The Ultimate Fighter 21 returned this week with the Blackzilians up and American Top Team looking to get a win on the board. Also, the rivalry looked to amp up from the already meltdown levels they are at.
This week, the strategy was clear for ATT: win. After two of their top prospects faltered against the Blackzilians, they elected to have former World Series of Fighting champion Steve Carl represent them in the third 25-point fight.
As for the Blackzilians, they went with another one of their top fighters, Valdir “BBMonstro” Araujo. ATT owner Dan Lambert again pointed out that Araujo was a guy the Blackzilian team stole from another gym from a friend of his, in this case MMA Masters in south Florida.
There was some tension in the house, but the biggest tipping point came at the weigh-ins. Carl came in a little less than a pound over, so he elected to use the Blackzilians team sauna to cut the 3/4 of a pound.
When the Blackzilians found out, team members Tyrone Spong and Michael Johnson confronted ATT and asked them to get Carl out of their sauna. Team captain Nathan Coy stood his ground and said they would barricade him in there if they needed to.
Carl eventually made weight, but certainly looked drained, as Blackzilians owner Glenn Robinson pointed out.
Come fight time, it was another clinch-heavy affair that was pretty even throughout. However, late in the second round, Carl went for an errant takedown against the fence and Araujo slapped on a tight guillotine choke, earning the first finish of the season and another 25 points for the Blackzilians.
Going into the final 25-point fight, ATT is being shut out 75-0. They will need to do something big in the next episode or they will find themselves down three digits.
Season Results
| Winner | Loser | Points | Total |
| Kamaru Usman (BLK) | Mike Graves (ATT) | 25 | Blackzilians lead 25-0 |
| Luiz Firmino (BLK) | Uros Jurisic (ATT) | 25 | Blackzilians lead 50-0 |
| Valdir Araujo (BLK) | Steve Carl (ATT) | 25 | Blackzilians lead 75-0 |
Notes and Observations
- Dana White has been very critical of most fighters so far through three fights. He has basically called the Blackzilians boring and American Top Team strategically dumb, as fighters are not listening to their corners. This episode was no different, as he trashed Carl for his lack of listening to his corner. Araujo seems like the only guy that hasn’t had the wrath of Uncle Dana yet.
- Araujo called out ATT for drinking his wine, and it ended up being Mike Graves who was the perpetrator, though BBMonstro didn’t know. It must be so hard living with a rival team, especially when they disrespect your property and take things without asking. It was hard enough having to deal with that in college with people I liked, let alone rivals I am to be fighting!
- I completely agree with Glenn Robinson on his assessment of Carl. He looked completely drained from the cut and I thought it reflected in his fighting ability. Carl is a much better fighter than he showed and I think he wasn’t in pristine condition.
- The Blackzilians kicking ATT out of their sauna was a strategic, but kind of chump move. If I were them, I’d want Carl to make weight in due time so there are no excuses when they beat him. But, to each their own.
- Can we seriously get Tyrone Spong in the UFC? It needs light heavyweights and he would be a very good midcarder to have. I don’t know if he’d sign because he’s want to continue kickboxing, but he’d be worth signing.
- The fights this season have had a more important feel because of the home field advantage. Having the crazy atmosphere during the fights is a nice change up to the quiet and only hearing the coaches yell instructions in all of the other seasons.
- Next week, it appears one of the ATT fighters suffers a seizure in the house, which prompts a scary situation involving paramedics. It was hard to see who, but I think it was Steve Montgomery from what I was able to gather.
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