TUF 27 Finale results: Mike Trizano edges Joe Giannetti to win lightweight tournament

Mike Trizano appeared ready to do work in the final round of The Ultimate Fighter 27 lightweight final. Joe Giannetti didn’t, and put on a bizarre display over the fight’s final five minutes.

That made the difference on Friday night at the Pearl Theatre in Las Vegas. Trizano took a split decision in a bizarre bout, taking the better side of two out of three 29-28 scores to win the tournament and a UFC contract at The Ultimate Fighter 27 Finale.

Giannetti, a Team Cormier fighter out of Boston’s south suburbs, had his best round in the first. Giannetti (6-1) has five career submission wins among his six victories and also won both of his first two tourney fights via submission, and he got the better of things in the opener, working for submissions from various positions.

In the second, Giannetti shot for a takedown, but ended up in a a guillotine. He popped out, but the round turned into an awkward display of positioning, including a toe hold attempt by Giannetti, and another exchange in which Trizano elbowed his opponent repeatedly in the glutes.

Giannetti seemed to think that was enough to earn the win, and he coasted in the final round, using moves that poorly mimicked Nate Diaz, including Diaz’s trademark middle-finger flipped, which caused the FS1 feed to cut out for a bit. When they returned, they saw Team Miocic’s Trizano continue to push forward and try to engage a fighter who didn’t seem interested.

If nothing else, Trizano’s hard work and seriousness in the final round earned him the nod.

“I visualized this since day one,” Trizano (7-0) said. “Visualization is key to being successful. You have to visualize it. It will happen, you have to put the work in. I don’t know what I have to say this is the best day of my life.”