The future looked bright for the season 8 winner of "The Ultimate Fighter", Efrain Escudero. After laying claim as the new lightweight champion of his season, and a dominant win turned in at the shows finale against fellow finalist, Phillipe Nover, Escudero now finds himself in the same situation as Nover--he's been pink slipped by the UFC. After claiming the TUF title in December of 2008, injuries left "Hecho en Mexico" out of action until September of 2009, where he came in overweight for a lightweight match up against fellow TUF veteran Cole Miller. While he was able to pick up the win, an impressive knockout victory inside of the first round, this was the start of what UFC President Dana White indicated as "complacency" for Efrain. ...

A fighter winning a season of “The Ultimate Fighter”, the popular and long-running UFC reality TV show, usually signals the debut of a can’t-miss prospect. TUF winners carry a huge pedigree: several have been champions, several have competed for championships, and many have found themselves in a consistent state of mid-to-upper-level status. However, a recent bit of news signaled the end of the favoritism usually shown to TUF winners (the standouts from past seasons are usually given multiple second chances if they go on losing streaks). Efrain Escudero, the winner of TUF Season 8, has been given his walking papers. ...

UFC 109 takes place February 6 in Las Vegas and is headlined by two legends in the sport on mixed martial arts (MMA). Fighters.com tenth-ranked heavyweight "The Natural" Randy Couture (17-10) faces off against "The Hammer" Mark Coleman (16-9) in the light heavyweight division. There are a couple of fights on this card that I find very intriguing and are likely to not find their way onto the pay per view. ...

Efrain Escudero's (7-0) wrestling was the difference in his unanimous decision victory over Phillipe Nover (4-1) to become season eight's lightweight "Ultimate Fighter" during the live finale Saturday night in Las Vegas.

The bout started with both fighters kicking. Nover looped a big right hand at Efrain’s head, which he ducked for the takedown. Escudero postured up, but Nover kept him away with his legs and scrambled to his feet, eating a right punch on the way. Escudero got Nover’s back and transitioned to full mount. Escudero rained down heavy right fists into Nover’s face before getting back on top. Nover attempted a triangle choke but with one leg trapped under Escudero was unable to cinch it. Before the end of the round Escudero was able to take Nover down to the mat several more times.

In round two, Nover threw a leg kick, then tried punches, but Efrain got the single leg for the takedown. The fight alternated between stand-up and the ground, with Escudero dictating. They both threw knees as they clinched at the cage. Escudero’s right hand tagged Nover and he landed a few inside leg kicks. Escudero scored another single-leg takedown, but they soon stood back up. Nover charged at Escudero with a big kick to the body, but Escudero caught him and slammed him as the horn sounded.

Another takedown by Escudero began round three, but Nover worked hard to get out, elbowing his side hard. Back to stand-up, Nover connected with two stiff jabs. He threw a knee which Escudero caught and again was wrestled to the mat. Nover worked for the omoplata while elbowing at Escudero’s shoulder. He tried to muscle his left foot under Escudero’s chin but Escudero rolled out with half a minute left in the fight. Escudero’s windmilling legs kept Nover from getting close enough to set anything up before the round ended.

The judges awarded Escudero the unanimous decision victory with scores of 29-28 across the board.

Fighters.com spoke this week with The Ultimate Fighter 8 finalist “The Filipino Assassin” Phillipe Nover (4-0) as he was preparing to fly out to Las Vegas, where he will fight Efrain Escudero (6-0) for the season eight lightweight crown Saturday 13 December. Fighters.com:  I saw that you earned your black belt on Saturday, congratulations. Phillipe Nover:  Thank you.  Yeah, I didn’t even really expect it.  I guess when you least expect things, sometimes they happen.  I trained Brazilian jiu-jitsu for about eight years now, and my teacher, Soca (Alexandre Freitas), gave me my brown belt a few years ago.  Soca had a promotion ceremony and he was like, “Be there, man!  You better be there,” and I’m like, “Okay, okay.”  I thought I’d probably get some stripes and then I got my belt instead.  It was a big, big deal for me. Fighters.com:  How is your training going? Phillipe Nover:  Really good.  I really trained specifically for Efrain’s style and what I remember him to be on the show and analyzing his fights.  I train about eight to twelve sessions a week.  I do mostly double days and I’ve been doing about twice a week of live training like sparring and stuff and my conditioning.  I feel really good.  My weight’s good, I feel more ready for this fight than any other fight.  You know, pretty much I had Efrain on my mind for the last five, six months.  I’ve never been so focused on one particular person. ...

TUF 8 lightweights Phillipe Nover (4-0) and Efrain Escudero (6-0) and light heavyweights “Darth” Ryan Bader (5-0) and “Pezao” Vinicius Magalhaes (3-3) secured a spot in the finals in Wednesday night’s episodes of the reality television series. Following the broadcast the UFC announced the full lineup for the live finale of The Ultimate Fighter: Team Nogueira vs. Team Mir 13 December in Las Vegas. Also on the card are a previously reported bout between middleweights “The Athlete” Jason MacDonald (19-10) and Wilson Gouveia (11-5), and a rematch between Kevin Burns (7-1) and “Rumble” Anthony Johnson (5-2). Rounding out the main card is a lightweight match-up between TUF 8 competitors Junie Allen Browning (2-0) and David Kaplan (0-0). ...

"The fight starts right now," proclaimed Fighters.com's top heavyweight contender "Minotauro" Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-4-1) about his eventual UFC title defense turned fight for top UFC contendership versus Frank Mir (11-3). UFC President Dana White proclaimed the same thing to this season's 32 contestants to be coached by Nog' and Mir for the TUF 8 championship at lightweight and light heavyweight; but, before he could finish his sentence, Phillipe Nover (5-0-1) hit the deck in a fainting spell. "Fainting Phillipe" White called him; and, Nover had a tough opening challenge versus Joe Duarte (3-0). "I'm going to have to make him faint again," Duarte said before the fight. But, it was Duarte who had to tap in a Nover rear naked choke in the second round to keep from fainting. Nover opened the first round with a head kick, followed by a body kick. "He hits like a heavyweight," Nog' said. But, Duarte countered a Nover leg kick with a straight left that dropped Nover. Duarte pounced; and, Nover gave up his back and ate an elbow.  But, Nover actually pounded Duarte while Duarte had his back and attempted a rear naked choke. ...

Phillipe Nover (5-0-1) is one of the competitors on The Ultimate Fighter 8, which debuts tonight.  Nover is a lightweight on the show who has previously fought at welterweight.

Fighters.com: How did you get started in MMA?

Phillipe Nover: I trained martial arts since I was really young. I started in small competitions like Kung-Fu and karate tournaments, then amateur kickboxing. After my first MMA fight it was like a drug! I was hooked!

Fighters.com: Where do you train? Who do you train with?

Phillipe Nover: I train with team Insight. We are an MMA camp out of Brooklyn New York. Some up and coming fighters out of the camp are Dave Branch [2-0], Nardu Debrah [6-4], and John Beneduce [2-1]. Fighters.com: What do you listen to when you train? Phillipe Nover: My iPod has everything from rap, hip hop, rock, to movie soundtracks like Batman or Braveheart. Fighters.com: Who are some of your heroes, in sports or otherwise? Phillipe Nover: I love Arnold Schwarzenegger! He's the man. He started with almost nothing when he came to this country. Used his body to become Mr. Olympia . Became a celebrity, invested his money right, married a Kennedy, and now he's governor! He's the man!

...

Monday the UFC officially announced its line-up for the upcoming season of The Ultimate Fighter, premiering 17 September on SpikeTV. The 16 lightweights and 16 light heavyweights will be coached by Fighters.com's top heavyweight contender and interim UFC Champion “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-4-1) and former UFC Heavyweight Champ Frank Mir (11-3). Lightweights Jose Aguilar (0-0) Fernando Bernstein (0-0) Junie Allen Browning (1-0) Rolando Delgado (0-0) Joseph Duarte (0-0) Efrain Escudero (10-0) Brandon Garner (4-1) David Kaplan (0-0) Eric Magee (1-1) Brian McLaughlin (0-0) Wesley Murch (3-2) Shane Nelson (9-3) Phillipe Nover (5-0-1) Ido Pariente (8-3) John Polakowski (2-1) George Roop (8-3) Light Heavyweights Ryan Bader (7-0) Antwain Britt (3-1) Jules Bruchez (0-0) Charles Diaz (3-0) Lance Evans (2-2) Karen Grigoryan (6-1) Jason Guida (17-17) "Big Deal" Ryan Jimmo (6-1) Kyle Kingsbury (7-1) Tom Lawlor (4-1) Ryan Lopez (4-4) "Pezao" Vinicius Magalhaes (0-1) Eliot Marshall (5-1) Sean O’Connell (0-0) Shane Primm (1-0) Krzysztof Soszynski (15-8-1) ...