Only in the semifinals as an injury replacement, Jay Cucciniello fought like a man who had nothing to lose.
It turned out to be the perfect formula for victory.
Cucciniello pulled off the upset of the season, finishing coach Daniel Cormier’s No. 1 pick Tyler Diamond with strikes in the third round to earn a spot in the finals of The Ultimate Fighter 27 featherweight tournament. He will fight Brad Katona at the finale on Friday in Las Vegas, with the winner earning a six-figure UFC contract and the title of TUF champion.