Episode No. 12 of “The Ultimate Fighter 27: Undefeated” opens with fight preparation for Team Miocic’s Jay Cucciniello, who meets Team Cormier’s Tyler Diamond in the second featherweight semifinal – and also the final bout of the season.

Bryce Mitchel eliminated Cucciniello in the quarterfinal round, but he was one of the fighters granted a second chance after a concussion prevented Ricky Steele from receiving medical clearance. Head coach Stipe Miocic likes Cucciniello’s odds of getting redemption.

During Diamond’s fight prep with Team Cormier, the fighter and coaching staff break down film of Cucciniello’s previous bout. Diamond says he likes what he sees on tape, and though he expects a tough fight that could go the distance, he also sees opportunity to finish the fight.

Head coach Daniel Cormier says he has the utmost confidence in Diamond, who was his first overall pick. Cormier says that he would still make the same pick if he had to make his selections again.

At the official weigh-in, Cucciniello and Diamond come in at the 146-pound featherweight limit. A tense staredown follows the weigh-in, and the second featherweight semifinal is official.

Prior to the final night of the tournament, coach Cormier hires a local chef to visit the fighters’ house and cook a special meal for the everyone on Team Cormier. Coach Cormier gives a motivational speech to the fighters, and  they reminisce about the long journey that was the reality series.

The following day, Cucciniello and Diamond return to The Ultimate Fighter Gym one last time for the final fight of the season. They finalize fight preparations in the locker rooms before heading to the octagon.

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Team Cormier’s Tyler Diamond (9-0) vs. Team Miocic’s Jay Cucciniello (8-0)

Round 1 – Cucciniello and Diamond open the fight by trading kicks. Diamond comes over the top with a huge right hand that thuds across the side of Cucciniello’s head and staggers him. He follows up with a huge straight right hand that drops Cucciniello. Diamond dives in with ground strikes, but Cucciniello scrambles out of position. Diamond goes for a front choke, but Cucciniello avoids it and manages to get back to his feet. Cucciniello is met with some more hard punches, and he’s still on wobbly legs. Diamond lands a right body kick followed by a left hand. He changes levels for a takedown and gets it easily. Cucciniello again scrambles to his feet and begins working from the clinch as he attempts to avoid another takedown attempt. Cucciniello eventually breaks free, but he’s eating more clean punches. He’s not backing down, though, and is trying his best to fire back in the exchanges. He lands a few clean punches, but Diamond instantly goes back to his wrestling. Diamond has the advantage against the fence, but both fighters are working from the inside. After the pace slows, the referee separates the fighters. Cucciniello comes forward with kicks, but they don’t have much on them, and he walks into a couple counters. Diamond gets sloppy and eats a pair of right hooks that definitely get his attention. He shoots in for a takedown that’s stuffed, and he takes a few more punches before the end of the round.

Round 2 – Cucciniello comes out with a much more confident posture and starts to work his jab. Diamond lands a nice left hand on the counter, but Cucciniello continues to take his power well and comes back with a crisp combination. Cucciniello is growing in confidence as he mixes up his punches to the head and body of his opponent. He lands a front kick to Diamond’s body, and it’s obvious Diamond is beginning to fade. Cucciniello is working a patient offense and is showing much better defense in this round. He’s diligently working the body, and Diamond shoots for a telegraphed takedown that’s ultimately resisted by Cucciniello. Diamond has the clinch advantage against the fence, though, and is working knees to the thigh and body. Cucciniello finds a way to break free and immediately punches forward on Diamond, who is winging his punches but still finding moments to land with his jab and left hook. Diamond has another takedown stuffed, and Cucciniello lands a hard knee to the head as he breaks out of the clinch. Diamond is beginning to wear the damage, but he still has a high punching output. Cucciniello continues to attack the body with kicks and punches. He clinches and lands a pair of knees to the head and another body shot before the end of the round.

Round 3 – Diamond opens the round by missing on four consecutive strike attempts. Cucciniello is the less fatigued and more composed fighter at this point and keeps working the body with beautiful hooks. Diamond starts to find his range again, but he’s not liking the body shots and goes for another takedown attempt, which fails. He manages to push Cucciniello against the fence, but he’s eating elbows and knees to the body. The referee warns Diamond to work, and he decides to break out of the clinch. He lands a body kick of his own and nearly goes high, but Cucciniello isn’t fazed and keeps pushing with his relentless body work. He goes upstairs with a hook before going back to the body again. The fight turns into a complete slugfest with body fighters striking and absorbing. Cucciniello is much more comfortable in the position though, and is forcing Diamond into some poor body language. Both men are utterly exhausted at this point, but they keep throwing and landing. Cucciniello lands a vicious body kick that takes Diamond’s wind out of his sails. Diamond shoots for a takedown that’s stuffed, and as Cucciniello gets back up, he lands a slick short right elbow that drops Diamond, who is in big trouble. Cucciniello follows up with one final shot, and the referee steps in and decides to call it. Diamond briefly protests, but this epic fight is done.

Jay Cucciniello def. Tyler Diamond via TKO (elbow) – Round 3

After the crazy comeback and thrilling fight, UFC President Dana White has nothing but praise.

“Incredible!” White says. “That was an absolute war! That is who I like bringing into the UFC – guys who leave it all in there like that. That was easily one of the best fights ever on ‘The Ultimate Fighter.’”

Cucciniello advances to the featherweight tournament final, where he meets Team Cormier’s Brad Katona.

“It’s important to take advantage of every opportunity,” Cucciniello says. “Coach Marc kept saying that to me all season. I didn’t capitalize on my first opportunity, and I knew I had to with my second one. In life I can’t be beaten, and I just kept thinking that and went in there and got it done. Brad is a top guy, and we have gotten on really well, but this is business, and I’ll be ready to fight him at that finale.”

With Cucciniello’s victory, the tournament finals are now set for Friday’s The Ultimate Fighter 27 Finale, which takes place at Pearl Theater in Las Vegas and airs on FS1 following early prelims on UFC Fight Pass.

• Joe Giannetti vs. Mike Trizano – lightweight tournament final
• Jay Cucciniello vs. Brad Katona – featherweight tournament final

UFC boss White faces off the finalist inside the octagon. That’s followed by coaches Miocic and Cormier, who fight for the UFC heavyweight title in Saturday’s UFC 226 headliner at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

And with that, Season 27 of “The Ultimate Fighter” reality series comes to its conclusion.

Also see:

• Episode No. 11 recap: ‘The Ultimate Fighter 27: Undefeated’
• Episode No. 10 recap: ‘The Ultimate Fighter 27: Undefeated’
• Episode No. 9 recap: ‘The Ultimate Fighter 27: Undefeated’
• Episode No. 8 recap: ‘The Ultimate Fighter 27: Undefeated’
• Episode No. 7 recap: ‘The Ultimate Fighter 27: Undefeated’
• Episode No. 6 recap: ‘The Ultimate Fighter 27: Undefeated’
• Episode No. 5 recap: ‘The Ultimate Fighter 27: Undefeated’
• Episode No. 4 recap: ‘The Ultimate Fighter 27: Undefeated’
• Episode No. 3 recap: ‘The Ultimate Fighter 27: Undefeated’
• Episode No. 2 recap: ‘The Ultimate Fighter 27: Undefeated’
• Episode No. 1 recap: ‘The Ultimate Fighter 27: Undefeated’

Catch new episodes of “The Ultimate Fighter 27: Undefeated” every Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET (7 p.m. PT) on FS1. MMAjunkie recaps each episode of the reality series.