The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) combat sports reality show was back on FOX Sports 1 last night (Weds., June 1, 2016) for episode seven of season 23 titled “No Easy Fights,” coached by Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk and division No. 1 contender Claudia Gadelha.
If you missed last week’s episode get up to speed right here.
We kick things off at the TUF gym and despite being down by a score of 0-5, Coach Jedrzejczyk calls the next match up — Amanda Cooper vs. Jamie Moyle — an “easy fight” for Moyle. Gadelha is less than amused and promises to “run the table” for the remainder of the season.
Former UFC bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw shows up to help coach the plebes from Team Joanna. Last season’s fans may remember him for his “snake in the grass” accusations from then-coach Conor McGregor, back when Dillashaw was still homies with Urijah Faber.
Back at the house, Khalil Rountree mourns the death of his father, who we learn helped manage old-school Motown acts like Boyz II Men and New Edition. Turns out his dad was robbed and murdered over some material possessions when little Khalil was just two.
That was depressing.
Team Claudia hits the gym to get Cooper — the daughter of a boxer — ready for her upcoming strawweight elimination fight and she insists she’s the one who wanted Moyle in order to test herself. The gameplan is to keep it standing and avoid the ground game of her opponent.
Later that night, UFC President Dana White sends a party bus to pick the contestants up and give them a night out on the Las Vegas strip. He claims it’s to reward them for working hard, but I’m convinced the producers were bored to tears and needed to spice up this ho-hum season.
Said bus conveniently has a stripper pole and Ashley Yoder uses it to spin herself like a dreidel. They end up at a show called “Absinthe,” described as “an adult-themed cocktail of circus, burlesque, and vaudeville for a 21st century audience, hosted by the outrageous Gazillionaire and his sidekick Abby.”
Hilarity ensued!
Coach Gadelha, it should be noted, looked quite lovely in her little black dress.
With that filler diversion in the books it’s time to focus on the weigh ins and Cooper — who “loves to be a girl” and “acts like Jane but fights like Tarzan” — is planning to work the room. That means hair, make up, and the kind of outfit that draws an OH YEAH from the peanut gallery when she disrobes for the scale.
Both fighters make weight without incident.
115 lbs.: Amanda Cooper (Team Claudia) vs. Jamie Moyle (Team Joanna)
Round 1: No touch of gloves and it’s right to the striking. Moyle the aggressor and lands a solid right. Cooper on her bicycle. Copper gets backed into the cage and Moyle changes levels and works for the takedown. Cooper puts up a good fight and eventually muscles herself free. Back to the center of the cage and Cooper trying to find her rhythm. Coach Jedrzejczyk, unlike previous fights, extremely vocal with her cageside coaching. Cooper starting to be the aggressor now, but Moyle puts her head down and walks through punches. 90 seconds left and Cooper lands a big shot — but then gets taken down because she was off balance. Moyle has to fight out of an armbar then a kimura attempt before securing guard. Cooper stays busy with punches then a guillotine attempt. Referee warns Moyle for inactivity. Cooper eats an elbow at the bell. Tough round to score but I have it 10-9 Cooper.
Round 2: Still no gloves touched and it’s right back to the striking. Moyle baits Cooper with a lazy strike and then uses the forward momentum to grab a big takedown. Moyle working from half guard and Cooper not as busy as the first frame, which could be an indication of fatigue. Moyle makes a mistake in positioning and Cooper wiggles free, but takes too long to get up and gets tangled up. She’s forced to work from the fence and nearly gives up another takedown, but then grabs a tight Thai plum and fires off some good knees. Now it’s Moyle backed into the fence and gets taken down during a scramble. Coach Gadelha wants no part of that and tells Cooper to back off. She ignores the advice and tries to land some ground and pound. She slides into side control and Moyle is in all kinds of trouble. Her face is getting turned into corned beef and now both benches are screaming like lunatics. The fight ends with Moyle on bottom getting creamed. 10-9 Cooper.
Final result: Cooper def. Moyle via majority decision
Here’s where we stand after episode seven:
Coach Jedrzejczyk:J.J. Aldrich
Joshua StansburyJamie MoyleKhalil Rountree
Ashley YoderMyron DennisHelen HarperElias Urbina
Coach Gadelha:
Tatiana Suarez (w)
Andrew Sanchez (w)
Kate Jackson
Eric Spicely (w)
Amanda Cooper (w)
Abdel Medjedoub
Lanchana Green (w)
Cory Hendricks (w)
Team Claudia leads 6-0.
After the fight, Coach Jedrzejczyk blows a gasket over the scoring and insists there should have been a third round. She walks over to the judges and calls them “fucking idiots.” While you can certainly make the argument for round one in favor of Moyle, it’s not like scoring it for Cooper was a travesty.
That round was very, very close.
Time for the fight picks and Coach Gadelha is (still) in control. She selects Abdel Medjedoub to face Joshua Stansbury in the final light heavyweight elimination fight. She also manages to get back at Coach Jedrzejczyk for her “easy fight” comment.
Will Team Claudia sweep the elimination fights? Find out in seven days!