CAUTION: SPOILERS INCLUDED – The fights are heating up on The Ultimate Fighter: Team Bisping vs. Team Miller, as coach Michael Bisping tries to get his squad back on track after falling behind 0-2. Can they right the ship this week?
If Team Bisping is going to get on the board in the TUF14 competition, they’ve at least got a head start, as Team Miller’s John Dodson has told his buddies on the other side that the next matchup will pit Bisping’s Stephen Bass against Miller’s Dennis Bermudez.
In response, Bisping and Co. put Bass through an intense training session in order to get ready for the upcoming bout. As the official fight announcement for the Bermudez-Bass bout is made, Bisping is not in the building, so Miller puts a punching bag up in his place.
“I think Bisping not showing up sends a clear message to his team,” said Miller. “‘I don’t care about you.’”
Bisping does show up the fight though, and Bass does some good work early on. Bermudez eventually gets him to the mat, and he keeps him there for the rest of the round, pounding away with a series of strikes in the process.
Beaten up in the first round, Bass doesn’t see things get any better in the second. In fact, they get worse as Bermudez drops his foe with a knee and then eludes a submission attempt before forcing referee Josh Rosenthal to halt the bout after an unanswered series of strikes just before the three minute mark.
The next fight announcement is right up next, and the 3-0 Team Miller keeps control of the picks. This time, Miller sends Dustin Pague in against Team Bisping’s Louis Gaudinot. It’s another bout Bisping and his squad knew ahead of time thanks to Dodson.
“I’m not sure how Bisping’s team knows the matchups,” said Miller. “But I don’t care if they knew every damn matchup we’re gonna put up. What are they gonna do? They better train harder, but it’s kinda hard to train with no coach.”
That coach, Bisping, isn’t too happy when Bass tells him that he felt overtrained for his loss to Bermudez.
“Anybody else feel the same way,” asks Bisping of his team.
No one does.
“You’re out of order for saying that Stephen,” said Bisping, who has high hopes for Gaudinot to finally get his team on the board.
But it’s Pague who nullifies a strong start from Gaudinot with a couple hard knees that allow him to close the gap and take his foe to the mat. Gaudinot rises and gets back to business, but with under two minutes left, Pague begins teeing off with his knees again, allowing him to finish the round strong.
In the second, the two battle it out at a fast pace, but a right hand by Pague puts Gaudinot on the mat. Gaudinot gets up, but Pague keeps him within reach, and the knees start flying again, sending the green-haired Gaudinot to the canvas again. This time, Pague takes his opponent’s back and finishes matters with a rear naked choke.
After two wins this week, Team Miller takes a 4-0 lead in the competition. Here’s how the teams look:
TEAM BISPING
Diego Brandao
Akira Corassani
Marcus Brimage – Eliminated in episode two by Bryan Caraway
Stephen Bass – Eliminated in episode four by Dennis Bermudez
Louis Gaudinot – Eliminated in episode four by Dustin Pague
TJ Dillashaw
John Albert
Josh Ferguson – Eliminated in episode three by Johnny Bedford
TEAM MILLER
Dennis Bermudez 1-0
Bryan Caraway 1-0
Dustin Neace
Steven Siler
John Dodson
Johnny Bedford 1-0
Dustin Pague 1-0
Roland Delorme
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