The Ultimate Fighter 14: Team Bisping vs. Team Miller got off to a roaring start as the first episode delivered some of the most polished and exciting fights we’ve seen on the show.
The franchise will try to keep that momentum going this week as the fighters move into the house and one more competitor gets eliminated. Of course, that’s no easy task as Episode 1 set the bar pretty high, delivering 13 stoppages against only three decisions in the 16 elimination bouts.
And we’re not talking your garden-variety, ho-hum stoppages either.
Josh Ferguson delivered a crushing TKO in only 14 seconds, Diego Brandao authored a pure knockout in only 47 sweeps of the second hand, Dennis Bermudez came back from the brink of defeat to best Jimmie Rivera via second-round TKO and Marcus Brimage registered a standing TKO of the hard-headed Bryson Wailehua-Hansen.
Meanwhile, Akira Corassani blasted the equally rugged Brian Pearman before ranting about being “from the streets” and immediately endeared himself to Jason Miller by squirting water in Mayhem’s direction, much to the coach’s amusement.
The submissions weren’t quite as eventful, but keep an eye on Roland Delorme, who looked dangerously fluid on the ground, and Steven Siler, who upset the heavily favored (if Vegas released odds on TUF elimination bouts) Micah Miller.
All in all, it was a thoroughly satisfying two hours that are gonna be tough to beat.
Luckily, we’ve got Mayhem Miller and his equally volatile counterpart, Michael Bisping, matching “wits” plus a whole house full of high-energy scrappers to keep us entertained even if the fight action fizzles. Thankfully, the latter doesn’t seem like much of a possibility after the first episode appetizer.
Regardless, tune in tonight at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT for the second installment of TUF on Spike TV, and follow along with Bleacher Report as we live blog all the antics.
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