All three judges agreed that Ross Pearson beat Andre Winner in a very close fight to be named the 9th Ultimate Fighter winner.

The two good friends and former teammates faced off to be the Season 9 The Ultimate Fighter lightweight winner. Both men put friendship aside and fought to win.

The first round was dominated by a fairly ugly stalemate against the cage, with Winner mostly forcing Pearson's back against the cage. Many knees were exchanged before Pearson complained of a groin shot that Joe Rogan questioned. After the breather, both men came out firing in the dirty boxing range before finding their way back to the clinch against the fence. Winner ended the round with a flurry of punches.

In the second, they fought at a distance, with Pearson scoring with leg kicks before clinching up to throw knees. The stalemate resumed after Winner fended off a single-leg takedown attempt from Pearson. After Winner dominated position against the fence, Pearson tried to answer with a flurry when they briefly returned to the center of the cage.

Pearson's corner sent their fighter out in the third round telling him he was behind. Winner's corner reassured their man that he was ahead on the judges cards.  They traded shots in the center of the ring before returning to the stalemate against the fence. The announcers speculated that Winner was fading as the round continued but Pearson still wasn't able to get Winner to the ground. In the last minute of the fight, some dramatic punching exchanges enlivened the fight with both men putting their all into it to the end. Ross Pearson hurt Andre Winner with the final shot as the bell rang and climbed atop the cage to celebrate even before the judges cards were read.

The Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale coverage