TUF 2 Finale | Event Profile, Full Results & Legacy
- Dana Black
- 5 days ago
- 4 min read
Introduction
TUF 2 Finale. November 5, 2005. The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada. Free on Spike TV. The second TUF season finale drew a 2.0 overall Spike TV rating — the highest UFC cable television audience at that point.
Joe Stevenson won the welterweight final over Luke Cummo by unanimous decision. Rashad Evans won the heavyweight final over Brad Imes by split decision — Evans became UFC LHW Champion at UFC 87 in 2008. Diego Sanchez defeated Nick Diaz by unanimous decision in the main event.
Brad Imes' mother Carolyn, 56, had been in the audience. She died of a heart attack at the Hard Rock the following morning — one of the most tragic footnotes in TUF history.
Contents
1. Introduction | 2. Quick Stats | 3. The Build-Up | 4. Main Event | 5. Co-Main Event | 6. Full Results | 7. Standout Performances | 8. Records & Milestones | 9. Legacy & Impact | 10. FAQ | 11. References
Quick Stats
Date: November 5, 2005
Venue: The Joint, Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Broadcast: Free on Spike TV — 2.0 overall rating (UFC TV record)
Main Event: Diego Sanchez vs. Nick Diaz — Welterweight
Result: Diego Sanchez def. Nick Diaz — Decision (Unanimous) — R3, 5:00
TUF 2 WW Champion: Joe Stevenson def. Luke Cummo — Decision (Unanimous) — R3, 5:00
TUF 2 HW Champion: Rashad Evans def. Brad Imes — Decision (Split) — R3, 5:00
The Build-Up
TUF Season 2 lacked the drama of Season 1 and had no coaches fight — Matt Hughes and Rich Franklin were in different weight classes. The standout performer was Rashad Evans, who won every fight in the heavyweight bracket while generating controversy for his post-win celebrations, drawing public criticism from coach Hughes.
The main event matched TUF Season 1 winner Diego Sanchez against Nick Diaz — two physical fighters with finishing ability. The free Spike TV broadcast gave the finale maximum cable reach.
Main Event
Diego Sanchez vs. Nick Diaz — Welterweight
Diego Sanchez had won TUF Season 1 and added wins over Jay Hieron and Kenny Florian. Nick Diaz was coming off a loss to Karo Parisyan. Sanchez's pressure and work rate over three rounds earned him the unanimous decision.
Diego Sanchez went on to a long career as a top UFC welterweight and later lightweight contender. The Diaz fight confirmed him as the premier prospect of the post-TUF era.
Co-Main Event
Rashad Evans vs. Brad Imes — TUF 2 Heavyweight Final
Rashad Evans dominated the TUF 2 heavyweight bracket. Brad Imes had been training MMA for approximately one year. Imes pushed Evans to a split decision — 29-28, 28-29, 29-28 — sustaining a broken nose and broken hand in the process.
Imes' mother Carolyn was in the audience and died of a heart attack the following morning. Rashad Evans became UFC Light Heavyweight Champion at UFC 87 in 2008.
Full Results
Preliminary Card
Keith Jardine def. Kerry Schall — TKO (Leg Kicks) — R2, 3:28
Melvin Guillard def. Marcus Davis — TKO (Doctor Stoppage, Cut) — R2, 2:55
Josh Burkman def. Sam Morgan — KO (Slam) — R1, 0:21
Main Card
Kenny Florian def. Kit Cope — Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) — R2, 0:37 — Cope saved by bell from armbar in R1; choked in R2
Joe Stevenson def. Luke Cummo — Decision (Unanimous) — R3, 5:00 — TUF 2 WW Champion
Rashad Evans def. Brad Imes — Decision (Split) — R3, 5:00 (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) — TUF 2 HW Champion
Diego Sanchez def. Nick Diaz — Decision (Unanimous) — R3, 5:00 — Main Event
Standout Performances
The TUF 2 Finale was a free Spike TV broadcast without formal UFC bonus awards.
Josh Burkman KO'd Sam Morgan with a slam in 21 seconds — the card's most explosive single moment. Kenny Florian submitted Kit Cope twice in under two rounds. The Sanchez vs. Diaz main event delivered three engaged rounds between two elite finishers.
Records & Milestones
2.0 Spike TV overall rating — highest UFC television audience to that date.
Rashad Evans wins TUF 2 HW — future UFC Light Heavyweight Champion (UFC 87, August 2008).
No coaches fight — only early TUF Finale without one; coaches competed in different weight classes.
Brad Imes' mother Carolyn, 56, died of a heart attack at the Hard Rock the morning after the event.
Legacy & Impact
TUF Season 2's finale confirmed the show's commercial staying power. The 2.0 Spike TV rating exceeded Season 1's finale. The card produced Evans, Stevenson, Florian, Guillard and Burkman — fighters with long UFC careers ahead.
The absent coaches fight was resolved by scheduling Matt Hughes and Rich Franklin's dual title defences at UFC 56 one week later — a card that drew nearly $2 million in gate revenue. These two events together set the template for the UFC's dual-revenue model: free TV builds the audience, PPV monetises it.
FAQ
When and where did the TUF 2 Finale take place?
November 5, 2005, The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada. Broadcast free on Spike TV.
Who won the TUF Season 2 tournaments?
Joe Stevenson won the welterweight final over Luke Cummo by unanimous decision. Rashad Evans won the heavyweight final over Brad Imes by split decision. Evans became UFC LHW Champion at UFC 87 in 2008.
Why was there no coaches fight at the TUF 2 Finale?
Matt Hughes (WW) and Rich Franklin (MW) competed in different weight classes, making a direct bout impossible. Their title defences were held at UFC 56 the following week.
What TV rating did the TUF 2 Finale achieve?
A 2.0 overall Spike TV rating — a new UFC television record at the time.
What happened to Brad Imes after the TUF 2 Finale?
He lost to Evans by split decision, sustaining a broken nose and broken hand. His mother Carolyn, 56, who had been in the audience, died of a heart attack at the Hard Rock Hotel the following morning, November 6, 2005.
References
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