Ryan Bader has won the light heavyweight tournament in Season 8 of The Ultimate Fighter, knocking out Vinny Magalhaes in the first round of their fight at tonight's Ultimate Fighter Finale.Bader had a perfect game plan. It was clear that he didn't want any part of Magalhaes' world-class jiu jitsu, so he kept things standing and went for strikes. They started off by trading kicks, but Bader was simply biding his time before he landed a looping right hand that connected to Vinny's temple. The punch sent Magalhaes to the canvas, and Bader jumped on top of him and landed hammer fists. Referee Herb Dean had to step in and stop the fight, just 2:18 into the first round.
"I wanted to keep it on the feet," Bader said after the fight. "Vinny's a stud on the ground. ... I'm working on my boxing. I hope people see that. I'm looking forward to being back in the Octagon soon."
By defeating Magalhaes, Bader, a former Arizona State wrestler, earns a UFC contract. A whole lot of UFC fans will look forward to seeing him back in the Octagon in 2009.
MORE ULTIMATE FIGHTER COVERAGE:
Ultimate Fighter Finale: Junie Browning Submits David Kaplan
Full Ultimate Fighter Finale Results
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