Grant Agrees to Fight Kampmann at TUF 9 Finale
Loretta Hunt May 20, 2009
T.J.
Grant has agreed to face off against Martin
Kampmann in a welterweight contest at “The Ultimate Fighter 9”
finale on June 20 at the Pearl inside the Palms Resort in Las
Vegas, according to Scott MacLean, Grant’s coach and manager. The
bout will be offered alongside a night of finale bouts to determine
this season’s winners for the Spike TV reality series.
Canadian prospect Grant (14-2) had an impressive Octagon debut against Ryo Chonan at UFC 97 on April 18 in Montreal. Grant, from Halifax, Nova Scotia, kept the seasoned Japanese veteran at bay with crisp punches, excellent takedown offense and defense and an active ground game from his back to take the split decision.
Grant could need all that and more against Kampmann (15-2), who made a strong showing at 170 pounds when he dispatched former WEC welterweight kingpin Carlos Condit with a spilt decision at UFC Fight Night 18 on April 1 in Nashville, Tenn. The well-rounded Dane went 5-1 in the UFC’s middleweight ranks before shedding down to 170.
Kampmann-Grant joins the night’s main attraction: TUF 1 winner Diego Sanchez (22-2) against Chicago-based wrestler Clay Guida (25-9). The distinguished lightweights are coming off hard-earned decision victories. Sanchez outscored Joe Stevenson in his 155-pound debut at UFC 95 on Feb. 21 in London, and Guida eked out a spilt decision over Nate Diaz at UFC 94 on Jan. 31 in Las Vegas.
Andy Cotterill contributed to this report.
Canadian prospect Grant (14-2) had an impressive Octagon debut against Ryo Chonan at UFC 97 on April 18 in Montreal. Grant, from Halifax, Nova Scotia, kept the seasoned Japanese veteran at bay with crisp punches, excellent takedown offense and defense and an active ground game from his back to take the split decision.
Grant could need all that and more against Kampmann (15-2), who made a strong showing at 170 pounds when he dispatched former WEC welterweight kingpin Carlos Condit with a spilt decision at UFC Fight Night 18 on April 1 in Nashville, Tenn. The well-rounded Dane went 5-1 in the UFC’s middleweight ranks before shedding down to 170.
Kampmann-Grant joins the night’s main attraction: TUF 1 winner Diego Sanchez (22-2) against Chicago-based wrestler Clay Guida (25-9). The distinguished lightweights are coming off hard-earned decision victories. Sanchez outscored Joe Stevenson in his 155-pound debut at UFC 95 on Feb. 21 in London, and Guida eked out a spilt decision over Nate Diaz at UFC 94 on Jan. 31 in Las Vegas.
Andy Cotterill contributed to this report.
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