TUF 9 finale

(The terrifying moment when Rogan notices that Samuel L. Jackson is in the audience, and no, he has apparently never heard that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.)

You have to love this about Spike TV, when they have a good night for ratings or even just a qualified success, they aren’t bashful about making sure everyone knows it.  Spike sent out a press release today touting their 1.5 rating for the “Ultimate Fighter” 9 Finale show, which brought in “more men in the advertiser-coveted demographic of Men 18-34 (663,000) than MLB baseball on FOX (184,000) and coverage of U.S. Open golf on NBC (384,000) which ran earlier that day.”  In other words, they beat a mid-season baseball game and a rain-soaked golf event among young men.  But like the fighters always say, a win’s a win.

(Photos courtesy of UFC.com.)

The UFC paid out $630,000 in disclosed salaries and bonuses for Saturday night's Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale, according to figures released by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. Leading the list are Diego Sanchez — who took home an event-high $115,000 thanks to his Fight of the Night bonus and pack-leading to-show salary — and Joe Stevenson, who came in second place with $95,000. The numbers are below...

- Diego Sanchez: $115,000 (includes $45,000 win bonus and $25,000 Fight of the Night bonus)
- Joe Stevenson: $95,000 (includes $35,000 win bonus and $25,000 Fight of the Night bonus)
- Chris Lytle: $61,000 (includes $18,000 win bonus and $25,000 Fight of the Night bonus)
- Clay Guida: $48,000 (includes $25,000 Fight of the Night bonus)
- Nate Diaz: $45,000 (includes $25,000 Fight of the Night bonus)
- Jason Dent: $41,000 (includes $8,000 win bonus and $25,000 Submission of the Night bonus)
- Tomasz Drwal: $40,600 (includes $7,000 win bonus, $25,000 Knockout of the Night bonus, and 20% of Mike Ciesnolevicz's to-show money [$1,600])
- Kevin Burns: $34,000 (includes $25,000 Fight of the Night bonus)

(Guida turns taking a shot into an art form. Photo courtesy of UFC.com)

After another fun, free MMA weekend we turn once again to the Potato Index to tell us where everyone stands.  Those of you who are confused by what the numbers mean, just think of every fighter starting at his own particular zero coming into the event.  Then we make up a number to reflect how far he’s climbed or fallen after his latest fight.  Kind of like the stock market, but way more fun and only slightly more bullshit.

Diego Sanchez +104
Whatever you think the final scores should have been, Sanchez won that fight.  He was a whirlwind on the feet and even managed to be the aggressor from the bottom when it hit the mat.  But does a decision victory here equal a title shot?  We wouldn’t mind seeing Sanchez vs. Gray Maynard to establish a clear contender.

(Diaz and Stevenson earned $25,000 Fight of the Night bonuses and contracts with Cirque Du Soleil. Photo courtesy of UFC.com.)

For the first time in the organization's history, the UFC handed out three Fight of the Night bonuses for last night's Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale show, giving $25,000 bumps to Joe Stevenson, Nate Diaz, Chris Lytle, Kevin Burns, Diego Sanchez and Clay Guida for their thrilling three-rounders. But that doesn't mean the UFC skimped on its other traditional bonuses: Tomasz Drwal pocketed the $25,000 Knockout of the Night bonus for his knee-and-punches KO of Mike Ciesnolevicz during the undercard, and TUF 9's Jason Dent scored the Submission of the Night bonus for sinking on an anaconda choke at the end of the first round of his fight with Team U.S.A. rival Cameron Dollar, after getting beaten up standing for much of the round. Speaking of the prelims, here's how they turned out:

(Only then did Diego realize that a childhood full of frighteningly intense staring contests had been preparing him for this one perfect moment. Photo courtesy of Combat Lifestyle's TUF 9 Finale weigh-in set.)

After a season that promised heated national rivalries and hilarious cultural misunderstandings produced very little of either, we finally get our payoff tonight.  Sure, aside from the two finale fights there are hardly any fighters from this season of “The Ultimate Fighter” on the card, but to make up for it we’ve got the positive-to-the-point-of-insanity Diego Sanchez, who nearly gave himself a heart attack during his bouts of flexing and staring at yesterday’s weigh-in.  

Will his blood pressure be similarly jacked through the roof tonight?  Will he find a way to incorporate the Tony Robbins firewalk into his entrance?  Might Clay Guida surprise us all by fighting like the blur of hair of fists that he used to be?  We’ll be waiting for those answers right along with you, so jump on board and remember to hit refresh often.  This train is fixin to leave the station.