Iaquinta Nation

It’s (almost) fight Night with Al Iaquinta taking on Mike Chiesa in the TUF Finale. I know this post is a day early but I’m heading to Vegas today and wasn’t sure how much I’d be able to do from my iPhone. I’m excited to go to Vegas with about 15-20 of my friends to see Al in the TUF Finale. I’ll give as many updates as I can on here or on my TWITTER account. Look for full coverage and fight recap once I’m back home Monday.

Once again it’s fight night. For the third time in three weeks Al will get locked back in the cage. Iaquinta has done nothing but impress people throughout his time on this season of TUF Live. Anyone who may have doubted the toughness and skills of Iaquinta early on, couldn’t help but respect him more and more as each fight went on. After a three round war with Myles Jury, a big knock out over Andy Ogle, and a hard fought victory over the very tough Vinc Pichel, Iaquinta showed he has all the necessary skills to make it in this sport as well as this organization. Iaquinta has worked unbelievably hard, and to say he deserves to be in the finals is an understatement.

Mike Chiesa has been an interesting fighter to watch this season. Viewers were introduced to Chiesa early on in the first episode after the passing of his father. It was an extremely difficult situation to be in. Loosing your father, only being able to be with your family for a day, and then dealing with the stresses of the show as well. Chiesa battled through and decided to stay on the show. Week by week he continued to show improvement. His best and probably most surprising win was against Justin Lawrence who was a favorite to win the entire show. He now finds himself in the finals against the toughest guy on the show Al Iaquinta.

We have to put everything aside. The history between the two, the whole who beat who, and who deserves what more. It’s time to look at the facts. Mike Chiesa is a good fighter with a lot of heart and a lot of motivation. Yet he’s never fought someone who’s as tough, intense, and hard working as Al Iaquinta. Iaquinta has worked way to hard, and come way to far. He’s overcome adversity on several different level’s, and worked hard to get where he is today. He knows how close he is to his dream and there’s nothing that’s going to stop him. He’s going to turn it on Friday night to a level that Mike Chiesa has never experienced before, and do his best to break him physically, mentally, and leave the octagon with a UFC contract. It’s just about time for the TUF Finale, and once again it’s time to go to war. Stand up Iaquinta Nation and represent Al in the biggest fight of his life, and watch him bring that UFC contract back home.

-Matt Pellicane