Bisping earns TKO victory over Miller in ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ finale

Miller could not weather a similar onslaught by Michael Bisping in his second UFC appearance at “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 14 finale Saturday night at the Palms.

In a fight UFC president Dana White called “maybe the most one-sided” he’d ever seen in the UFC, Bisping displayed pinpoint accuracy in his striking and battered his opposing coach from the reality show until the referee finally called a stop to it at 3:34 of the third round.

Diego Brandao and John Dodson each picked up victories to earn season titles in their weight classes.

In the main event, Bisping’s punches landed consistently as Miller tried wild, looping shots in an effort to close the distance and work for takedowns.

Miller actually won the first round on all three scorecards after he secured a takedown and held Bisping’s back against the cage in a sitting position as he tied up his legs. But Miller couldn’t inflict much damage from the position, and Bisping took control late in the round.

By the middle of the second round, Miller had no answer and absorbed shot after shot. Miller put his back against the cage at one point and asked for more. Bisping obliged, raining unanswered blows.

“It was a shaky first round. I was annoyed, a bit blase or whatever, but I knew I would get to him eventually and I took care of business,” he said. “Toward the end of the first round, I started to be able to predict his rhythm, and in the second round it all started to come together for me. I knew I had control from there.”

Miller was on all fours early in the third round, and Bisping landed a series of punches to the head before winding up and pounding his ribs with knees.

“He’s a tough, durable guy, and I knew that. He takes a beating well, and I said that leading up to the fight,” Bisping said. “He questioned my punching power, but I believe the statistic now is seven out of my last eight opponents have gone to the hospital. He’s in the back of an ambulance right now and I’m sitting here talking to you.”

Brandao, who was the top pick on the show, won the season featherweight crown with a stunning armbar submission of Dennis Bermudez with nine seconds remaining in the first round.

Bermudez had knocked down Brandao with a well-placed right hand and was looking to finish on the ground when Brandao locked in the armbar and rolled over, popping the arm of Bermudez, who immediately tapped out.

“For my jiu-jitsu, I train on my back with big guys punching me in the face over and over, so I was prepared for that” Brandao said. “I feel like my mission is over. No pressure now.”

He earned bonuses of $40,000 each for fight of the night and submission of the night, and said he planned to immediately buy his mother a new house in Brazil.

Dodson won the bantamweight season title with a first-round knockout of T.J. Dillashaw.

“Did I just end it that quick? I wanted to keep on going. I wanted a 15-minute fight,” Dodson said. “I was enjoying my moment on the stage, and I wanted to shine for a little bit longer.”

Tony Ferguson, who won the Season 13 title on “TUF,” won his third straight fight since entering the UFC and sixth in a row overall with a unanimous decision over veteran Yves Edwards.

Johnny Bedford opened the main card by dominating Louis Gaudinot for more than 12 minutes before the referee stopped the beating in the third round.

Bryan Caraway and Roland Delorme earned submission victories on the undercard, and John Albert knocked out Dustin Pague in 1:09.

Marcus Brimage and Steven Siler each won by unanimous decision.

Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5509. Follow him on Twitter: @adamhilllvrj.