TUF 17 Weekly Recap – Episode 11

The episode opens up at a Team Jones training session with Bubba McDaniel lying in the corner. Bubba says he’s in a lot of pain from fighting three times in a short time span and wants to save himself for the fight. Clint Hester concurs that Bubba is worn out from all the training, but considering that he got passed over for the wildcard spot in favor of Bubba, you can’t help but wonder if he secretly hopes Bubba bails so he can step in.

Fight prep
Things transition from Bubba’s injuries to the first quarterfinal fight between Team Jones’ Josh Samman and Team Sonnen’s Jimmy Quinlan. Josh says that Jimmy is scared to strike, but in a rare admission of weakness he admits that Jimmy is a better wrestler than him. He immediately adds “I don’t think it’ll be enough to beat me.” Of course you don’t, Josh!

Teammates Bubba McDaniel and Gilbert Smith’s opinions of Josh don’t seem to be as glowing as his own: Bubba thinks it’s a coin toss and Gil doesn’t think Josh possesses the takedown defense to beat Jimmy.

Bubba seems to have problems of his own, though. His upcoming fight with Uriah Hall has his confidence shaken. He even postulates that Dana White has it out for him. Jon Jones tries to encourage him, and Bubba admits that he doesn’t want to quit. With his back still bugging him, Bubba goes to the doctor and has blood drawn just to be safe.

On the Team Sonnen side, there’s a bit more positivity. Jimmy doesn’t think that Josh Samman is technically better than him and believes that he beats him in a grappling match nine times out of 10. JQ also states that he’d like to set things up with his hands more, but he’s not going to change his gameplan: He’ll use his wrestling to win this fight.    

Fight time
The round opens with Josh landing two solid punches. Jimmy immediately dives in for a takedown and Josh sprawls perfectly. It’s still not enough, though, because Jimmy pushes through, picks Josh up and slams him old-school-Matt-Hughes style.

Jimmy quickly moves to side mount, but you can see that he’s bleeding. Josh regains his guard, but Jimmy passes again and continues to smother him. Josh stays active and throws punches and elbows from his back. Jimmy doesn’t much appreciate this and slams Josh again. Josh throws up a triangle attempt, but Jimmy easily defends and passes guard.

With 55 seconds left in the round, Josh finally makes it to his feet and doesn’t waste any time getting some offense going. He clinches Jimmy, knees him, throws a couple punches and then knees him again. Jimmy looks stunned and attempts another takedown. Josh defends this one and even winds up taking his back. After stretching Jimmy out, Josh throws his patented, Dana-White-coined “goofy double-fist punches.” It turns out they’re not quite so goofy as Jimmy Quinlan taps out.

Disappointed with Jimmy’s performance, Coach Chael believes that he had some opportunities to score but didn’t capitalize. Dana appears to have a change of heart on Josh and says, “I think Josh is for real.” Ever the humble contestant, Josh Samman declares himself the strongest seed in the tournament.

Fight prep
We transition back to Team Jones where Bubba’s doctor shows up to the TUF gym to deliver the news. The good news is that all of Bubba’s blood work came back with excellent results. This gives Bubba a bit of a pick-me-up and he looks like he’s turned the corner.

At the Team Sonnen camp, the goal is to keep Uriah Hall from defeating himself. Unlike Josh Samman, Hall actually delivers some pro forma humility, but then compares himself to Anderson Silva. You can’t really blame the guy because as Bubba and Uriah weigh in, everyone else seems to think that Hall wins the fight easily. Gilbert Smith thinks Uriah takes the fight in 10 seconds, and Dana White predicts that “it’s going to be a rough night for Bubba.” Uriah Hall also seems to take after Coach Chael when he says that “emotions are fake.” Take that, psychologists of the world!

Fight time
The bell rings and Gilbert Smith’s guess turns out to be an overestimation. Uriah Hall opens the round with a strong knee to the body. Bubba continues to come forward, Uriah throws one right hand and Bubba faceplants. The official time of this knockout: Eight seconds.

Bubba takes a little while to get up off the mat (he’s having issues with his eye) and there’s a hush in the gym. Dana compliments Hall to a gobsmacked Carlos Condit, who’s watching in the stands, and asks executives if Hall can win two Knockout of the Season bonuses. Uriah walks up to Bubba and apologizes, but Bubba brushes it off, saying, “I would’ve done it to you.” Dana calls Uriah the “nastiest fighter in Ultimate Fighter history.” (As a point of clarification, this is not a statement about Hall’s grooming habits.)

It’s time for the semifinal deliberations, aka “creative ways to say ‘I don’t want to fight Uriah.’ Always calculating, Josh Samman states that the finals were meant for Uriah and him. Therefore, he wants Kelvin in the semis. Uriah Hall asks for Josh and Kelvin Gastelum calls out Dylan. Dylan — poor, sweet Dylan — says he doesn’t care. The two coaches actually agree that the semis should be Andrews/Gastelum and Hall/Samman. Dana White takes this into account… and ingores them. The semifinal matchups will be:

Josh Samman vs Kelvin Gastelum
Uriah Hall vs Dylan Andrews

Everything wraps up with a sneak peek into next week’s episode. Can Dylan Andrews pull out one of the biggest upsets in TUF history? Does Kelvin humble Josh? With the season ending, will we get to see some alcohol-fueled shenanigans? Find out this and more next week on The Ultimate Fighter!

Season at a glance:
Team Sonnen (6-6)
Luke Barnatt (1-1, TKO win over Gilbert Smith in episode 2, TKOd by Dylan Andrews in episode 10)
Uriah Hall (2-0, KOd Adam Cella in episode 3, KOd Bubba McDaniel in episode 11)
Zak Cummings (0-1, lost a UD to Dylan Andrews in episode 8)
Tor Troeng (0-1, TKOd by Josh Samman in episode 6)
Jimmy Quinlan (1-1, submitted Clint Hester in episode 7, tapped to strikes from Josh Samman in episode 11)
Kevin Casey (0-2, lost a UD to Collin Hart in episode 4, lost via TKO [failure to answer to bell] to Bubba McDaniel in episode 9)
Kelvin Gastelum (2-0, submitted Bubba McDaniel in episode 5, defeated Collin Hart by TKO in episode 10)

Team Jones (6-6)
Clint Hester  (0-1, submitted by Jimmy Quinlan in episode 7)
Josh Samman (2-0, TKO win over Tor Troeng in episode 6, TKO win over Jimmy Quinlan [tapped to strikes] in episode 11)
Bubba McDaniel (1-2, submitted by Kelvin Gastelum in episode 5, defeated Kevin Casey by TKO [failure to answer to bell] in episode 9, knocked out by Uriah Hall in episode 11)
Gilbert Smith (0-1, TKOd by Luke Barnatt in episode 2)
Collin Hart (1-1, defeated Kevin Casey by UD in episode 4, TKOd by Kelvin Gastelum in episode 10)
Adam Cella (0-1, KOd by Uriah Hall in episode 3)
Dylan Andrews (2-0, defeated Zak Cummings by UD in episode 8, defeated Luke Barnatt by TKO in episode 10)

The episode opens up at a Team Jones training session with Bubba McDaniel lying in the corner. Bubba says he’s in a lot of pain from fighting three times in a short time span and wants to save himself for the fight. Clint Hester concurs that Bubba is worn out from all the training, but considering that he got passed over for the wildcard spot in favor of Bubba, you can’t help but wonder if he secretly hopes Bubba bails so he can step in.

Fight prep
Things transition from Bubba’s injuries to the first quarterfinal fight between Team Jones’ Josh Samman and Team Sonnen’s Jimmy Quinlan. Josh says that Jimmy is scared to strike, but in a rare admission of weakness he admits that Jimmy is a better wrestler than him. He immediately adds “I don’t think it’ll be enough to beat me.” Of course you don’t, Josh!

Teammates Bubba McDaniel and Gilbert Smith’s opinions of Josh don’t seem to be as glowing as his own: Bubba thinks it’s a coin toss and Gil doesn’t think Josh possesses the takedown defense to beat Jimmy.

Bubba seems to have problems of his own, though. His upcoming fight with Uriah Hall has his confidence shaken. He even postulates that Dana White has it out for him. Jon Jones tries to encourage him, and Bubba admits that he doesn’t want to quit. With his back still bugging him, Bubba goes to the doctor and has blood drawn just to be safe.

On the Team Sonnen side, there’s a bit more positivity. Jimmy doesn’t think that Josh Samman is technically better than him and believes that he beats him in a grappling match nine times out of 10. JQ also states that he’d like to set things up with his hands more, but he’s not going to change his gameplan: He’ll use his wrestling to win this fight.    

Fight time
The round opens with Josh landing two solid punches. Jimmy immediately dives in for a takedown and Josh sprawls perfectly. It’s still not enough, though, because Jimmy pushes through, picks Josh up and slams him old-school-Matt-Hughes style.

Jimmy quickly moves to side mount, but you can see that he’s bleeding. Josh regains his guard, but Jimmy passes again and continues to smother him. Josh stays active and throws punches and elbows from his back. Jimmy doesn’t much appreciate this and slams Josh again. Josh throws up a triangle attempt, but Jimmy easily defends and passes guard.

With 55 seconds left in the round, Josh finally makes it to his feet and doesn’t waste any time getting some offense going. He clinches Jimmy, knees him, throws a couple punches and then knees him again. Jimmy looks stunned and attempts another takedown. Josh defends this one and even winds up taking his back. After stretching Jimmy out, Josh throws his patented, Dana-White-coined “goofy double-fist punches.” It turns out they’re not quite so goofy as Jimmy Quinlan taps out.

Disappointed with Jimmy’s performance, Coach Chael believes that he had some opportunities to score but didn’t capitalize. Dana appears to have a change of heart on Josh and says, “I think Josh is for real.” Ever the humble contestant, Josh Samman declares himself the strongest seed in the tournament.

Fight prep
We transition back to Team Jones where Bubba’s doctor shows up to the TUF gym to deliver the news. The good news is that all of Bubba’s blood work came back with excellent results. This gives Bubba a bit of a pick-me-up and he looks like he’s turned the corner.

At the Team Sonnen camp, the goal is to keep Uriah Hall from defeating himself. Unlike Josh Samman, Hall actually delivers some pro forma humility, but then compares himself to Anderson Silva. You can’t really blame the guy because as Bubba and Uriah weigh in, everyone else seems to think that Hall wins the fight easily. Gilbert Smith thinks Uriah takes the fight in 10 seconds, and Dana White predicts that “it’s going to be a rough night for Bubba.” Uriah Hall also seems to take after Coach Chael when he says that “emotions are fake.” Take that, psychologists of the world!

Fight time
The bell rings and Gilbert Smith’s guess turns out to be an overestimation. Uriah Hall opens the round with a strong knee to the body. Bubba continues to come forward, Uriah throws one right hand and Bubba faceplants. The official time of this knockout: Eight seconds.

Bubba takes a little while to get up off the mat (he’s having issues with his eye) and there’s a hush in the gym. Dana compliments Hall to a gobsmacked Carlos Condit, who’s watching in the stands, and asks executives if Hall can win two Knockout of the Season bonuses. Uriah walks up to Bubba and apologizes, but Bubba brushes it off, saying, “I would’ve done it to you.” Dana calls Uriah the “nastiest fighter in Ultimate Fighter history.” (As a point of clarification, this is not a statement about Hall’s grooming habits.)

It’s time for the semifinal deliberations, aka “creative ways to say ‘I don’t want to fight Uriah.’ Always calculating, Josh Samman states that the finals were meant for Uriah and him. Therefore, he wants Kelvin in the semis. Uriah Hall asks for Josh and Kelvin Gastelum calls out Dylan. Dylan — poor, sweet Dylan — says he doesn’t care. The two coaches actually agree that the semis should be Andrews/Gastelum and Hall/Samman. Dana White takes this into account… and ingores them. The semifinal matchups will be:

Josh Samman vs Kelvin Gastelum
Uriah Hall vs Dylan Andrews

Everything wraps up with a sneak peek into next week’s episode. Can Dylan Andrews pull out one of the biggest upsets in TUF history? Does Kelvin humble Josh? With the season ending, will we get to see some alcohol-fueled shenanigans? Find out this and more next week on The Ultimate Fighter!

Season at a glance:
Team Sonnen (6-6)
Luke Barnatt (1-1, TKO win over Gilbert Smith in episode 2, TKOd by Dylan Andrews in episode 10)
Uriah Hall (2-0, KOd Adam Cella in episode 3, KOd Bubba McDaniel in episode 11)
Zak Cummings (0-1, lost a UD to Dylan Andrews in episode 8)
Tor Troeng (0-1, TKOd by Josh Samman in episode 6)
Jimmy Quinlan (1-1, submitted Clint Hester in episode 7, tapped to strikes from Josh Samman in episode 11)
Kevin Casey (0-2, lost a UD to Collin Hart in episode 4, lost via TKO [failure to answer to bell] to Bubba McDaniel in episode 9)
Kelvin Gastelum (2-0, submitted Bubba McDaniel in episode 5, defeated Collin Hart by TKO in episode 10)

Team Jones (6-6)
Clint Hester  (0-1, submitted by Jimmy Quinlan in episode 7)
Josh Samman (2-0, TKO win over Tor Troeng in episode 6, TKO win over Jimmy Quinlan [tapped to strikes] in episode 11)
Bubba McDaniel (1-2, submitted by Kelvin Gastelum in episode 5, defeated Kevin Casey by TKO [failure to answer to bell] in episode 9, knocked out by Uriah Hall in episode 11)
Gilbert Smith (0-1, TKOd by Luke Barnatt in episode 2)
Collin Hart (1-1, defeated Kevin Casey by UD in episode 4, TKOd by Kelvin Gastelum in episode 10)
Adam Cella (0-1, KOd by Uriah Hall in episode 3)
Dylan Andrews (2-0, defeated Zak Cummings by UD in episode 8, defeated Luke Barnatt by TKO in episode 10)

TUF 17 Weekly Recap – Episode 10

The episode opens up with the aftermath of the quarterfinal matchup revelations. Everyone with the exception of Bubba McDaniel seem all right with the selections. Shockingly for an MMA fighter, he’s actually forthright about why he doesn’t want to fight Uriah Hall — the Adam Cella KO. It may be a stretch to say he’s scared, but he’s definitely suffering from a crisis of confidence.

Fight prep

Back to this week’s fights… Jon Jones gives his assessment of the first battle between Kelvin Gastelum and Collin Hart. He states that Kelvin and Collin are both okay at everything. The big difference between them, though, is that Collin is phenomenal at Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Collin looks to improve on his previous performance and show people he’s more than just a grinder.

At Team Sonnen, Chael iterates his point that “Kelvin is a sleeper.” He concedes that Collin would be a tough fight for anyone on the team…except Kelvin. He also refutes the idea that Kelvin is simply a wrestler — he calls him a brawler, which I suppose is a compliment. Kelvin himself agrees with this point (so I guess it is a compliment) and doesn’t think that people should underestimate his striking.

UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey shows up next and makes good on her promise to help out at a Team Sonnen training session. From what we see, this involves her judo throwing everyone on the team repeatedly. The guys, especially Kelvin, have a blast. He even tells us, “It was pretty awesome getting handled by her.” Ever the impressive wingman/coach, Chael tells Ronda about how much Kelvin has grown over the last few weeks. In a short amount of time he’s gone from barely being on the radar to being one of the rising stars. She also gives the guys a badass pep talk that boils down some advice from her mom: “Nobody has the right to beat you.”

Back from the commercial, we see the weigh-in and hear some predictions. Clint Hester gives Collin the advantage on ground and Zak Cummings predicts the fight will become a standup battle favoring Kelvin. As for the coaches, Jon Jones sees Collin scoring a submission off his back and Chael Sonnen believes Kelvin’s constant pressure will deliver the victory.

Fight time

It’s time for the first fight and the two come out swinging. Collin rushes out immediately and is met with some stiff resistance. As Kelvin backs up, he lands some solid punches of his own. The two are brawling and exchanging punches all over the place. Finally, Kelvin lands a left hand that drops Collin. It what epitomizes the term “barnburner,” the youngest fighter in the house moves on to the semifinals.

Fight prep
Wasting no time, things transition into preparation for the next fight between Team Jones’ last pick Dylan Andrews and Team Sonnen’s first pick Luke Barnatt. Chael admits they underestimated Dylan’s abilities, but still doesn’t see how it’s possible Luke loses. Sporting a pair of nifty socks, Luke gives us a glimpse into the extremely complex gameplan of “punch the guy and beat him.”

On the Team Jones side, Dylan spends a lot of time working his jab with striking coach Stone Horse. Dylan has a different type of relationship with the coach that goes beyond learning how to punch and kick. “He saw something in me when no one else did.” Growing up, Dylan never experienced positive reinforcement, and looks at Stone Horse like a father figure. Jon Jones also reveals his gameplan and it’s strikingly similar to the Team Sonnen “punch the guy in the face” strategy.

Before the fight, two things of note. 1) A slightly trimmer Mike Tyson shows up to cheer the guys and will be sitting cageside and 2)  Luke Barnatt will not be in the next British Tourism Board video when he says, “England’s a horrible place.”

Fight time
The first round begins and Dylan takes it to Luke right away. He lands an overhand right and scores a takedown. Luke immediately throws up triangle. Dylan defends and pushes Luke against the fence. They stand up, but remain engaged in the clinch. Luke tries to a judo throw, but Dylan counters and puts Luke on his back a second time. Luke continues to stay active on his back attempting armbars. Dylan defends these submissions, but can’t seem to work his way around Luke’s limbs to mount an offense. Barnatt keeps working off his back and forces a scramble, but Dylan winds up taking Luke’s back. With only one hook in, he fails to lock him down and the two return to their feet. Luke finally starts to use his reach advantage, but smothers himself. This leads to another takedown and the round ends with Dylan on top.

The second round opens with Luke landing his jab. He tries to land one of those knees that scored him his KO in the preliminary round, but eats a big right hand for his troubles. The two briefly clinch up against the fence and then break up. Luke throws another knee, but Dylan times him perfectly, trips his opponent and winds up on top. He then uses his fists to punch through Luke’s omoplata attempt. Luke regains wrist control and uses that to stand up. Against the fence he goes for a kimura, but Dylan ends up on top. Inside Luke’s guard, he finally gets some offense going. This causes Luke to turtle up and expose his back. Dylan lands some strikes, but can’t finish the fight and the round ends

Looks like they’re going to round three and we hear Dana White utter the improbable words, “great judging.”

After touching gloves to kick off the third frame, Luke throws an elbow. Dylan ducks and pushes Luke against the cage. They reverse positions and trade knees. Luke whiffs on another elbow and Dylan capitalizes again, landing some solid punches. Luke grabs control of the clinch and lobs knees. He disengages sloppily, though, and catches another big right hand. Both men are plodding about and clearly tired. Then Dylan explodes: He throws some big punches that land cleanly and drop Luke to the mat. One hammerfist later, Dylan Andrews is the second semifinalist, and the second of the season’s last picks to make their way into the Final Four. War underdogs!!

The episode ends with a look into next week. Does Bubba overcome his fears? Can Jimmy Quinlan stifle Josh Samman? Does Kelvin give Ronda Rousey his letterman jacket? Find out next week on The Ultimate Fighter!

Season at a glance:
Team Sonnen (5-5)
Luke Barnatt (1-1, TKO win over Gilbert Smith in episode 2, TKOd by Dylan Andrews in episode 10)
Uriah Hall (1-0, KOd Adam Cella in episode 3)
Zak Cummings (0-1, lost a UD to Dylan Andrews in episode 8)
Tor Troeng (0-1, TKOd by Josh Samman in episode 6)
Jimmy Quinlan (1-0, submitted Clint Hester in episode 7)
Kevin Casey (0-2, lost a UD to Collin Hart in episode 4, lost via TKO [failure to answer to bell] to Bubba McDaniel in episode 9)
Kelvin Gastelum (2-0, submitted Bubba McDaniel in episode 5, defeated Collin Hart by TKO in episode 10)

Team Jones (5-5)
Clint Hester  (0-1, submitted by Jimmy Quinlan in episode 7)
Josh Samman (1-0, TKO win over Tor Troeng in episode 6)
Bubba McDaniel (1-1, submitted by Kelvin Gastelum in episode 5, defeated Kevin Casey by TKO [failure to answer to bell] in episode 9)
Gilbert Smith (0-1, TKOd by Luke Barnatt in episode 2)
Collin Hart (1-1, defeated Kevin Casey by UD in episode 4, TKOd by Kelvin Gastelum in episode 10)
Adam Cella (0-1, KOd by Uriah Hall in episode 3)
Dylan Andrews (2-0, defeated Zak Cummings by UD in episode 8, defeated Luke Barnatt by TKO in episode 10)

The episode opens up with the aftermath of the quarterfinal matchup revelations. Everyone with the exception of Bubba McDaniel seem all right with the selections. Shockingly for an MMA fighter, he’s actually forthright about why he doesn’t want to fight Uriah Hall — the Adam Cella KO. It may be a stretch to say he’s scared, but he’s definitely suffering from a crisis of confidence.

Fight prep

Back to this week’s fights… Jon Jones gives his assessment of the first battle between Kelvin Gastelum and Collin Hart. He states that Kelvin and Collin are both okay at everything. The big difference between them, though, is that Collin is phenomenal at Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Collin looks to improve on his previous performance and show people he’s more than just a grinder.

At Team Sonnen, Chael iterates his point that “Kelvin is a sleeper.” He concedes that Collin would be a tough fight for anyone on the team…except Kelvin. He also refutes the idea that Kelvin is simply a wrestler — he calls him a brawler, which I suppose is a compliment. Kelvin himself agrees with this point (so I guess it is a compliment) and doesn’t think that people should underestimate his striking.

UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey shows up next and makes good on her promise to help out at a Team Sonnen training session. From what we see, this involves her judo throwing everyone on the team repeatedly. The guys, especially Kelvin, have a blast. He even tells us, “It was pretty awesome getting handled by her.” Ever the impressive wingman/coach, Chael tells Ronda about how much Kelvin has grown over the last few weeks. In a short amount of time he’s gone from barely being on the radar to being one of the rising stars. She also gives the guys a badass pep talk that boils down some advice from her mom: “Nobody has the right to beat you.”

Back from the commercial, we see the weigh-in and hear some predictions. Clint Hester gives Collin the advantage on ground and Zak Cummings predicts the fight will become a standup battle favoring Kelvin. As for the coaches, Jon Jones sees Collin scoring a submission off his back and Chael Sonnen believes Kelvin’s constant pressure will deliver the victory.

Fight time

It’s time for the first fight and the two come out swinging. Collin rushes out immediately and is met with some stiff resistance. As Kelvin backs up, he lands some solid punches of his own. The two are brawling and exchanging punches all over the place. Finally, Kelvin lands a left hand that drops Collin. It what epitomizes the term “barnburner,” the youngest fighter in the house moves on to the semifinals.

Fight prep
Wasting no time, things transition into preparation for the next fight between Team Jones’ last pick Dylan Andrews and Team Sonnen’s first pick Luke Barnatt. Chael admits they underestimated Dylan’s abilities, but still doesn’t see how it’s possible Luke loses. Sporting a pair of nifty socks, Luke gives us a glimpse into the extremely complex gameplan of “punch the guy and beat him.”

On the Team Jones side, Dylan spends a lot of time working his jab with striking coach Stone Horse. Dylan has a different type of relationship with the coach that goes beyond learning how to punch and kick. “He saw something in me when no one else did.” Growing up, Dylan never experienced positive reinforcement, and looks at Stone Horse like a father figure. Jon Jones also reveals his gameplan and it’s strikingly similar to the Team Sonnen “punch the guy in the face” strategy.

Before the fight, two things of note. 1) A slightly trimmer Mike Tyson shows up to cheer the guys and will be sitting cageside and 2)  Luke Barnatt will not be in the next British Tourism Board video when he says, “England’s a horrible place.”

Fight time
The first round begins and Dylan takes it to Luke right away. He lands an overhand right and scores a takedown. Luke immediately throws up triangle. Dylan defends and pushes Luke against the fence. They stand up, but remain engaged in the clinch. Luke tries to a judo throw, but Dylan counters and puts Luke on his back a second time. Luke continues to stay active on his back attempting armbars. Dylan defends these submissions, but can’t seem to work his way around Luke’s limbs to mount an offense. Barnatt keeps working off his back and forces a scramble, but Dylan winds up taking Luke’s back. With only one hook in, he fails to lock him down and the two return to their feet. Luke finally starts to use his reach advantage, but smothers himself. This leads to another takedown and the round ends with Dylan on top.

The second round opens with Luke landing his jab. He tries to land one of those knees that scored him his KO in the preliminary round, but eats a big right hand for his troubles. The two briefly clinch up against the fence and then break up. Luke throws another knee, but Dylan times him perfectly, trips his opponent and winds up on top. He then uses his fists to punch through Luke’s omoplata attempt. Luke regains wrist control and uses that to stand up. Against the fence he goes for a kimura, but Dylan ends up on top. Inside Luke’s guard, he finally gets some offense going. This causes Luke to turtle up and expose his back. Dylan lands some strikes, but can’t finish the fight and the round ends

Looks like they’re going to round three and we hear Dana White utter the improbable words, “great judging.”

After touching gloves to kick off the third frame, Luke throws an elbow. Dylan ducks and pushes Luke against the cage. They reverse positions and trade knees. Luke whiffs on another elbow and Dylan capitalizes again, landing some solid punches. Luke grabs control of the clinch and lobs knees. He disengages sloppily, though, and catches another big right hand. Both men are plodding about and clearly tired. Then Dylan explodes: He throws some big punches that land cleanly and drop Luke to the mat. One hammerfist later, Dylan Andrews is the second semifinalist, and the second of the season’s last picks to make their way into the Final Four. War underdogs!!

The episode ends with a look into next week. Does Bubba overcome his fears? Can Jimmy Quinlan stifle Josh Samman? Does Kelvin give Ronda Rousey his letterman jacket? Find out next week on The Ultimate Fighter!

Season at a glance:
Team Sonnen (5-5)
Luke Barnatt (1-1, TKO win over Gilbert Smith in episode 2, TKOd by Dylan Andrews in episode 10)
Uriah Hall (1-0, KOd Adam Cella in episode 3)
Zak Cummings (0-1, lost a UD to Dylan Andrews in episode 8)
Tor Troeng (0-1, TKOd by Josh Samman in episode 6)
Jimmy Quinlan (1-0, submitted Clint Hester in episode 7)
Kevin Casey (0-2, lost a UD to Collin Hart in episode 4, lost via TKO [failure to answer to bell] to Bubba McDaniel in episode 9)
Kelvin Gastelum (2-0, submitted Bubba McDaniel in episode 5, defeated Collin Hart by TKO in episode 10)

Team Jones (5-5)
Clint Hester  (0-1, submitted by Jimmy Quinlan in episode 7)
Josh Samman (1-0, TKO win over Tor Troeng in episode 6)
Bubba McDaniel (1-1, submitted by Kelvin Gastelum in episode 5, defeated Kevin Casey by TKO [failure to answer to bell] in episode 9)
Gilbert Smith (0-1, TKOd by Luke Barnatt in episode 2)
Collin Hart (1-1, defeated Kevin Casey by UD in episode 4, TKOd by Kelvin Gastelum in episode 10)
Adam Cella (0-1, KOd by Uriah Hall in episode 3)
Dylan Andrews (2-0, defeated Zak Cummings by UD in episode 8, defeated Luke Barnatt by TKO in episode 10)

TUF 17 Weekly Recap – Episode 9

The episode opens up at the house with Kevin Casey and Bubba McDaniel talking about second chances. Kevin realizes that you’re only as good as your last fight and sees the wildcard fight as a way for him to prove himself as a competitor. He wants to emphasize that he didn’t get the opportunity because he’s a nice guy — he deserves to be there.

Bubba has a more emotional reaction and thinks about his family. When he’s not stuck inside the TUF house, Bubba trains at the Greg Jackson camp in Albuquerque while his kids live in Texas. He starts to tear up discussing the difficult phone calls he has with his daughter Emma. She asks him, “Daddy are you coming to see me?” and he can’t afford to do so. Not only does he need TUF to legitimize all the troubles he’s put his family though, but he needs the money so he can visit more often and “be the dad I want to be.”

All this starts to weigh on Bubba and he’s feeling the pressure. The Team Jones coaches recognize this and give him a pep talk. They lesson they keep driving home is that Bubba must be aggressive to win this fight. He can’t backpedal like he did against Kelvin Gastelum and expect to win. Jon Jones implores Bubba to “show everyone in the house that you’re a great kickboxer.”

Back from the commercial break, Gil asks Kevin if the fact that Bubba called him out earlier motivates him any more. Kevin doesn’t seem to pay much attention to it and says that he wants to win just for the sake of winning. It then dawns on Josh Samman that Bubba’s challenge to Kevin was the only one there’s been all season. He uses that fact to transition to what must be the most half-hearted challenge in TUF history, calling out Jimmy (sounds to me like someone is selling wolf tickets). Jimmy just shrugs, says ok and gets back to more important things (namely, his cereal). When pressed to give a reaction, he informs us that, “I want to fight Josh Samman because I am an expert fisherman.” We cut to Uriah Hall who halts the pun train by saying he wants to fight Josh so he can “beat his ass.” It appears that homonyms aren’t Hall’s strong suit.

At the Team Sonnen training session, the coaches, Hall and Jimmy Quinlan continue the quarterfinal matchup discussion. After some not-very-intense debate, it looks like Uriah has dibs on Josh. Looking at the upcoming fight between Casey and McDaniel, Chael talks about the stakes. More than simply winning the fight, Chael tells us we have to see real Kevin Casey this fight. Kevin was so flat in his lat one that he has to go out big now to prove that he’s the caliber of fighter who can compete at the next level.

Kevin’s gameplan mirrors Bubba’s in a lot of ways. He, too, looks to be aggressive and overwhelm Bubba. At the same time, he’s cognizant of the cut that remains on his forehead. While it may be a source of stress, at least he gets to train in a cool fencing helmet.

Back at the house it’s Thanksgiving. The New Zealander Dylan Andrews gets to celebrate his first Thanksgiving slightly differently from how the Pilgrims spent theirs. During the meal, Chael Sonnen overcomes his normal glossophobia and gives a speech. He expresses his desire for all the guys in the house to become UFC fighters and laments the fact that he discovered that Jon Jones is actually a decent person this season. Jon Jones is not swayed by Chael’s platitudes and say, “it doesn’t change anything.” Bubba angrily stares on the sidelines, upset that he’s cutting weight. In the car, Josh Samman tries to pawn off Uriah Hall on Collin Hart. We have weigh-ins, some predictions and then it’s time for the ultimate Thanksgiving tradition — a fistfight.

FIGHT TIME

The two engage immediately. After a couple strikes, Kevin Casey pulls guard. Bubba pushes Kevin toward the fence and leverages him against it. The two stand and clinch up. Kevin scores an outside trip from that position and plants Bubba on his back. Working from half guard, Kevin tries to pass, but is initially shut down. He keeps going and eventually moves to side mount. Bubba regains his guard and throws up a triangle attempt that gets easily brushed away. Kevin moves back to side mount and smothers his opponent. Bubba returns to his feet, but Kevin doesn’t give him any time to breath. As the two tie up, Bubba lands some ineffectual knees and can’t seem to break the lock. With just over 20 seconds left, Kevin scores a belly to belly takedown and the round ends with Bubba on his back with a blank stare on his face.

The second round begins with Bubba scoring a strong low kick. Kevin walks right through it and ties up. Bubba decides to clinch fight Kevin despite his corner continually yelling at him to separate. Kevin tries to pull guard again, but fails this time around. Bubba immediately moves to side mount and starts dropping some elbows. Kevin regains his guard, but can’t seem to generate any type of offense. Bubba throws another hard elbow that knocks out Kevin’s mouthguard. As Kevin seems content to hold on, Bubba continues to drop short elbows and punches. Bubba attacks the body and then uses the opening to throw elbows to try to open up that cut again. This pattern continues for the rest of the round until it ends. Kevin Casey looks in a bad place and actually has to get pulled up off the mat to make it to his corner.

The judges have it tied and we’re going to a third round… nope wait, we’re not. Kevin Casey has had enough and, in a TUF first, doesn’t answer the bell for the third round. Bubba does some posturing in the cage, and then the accountant in the back of his head pipes up and he asks Dana White if it counts as a finish. Dana says sure and Bubba is now $5000 richer.

Coach Jones explain that Bubba was motivated when someone in the Team Sonnen peanut gallery yelled out that he was breaking during the fight. After hearing that, in the words of Jon Jones, “Bubba just dominated him… to the point where Kevin gave up. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that in a fight.”

Coach Sonnen is equally stunned: “I was very concerned because Kevin shut down. He was different. I could see that we just weren’t there anymore. This was new to me.” Back in the locker room, Kevin collapses and tells us about how a
similar situation occurred in 2010 when his kidneys failed in a fight.

Time for the quarterfinal match ups and Dana calls in the remaining eight fighters and the coaches to hear what fights they want. No real surprises here and they come out and announce the quarterfinal bracket:

Collin Hart vs Kelvin Gastelum
Dylan Andrews vs Luke Barnatt
Josh Samman vs Jimmy Quinlan
Bubba McDaniel vs Uriah Hall

Team Sonnen (4-4)
Luke Barnatt (1-0, TKO win over Gilbert Smith in episode 2)
Uriah Hall (1-0, KOd Adam Cella in episode 3)
Zak Cummings (0-1, lost a UD to Dylan Andrews in episode 8)
Tor Troeng (0-1, TKOd by Josh Samman in episode 6)
Jimmy Quinlan (1-0, submitted Clint Hester in episode 7)
Kevin Casey (0-2, lost a UD to Collin Hart in episode 4, lost via TKO [failure to answer to bell] to Bubba McDaniel in episode 9)
Kelvin Gastelum (1-0, submitted Bubba McDaniel in episode 5)

Team Jones (4-4)
Clint Hester  (0-1, submitted by Jimmy Quinlan in episode 7)
Josh Samman (1-0, TKO win over Tor Troeng in episode 6)
Bubba McDaniel (1-1, submitted by Kelvin Gastelum in episode 5, defeated Kevin Casey by TKO [failure to answer to bell] in episode 9)
Gilbert Smith (0-1, TKOd by Luke Barnatt in episode 2)
Collin Hart (1-0, defeated Kevin Casey by UD in episode 4)
Adam Cella (0-1, KOd by Uriah Hall in episode 3)
Dylan Andrews (1-0, defeated Zak Cummings by UD in episode 8)

The episode opens up at the house with Kevin Casey and Bubba McDaniel talking about second chances. Kevin realizes that you’re only as good as your last fight and sees the wildcard fight as a way for him to prove himself as a competitor. He wants to emphasize that he didn’t get the opportunity because he’s a nice guy — he deserves to be there.

Bubba has a more emotional reaction and thinks about his family. When he’s not stuck inside the TUF house, Bubba trains at the Greg Jackson camp in Albuquerque while his kids live in Texas. He starts to tear up discussing the difficult phone calls he has with his daughter Emma. She asks him, “Daddy are you coming to see me?” and he can’t afford to do so. Not only does he need TUF to legitimize all the troubles he’s put his family though, but he needs the money so he can visit more often and “be the dad I want to be.”

All this starts to weigh on Bubba and he’s feeling the pressure. The Team Jones coaches recognize this and give him a pep talk. They lesson they keep driving home is that Bubba must be aggressive to win this fight. He can’t backpedal like he did against Kelvin Gastelum and expect to win. Jon Jones implores Bubba to “show everyone in the house that you’re a great kickboxer.”

Back from the commercial break, Gil asks Kevin if the fact that Bubba called him out earlier motivates him any more. Kevin doesn’t seem to pay much attention to it and says that he wants to win just for the sake of winning. It then dawns on Josh Samman that Bubba’s challenge to Kevin was the only one there’s been all season. He uses that fact to transition to what must be the most half-hearted challenge in TUF history, calling out Jimmy (sounds to me like someone is selling wolf tickets). Jimmy just shrugs, says ok and gets back to more important things (namely, his cereal). When pressed to give a reaction, he informs us that, “I want to fight Josh Samman because I am an expert fisherman.” We cut to Uriah Hall who halts the pun train by saying he wants to fight Josh so he can “beat his ass.” It appears that homonyms aren’t Hall’s strong suit.

At the Team Sonnen training session, the coaches, Hall and Jimmy Quinlan continue the quarterfinal matchup discussion. After some not-very-intense debate, it looks like Uriah has dibs on Josh. Looking at the upcoming fight between Casey and McDaniel, Chael talks about the stakes. More than simply winning the fight, Chael tells us we have to see real Kevin Casey this fight. Kevin was so flat in his lat one that he has to go out big now to prove that he’s the caliber of fighter who can compete at the next level.

Kevin’s gameplan mirrors Bubba’s in a lot of ways. He, too, looks to be aggressive and overwhelm Bubba. At the same time, he’s cognizant of the cut that remains on his forehead. While it may be a source of stress, at least he gets to train in a cool fencing helmet.

Back at the house it’s Thanksgiving. The New Zealander Dylan Andrews gets to celebrate his first Thanksgiving slightly differently from how the Pilgrims spent theirs. During the meal, Chael Sonnen overcomes his normal glossophobia and gives a speech. He expresses his desire for all the guys in the house to become UFC fighters and laments the fact that he discovered that Jon Jones is actually a decent person this season. Jon Jones is not swayed by Chael’s platitudes and say, “it doesn’t change anything.” Bubba angrily stares on the sidelines, upset that he’s cutting weight. In the car, Josh Samman tries to pawn off Uriah Hall on Collin Hart. We have weigh-ins, some predictions and then it’s time for the ultimate Thanksgiving tradition — a fistfight.

FIGHT TIME

The two engage immediately. After a couple strikes, Kevin Casey pulls guard. Bubba pushes Kevin toward the fence and leverages him against it. The two stand and clinch up. Kevin scores an outside trip from that position and plants Bubba on his back. Working from half guard, Kevin tries to pass, but is initially shut down. He keeps going and eventually moves to side mount. Bubba regains his guard and throws up a triangle attempt that gets easily brushed away. Kevin moves back to side mount and smothers his opponent. Bubba returns to his feet, but Kevin doesn’t give him any time to breath. As the two tie up, Bubba lands some ineffectual knees and can’t seem to break the lock. With just over 20 seconds left, Kevin scores a belly to belly takedown and the round ends with Bubba on his back with a blank stare on his face.

The second round begins with Bubba scoring a strong low kick. Kevin walks right through it and ties up. Bubba decides to clinch fight Kevin despite his corner continually yelling at him to separate. Kevin tries to pull guard again, but fails this time around. Bubba immediately moves to side mount and starts dropping some elbows. Kevin regains his guard, but can’t seem to generate any type of offense. Bubba throws another hard elbow that knocks out Kevin’s mouthguard. As Kevin seems content to hold on, Bubba continues to drop short elbows and punches. Bubba attacks the body and then uses the opening to throw elbows to try to open up that cut again. This pattern continues for the rest of the round until it ends. Kevin Casey looks in a bad place and actually has to get pulled up off the mat to make it to his corner.

The judges have it tied and we’re going to a third round… nope wait, we’re not. Kevin Casey has had enough and, in a TUF first, doesn’t answer the bell for the third round. Bubba does some posturing in the cage, and then the accountant in the back of his head pipes up and he asks Dana White if it counts as a finish. Dana says sure and Bubba is now $5000 richer.

Coach Jones explain that Bubba was motivated when someone in the Team Sonnen peanut gallery yelled out that he was breaking during the fight. After hearing that, in the words of Jon Jones, “Bubba just dominated him… to the point where Kevin gave up. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that in a fight.”

Coach Sonnen is equally stunned: “I was very concerned because Kevin shut down. He was different. I could see that we just weren’t there anymore. This was new to me.” Back in the locker room, Kevin collapses and tells us about how a
similar situation occurred in 2010 when his kidneys failed in a fight.

Time for the quarterfinal match ups and Dana calls in the remaining eight fighters and the coaches to hear what fights they want. No real surprises here and they come out and announce the quarterfinal bracket:

Collin Hart vs Kelvin Gastelum
Dylan Andrews vs Luke Barnatt
Josh Samman vs Jimmy Quinlan
Bubba McDaniel vs Uriah Hall

Team Sonnen (4-4)
Luke Barnatt (1-0, TKO win over Gilbert Smith in episode 2)
Uriah Hall (1-0, KOd Adam Cella in episode 3)
Zak Cummings (0-1, lost a UD to Dylan Andrews in episode 8)
Tor Troeng (0-1, TKOd by Josh Samman in episode 6)
Jimmy Quinlan (1-0, submitted Clint Hester in episode 7)
Kevin Casey (0-2, lost a UD to Collin Hart in episode 4, lost via TKO [failure to answer to bell] to Bubba McDaniel in episode 9)
Kelvin Gastelum (1-0, submitted Bubba McDaniel in episode 5)

Team Jones (4-4)
Clint Hester  (0-1, submitted by Jimmy Quinlan in episode 7)
Josh Samman (1-0, TKO win over Tor Troeng in episode 6)
Bubba McDaniel (1-1, submitted by Kelvin Gastelum in episode 5, defeated Kevin Casey by TKO [failure to answer to bell] in episode 9)
Gilbert Smith (0-1, TKOd by Luke Barnatt in episode 2)
Collin Hart (1-0, defeated Kevin Casey by UD in episode 4)
Adam Cella (0-1, KOd by Uriah Hall in episode 3)
Dylan Andrews (1-0, defeated Zak Cummings by UD in episode 8)

The Downes Side: UFC 158 Predictions

That’s right boys and girls, it’s time for the early bird edition of the Downes Side! With a little extra time on your side, this set of predictions looks to be much more exciting than even 2-4-1 appetizers at your favorite strip-mall-based casual dining restaurant.

Speaking of refined cuisine, the UFC returns to the Bell Centre in Montréal, Québec, Canada for UFC 158. The main event pits French-Canadian superstar Georges St-Pierre as he defends his welterweight title against 209 treasure Nick Diaz. The two have already put on a conference call that should be enshrined in the Smithsonian, so there’s no telling what the fight will bring. The co-main event of the evening could decide the next top contender in the 170-pound division as Carlos Condit takes on Johny Hendricks.

Mike Ricci (7-3) vs Colin Fletcher (8-2)
The main card kicks off in the lightweight division with a matchup between TUF runners-up as TUF 16’s Mike “The Martian” Ricci takes on TUF Smashes’ Colin “Freakshow” Fletcher. A Tristar product, Ricci cruised his way through the house to the TUF 16 finals with a solid striking game and powerful left cross. What I’ll remember most about him, though, is the hype video where he’s chatting with his girlfriend over white wine like they’re in a plug-in air freshener commercial. Colin Fletcher used his 6’2” frame, wacky hats and superb submission skills to make it to the finals of TUF Smashes. What I’ll remember most about him, though, is that time he got covered in toxic waste in Robocop.

In his official UFC debut, Ricci was completely dominated by Colton Smith’s wrestling — but that was at 170 pounds. Fletcher may possess the grappling superiority, but he lacks the strength, size  and technique Smith used to hold Ricci down. Despite the reach disadvantage, Ricci will dictate the outside striking game and catch Fletcher with his left hand. This will be enough to drop the Englishman and earn Montreal’s Martian a 2nd-round TKO on his home turf. All is not lost for “Dr. Freakshow,” though. He’ll be able to resurrect his career portraying Dr. Robert Romano on ER.

Nick Ring (18-5) vs Chris Camozzi (13-1)
Next we move to middleweight division for a fight between two TUF 11 castmastes. Chris Camozzi holds the third-highest striking rate among active middleweights and wins with a combination of knees, elbows and scrappiness. In the the other corner stands Nick “The Promise” Ring. Besides reminding us of second-wave emo bands and symbols of sexual abstinence, the former professional kickboxer rebounded from his only career loss to TIm Boetsch by beating Court McGee at UFC 149.

Camozzi has won three in a row, but he’s taken a lot of damage in the process. His keys to victory have been to outlast his opponents and close things up in the third round. That strategy won’t work this time. Ring may not be able to put Camozzi away, but his all-around technical superiority will make it easy for him to win the stand up exchanges. He’ll also maintain the cardio and defensive instinct to not fall prey to a late surge. Look for Ring to take the unanimous decision win. Then, in an effort to show his commitment to the fans, he’ll change his nickname to “Wedding.”

Jake Ellenberger (28-6) vs Nate Marquardt (32-11-2)
We drop down to welterweight — where we’ll be spending the rest of our fair evening — for Jake Ellenberger vs. Nate Marquardt. After Martin Kampmann put “The Juggernaut’s” six- fight win streak to an end last year, Ellenberger bounced back with decision victory over Jay Hieron in October. Known for his power punching, Ellenberger’s brutal knees from the clinch can also get things done in a pinch. A former Strikeforce welterweight champion and UFC middleewight, Marquardt returns to the UFC looking to rebound from an unexpected loss to Tarec Saffiedine in January. Extremely well-rounded, Marquardt actually holds the second-highest takedown success rate in UFC history, behind GSP.

Marquardt’s lack of defense in the Saffiedine fight is certainly a cause for concern against someone with the KO power of Ellenberger, but he’ll be able to weather that initial storm. From there, his ability to push the pace will keep him strong. He’ll avoid Ellenberger’s big punches, get the tie-up and even put The Juggernaut on his back. In the third round, Ellenberger’s aggressiveness will cause him to rush in, and Marquardt will catch him the same way Kampmann did. Marquardt via 3rd-round TKO.

Carlos Condit (28-6) vs Johny Hendricks (14-1)

We remain at 170 for Carlos “The Natural Born Killer” Condit — the man to last face St-Pierre — and Johny “Bigg Rigg” Hendricks — the man many expected would be next. Condit looks to rebound from that loss, a bout in which he gave the champ the toughest fight GSP had seen in a long while. Before that loss, Condit had rattled off a 13-1 record with 11 finishes among those wins. Winner of five in a row, Hendricks has earned the right to add superfluous g’s to his nickname with incredible knockout power. He claimed another victim when he dropped Martin Kampmann in 46 seconds at UFC 154.

There’s no denying that Hendricks’ left hand is more dangerous than the food quality at the diner by my house. Greg Jackson’s strategy and Condit’s chin (he’s never been KOd), however, will act like Tums and protect him from danger. Condit’s grappling defense should be the real worry here since he’s shown a propensity for giving up takedowns to people with lesser wrestling chops than Hendricks. Having said that, Hendricks has never faced someone with as diverse a striking game as Condit. Other fighters have been content to box with him, but Condit won’t make that same mistake. He’ll use leg kicks to keep Hendricks at bay, avoid prolonged exchanges and secure the unanimous decision victory.

Georges St-Pierre (23-2) vs Nick Diaz (26-8)
Eighteen months after it was first booked, it’s time for the main event! Looking to run his win streak to 11, GSP makes his eighth consecutive title defense after a close call against Carlos Condit in his last outing. Nick Diaz returns to the Octagon for the first time in over a year when he dropped a unanimous decision in a close call against Carlos Condit. Known for his prodigious punching numbers, the Stockton native not only holds a Cesar Gracie black belt, but he may have also acquired anti-bull[expletive] super powers.

There’s no mystery about the deciding factor in this fight (it’s wrestling just in case you were wondering). Many believe that it will play out similar to Benson Henderson’s last fight against Nate Diaz, with strong stifling the volume punching. But just because the two are brothers doesn’t mean they share the same takedown defense. The Diaz elder does not possess GSP’s wrestling ability, but he is a dangerous grappler. St. Pierre will take the first two rounds, but then Diaz will start to turn the tide. In the fifth round, he’ll start teeing off on GSP, the champ will go for a desperation takedown and Diaz will lock up a choke to become your new UFC welterweight champion! You may say that I’m a dreamer (or worse), but I’m not the only one. Someday you’ll join us, and the world will live as one (at the Asparagus Festival in Stockton, which will be lifted up on the wings of its champion and no longer appear on this annual list).

That wraps up another antediluvian edition of the Downes Side! Don’t forget to make your own picks in the UFC Fantasy game and after that — if I know the internet like I think I do — I’m sure you’ll all use this extra time to put cogent, responsible and well thought out ideas in the comments section.

That’s right boys and girls, it’s time for the early bird edition of the Downes Side! With a little extra time on your side, this set of predictions looks to be much more exciting than even 2-4-1 appetizers at your favorite strip-mall-based casual dining restaurant.

Speaking of refined cuisine, the UFC returns to the Bell Centre in Montréal, Québec, Canada for UFC 158. The main event pits French-Canadian superstar Georges St-Pierre as he defends his welterweight title against 209 treasure Nick Diaz. The two have already put on a conference call that should be enshrined in the Smithsonian, so there’s no telling what the fight will bring. The co-main event of the evening could decide the next top contender in the 170-pound division as Carlos Condit takes on Johny Hendricks.

Mike Ricci (7-3) vs Colin Fletcher (8-2)
The main card kicks off in the lightweight division with a matchup between TUF runners-up as TUF 16’s Mike “The Martian” Ricci takes on TUF Smashes’ Colin “Freakshow” Fletcher. A Tristar product, Ricci cruised his way through the house to the TUF 16 finals with a solid striking game and powerful left cross. What I’ll remember most about him, though, is the hype video where he’s chatting with his girlfriend over white wine like they’re in a plug-in air freshener commercial. Colin Fletcher used his 6’2” frame, wacky hats and superb submission skills to make it to the finals of TUF Smashes. What I’ll remember most about him, though, is that time he got covered in toxic waste in Robocop.

In his official UFC debut, Ricci was completely dominated by Colton Smith’s wrestling — but that was at 170 pounds. Fletcher may possess the grappling superiority, but he lacks the strength, size  and technique Smith used to hold Ricci down. Despite the reach disadvantage, Ricci will dictate the outside striking game and catch Fletcher with his left hand. This will be enough to drop the Englishman and earn Montreal’s Martian a 2nd-round TKO on his home turf. All is not lost for “Dr. Freakshow,” though. He’ll be able to resurrect his career portraying Dr. Robert Romano on ER.

Nick Ring (18-5) vs Chris Camozzi (13-1)
Next we move to middleweight division for a fight between two TUF 11 castmastes. Chris Camozzi holds the third-highest striking rate among active middleweights and wins with a combination of knees, elbows and scrappiness. In the the other corner stands Nick “The Promise” Ring. Besides reminding us of second-wave emo bands and symbols of sexual abstinence, the former professional kickboxer rebounded from his only career loss to TIm Boetsch by beating Court McGee at UFC 149.

Camozzi has won three in a row, but he’s taken a lot of damage in the process. His keys to victory have been to outlast his opponents and close things up in the third round. That strategy won’t work this time. Ring may not be able to put Camozzi away, but his all-around technical superiority will make it easy for him to win the stand up exchanges. He’ll also maintain the cardio and defensive instinct to not fall prey to a late surge. Look for Ring to take the unanimous decision win. Then, in an effort to show his commitment to the fans, he’ll change his nickname to “Wedding.”

Jake Ellenberger (28-6) vs Nate Marquardt (32-11-2)
We drop down to welterweight — where we’ll be spending the rest of our fair evening — for Jake Ellenberger vs. Nate Marquardt. After Martin Kampmann put “The Juggernaut’s” six- fight win streak to an end last year, Ellenberger bounced back with decision victory over Jay Hieron in October. Known for his power punching, Ellenberger’s brutal knees from the clinch can also get things done in a pinch. A former Strikeforce welterweight champion and UFC middleewight, Marquardt returns to the UFC looking to rebound from an unexpected loss to Tarec Saffiedine in January. Extremely well-rounded, Marquardt actually holds the second-highest takedown success rate in UFC history, behind GSP.

Marquardt’s lack of defense in the Saffiedine fight is certainly a cause for concern against someone with the KO power of Ellenberger, but he’ll be able to weather that initial storm. From there, his ability to push the pace will keep him strong. He’ll avoid Ellenberger’s big punches, get the tie-up and even put The Juggernaut on his back. In the third round, Ellenberger’s aggressiveness will cause him to rush in, and Marquardt will catch him the same way Kampmann did. Marquardt via 3rd-round TKO.

Carlos Condit (28-6) vs Johny Hendricks (14-1)

We remain at 170 for Carlos “The Natural Born Killer” Condit — the man to last face St-Pierre — and Johny “Bigg Rigg” Hendricks — the man many expected would be next. Condit looks to rebound from that loss, a bout in which he gave the champ the toughest fight GSP had seen in a long while. Before that loss, Condit had rattled off a 13-1 record with 11 finishes among those wins. Winner of five in a row, Hendricks has earned the right to add superfluous g’s to his nickname with incredible knockout power. He claimed another victim when he dropped Martin Kampmann in 46 seconds at UFC 154.

There’s no denying that Hendricks’ left hand is more dangerous than the food quality at the diner by my house. Greg Jackson’s strategy and Condit’s chin (he’s never been KOd), however, will act like Tums and protect him from danger. Condit’s grappling defense should be the real worry here since he’s shown a propensity for giving up takedowns to people with lesser wrestling chops than Hendricks. Having said that, Hendricks has never faced someone with as diverse a striking game as Condit. Other fighters have been content to box with him, but Condit won’t make that same mistake. He’ll use leg kicks to keep Hendricks at bay, avoid prolonged exchanges and secure the unanimous decision victory.

Georges St-Pierre (23-2) vs Nick Diaz (26-8)
Eighteen months after it was first booked, it’s time for the main event! Looking to run his win streak to 11, GSP makes his eighth consecutive title defense after a close call against Carlos Condit in his last outing. Nick Diaz returns to the Octagon for the first time in over a year when he dropped a unanimous decision in a close call against Carlos Condit. Known for his prodigious punching numbers, the Stockton native not only holds a Cesar Gracie black belt, but he may have also acquired anti-bull[expletive] super powers.

There’s no mystery about the deciding factor in this fight (it’s wrestling just in case you were wondering). Many believe that it will play out similar to Benson Henderson’s last fight against Nate Diaz, with strong stifling the volume punching. But just because the two are brothers doesn’t mean they share the same takedown defense. The Diaz elder does not possess GSP’s wrestling ability, but he is a dangerous grappler. St. Pierre will take the first two rounds, but then Diaz will start to turn the tide. In the fifth round, he’ll start teeing off on GSP, the champ will go for a desperation takedown and Diaz will lock up a choke to become your new UFC welterweight champion! You may say that I’m a dreamer (or worse), but I’m not the only one. Someday you’ll join us, and the world will live as one (at the Asparagus Festival in Stockton, which will be lifted up on the wings of its champion and no longer appear on this annual list).

That wraps up another antediluvian edition of the Downes Side! Don’t forget to make your own picks in the UFC Fantasy game and after that — if I know the internet like I think I do — I’m sure you’ll all use this extra time to put cogent, responsible and well thought out ideas in the comments section.

TUF 17 Weekly Recap – Episode 8

The episode opens again with Bubba and his wildcard hopes at the fore. Adam Cella tells us that Bubba deserves a UFC contract more than anyone else in the house, “because he works harder than everyone.” As Adam Cella worries about Bubba, we cut to the Team Jones training session as Dylan Andrews prepares for his fight against Zak Cummings. The coaching staff teaches Dylan some blocks and Jon Jones says that his last pick will “have his hands full.”

In addition to hearing his coach’s not-so-ringing endorsement, we learn more about Dylan. Raised in a marijuana grow house, Dylan’s career got its start in a video rental store (remember those?). While picking up some UFC DVDs, he heard lots of stomping coming from the ceiling. When he went outside, he discovered that there was an MMA gym above the store. The rest is history. (Kind of like that whole video store thing.)

More surprising than people renting DVDs is the fact that Uriah Hall has a conversation with someone that doesn’t end with him pissing someone off. They discuss the fact that they hate fighting and all that goes along with the career. Why do they do it? The answer is simply because they’re good at it.

On the Team Sonnen side, Zak Cummings informs us that, “People thought I was too smart to fight.” Sure it sounds kind of conceited, but he says it in such a likable manner that it’s hard to hold it against him. Chael Sonnen believes in Zak, “but he’s a huge question mark.” So in other words, he doesn’t really believe in him. Regardless of Chael’s opinion, Cummings can at least be proud of the fact that he finally made it into the TUF house on his 7th attempt.

Next it’s time for the coaches challenge. In seasons past, the challenge has been some type of physical contest — remember when we saw Roy Nelson “run” 400 meters?! This season, though, the coaches use giant excavation machines to fill a dumpster with dirt, build a tire pyramid and strategically place a basketball. Chael runs out to an early lead but struggles with the tire stacking. Bones gains on him and even moves ahead, but the basketball proves to be his undoing and man from the mean streets of West Linn, Oregon takes the $10,000 prize. This construction contest takes us to the final prelim fight of the season.

Fight Time
The first round begins with the two trading jabs. Zak throws a low kick, then uses that to transition to a single-leg attempt. Dylan defends and the two break their tie-up. Zak starts to get the better of the punching exchanges, forcing Dylan to attempt a takedown of his own. Zak sprawls, puts Dylan on his back and works on some submissions. After throwing up unsuccessful D’arce and baseball bat chokes, Zak decides to start using his fists. After his punches and elbows soften Dylan up, he moves to mount. Dylan Andrews is able to sweep from this position, but he’s been opened up. Inside the guard, Dylan rains down punches and the round ends with Zak covered up, trying to protect.

Round two opens with Zak throwing a nifty (read: worthless) spin kick. The two have a laugh, high five and then get back to business. Zak catches Dylan with some punches, but then foolishly rushes in and winds up on his back. Now it’s Dylan’s turn for some ground-and-pound of his own, which comes in the form of elbows. Zak holds on tight but doesn’t appear to try to escape. Dylan continues to throw punches and elbows and Zak appears to be completely stifled. This continues the entire length of the round, until ZAK THROWS A DESPERATION KIMURA! It goes nowhere, though, and Dylan wins the unanimous decision.

From that fight we go straight to the wildcard fight pic. This season, Dana decides to let the coaches pick it. Chael doesn’t even think twice. He says he’s taking Kevin Casey easily.  Jon Jones has a bit more of difficulty. On one hand he has his teammate at Greg Jackson’s camp — Bubba McDaniel. On the other hand, there’s Clint Hester — his #1 pick. In the end, Jones goes with Bubba.

The episode closes with a sneak peek into next week’s episode. Does Bubba get his redemption? Will Kevin Casey make his coach proud? Who steals the Thanksgiving turkey leg? Find out this and more next week on The Ultimate Fighter!

Season at a glance:

Team Sonnen (4-3)
Luke Barnatt (1-0, TKO win over Gilbert Smith in episode 2)
Uriah Hall (1-0, KOd Adam Cella in episode 3)
Zak Cummings (0-1, lost a UD to Dylan Andrews in episode 8)
Tor Troeng (0-1, TKOd by Josh Samman in episode 6)
Jimmy Quinlan (1-0, submitted Clint Hester in episode 7)
Kevin Casey (0-1, lost a UD to Collin Hart in episode 4)
Kelvin Gastelum (1-0, submitted Bubba McDaniel in episode 5)

Team Jones (3-4)
Clint Hester  (0-1, submitted by Jimmy Quinlan in episode 7)
Josh Samman (1-0, TKO win over Tor Troeng in episode 6)
Bubba McDaniel (0-1, submitted by Kelvin Gastelum in episode 5)
Gilbert Smith (0-1, TKOd by Luke Barnatt in episode 2)
Collin Hart (1-0, defeated Kevin Casey by UD in episode 4)
Adam Cella (0-1, KOd by Uriah Hall in episode 3)
Dylan Andrews (1-0, defeated Zak Cummings by UD in episode 8)

The episode opens again with Bubba and his wildcard hopes at the fore. Adam Cella tells us that Bubba deserves a UFC contract more than anyone else in the house, “because he works harder than everyone.” As Adam Cella worries about Bubba, we cut to the Team Jones training session as Dylan Andrews prepares for his fight against Zak Cummings. The coaching staff teaches Dylan some blocks and Jon Jones says that his last pick will “have his hands full.”

In addition to hearing his coach’s not-so-ringing endorsement, we learn more about Dylan. Raised in a marijuana grow house, Dylan’s career got its start in a video rental store (remember those?). While picking up some UFC DVDs, he heard lots of stomping coming from the ceiling. When he went outside, he discovered that there was an MMA gym above the store. The rest is history. (Kind of like that whole video store thing.)

More surprising than people renting DVDs is the fact that Uriah Hall has a conversation with someone that doesn’t end with him pissing someone off. They discuss the fact that they hate fighting and all that goes along with the career. Why do they do it? The answer is simply because they’re good at it.

On the Team Sonnen side, Zak Cummings informs us that, “People thought I was too smart to fight.” Sure it sounds kind of conceited, but he says it in such a likable manner that it’s hard to hold it against him. Chael Sonnen believes in Zak, “but he’s a huge question mark.” So in other words, he doesn’t really believe in him. Regardless of Chael’s opinion, Cummings can at least be proud of the fact that he finally made it into the TUF house on his 7th attempt.

Next it’s time for the coaches challenge. In seasons past, the challenge has been some type of physical contest — remember when we saw Roy Nelson “run” 400 meters?! This season, though, the coaches use giant excavation machines to fill a dumpster with dirt, build a tire pyramid and strategically place a basketball. Chael runs out to an early lead but struggles with the tire stacking. Bones gains on him and even moves ahead, but the basketball proves to be his undoing and man from the mean streets of West Linn, Oregon takes the $10,000 prize. This construction contest takes us to the final prelim fight of the season.

Fight Time
The first round begins with the two trading jabs. Zak throws a low kick, then uses that to transition to a single-leg attempt. Dylan defends and the two break their tie-up. Zak starts to get the better of the punching exchanges, forcing Dylan to attempt a takedown of his own. Zak sprawls, puts Dylan on his back and works on some submissions. After throwing up unsuccessful D’arce and baseball bat chokes, Zak decides to start using his fists. After his punches and elbows soften Dylan up, he moves to mount. Dylan Andrews is able to sweep from this position, but he’s been opened up. Inside the guard, Dylan rains down punches and the round ends with Zak covered up, trying to protect.

Round two opens with Zak throwing a nifty (read: worthless) spin kick. The two have a laugh, high five and then get back to business. Zak catches Dylan with some punches, but then foolishly rushes in and winds up on his back. Now it’s Dylan’s turn for some ground-and-pound of his own, which comes in the form of elbows. Zak holds on tight but doesn’t appear to try to escape. Dylan continues to throw punches and elbows and Zak appears to be completely stifled. This continues the entire length of the round, until ZAK THROWS A DESPERATION KIMURA! It goes nowhere, though, and Dylan wins the unanimous decision.

From that fight we go straight to the wildcard fight pic. This season, Dana decides to let the coaches pick it. Chael doesn’t even think twice. He says he’s taking Kevin Casey easily.  Jon Jones has a bit more of difficulty. On one hand he has his teammate at Greg Jackson’s camp — Bubba McDaniel. On the other hand, there’s Clint Hester — his #1 pick. In the end, Jones goes with Bubba.

The episode closes with a sneak peek into next week’s episode. Does Bubba get his redemption? Will Kevin Casey make his coach proud? Who steals the Thanksgiving turkey leg? Find out this and more next week on The Ultimate Fighter!

Season at a glance:

Team Sonnen (4-3)
Luke Barnatt (1-0, TKO win over Gilbert Smith in episode 2)
Uriah Hall (1-0, KOd Adam Cella in episode 3)
Zak Cummings (0-1, lost a UD to Dylan Andrews in episode 8)
Tor Troeng (0-1, TKOd by Josh Samman in episode 6)
Jimmy Quinlan (1-0, submitted Clint Hester in episode 7)
Kevin Casey (0-1, lost a UD to Collin Hart in episode 4)
Kelvin Gastelum (1-0, submitted Bubba McDaniel in episode 5)

Team Jones (3-4)
Clint Hester  (0-1, submitted by Jimmy Quinlan in episode 7)
Josh Samman (1-0, TKO win over Tor Troeng in episode 6)
Bubba McDaniel (0-1, submitted by Kelvin Gastelum in episode 5)
Gilbert Smith (0-1, TKOd by Luke Barnatt in episode 2)
Collin Hart (1-0, defeated Kevin Casey by UD in episode 4)
Adam Cella (0-1, KOd by Uriah Hall in episode 3)
Dylan Andrews (1-0, defeated Zak Cummings by UD in episode 8)

TUF 17 Weekly Recap – Episode 7

Our episode starts inside the Team Jones locker room, where spirits are high after Josh Samman’s big win. Bubba’s shot at the wildcard spot is brought up again, but Bubba’s trying to not to get his hopes up, worried that another guy on the team could snatch it away from him. Despite their recent loss, Team Sonnen’s mood still rides high. Everyone on that team is confident about the upcoming fight between Jimmy Quinlan and Clint Hester. Jimmy even says that Clint was his first choice for opponents.

There’s a quick change of pace and we see Hooters (the restaurant that is). Like a child at Disneyland, there’s no way MMA fighters enjoying wings and waitresses in tight tank tops could have a bad time, right? Wrong. Despite Gilbert Smith’s best attempts at entertainment, Uriah Hall will have none of it. As everyone gathers for a group picture with the Hooters girls, TUF’s most dangerous man refuses to participate. He sits at a table alone and ignores the repeated requests to join. Collin Hart accuses Uriah of being self-righteous and calls him “a jerk.” This just proves that the only thing more vicious than Hart’s hands are his insults.

Back at the house Josh Samman’s left leg is giving him trouble. While most fighters would probably try to “tough it out,” Samman knows better. Remembering a torn muscle and blood clot that almost cost him is entire leg (which he recounted last week) he starts to worry. Not willing to risk things this time around, he goes to the Emergency Room to make sure he doesn’t have another blood clot. As he nervously waits, the doctor comes into the room and delivers some good news — the test results have come back negative.

TRAINING TIME
Cut to Team Sonnen’s practice session and we learn more about Jimmy Quinlan’s life growing up in a small town in Massachusettes and his career as a police officer. Coach Sonnen again raises questions on the matchup choice. He can’t believe that Jon Jones choose Jimmy as Clint Hester’s opponent. He adds, “If Jimmy gets any opponent on the ground, he’s a big problem.” Chael them gives the team a pep talk, “because I need them to know I care.”

We transition to Team Jones’ training session and hear the Clint Hester story. Growing up outside of Atlanta, he was the gentle giant who protected other kids who were picked on by bullies. I think we all wish we had a guy like Clint in our group during those awkward teenage years. Initially a boxer, his gym closed down. Unable to find a viable replacement, he found an MMA gym and decided to change combat sports.

Coach Jones works on Clint’s striking with him, emphasizing some lateral strikes to the legs. He’s a big fan of Clint’s striking ability as well as Hester’s ability to implement the techniques he’s shown right away. On the downside, though, Bones worries about Clint winding up on his back during the the fight and adds, “I think he needs a little more cardio.”

As we go through the weigh-in and more fight preparations, other housemates offer their opinions. Dylan Andrews says, “Jimmy’s never been in the cage with an animal like Clint.” Uriah Hall sets the stage for the next edition of Man vs. Beast when he remarks, “Jimmy could take down a horse.” We also see Clint and Jimmy interacting in the house on fight day. They joke around a little bit, and Clint calls his opponent “unreadable.” Jimmy doesn’t say much about Clint, but feels compelled to share the specifics of his breakfast. (For those interested, it’s six hard boiled eggs, oatmeal and coffee. We never find out whether he buys organic eggs because it’s fight time.)

FIGHT TIME

As the opening bell rings, Jimmy wastes no time going in for the takedown. Clint stops it initially, but Jimmy powers through and slams him down. Jimmy moves to side mount, but Clint soon escapes and climbs to his feet. They two clinch against the cage and Jimmy scores another quick takedown, but he’s again unable to hold Clint. Back on his feet, Clint attempts a guillotine choke. He doesn’t earn the submission, but uses the choke to force Jimmy against the cage, where he throws some knees and punches. These strikes find their mark and give Jimmy some added impetus to bring the fight back to the mat. Clint fights off the takedown attempt for a while (delivering some hard body punches in the meantime), but Jimmy is relentless. He continually puts Clint on the mat and the round ends with Jimmy Quinlan in the dominant position.

The second round begins with Clint bizarrely attempting a takedown of his own. He doesn’t come close and even exposes his neck for a guillotine attempt. Clint pulls his head out, but it’s all the opening Jimmy needs to bring things back to the mat. This time Jimmy finally advances his position, briefly takes Clint’s back and soon transitions to full mount. Clint exposes his back again, and this time Jimmy stays put. He throws some punches to loosen Clint up, locks in the rear-naked choke and secures the submission victory.

In the locker room aftermath, Jimmy looks like he barely has scratch. He informs the other guys that looks can be deceiving and that he feels bruises all over his head. Other than a couple bumps, he’s excited to say that he took down the #1 pick. Meanwhile on the Team Jones side, Clint hopes that he’ll be able to lock up that wildcard spot. Also, Chael Sonnen thinks now is the appropriate time to remind Jon Jones about their bowling bet from last week and gives Jon a Team Sonnen jersey to wear. The champ is none too amused. The coaches have been fairly polite so far this season, but is that going to end?

It’s time for the fight announcement and by default (as Chael puts it) it will be Dylan Andrews and Zak Cummings. Most people remember Dylan as the last person chosen, but Zak knows him as “the nicest guy I’ve ever met.”

The episode ends with a sneak peek into next week. Who wins the coaches challenge? What’s Dana White’s surprise? Does Uriah Hall make an “I’m sorry” macaroni heart to apolgize to the entire house? Find out this and more on The Ultimate Fighter!

Team Sonnen (4-2)
Luke Barnatt (1-0, TKO win over Gilbert Smith in episode 2)
Uriah Hall (1-0, KOd Adam Cella in episode 3)
Zak Cummings
Tor Troeng (0-1, TKOd by Josh Samman in episode 6)
Jimmy Quinlan (1-0, submitted Clint Hester in episode 7)
Kevin Casey (0-1, lost a UD to Collin Hart in episode 4)
Kelvin Gastelum (1-0, submitted Bubba McDaniel in episode 5)

Team Jones (2-4)
Clint Hester  (0-1, submitted by Jimmy Quinlan in episode 7)
Josh Samman (1-0, TKO win over Tor Troeng in episode 6)
Bubba McDaniel (0-1, submitted by Kelvin Gastelum in episode 5)
Gilbert Smith (0-1, TKOd by Luke Barnatt in episode 2)
Collin Hart (1-0, defeated Kevin Casey by UD in episode 4)
Adam Cella (0-1, KOd by Uriah Hall in episode 3)
Dylan Andrews

Our episode starts inside the Team Jones locker room, where spirits are high after Josh Samman’s big win. Bubba’s shot at the wildcard spot is brought up again, but Bubba’s trying to not to get his hopes up, worried that another guy on the team could snatch it away from him. Despite their recent loss, Team Sonnen’s mood still rides high. Everyone on that team is confident about the upcoming fight between Jimmy Quinlan and Clint Hester. Jimmy even says that Clint was his first choice for opponents.

There’s a quick change of pace and we see Hooters (the restaurant that is). Like a child at Disneyland, there’s no way MMA fighters enjoying wings and waitresses in tight tank tops could have a bad time, right? Wrong. Despite Gilbert Smith’s best attempts at entertainment, Uriah Hall will have none of it. As everyone gathers for a group picture with the Hooters girls, TUF’s most dangerous man refuses to participate. He sits at a table alone and ignores the repeated requests to join. Collin Hart accuses Uriah of being self-righteous and calls him “a jerk.” This just proves that the only thing more vicious than Hart’s hands are his insults.

Back at the house Josh Samman’s left leg is giving him trouble. While most fighters would probably try to “tough it out,” Samman knows better. Remembering a torn muscle and blood clot that almost cost him is entire leg (which he recounted last week) he starts to worry. Not willing to risk things this time around, he goes to the Emergency Room to make sure he doesn’t have another blood clot. As he nervously waits, the doctor comes into the room and delivers some good news — the test results have come back negative.

TRAINING TIME
Cut to Team Sonnen’s practice session and we learn more about Jimmy Quinlan’s life growing up in a small town in Massachusettes and his career as a police officer. Coach Sonnen again raises questions on the matchup choice. He can’t believe that Jon Jones choose Jimmy as Clint Hester’s opponent. He adds, “If Jimmy gets any opponent on the ground, he’s a big problem.” Chael them gives the team a pep talk, “because I need them to know I care.”

We transition to Team Jones’ training session and hear the Clint Hester story. Growing up outside of Atlanta, he was the gentle giant who protected other kids who were picked on by bullies. I think we all wish we had a guy like Clint in our group during those awkward teenage years. Initially a boxer, his gym closed down. Unable to find a viable replacement, he found an MMA gym and decided to change combat sports.

Coach Jones works on Clint’s striking with him, emphasizing some lateral strikes to the legs. He’s a big fan of Clint’s striking ability as well as Hester’s ability to implement the techniques he’s shown right away. On the downside, though, Bones worries about Clint winding up on his back during the the fight and adds, “I think he needs a little more cardio.”

As we go through the weigh-in and more fight preparations, other housemates offer their opinions. Dylan Andrews says, “Jimmy’s never been in the cage with an animal like Clint.” Uriah Hall sets the stage for the next edition of Man vs. Beast when he remarks, “Jimmy could take down a horse.” We also see Clint and Jimmy interacting in the house on fight day. They joke around a little bit, and Clint calls his opponent “unreadable.” Jimmy doesn’t say much about Clint, but feels compelled to share the specifics of his breakfast. (For those interested, it’s six hard boiled eggs, oatmeal and coffee. We never find out whether he buys organic eggs because it’s fight time.)

FIGHT TIME

As the opening bell rings, Jimmy wastes no time going in for the takedown. Clint stops it initially, but Jimmy powers through and slams him down. Jimmy moves to side mount, but Clint soon escapes and climbs to his feet. They two clinch against the cage and Jimmy scores another quick takedown, but he’s again unable to hold Clint. Back on his feet, Clint attempts a guillotine choke. He doesn’t earn the submission, but uses the choke to force Jimmy against the cage, where he throws some knees and punches. These strikes find their mark and give Jimmy some added impetus to bring the fight back to the mat. Clint fights off the takedown attempt for a while (delivering some hard body punches in the meantime), but Jimmy is relentless. He continually puts Clint on the mat and the round ends with Jimmy Quinlan in the dominant position.

The second round begins with Clint bizarrely attempting a takedown of his own. He doesn’t come close and even exposes his neck for a guillotine attempt. Clint pulls his head out, but it’s all the opening Jimmy needs to bring things back to the mat. This time Jimmy finally advances his position, briefly takes Clint’s back and soon transitions to full mount. Clint exposes his back again, and this time Jimmy stays put. He throws some punches to loosen Clint up, locks in the rear-naked choke and secures the submission victory.

In the locker room aftermath, Jimmy looks like he barely has scratch. He informs the other guys that looks can be deceiving and that he feels bruises all over his head. Other than a couple bumps, he’s excited to say that he took down the #1 pick. Meanwhile on the Team Jones side, Clint hopes that he’ll be able to lock up that wildcard spot. Also, Chael Sonnen thinks now is the appropriate time to remind Jon Jones about their bowling bet from last week and gives Jon a Team Sonnen jersey to wear. The champ is none too amused. The coaches have been fairly polite so far this season, but is that going to end?

It’s time for the fight announcement and by default (as Chael puts it) it will be Dylan Andrews and Zak Cummings. Most people remember Dylan as the last person chosen, but Zak knows him as “the nicest guy I’ve ever met.”

The episode ends with a sneak peek into next week. Who wins the coaches challenge? What’s Dana White’s surprise? Does Uriah Hall make an “I’m sorry” macaroni heart to apolgize to the entire house? Find out this and more on The Ultimate Fighter!

Team Sonnen (4-2)
Luke Barnatt (1-0, TKO win over Gilbert Smith in episode 2)
Uriah Hall (1-0, KOd Adam Cella in episode 3)
Zak Cummings
Tor Troeng (0-1, TKOd by Josh Samman in episode 6)
Jimmy Quinlan (1-0, submitted Clint Hester in episode 7)
Kevin Casey (0-1, lost a UD to Collin Hart in episode 4)
Kelvin Gastelum (1-0, submitted Bubba McDaniel in episode 5)

Team Jones (2-4)
Clint Hester  (0-1, submitted by Jimmy Quinlan in episode 7)
Josh Samman (1-0, TKO win over Tor Troeng in episode 6)
Bubba McDaniel (0-1, submitted by Kelvin Gastelum in episode 5)
Gilbert Smith (0-1, TKOd by Luke Barnatt in episode 2)
Collin Hart (1-0, defeated Kevin Casey by UD in episode 4)
Adam Cella (0-1, KOd by Uriah Hall in episode 3)
Dylan Andrews