Brogan Walker started her journey on The Ultimate Fighter 30 with some bad news, but now she’s one win away from winning the season.
The Invicta FC veteran won a unanimous decision over Laura Gallardo (4-1) on this week’s episode of TUF 30 to advance to the flyweight tournament final. Earlier this season, Walker (7-2)* suffered an injury in training and was diagnosed with a Grade 1 MCL tear. It was not a major injury and she managed to get a place in the finale live. The date and exact location are still unknown.
Walker rode sturdy takedown defense and an effective jab to earn the nod over Gallardo, though the smaller and less experienced Gallardo didn’t go down without a fight. A replacement contestant for Chantel Coates, Gallardo entered the tournament with nothing to lose and after beating Kathryn Paprocki in the quarterfinals, she gave Walker all that she could handle.
Walker and Gallardo were unable to generate sustained offense, but Gallardo’s speed allowed her to win several striking matches. Walker repeatedly stuffed takedowns and appeared to ramp up her striking aggression as the bout progressed, which gave her the edge on the scorecards in a close and competitive fight.
UFC President Dana White thanked Walker for her perseverance through the injury to win.
Amanda Nunes, Walker’s coach sends her first opponent to the finals. Walker is now waiting to find out if she will be facing Kaytlin Neil of Team Julianna Pena or Juliana Miller from Team Julianna Pena.
Pena has one fight set for the final, Zac Pauga at heavyweight. He faces either teammate Mohammed Usman or Team Nunes’ No. 1 pick, Eduardo Perez.
Here’s the semifinal matches and final results :
Heavyweight
Zac Pauga def. Jordan Heiderman via TKO (strikes) (R2, time not announced)
Mohammed Usman vs. Eduardo Perez
Flyweight
Brogan Walker def. Laura Gallardo via unanimous decision
Juliana Miller vs. Kaytlin Neil
Here are the first-round results:
Zac Pauga def. Nyle Bartling via unanimous decision
Kaytlin Neil def. Helen Peralta via split decision
Mohammed Usman def. Mitchell Sipe via unanimous decision
Laura Gallardo def. Kathryn Paprocki via majority decision
Eduardo Perez def. Bobby Maximus via TKO (strikes) (R1, 3:58)
Juliana Miller def. Claire Guthrie via unanimous decision
Jordan Heiderman def. Chandler Cole via TKO (strikes) (R1, time not announced)
Brogan Walker def. Hannah Guy via majority judgment
On next week’s episode, Team Pena’s Laura Gallardo fights Team Nunes’ Brogan Walker in the first flyweight semifinal.
(*TUF bouts are considered exhibitions and fighters’ pro records are not affected by the results on the show)
Season 30 of The Ultimate Fighter is coached by UFC bantamweight champion Julianna Pena and UFC featherweight champion Amanda Nunes. Pena defends her title against Nunes in a rematch that serves as the main event of UFC 277 on July 30 in Dallas.
The TUF flyweight and heavyweight champions will be competing for a UFC contract worth six figures at the finale, which has yet to be determined.
New episodes premiere at midnight every Monday exclusively on ESPN+.
Here is the TUF 30 roster divided by team:
Team Nunes
Heavyweights
Nyle Bartling
Chandler Cole
Eduardo Perez
Mitchell Sipe
Flyweights
Claire Guthrie
Kaytlin Neil
Kathryn Paprocki
Brogan Walker
Team Pena
Heavyweights
Jordan Heiderman
Bobby Maximus
Zac Pauga
Mohammed Usman
Flyweights
Chantel Coates
Laura Gallardo*
Hannah Guy
Juliana Miller
Helen Peralta
*replacement Chantel Coates
Advancing to finals: Pauga, Walker
Advanced to semifinals: Pauga, Neil, Usman, Gallardo, Perez, Miller, Heiderman, Walker
Eliminated: Bartling, Peralta, Sipe, Coates, Paprocki, Maximus, Guthrie, Cole, Guy, Heiderman, Gallardo
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