UFC: The Ultimate Fighter 14 Post-Fight News, Commentary, Analysis, Bonuses, Etc

The Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) has released the official list of medical suspensions for last Saturday's The Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale. Ten fighters from the card received suspensions.

As expected, middleweight headliner Jason Miller incurred a steep penalty after suffering a nasal fracture in his bloody loss to Michael Bisping. "Mayhem" has been suspended until June of next year, though it's possible for a physician to clear him to return sooner.

Likewise, TUF 14 featherweight winner Diego Brandao will ride the pine until mid-2012 after suffering an injured left hand and jaw in his submission victory over Dennis Bermudez. Surprisingly, the damage to Bermudez's left arm may not have been as significant as it appeared in realtime, as the 24-year-old will only be required to sit out until early January.

Fellow castmates Louis Gaudinot, Stephen Bass, and Bryan Caraway also received lengthy suspensions due to a variety of injuries suffered during the event.

The Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale took place on December 3rd at the The Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada. The complete list of medical suspensions can be read below. (via MMA Mania)

Michael Bisping -- Suspended until Jan. 3, 2012 (no contact until Dec. 25, 2011) because of right eye hematoma.
Jason Miller -- Suspended until 6/3/12 (no contact until Jan. 18, 2012) because of nasal fracture unless physician clears him to return sooner. Minimum suspension even with physician clearance until Feb. 2, 2012.
Diego Brandao -- Suspended until June 3, 2012 (no contact until Dec. 25, 2011) because of an injured left hand and jaw that require x-rays unless physician clears him to return sooner. Minimum suspension even with physician clearance until Jan. 3, 2012
Dennis Bermudez -- Suspended until Jan. 3, 2012 (no contact until Dec. 25, 2011) because of injured left elbow.
T.J. Dillashaw -- Suspended until Jan. 18, 2012 (no contact until Dec. 25, 2011) because of technical knockout.
Anthony Ferguson -- Suspended until Jan. 3, 2012 (no contact until Dec. 25, 2011) because of a nasal laceration.
Louis Gaudinot -- Suspended until June 3, 2012 (no contact until Jan. 3, 2012) because of injured right wrist unless physician clears him to return sooner. Minimum suspension even with physician clearance until Jan. 18, 2012.
Marcus Brimage -- Suspended until Jan. 3, 2012 (no contact until Dec. 25, 2011).
Stephen Bass -- Suspended until June 3, 2012 (no contact until Jan. 18, 2012) because of injured jaw unless physician clears him to return sooner. Minimum suspension even with physician clearance until Dec. 25, 2011 (no contact until Dec. 18, 2011).
Dustin Pague -- Suspended until Jan. 18, 2012 (no contact until Jan. 3, 2012) because of technical knockout.
Steven Siler -- Suspended until Jan. 3, 2012 (no contact until Dec. 25, 2011).
Josh Clopton -- Suspended until Jan. 3, 2012 (no contact until Dec. 25, 2011) because of a nasal laceration.
Bryan Caraway -- Suspended until June 3, 2012, because of injured right knee/left wrist/shoulder unless physician clears him to return sooner. Minimum suspension even with physician clearance until Jan. 18, 2012 (no contact until Jan. 3, 2012).

The numbers don't lie -- "The Ultimate Fighter" left Spike TV with a bang.

According to figures gathered by MMA Nation, Saturday night's The Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale drew an average of 2.5 million viewers for the live broadcast, ranking in as the top-rated season finale since 2009's TUF 10 Finale. 

In addition, the three-hour event drew a 1.7 household rating, a 2.4 in males age 18-49, and a 2.9 in males age 18-34, making it Saturday's number-one program on ad-supported cable among the two crucial demographics.

Ratings peaked at 10:30 p.m. ET as 3.5 million viewers tuned in to watch middleweight coach Michael Bisping dominate Jason "Mayhem" Miller en route to a third-round TKO victory in the night's main event.

By comparison, the TUF 13 Finale drew an average of 1.8 million viewers, a household rating of 1.32, a 1.74 in males age 18-49, and a 1.95 in males age 18-34. Last year's TUF 12 Finale drew an average of two million viewers and a 1.4 household rating.

The Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale was held on December 3rd and broadcast live on Spike TV from the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada. The event marked the final season before the longstanding series transitions to Fox-owned FX in 2012.

It's safe to say Michael Bisping had a good night on Saturday. Along with brutally ending his rivalry with Jason "Mayhem" Miller, the British middleweight pocketed $425,000 for his work at The Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale.

According to figures released by the Nevada State Athletic Commission on Monday, Bisping's payroll far eclipsed that of the next closest fighter, Miller, who left home with $45,000 for his tepid third-round TKO loss.

TUF 13 winner Anthony Ferguson was the night's additional big earner. "El Cucuy" collected $30,000 for his controversial unanimous decision over Yves Edwards ($16,000).

The Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale took place December 3rd at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada and was aired live on Spike TV.

The Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale Payouts (via MMA Fighting):

Spike TV Bouts
Michael Bisping: $275,000 + $150,000 bonus = $425,000 def. Jason "Mayhem" Miller: $45,000
Diego Brandao: $8,000 + $8,000 bonus = $16,000 def. Dennis Bermudez: $8,000
John Dodson $8,000 + $8,000 bonus = $16,000 def. T.J. Dillashaw : $8,000
Tony Ferguson: $15,000 + $15,000 bonus = $30,000 def. Yves Edwards: $16,000
Johnny Bedford $8,000 + $8,000 bonus = $16,000 def. Louis Gaudinot : $8,000

Preliminary Bouts
Marcus Brimage: $8,000 + $8,000 bonus = $16,000 def. Stephen Bass : $8,000
John Albert: $8,000 + $8,000 bonus = $16,000 def. Dustin Pague: $8,000
Roland Delorme: $8,000 + $8,000 bonus = $16,000 def. Josh Ferguson: $8,000
Steven Siler: $8,000 + $8,000 bonus = $16,000 def. Josh Clopton: $6,000
Bryan Caraway: $8,000 + $8,000 bonus = $16,000 def. Dustin Neace: $8,000

Following the grueling conclusion of The Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale on Saturday night, UFC officials announced the show's live gate and attendance from Las Vegas, Nevada. According to reports from MMA Diehards, 1,649 fans filled the Palms Casino Resort.

By comparison, June's The Ultimate Fighter 13 Finale drew 2,053 to the same venue for a live gate of $440,150.

Spectators in attendance witnessed Michael Bisping's brutal entrance into the UFC middleweight title picture. The divisive British veteran worked a stand-up clinic en route to a bloody third-round TKO win over Jason "Mayhem" Miller in the night's main event. The defeat marked the first time Miller had been stopped since 2006.

"He's a tough son-of-a-gun," an exhausted Bisping said afterward. "I'm here to entertain. I feel like me and Jason put together a great season of ‘The Ultimate Fighter'. Thank you for watching."

Fans who watched the 14th season of The Ultimate Fighter knew Diego Brandao was a very exciting fighter, but no one could have predicted just how combustive the chemistry between he and Dennis Bermudez would be. The two men together exploded in the cage like bosons colliding in a superconducting supercollider at near the speed of light. Ok, maybe that's hyperbole, but only just.

UFC: The Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale results: Diego Brandao defeats Dennis Bermudez by submission (armbar) at 4:51 of round 1.

Brandao, owner of three brutal TKO wins to earn his spot in the finale, landed the first hard shot, staggering Bermudez with a haymaker. But he couldn't quite get the kill shot and Bermudez came back. Then it was Bermudez' turn. He hurt the Brazilian with a short, sharp straight right and followed him down where he spent most of the rest of the round on top of Brandao. 

Bermudez made the most of his moment in the sun and nearly finished Brandao. But the referee never saw fit to stop it and suddenly Brandao caught his left arm. In one of the most dramatic reversals in UFC history, Brandao flipped Bermudez over on his back and appeared to pop his arm with an arm bar. 

Referee Josh Rosenthal stopped the fight with only 9 seconds left in the first round and Brandao was suddenly the first featherweight Ultimate Fighter winner in UFC history. He sweetly promised to use the money to buy his impoverished mother a house in Brazil. 

Brandao promises to bring a high level of excitement to the already entertaining UFC featherweight division. Time will tell if he'll be a threat to champion Jose Aldo's throne, but for now the division has a new potential star. 

John Dodson is too small for the bantamweight division. At 5'3" he really ought to be a flyweight. Fortunately, Dodson's also too fast and too powerful. At least he was too much for T.J. Dillashaw, beating and battering the bigger and slower man with a dramatic and dazzling series of strikes. 

Dodson is called "The Magician" by fans of his acrobatic ability to appear and disappear from any place in the cage in less than the blink of an eye. But there was no hocus pocus in the left forearm he smashed upside Dillashaw's head to crumble him to the ground. 

UFC: The Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale results: John Dodson defeats T.J. Dillashaw by TKO (strikes, referee stoppage) at 1:54 of round 1.

Dodson trains at the storied Greg Jackson Gym in New Mexico with UFC stars Georges St. Pierre, Jon Jones, Diego Sanchez, and many more. Dillashaw trains with Urijah Faber at Team Alpha Male in California. Expect Dillashaw to be back as he remains a promising talent.

Dodson's post-fight celebration was more typical of his gymnastic style as he did multiple running leap backflips off the cage, ending with a dramatic tumble. Dodson has long been considered the uncrowned king of MMA's flyweight division, but for now he's the first bantamweight Ultimate Fighter, taking home the vaunted "six figure contract" and becoming part of the UFC.

As the winner of the previous season of The Ultimate Fighter, Anthony Ferguson has some experience on Ultimate Fighter finales. After last night's bout with Yves Edwards in Las Vegas, Ferguson will have some bad memories, cuts and bruises to associate with the TUF Finale experience. 

UFC: The Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale results: Tony Ferguson defeats Yves Edwards (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

In his previous two UFC fights, both wins, Ferguson was able to bring his formidable KO power to bear to finish his opponents in the first round. The wily veteran southpaw Edwards gave Ferguson three rounds of all-he-could-handle and made it hurt.  

But Ferguson pulled it out, thanks to his powerful fists which ensured that even though Edwards connected more often, Ferguson is the one who did the most damage. Ferguson's lead uppercut proved to be check and mate for Edwards' left head kick with the judges. Despite repeatedly ringing Ferguson's bell with the smooth high kicks, it was Edwards, not Ferguson who was repeatedly staggered in the fight.

Ferguson's wrestling helped too as he clinched the second round with a late take down. You have to wonder if Ferguson and his coaches will discuss an alternate fight strategy the next time Ferguson runs into a smooth striker. If he had used his wrestling more, he would likely have fought from top position for the majority of the fight. 

Ferguson also got the best of the fight's sole grappling exchange when he rolled into a shoulder lock that had Joe Rogan oohing, aaahing and praising Ferguson's Jiu-Jitsu. This is the kind of fight that can help transform a relatively raw talent like the 27-year-old Ferguson into a legitimate contender. That's IF Ferguson can process the lessons the savvy veteran Edwards imparted. 

Johnny Bedford is a big bantamweight. At 5'10" and 135 pounds at the weigh-ins the day before the fight, Bedford probably put on 20lbs by fight time. Louis Gaudinot is a small bantamweight. At 5'3" and barely 135 pounds, he would be much better off cutting a few pounds and fighting as a flyweight. Alas the UFC doesn't feature a flyweight division.

UFC: The Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale results: Johnny Beford defeats Louis Gaudinot by TKO (strikes, referee stoppage) at 1:58 of round 3.

That's just fine with Johnny Bedford. His opponent called him "a bully who likes to fight flyweights" before the fight. That proved a prophetic description of last night's bout in Las Vegas. Bedford didn't do anything fancy to the green-haired Gaudinot. He just used his size to slam him to the ground and then beat up his helpless foe.

Bedford got the mount quickly and landed nasty elbows he put his weight behind. Then he stood up and began body kicking the outmatched Gaudinot. Kicks to the head of a downed opponent are illegal in MMA, but kicks to the body are entirely kosher. That doesn't mean they don't hurt though and Bedford added lots of flying knees to the body of the turtled Gaudinot to get the finish. 

Jason Miller's reentry into the UFC didn't quite go as planned. Hampered by a severe case of ring rust, the charming middleweight fell flat at Saturday night's The Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale, eventually succumbing to Michael Bisping via TKO in an uninspired three-round affair.

Unfortunately, "Mayhem" may not get a chance to rectify his mistake. When asked if the 30-year-old would continue to fight under the UFC banner, promotion president Dana White was markedly unenthusiastic.

"I don't know, we'll see," White said to Heavy MMA. "He didn't have a good performance against Georges St. Pierre (in 2005) and he definitely didn't have a good performance against Michael Bisping."

White went on to describe Miller's loss as "the most one sided fight" he had ever seen in the UFC (via Twitter). To his credit, "Mayhem" was apologetic about his performance.

"I trained really hard for this fight. I'm sorry, guys. I got tired," the battered fighter explained to the sold-out audience at the Palms Casino Resort. "I can't make any excuses about it. For all the boos that Michael Bisping gets, he deserves your applause as a fighter."

Diego Brandao may not have won any of the TUF 14 season bonuses, but he sure didn't leave Saturday empty handed. Along with the inaugural featherweight TUF crown, the young Brazilian pocketed an additional $40,000 for his spectacular "Submission of the Night" finish of Dennis Bermudez at The Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale.

"I knew he was going to kick and punch," said an overjoyed Brandao. "I just had to wait for the armbar."

Though, that wouldn't be the end of the 24-year-old's night. Per UFC President Dana White, both Brandao and Bermudez departed the arena with an extra $40,000 after earning "Fight of Night" honors for their thrilling five-minute war.

Affable bantamweight John Dodson was the final fighter to leave with fatter wallet. The 27-year-old collected "Knockout of the Night" honors for his two-minute destruction of T.J. Dillashaw in the 135-pound finale.

"Words cannot describe how I feel right now," Dodson said. "You guys have no idea how long I've waited to be here."

For complete The Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale post-fight coverage stay tuned to MMA Nation.

The UFC let fans vote for the winners of four $25,000 bonuses and announced the winners at The Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale. This was a new wrinkle in the proven The Ultimate Fighter formula. The fans determined the best fight, submission and KO of the final Spike TV season of TUF.

Here are the winners:

Fight of the Season Dustin Pague Def. Louis Gaudinot

Submission of the Season Dennis Bermudez guillotine choke against Akira Corassani

Knock Out of the Season John Dodson KO's Johnny Bedford

These were the nominees:

Best Fight
Louis Gaudinot vs. Dustin Pague
Dustin Neace vs. Akira Corassani
John Dodson vs. John Albert
Dennis Bermudez vs. Akira Corassani
John Dodson vs. Johnny Bedford

Best Knockout
Diego Brandao def. Steve Siler via KO (punches) at 0:30 of round 1.
Diego Brandao def. Bryan Caraway via TKO (punches) at 4:15 of round 1.
John Dodson def. Johnny Bedford via KO (punches) at 1:00 of round 2.
Akira Corassani def. Brian Pearman via KO (punches) in round 1
Diego Brandao def. Jesse Newell via KO (punches) at 0:47 of round 1

Best Submission
Bryan Caraway def. Marcus Brimage via submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:55 of round 2.
Dustin Pague def. Louis Gaudinot via submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:28 of round 2.
T.J. Dillashaw def. Roland Delorme via submission (rear-naked choke) at 1:43 of round 2.
Dennis Bermudez def. Akira Corassani via submission (guillotine choke) at 3:12 of round 1.
Roland Delorme def. B.J. Ferguson via submission (triangle choke) at 1:56 of round 1.