Juliana Miller booked her ticket to The Ultimate Fighter 30 finals with a dominant performance.
Team Julianna Peña’s No. 2 flyweight pick scored a slick kimura submission win over Kaytlin Neil (5-4) to advance to the finals of the TUF 30 tournament, setting up a meeting with Team Amanda Nunes fighter Brogan Walker.
The bout started with Miller (2-1)* being her typically aggressive self as she walked Neil down and relentlessly pumped jabs to keep her opponent off-balance. Neil managed to land a few hard right hand counters in Round 1, but Miller took control of the round with an impressive back take in which she kicked off the fence to generate more force to pull Neil to the ground. Miller controlled the action on the ground, creating space to land ground-and-pound and attack with an armbar.
In Round 2, the striking exchanges were more even, but once Miller gained top control again it was over for Neil. Miller attacked the arm once more, eventually completing a face-down kimura to force the tap.
Miller now fights longtime Invicta FC veteran Walker, while her teammates Mohammed Usman and Zac Pauga compete in the heavyweight final. The finals were officially announced as taking place at UFC Vegas 59 on Aug. 6.
To make it to the finals, Miller had to avenge a previous loss to Claire Guthrie, then take out the more experienced Neil. “Killer” now has the opportunity to earn a UFC contract in just her fourth pro bout.
Here are The Ultimate Fighter 30 finals matchups:
Zac Pauga vs. Mohammed Usman — heavyweight final
Juliana Miller vs. Brogan Walker — flyweight final
Here are the semifinal results:
Zac Pauga def. Jordan Heiderman via TKO (strikes) (R2, time not announced)
Mohammed Usman def. Eduardo Perez via split decision
Brogan Walker def. Laura Gallardo via unanimous decision
Juliana Miller def. Kaytlin Neil via submission (kimura) (R2, time not announced)
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 decision
(*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 Peña and UFC featherweight champion Amanda Nunes. Peña defends her title against Nunes in a rematch that serves as the main event of UFC 277 on July 30 in Dallas.
The finalists of the TUF 30 heavyweight and flyweight tournaments will compete for a six-figure UFC contract at UFC Vegas 59, which takes place Aug. 6 at UFC APEX in Las Vegas.
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 Peña
Heavyweights
Jordan Heiderman
Bobby Maximus
Zac Pauga
Mohammed Usman
Flyweights
Chantel Coates
Laura Gallardo*
Hannah Guy
Juliana Miller
Helen Peralta
*replacement for Chantel Coates
Advancing to finals: Pauga, Walker, Usman, Miller
Advanced to semifinals: Pauga, Neil, Usman, Gallardo, Perez, Miller, Heiderman, Walker
Eliminated: Bartling, Peralta, Sipe, Coates, Paprocki, Maximus, Guthrie, Cole, Guy, Heiderman, Gallardo, Neil