(Yeesh. That thing never gets easier to look at, does it. / Image via MMAJunkie)

Also known as the TUF: The Smashes Finale, tonight’s UFC card is coming to you live from the Gold Coast, and will feature the season’s lightweight and welterweight finals. (Remember, these are the Brits and Aussies. The “Let Me Bang, Bro” cast gets its big send-off tomorrow in Vegas.)

If you happened to read our brutally honest breakdown of the fights, you know that there’s not much on the line this evening outside of those lovely glass trophies. But at the very least, the lead-off fight between Hector Lombard and Rousimar Palhares should be memorable. Unless it isn’t, which is also possible.

Our own Matt Kaplan will be throwin’ down round-by-round results from the FX main card, beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. Refresh the page every few minutes for all the latest, and if you’re watching along with us, please throw your own bullshit into the comments section.

(Team U.K. lightweight Colin “Freakshow” Fletcher: You’ll know him when you see him.)

The Ultimate Fighter: The Smashes premiered Wednesday in Australia and the U.K., pitting the George Sotiropoulos-led Aussies against Ross Pearson‘s gang of Brits. Needless to say, if you’re interested in seeing the UFC’s next wave of funny-accented fighters, we’ve got you covered. Check out the full episode #1 video after the jump, which features the guys moving into the TUF house — baller as hell, except for the bunk-beds — the standard f*ck-fueled pep-talk from Dana White, an immediate health crisis on Team U.K., and the first welterweight scrap between Benny Alloway (Team ‘Roo) vs. Valentino Petrescu (Team Queen).

Since you can’t have one without the other, we proudly present Australian model Kahili Blundell, the other half of the UFC’s new “Smashes” ring girl duo. The 23-year-old blonde from Sydney was named RALPH Australian Swimwear Model of the Year 2011, spent two years cheerleading in the Australian National Rugby League, and hustles on the side as a certified make up and spray-tan artist. To our knowledge, she isn’t dating a UFC fighter like her co-worker is. Check out more of our favorite Kahili Blundell photos in the gallery below, and if you like what you see, follow her on Twitter @Kahili_Blundell.

Fightlinker gives us the heads-up that Australian models Kahili Blundell and Kristie Jane McKeon have been hired as ring girls for the UFC’s upcoming Australia vs. U.K. season of The Ultimate Fighter (aka “The Smashes“). As it turns out, Kristie McKeon is the girlfriend of Smashes coach Ross Pearson, which means that on-set hooting directed at the blonde fitness instructor will probably be kept to a minimum.

In honor of Pearson’s impressive accomplishment, we’ve rounded up 16 great photos of Kristie, which you can check out in the gallery after the jump. If you like what you see, follow Kristie on twitter for more. The Smashes debuts this Wednesday on FX Australia and ESPN UK.

Hint.

With the UFC returning to Australia with UFC on FX 6 on December 14, the promotion is beginning to announce upcoming bouts. While the organization hasn’t announced a venue for said return yet, the card will be headlined by Hector Lombard attempting to redeem himself after his promotional debut at UFC 149, a completely forgettable three round sleeper against Tim Boetsch. The Cuban-born Australian has been given a second chance against none other than Brazilian leg lock specialist Rousimar Palhares. In other words, he isn’t exactly being given a rebound fight.

We all know about the lofty expectations that Hector Lombard carried into the UFC as a Bellator middleweight champion who hasn’t lost in twenty five fights. While Lombard claims that he was too injured to have been fighting during his UFC 149 clash against Tim Boetsch, many fans were quick to jump off of the Lombard bandwagon after that performance. A loss to perennial almost-contender Rousimar Palhares – especially a boring loss to Paul Harris, if that’s possible – could be enough to send Lombard back to Bellator. Likewise, Palhares has built an impressive 7-3 record in the UFC, yet has choked in the fights that would separate him from the pack and potentially earn him a title shot. If Toquinho can’t secure one of Lombard’s legs, he may be permanently relegated to gatekeeper status. Not exactly a great spot for either guy to be in.

Also, UFC on FX 6 will feature the finals of The Ultimate Fighter: Smashes, including the fight between TUF: Smashes coaches George Sotiropoulos and Ross Pearson. You guys remember Smashes, right? British fighters squaring off against Aussies? The answer to the TUF ratings woes? An opportunity for comments sections across the internet to rant about cockiness and make “That’s not a _____, THIS is a _____!” jokes? Well, you have three months to get familiar with it.

In other booking news…

(You call ‘at a breedge? Check out old Albert and get back at me, you tosser.) 

And go figure, the British Team is already being called “cocky.” In case you had already forgotten, the “hit” reality show recently announced its coaches for both the 16th season of the show here in America and the second international season. Pitting the United Kingdom against Australia, TUF: Smashes began filming today, according to a report by yourmmatv.com. When asked how the first stages of shooting were going, UFC President Dana White told the Herald Sun that the British team, going against everything we have ever learned about them, are acting unnecessarily arrogant in the presence of their Aussie opponents:

Because MMA is newer here than it is to the United States and the UK, and this happened when the US fought the UK, the US were very cocky and that they felt like you know, `there’s not enough good guys over there.’ Well that’s the way the UK is acting right now and when you underestimate your opponent, that’s when you get your ass kicked.

(Won’t you help provide a much-needed UFC ring girl uniform to an impoverished model like Georgia?)

According to a recent post on uk.ufc.com, the UFC is looking to hire a “British beauty” to be their new Octagon Girl, starting with a recurring appearance on The Ultimate Fighter Australia vs. UK – The Smashes. The new Octagon Girl could potentially go on to work at live UFC events in the U.K. and even internationally.

To fill the vacancy, there will be an open casting session this Friday, June 15th, at the Hilton Hotel on Edgware Road in London, beginning at 11 a.m. Applicants must be “aged 18-30, athletic and fit, pretty and photogenic, articulate and able to speak on camera, and have previous modelling experience.”

The U.K. arguably has the highest concentration of bomb-ass MMA ring girls per capita than any other country in the world, which means the competition on Friday will be fierce and possibly bloody. So who is most deserving of the gig? We’ve nominated our nine favorite British MMA ring girls after the jump; revisit their past work by clicking their names and photos, and vote for your favorite on our Facebook page. We’ll pass along the results to the UFC, who will most likely tell us to go fuck ourselves. But who knows — maybe your opinion can make a difference.

On to the wimmins…