ultimate Fighter tournament, stopping Jessica Rakoczy via TKO at 4:59 of Round 1.
The Ultimate Fighter 18 Finale marked the first event in UFC history to showcase both male and female division finalists on the same tournament card.
Nate Diaz earned his 11th official post-fight performance bonus, breaking out of a tie and taking sole possession of third place in UFC bonus history at the time.
Despite holding numerous Fight of the Night and Submission of the Night honors, Diaz earned the first Knockout of the Night award of his promotional career with his first-round finish of Gray Maynard.
Akira Corassani’s win over Maximo Blanco marked only the tenth official disqualification stoppage in modern UFC history after an illegal knee to the head of a grounded fighter.
Blanco’s disqualification at just 0:25 of round 1 became the fastest disqualification finish in modern UFC featherweight history.
Ryan Benoit became one of the rare fighters to receive a double $100,000 Fight of the Night bonus in his promotional debut after opponent Josh Sampo forfeited his share due to missing weight.
Chris Holdsworth maintained his unblemished 100% submission finishing record, improving to 6-0 professionally with all 6 victories by tapout after choking out Davey Grant.
Jessamyn Duke set a newly established women’s bantamweight volume record by landing 123 significant strikes and 201 total strikes across three rounds against Peggy Morgan.
Nate Diaz and Gray Maynard concluded their six-year career trilogy inside the Octagon, with Diaz taking a 2-1 lead in bouts across their TUF 5 exhibition, UFC Fight Night 20, and TUF 18 Finale clashes.
Tom Niinimäki secured a hard-fought split decision against world-class grappler Rani Yahya, becoming only the second fighter from Finland to win a bout inside the UFC Octagon.
When and where did The Ultimate Fighter 18 Finale take place?
The Ultimate Fighter 18 Finale took place on Saturday, November 30, 2013, at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Who won the main event between Nate Diaz and Gray Maynard?
Nate Diaz defeated Gray Maynard via TKO (punches) at 2:38 of Round 1 after stunning Maynard with a crisp straight left and landing a flurry of unanswered strikes against the fence.
Who won The Ultimate Fighter Season 18 tournaments?
Julianna Peña won the women’s bantamweight tournament by defeating Jessica Rakoczy via TKO at 4:59 of Round 1, while Chris Holdsworth won the men’s bantamweight tournament by submitting Davey Grant via rear-naked choke at 2:10 of Round 2.
Who was the first female winner of The Ultimate Fighter?
Julianna Peña became the first female winner in The Ultimate Fighter history by winning the Season 18 women’s bantamweight crown under the guidance of head coach Miesha Tate.
Who won the post-fight bonuses at The Ultimate Fighter 18 Finale?
Nate Diaz received $50,000 for Knockout of the Night, Chris Holdsworth earned $50,000 for Submission of the Night, and Ryan Benoit took home a double $100,000 Fight of the Night bonus.
Why did Ryan Benoit receive a $100,000 Fight of the Night bonus?
Benoit and opponent Josh Sampo were awarded Fight of the Night, but because Sampo weighed in at 127.5 pounds (missing the 126-pound flyweight limit), he was deemed ineligible for post-fight bonuses, and his $50,000 share was forfeited directly to Benoit.
Why was Maximo Blanco disqualified against Akira Corassani?
Just 25 seconds into the opening round, Blanco threw an illegal knee strike to the head of Corassani while Corassani was clearly a grounded fighter with hands and knees on the canvas. When Corassani was unable to continue, referee Mario Yamasaki disqualified Blanco.
What was the attendance and live gate for The Ultimate Fighter 18 Finale?
The event drew an official attendance of 4,853 spectators and generated a live gate revenue of $322,743 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.
How was The Ultimate Fighter 18 Finale broadcast?
The five-bout main card and four preliminary bouts were televised live on Fox Sports 1 across the United States, preceded by an early preliminary bout streaming live on UFC Fight Pass.
Who called the fights at The Ultimate Fighter 18 Finale?
The broadcast commentary team featured play-by-play announcer Jon Anik and color analyst Kenny Florian, with Bruce Buffer serving as Octagon announcer.
Who won the fight between Jessamyn Duke and Peggy Morgan?
Jessamyn Duke defeated Peggy Morgan via unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 30–27), outstriking Morgan across all three rounds in a featured women’s bantamweight clash.
What was the result of Raquel Pennington vs. Roxanne Modafferi?
Raquel Pennington defeated MMA pioneer Roxanne Modafferi via unanimous decision (29–28, 30–27, 30–27), defending seven takedown attempts and landing 80 significant strikes.
Was Nate Diaz vs. Gray Maynard the original headliner?
No. A UFC Flyweight Championship rematch between Demetrious Johnson and Joseph Benavidez was originally scheduled to headline the card, but was shifted to UFC on FOX 9 after Anthony Pettis withdrew from that event with an injury.
What was the head-to-head record between Nate Diaz and Gray Maynard before this fight?
They entered the rubber match tied at 1-1. Diaz submitted Maynard in the semifinals of The Ultimate Fighter 5 in 2007 (an exhibition bout), while Maynard won their official rematch by split decision at UFC Fight Night 20 in January 2010.
Which fighters received the $25,000 TUF 18 Season Awards?
Fans voted to award $25,000 season bonuses to Jessamyn Duke vs. Raquel Pennington (Fight of the Season), Jessica Rakoczy (Knockout of the Season), and Sarah Moras (Submission of the Season).
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