Add Ross Pearson to "The Ultimate Fighter" pantheon.

The 24-year-old Englishman edged one-time FX3 champion Andre Winner by unanimous decision in "The Ultimate Fighter 9" lightweight tournament final. All three judges scored it 29-28 in Pearson's favor.

The two Team UK stablemates spent much of their time in the cage in the clinch. Effective from distance, Pearson (9-3) had trouble keeping Winner at arm's length but fought well in the trenches nonetheless.

All square after two rounds, Pearson maintained a frenetic pace and slowly wore down Winner with well-timed punches, takedown attempts and strikes against the cage. He finished strong, as he landed a knee and elbow in tight that opened a cut under Winner's left eye and had the Team Rough House product on one knee at the end of Round 3.

The 24-year-old Pearson has posted eight wins in nine fights. Winner (9-3-1), reality television's resident thumbsucker and a training partner of UFC welterweight contender Dan Hardy, has not tasted victory since November 2007.

"He's a tough fighter," Pearson said, blood trickling from a small cut on his forehead. "I've trained with him. You could have put anyone in front of me and I would have trained for them. It was a tough fight.