We’re more than halfway done with The Ultimate Fighter 25 Finale. Jordan Johnson kicked things off with a close decision win over Marcel Fortuna, Brad Tavares edged out Elias Theodorou, Jared Cannonier annihilated a tough but overmatched Nick Roehrick, and unbeaten lightweight prospect Drakkar Klose earned a very fun decision win over fellow, more highly-touted prospect Marc Diakiese. Here’s how they played out.

Marc Diakiese vs. Drakkar Klose by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)- Lightweights

Klose fired off a couple of leg kicks and then took Diakiese down, but the Brit was able to regain his footing. Diakiese had his foot stomped several times before he threw Klose to the mat. He powerfully slammed Klose down once more but lost position in a wild scramble. It was an insane display of strength. Diakiese went to work with his flashy kicks, but Klose dropped Diakiese with a beautiful leg kick right on the knee. Klose looked for the finish and went to half-guard. Diakiese went for a leg and used it to sweep his way to top position to end an insanely entertaining opening round.

Action wasn’t as free-flowing at the start of round 2. Diakiese attempted an acrobatic kick and fell to the mat, dropping down for a heel hook. Klose didn’t pursue a ground battle. Diakiese really wasn’t landing many clean shots, although he did momentarily stop proceedings with a flush knee to the groin. Klose went back to the leg kicks upon the restart, as well as body shots. Diakiese didn’t have much space to work with. As the 2nd round ended, Marc scored with a right hand but along the way he absorbed another hard leg kick that put him on the canvas.

A jumping switch kick by Diakiese jacked the jaw of Klose, who took it like he’d barely been hit. Marc needed a finish in the final round and he sure got off to a good start. Klose took Diakiese down, only for Diakiese to reverse position with a guillotine sweep. Diakiese went for a takedown of his own but couldn’t get it. He did sneak in a left hand before Klose closed the distance once more. Klose easily avoided a spinning kick and gestured to Diakiese as if to say he wasn’t impressed. A last-ditch choke attempt by Diakiese was unsuccessful and Klose rode out the remaining seconds to get the W. He keeps his unbeaten record at the expense of the favored Diakiese, who tastes defeat for the first time in his pro career.

In the post-fight interview, Diakiese said, “No disrespect to Michael Bisping, but all English dudes are bums!”

Jared Cannonier def. Nick Roehrick by TKO (strikes) at 2:08 of round 3 – Light Heavyweights

Late-notice replacement Roehrick showed off a hell of a chin in the first couple of minutes of the fight, as Cannonier was teeing off with brutal combination punching. The right hand of Cannonier was landing consistently for him, and Roehrick’s left eye was already swollen. Roehrick settled in a little better as the round progressed, but seldom connected and wasn’t able to get the takedown.

Cannonier attacked the head and body in round 2, winging that right hand with serious fight-ending intentions. Roehrick sneaked in a couple of jabs. Another big right hand crushed Roehrick as Cannonier took him to the ground and clubbed him some more. Somehow, someway, Roehrick survived the onslaught of concussive blows. He even landed a right hand in the final minute of the 2nd, but he ate a standing elbow shortly thereafter. Cannonier punctuated a dominant frame with a shovel hook.

The punishment continued into round 3, as Roehrick was stunned badly by a head kick, then a left hook, a knee, an elbow, and then Cannonier threw several elbows to end the fight. Jared Cannonier gets only the second stoppage of the entire card, as the Alaskan improves to 3-1 as a light heavyweight. Roehrick was lauded for his toughness but he was never seriously in this fight. He filled for the injured Steve Bosse on just three days’ notice, so hopefully his second bout is on a full camp.

Brad Tavares def. Elias Theodorou by unanimous decision (29-28 x3) – Middleweights

Theodorou came out aggressively and throwing plenty of kicks. Tavares countered nicely and was able to take the Canadian down. He had one hook in but couldn’t get the second one in, and Theodorou was able to return to standing position. Theodorou landed a knee in the clinch and dodged a left hook on the exit. The Hawaiian cracked Theodorou with a nice right hand. Tavares closed the opening round strongly with a kick-punch combination.

Tavares bucked Theodorou with a leg kick and then put him off-balance with a left hand to start round 2. Theodorou tried to get Tavares to the mat and was unable to do so. Both men engaged in some dirty boxing, and they each took some hard punches. Tavares had a kick caught and was taken down, but Theodorou couldn’t keep top position. He threw some knees to the shoulder and then slammed home a hard body kick on the break.

Theodorou drove hard for a takedown and it took some serious effort to get it to start round 3. Tavares was back up a minute later, with Theodorou’s offense kept to a minimum. Elias got another takedown and again Tavares sprung up. Tavares tried to hit a switch to get top position and possibly take the back. He was able to manage it with under two minutes left. Tavares went for the rear-naked choke but Theodorou gave the thumbs-up signal. Tavares just about lost position and then transitioned to an armbar. After back-and-forth scrambling, Tavares closed the fight with a nice head kick as Theodorou held onto the leg after it landed. It was a very close fight but a win for Tavares, who gets his second consecutive victory, while Theodorou is denied a third straight triumph.

Jordan Johnson def. Marcel Fortuna by unanimous decision (29-28 x3) – Light Heavyweights

Johnson immediately caught a kick and punched Fortuna several times before the Brazilian returned to his feet. The rest of round 1 was fairly slow-paced. Fortuna defended a belly-to-back suplex by egregiously grabbing the top of the fence. Johnson was caught with a nice uppercut from Fortuna, then Johnson retaliated with a few jabs. A right hand to the ear landed for Fortuna in round 2, then he tried to spin to the back but Johnson prevented the situation from getting worse. Fortuna buckled Johnson with a left hook, only to eat a right hand in return in a nice exchange. Johnson pushed through a Fortuna flurry and looked for a single-leg takedown, then eventually tripped Fortuna to the mat with seconds to go in the round. After a couple of hammerfists by Johnson, Fortuna searched for a leglock and was nowhere near close to getting it.

The final round of this close contest was mostly kickboxing. There wasn’t much to separate them, with Fortuna perhaps getting the edge in power shots, although Johnson was the aggressor and statistically landed four strikes. They traded kicks to end the fight, which the crowd had mixed reactions about. Johnson is 2-0 in the UFC, while Fortuna falls to 1-1.