(We blame you for this mess, TUF 15. In fact, we’re going to blame you for a lot of things moving forward, so just get used to it.)
Great news, Potato Nation! If you thought having the average UFC card spread across three channels on different networks and a social networking device to boot wasn’t complicated enough, it has recently been announced that not only will FX be cancelling all of their sports programming going forward, but the FUEL and SPEED networks will be transformed into sports-based FOX networks to compensate for this change. Those expecting to catch a night of free fights in the future without an Arabic scroll, the flame of Anor, and the ability to answer the bridge troll’s questions three should prepare themselves accordingly. The news was passed along earlier today by Sports Media Watch:
News Corporation will convert the Fuel cable network into general sports channel ‘Fox Sports 2′ this August, Sports Business Journal reported Monday. The launch of Fox Sports 2 will coincide with the conversion of Speed Channel to Fox Sports 1.
Fox Sports 1 and Fox Sports 2 will be the chief outlets for News Corp. sports programming. FX, which aired college football coverage the past two seasons and previously televised baseball and NASCAR, will no longer carry sporting events. Fox Soccer is expected to be converted into a general entertainment channel.
(We blame you for this mess, TUF 15. In fact, we’re going to blame you for a lot of things moving forward, so just get used to it.)
Great news, Potato Nation! If you thought having the average UFC card spread across three channels on different networks and a social networking device to boot wasn’t complicated enough, it has recently been announced that not only will FX be cancelling all of their sports programming going forward, but the FUEL and SPEED networks will be transformed into sports-based FOX networks to compensate for this change. Those expecting to catch a night of free fights in the future without an Arabic scroll, the flame of Anor, and the ability to answer the bridge troll’s questions three should prepare themselves accordingly. The news was passed along earlier today by Sports Media Watch:
News Corporation will convert the Fuel cable network into general sports channel ‘Fox Sports 2′ this August, Sports Business Journal reported Monday. The launch of Fox Sports 2 will coincide with the conversion of Speed Channel to Fox Sports 1.
Fox Sports 1 and Fox Sports 2 will be the chief outlets for News Corp. sports programming. FX, which aired college football coverage the past two seasons and previously televised baseball and NASCAR, will no longer carry sporting events. Fox Soccer is expected to be converted into a general entertainment channel.
There hasn’t been any word yet on how this will affect the UFC or their “hit” reality show The Ultimate Fighter, but we would imagine that the majority of UFC programming will be aired on Fox Sports 2. In either case, this change will in turn make each individual UFC event even more difficult to distinguish from one another (Is Faber/Barao 2 going to be on UFC on Fox Sports 2 IV or UFC on FOX Sports 2 VI: Johnson vs. Dodson III?), but honestly, we should have seen this coming when the UFC decided that they were too good to be aired on the same network as Manswers, 1000 Ways to Die, and The Machine Gun Car Crash Titties Kerplow!! Variety Hour.
We will keep you informed as to how these changes will affect the average cable user when the details are made available, but suffice it to say, if you have Comcast, you’ll probably be up shit creek without a paddle. In other words, nothing will have changed.
(He’s just jolly. Who could begrudge him that outlook?)
Since tonight marks the premiere of TUF 16, coached by UFC heavyweights Roy Nelson and Shane Carwin, and featuring Uncle Dana on backup vocals, it seems like a good time to round up all the vitriol spewed at Nelson by Carwin and White, as well as preview all the drama to come. In recent interviews, both Shane and the Baldfather spoke about their distaste for Big Boy Roy.
Carwin is succinct in telling Bleacher Report, “I hate [Nelson]. I dislike him. I hate him as a person. That’s just it.”
Apparently, Shane feels that Roy poses as a hardworking blue-collar guy, but instead spends most of his time complaining. “He always has an excuse for everything. He claims to be this average, normal guy and that’s who he tries to reach too, the blue-collar workers,” Carwin tells BR.
“Well, that’s me. That’s where I came from. I was the one working at 15 years old and working concrete in construction, working at meat packing plants, throwing boxes and things like that. He hasn’t had a job in his life. This is the only thing he has ever done. He’s the farthest thing from a blue-collar worker that he claims to be.”
While Carwin chastises Nelson for not doing enough chores around the family farm as a kid, White has his own reasons for criticizing the more rotund TUF coach:
(He’s just jolly. Who could begrudge him that outlook?)
Since tonight marks the premiere of TUF 16, coached by UFC heavyweights Roy Nelson and Shane Carwin, and featuring Uncle Dana on backup vocals, it seems like a good time to round up all the vitriol spewed at Nelson by Carwin and White, as well as preview all the drama to come. In recent interviews, both Shane and the Baldfather spoke about their distaste for Big Boy Roy.
Carwin is succinct in telling Bleacher Report, ”I hate [Nelson]. I dislike him. I hate him as a person. That’s just it.”
Apparently, Shane feels that Roy poses as a hardworking blue-collar guy, but instead spends most of his time complaining. “He always has an excuse for everything. He claims to be this average, normal guy and that’s who he tries to reach too, the blue-collar workers,” Carwin tells BR.
“Well, that’s me. That’s where I came from. I was the one working at 15 years old and working concrete in construction, working at meat packing plants, throwing boxes and things like that. He hasn’t had a job in his life. This is the only thing he has ever done. He’s the farthest thing from a blue-collar worker that he claims to be.”
While Carwin chastises Nelson for not doing enough chores around the family farm as a kid, White has his own reasons for criticizing the more rotund TUF coach:
“Roy and I don’t get along. Everything that comes out of this guy’s mouth is just asinine. I’m worried that at the end of the season people are going to want to see me fight Roy Nelson instead of Shane Carwin,” White recently told Yahoo! Sports.
Not to worry, though, Carwin really wants to beat Nelson up. “Shane hates him so bad,” White assured.
Unlike Carwin, White says that he doesn’t “hate Roy Nelson. I don’t hate the guy. He’s just annoying, man.”
“Everything he says makes no sense. He’s like a conspiracy theorist…he’s the ultimate under achiever,” White went on before detailing conversations that he’d had with Nelson where Roy complained about not having enough sponsors, Dana gave him advice and then Roy promptly did the opposite of what White advised him to do.
We’re torn here, Nation, since we love Roy Nelson — mostly because he’s morbidly obese, looks like he’s styled by middle-earth warrior dwarves, and has the frame of a large welterweight but still manages to kick ass at heavyweight. On the other hand, who could argue with White when he says that Nelson evidently doesn’t take his career as seriously as he should based on how freaking fat he is?
Watch White’s full video interview on how annoying Nelson is below, and check out TUF 16 tonight on FX at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Looks like Roy has gotten under people’s skin the past six weeks during filming, and that has to make for some decent television. I mean, it has to, right?
(So that will be the only ‘TUF Live’ trophy ever produced? EBAY THAT SHIT, BRO!!!!)
The Ultimate Fighter‘s switch to a live-fight format for their debut on FX was a promising change-of-pace for a show that desperately needed to break out of its rut. But considering the season’s declining ratings — with several of episodes breaking new records for low viewership — the gimmick clearly didn’t drive as much interest as the UFC hoped it would.
With the 16th season of TUF already slated to premiere in September, UFC president Dana White confirmed to Yahoo! yesterday that the series will return to its original pre-taped format. Though White says he loved the live format, it hindered the show’s ability to delve into the fighters’ lives, create storylines, and preview upcoming episodes. As for the Friday night time-slot, which was generally thought to be a limiting factor for the show’s ratings, we’re stuck with it for now:
(So that will be the only ‘TUF Live’ trophy ever produced? EBAY THAT SHIT, BRO!!!!)
The Ultimate Fighter‘s switch to a live-fight format for their debut on FX was a promising change-of-pace for a show that desperately needed to break out of its rut. But considering the season’s declining ratings — with several of episodes breaking new records for low viewership — the gimmick clearly didn’t drive as much interest as the UFC hoped it would.
With the 16th season of TUF already slated to premiere in September, UFC president Dana White confirmed to Yahoo! yesterday that the series will return to its original pre-taped format. Though White says he loved the live format, it hindered the show’s ability to delve into the fighters’ lives, create storylines, and preview upcoming episodes. As for the Friday night time-slot, which was generally thought to be a limiting factor for the show’s ratings, we’re stuck with it for now:
“FX wants to try it again on Friday nights,” White said. “But if it’s not up to the standards I’m expecting, I’m pretty sure they’ll give me what I want. But this season was a smash hit home run for them.”
According to FX spokesman Dominic Pagone, TUF was the second-most watched series on basic cable on Friday nights among men 18-34 and 18-49, which is the UFC’s key demographic, trailing only ESPN, which generally broadcast an NBA game in that slot. Adding women, TUF was the third-most watched network on basic cable among adults 18-34 and 18-49.
Pagone said among adults aged 18-49, FX’s ratings with “The Ultimate Fighter” improved 69 percent year over year. It went up 141 percent among men 18-49 year-over-year, Pagone added…
Chuck Saftler, the executive vice president of FX…said TUF’s ratings were on par with WWE “Smackdown” on Syfy, “which has been an institution on Friday nights.” Saftler said that “was a good thing.”
Sure, but if the show returns to Wednesday nights, it might match its old Spike TV-era ratings, and that would be a great thing for them. Casting for TUF 16 will begin in three weeks, and will feature welterweight fighters. Head coaches haven’t been named yet, though the proposed Griffin vs. Bonnar matchup has already been nixed by DW.
An interesting quote from the interview above by our friends at StudioMMA got me thinking today whether or not the landmark TV deal the UFC struck with Fox is helping or hindering Zuffa’s bottom line.
According to UFC president Dana White, every day he deals with fans who say they had no idea that the UFC is broadcasting events on Fox and it’s affiliates like FX and Fuel TV.
“Our deal with Fox is seven years. Over the next two years we’re working our asses off to get this Fox deal dialed in… Fuel, FX and big Fox — as far as the production goes, as far as the type of programming we’re going to continue to put together, fine-tuning the Ultimate Fighter that’s live and reaching out and letting not only the hardcore fans, the sometimes fans and people who aren’t yet fans know that we’re on Fox. That’s a bigger job than people could imagine. How many people that I still talk to on Twitter that have no idea we are on FOX, FX or FUEL; oh, it’s crazy man. It’s crazy. So that’s what we’re going to be doing in the next two years.”
(Video courtesy of YouTube/StudioMMA)
An interesting quote from the interview above by our friends at StudioMMA got me thinking today whether or not the landmark TV deal the UFC struck with Fox is helping or hindering Zuffa’s bottom line.
According to UFC president Dana White, every day he deals with fans who say they had no idea that the UFC is broadcasting events on Fox and it’s affiliates like FX and Fuel TV.
“Our deal with Fox is seven years. Over the next two years we’re working our asses off to get this Fox deal dialed in… Fuel, FX and big Fox — as far as the production goes, as far as the type of programming we’re going to continue to put together, fine-tuning the Ultimate Fighter that’s live and reaching out and letting not only the hardcore fans, the sometimes fans and people who aren’t yet fans know that we’re on Fox. That’s a bigger job than people could imagine. How many people that I still talk to on Twitter that have no idea we are on FOX, FX or FUEL; oh, it’s crazy man. It’s crazy. So that’s what we’re going to be doing in the next two years.”
Add to the fact that FX and Fuel aren’t available in Canada (unless you count FX Canada, which shows past seasons of its popular original shows making it about as appealing as a Netflix membership), the only affiliate in the country that is licensed to air UFC events (Sportsnet) doesn’t broadcast The Ultimate Fighter Live! live. Instead, it’s aired two hours after FX shows it.
Early ratings numbers for the show illustrate a definite decline in viewership from the SPIKE TV-helmed shows, but that’s because SPIKE is available in most cable and satellite packages in North America.
White expressed his disappointment in the turn in viewership in a recent interview with MMAJunkie, but admitted that he expected some transitional speed bumps when he signed the deal with Fox. He also said that Zuffa and it’s Fox cohorts are optimistic that things will turn around.
“There’s so many things that are involved in those numbers,” White said. “I didn’t expect to jump on FX and do 3.5 million viewers right out of the gate. But here’s the thing: The format is awesome. It’s perfect. We’ve got a great season, and we’re going to build this thing. Believe me, the way that FX deals with their programming and how they handle it, they’re so analytical. These guys are like fucking rocket scientists how they break this stuff down and look at it. Trust me, everything is positive over there.”
What are your thoughts on the good, the bad and the ugly of the first three months of the Fox era of the UFC?
Jon Anik’s silky voice talks us in to episode two of The Ultimate Fighter 15, telling us we’re less than an hour away from tonight’s live fight. We’re about to see what happened this past week in TUFlandia but right now there are two hooded fighters warming up with their backs to the camera in their respective lock rooms.
Could it be? Yes…those two (at present) nameless and faceless fighters will fight each other tonight but we will have to wait and see who they are. Cheesy, but kinda cool. Another new element of this debuting hybrid taped/live TUF format. Also, there’s a fight clock on the bottom right hand of the screen, ticking down.
The 16 winning fighters from last week’s elimination round pull up to the TUF mansion and once again we see a new crop of young fighters enthusiastically explore their new digs with the type of giddiness that can only lead us to believe that they’ve never watched past seasons and thus don’t realize how completely miserable it can be to be locked in that house. Happens every season.
Jon Anik’s silky voice talks us in to episode two of The Ultimate Fighter 15, telling us we’re less than an hour away from tonight’s live fight. We’re about to see what happened this past week in TUFlandia but right now there are two hooded fighters warming up with their backs to the camera in their respective lock rooms.
Could it be? Yes…those two (at present) nameless and faceless fighters will fight each other tonight but we will have to wait and see who they are. Cheesy, but kinda cool. Another new element of this debuting hybrid taped/live TUF format. Also, there’s a fight clock on the bottom right hand of the screen, ticking down.
The 16 winning fighters from last week’s elimination round pull up to the TUF mansion and once again we see a new crop of young fighters enthusiastically explore their new digs with the type of giddiness that can only lead us to believe that they’ve never watched past seasons and thus don’t realize how completely miserable it can be to be locked in that house. Happens every season.
Michael Chiesa has a more legit reason to be excited as he reveals that he’s “kinda homeless right now,” and so is just happy to have a place to stay. Whoah, some perspective there. Chiesa better go piss in someone’s fruit basket or something real soon or he won’t fit into the TUF lifestyle.
Team selection time now for coaches Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber. UFC Prez Dana White gets to the coin toss. Faber wins it and chooses to select the first matchup as opposed to choosing the first fighter.
Cruz chooses Whitethletic Justin Lawrence, the Blackhouse gym member that tore up James Krause last week with a TKO. Faber chooses Serra/Longo Al Iaqunita with the second pick. Cruz chooses 8 second sensation Sam Sicilia next.
Faber grabs Pride veteran/ringer Cristiana Marcello next. Cruz goes with Myles Jury. Faber goes for fellow Abercrombie & Fitch model look-alike Daron Cruickshank. Cruz chooses Mike Rio next.
Faber, on the recommendation of Joe Lauzon, chooses Joe Proctor. Cruz selects James Vick next. Faber tries out his “long hair don’t care” catchphrase for the second week in a row and chooses Michael Chiesa. Cruz take Vincent Pichel next. Faber grabs John Cofer.
Cruz then chooses Chris Tickle, who I’m sure has never used childhood teasing of his name as fighting fuel. Cruz starts the mind fucking early in taking Tickle. Remember, in episode 1, Tickle said that he wanted to be on Faber’s team. Cruz says he thinks he “threw a wrench in Faber’s plan.” Tickle me Chris has an attitude. He is pissed to be picked 13th and tells Faber that its “his loss, brother.” You tell ‘em.
Faber chooses Andy Ogle next. Cruz chooses the anti-Tickle, Jeremy Larsen, who says, “I’m just happy to be here. Doesn’t bother me at all.” Faber chooses Chris Saunders as his final pick.
Team Faber’s first training session takes place Saturday, 9am. Faber asks how many of his fighters have a wrestling base, as he does, and encourages them to have a purpose in mind with each practice. Cofer, Saunders and Ogle all have early praise for their team’s unity and for Faber.
Two hours later, Team Cruz fills the gym as their coach uses the time to observe them since, he says, he only had one round to view them before. Cruz sets up style stations with his assistant coaches leading to see how good the fighters are in each area.
At first Cruz was all like, “Tickle dissed me by saying he wanted Faber but I’m cool with it,” but soon his real feelings become clear as he pairs Tickle me Chris with his number one pick, Lawrence, to “see what he is about.” Lawrence manhandles Tickle.
Cruz is high on his team saying that they are going to “suck things up like a sponge.” Let’s all just pretend he said, “soak.”
Fight selection/Faber confrontation time. Things move fast, here. It’s 2pm on Saturday and both teams sit down on mini-bleachers in the training center. Faber and Cruz sit about a foot and a half apart.
Faber, like a boss, turns and tells Cruz, “My dad called and says you’re a bold-faced liar now.” Yeah, that statement doesn’t make a whole lot of sense on its own, but stay with Faber, he’s got a point.
Apparently, Faber’s dad has called Faber to tell him that in a recent UFC Magazine* interview, Cruz said that his parents gave Faber a gym. The proud Team Alpha Male leader does not like the invoking of his family into the rivalry by Cruz. “Gave you [a gym]? I never said they gave you a gym,” Cruz protests. “I mentioned that you may have had help with a gym from your parents.”
Faber closes with, “Stay away from the family issue, dude.”
Faber announces that he’s selected his team member Daron Cruickshank to take on James Vick. Faber calls it a “guaranteed win,” for his team. Cruz compares Vick’s body type to his own.
On Sunday afternoon Team Faber’s Michael Chiesa is pulled out of practice for a phone call. It’s his mom. She tells him that his father died the night before. Chiesa explains that his father had been battling a type of cancer called acute myeloid leukemia. Chiesa says he owes everything to his dad and that his dad made him promise that if he were to die while on TUF, that he wouldn’t leave. Back at the house, Chiesa shares the horrible news with his friend and training partner back home, Sam Sicilia.
Sicilia points out that Chiesa’s dad got to see his son get on national television and win a fight. Chiesa meets with Dana White the next day, who tells him that he will be allowed to fly home for a day to visit and be with his family. That’s good to hear.
Tuesday, back in the training center, James Vick prepares for his fight. And don’t get it twisted, just because he may look a tad lanky and goofy, the kid says he grew up poor, fast, hard and serious. Cruz is training Vick to keep a fast pace and says the strategy is to keep the fight on the feet against Cruickshank.
BJJ master Lloyd Irvin gets his hands on Vick, encourages him to “embrace the war,” and also shows him a pretty dope looking far side, arm-in choke on a turtle up opponent.
Cruickshank is in the gym with Team Faber next. “Some people are born a fighter and some people are raised a fighter. I would say, I’m both,” Cruickshank says, ending the nature vs. nurture debate forever.
Faber has Cruickshank work on defending specific submissions that they think Vick will go for with his long frame – and looky here, they work on a bunch of arm-in submissions. Cruickshank is confident, to say the least, calling Vick “one dimensional…he thinks he’s a boxer,” he says. “I’m 10-2. I’m a blackbelt in Tae Kwon Do. What’s he done?”
And if there’s anything we’ve learned from MMA is that if you have a Tae Kwon Do blackbelt, you are unbeatable. Well, at least words never come back to bite anyone in the be-hind…
Chiesa comes back to the house, saying he got the closure he needed back home. His dad toughed it out to stay alive long enough to watch his son fight on episode 1, then went downhill. No joke, thank God that this season is live.
Weigh in time. Cruickshank weighs in at 155.5 and Vick at 154. The cocky Cruickshank smiles at Vick but Vick ain’t having that shit and he keeps his hands up and game face on.
Fight time! A fight fan can get used to this – because the fights are live, we get to watch the coaches give their last-minute pep talk to their fighters, live. Cruz tells Vick, “You know you belong here,” because it doesn’t seem like anyone else does. Faber tells Cruickshank to keep things moving in there.
Anik tells us that the winners of this season get a contract with the UFC and a year long sponsorship deal with TapOut. Why didn’t anyone think of that before? Great idea.
Round 1
Big height difference between Cruickshank and his 6’3 opponent, Vick. Lot of feeling out between the two. Thirty seconds in, the only two strikes that have been thrown are from Cruickshank; a lead left kick to the body and a lead left leg kick. Cruickshank puts together a punch combo, the ending uppercut lands. Spinning back kick from Cruickshank.
Vick’s corner is calling out combos, which, to this point, he isn’t throwing. Vick is stalking Cruickshank, but not throwing much, until he tries a whiffing super man punch. Another spinning back kick from Cruickshank but then he decides to go away from what was working for him and shoots in for a takedown.
Vick throws the right knee counter and it lands flush, knocking out Cruishank cold. Team Cruz goes nuts for the underdog, made good.
A country boy can survive. James Vick gets the surprised KO win over Daron Cruishank. Photo courtesy of UFC.com
Anik in the Octagon to interview Vick who starts off his comments with a “yes sir,” and ends it with a “I’m happy and everything’s going good.” Nothing like a Southern twang to make the underdog persona complete.
Anik asks Cruickshank “what happened there at the end of the fight.” Jon, I love ya, and I suppose you have to ask, but I guess you didn’t see Daron out on his back about, um…10 seconds ago with referee Herb Dean speaking soothing words into his ear. Unsurprisingly, Cruickshank responds, “I don’t remember too much so, I’m going to have to watch it.”
Cruickshank has a chance to get back in to competition if another fighter gets injured, but humbly says he’s just looking to get his teammates ready for their fights during the rest of his time on TUF.
Next week’s matchup time!
Team Cruz has the hammer and chooses Justin Lawrence but wait…he doesn’t choose who his fighter is going to fight! Nuts. Does anyone remember a coach giving up matchup control, even half, before like this?
Cruz has something up his sleeve and is looking to sabotage the “Alpha Male,” somehow…but how? Faber is shocked and has trouble coming up with a selection.
So, he turns it over to his team. “Who’s ready to scrap now, guys?”
Big. Fucking. Mistake. No one on Faber’s team raises their hand. Wow. Big balloon deflating moment. Biggest hand raising, or lack there of, shocker since season 5 when BJ Penn asked fighters to raise their hands if they wanted nothing to do with opposing coach Pulver.
Faber turns it back over to Cruz, who knows exactly who he wants Lawrence to face, and chooses Cristiano Marcello. This is going to be a hell of a fight.
Over the better part of a decade, The Ultimate Fighter reality fighting competition show has seen a number of different format changes and gimmicks, from coaches set to fight for titles and nominally famous singer eye candy hosts, to veterans given a second chance in the UFC with title shots as the prizes. But three things have always stayed constant – the show airing on Spike, seasons being taped months before airing, and fighters in the house being treated to all you could drink liquor buffets while simultaneously being asked to maintain the UFC’s high standards of sober living.
We can only hope that the last item doesn’t change this year, but the first two already have. With the new season of TUF being aired on FX, the UFC has decided to try something new and air all fights live every Friday night. Friday night 32 UFC hopefuls, TUF head coaches Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber, Prez Dana White and a variety of other Nevada judges, referees and oddly placed celebrities in the crowd, gathered in the UFC training center in Las Vegas for 16 fights to determine who got to be in the TUF house for the next three months.
Here’s the action, tater nation, in the present tense, as fast as we could type it all.
Over the better part of a decade, The Ultimate Fighter reality fighting competition show has seen a number of different format changes and gimmicks, from coaches set to fight for titles and nominally famous singer eye candy hosts, to veterans given a second chance in the UFC with title shots as the prizes. But three things have always stayed constant – the show airing on Spike, seasons being taped months before airing, and fighters in the house being treated to all you could drink liquor buffets while simultaneously being asked to maintain the UFC’s high standards of sober living.
We can only hope that the last item doesn’t change this year, but the first two already have. With the new season of TUF being aired on FX, the UFC has decided to try something new and air all fights live every Friday night. Friday night 32 UFC hopefuls, TUF head coaches Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber, Prez Dana White and a variety of other Nevada judges, referees and oddly placed celebrities in the crowd, gathered in the UFC training center in Las Vegas for 16 fights to determine who got to be in the TUF house for the next three months.
Here’s the action, tater nation, in the present tense, as fast as we could type it all.
Uncle Dana tells the fighters, in what seemed like a pre-recorded segment, that they will be fighting live each week. The fighters seem shocked, but excited. Apparent Rollie Fingers love child Chase Hackett, for example, tells the camera during a later interview. “It’s going to be a blast…[time to] leave it all in there.”
Each fight in this elimination stage is set to be just one, five minute round long. “Make it the best fucking minutes of your life,” White says, making sure to begin meeting his f-bomb quota from the get-go.
For each fight, there is a $5,000 bonus for finishing fights and White explains that after the season is done, fans will vote to decide who had the best knockout, submission and fight of the season, with the winners getting $25,000 each. Additionally, the winners of the season, fighters and coach, will get themselves a purty new Harley Davidson.
First fight is up – Joe Proctor (7-1) vs. Jordan Rinaldi (5-0)
Proctor trains with UFC lightweight Joe Lauzon, so I think it’s ok for us to call him “mini Lauzon,” “Boston Joe II,” or something to that effect. Anything’s better than being nicknamed after Jennifer Lopez. Rinaldi says he will win TUF because he’s “talented, technical and blessed.” Fighters everywhere who consider themselves talentless, sloppy and cursed, tremble.
The opening horn sounds and we can hear White, Cruz and Faber mumbling in the background. Proctor becomes the first to put together combos a minute and a half in. Catches a kick from Rinaldi, gets the takedown and locks in a mounted guillotine. He gets the tap at the 2:52 mark of the first round.
“Boston Joe II” is the first man in the house.
Next up – Cristiana Marcello (12-3) vs. Jared Carlsten 3-0
Anik says that Marcello is the oldest fighter in this season of TUF. He’s also got to have the shortest shorts shorts on the show. At least I hope so (unless Dakota Cochrane whips out something from his old film wardrobe later in the show). Those red bad boys are snug floods.
Fighters get at it with body work, kicks and knees from the clinch up against the cage. Marcello gets the takedown and mounts quickly, locking in a grapevine. Cruz mentions that Carlsten competed against one of his assistant coaches for this season, Lloyd Irvin, 12 years ago.
Ok, so I guess there’s no real color commentary, but Cruz, Faber and White are hooked up to microphones. The trio is beginning to find their voice, speaking in more than mumbles.
Marcello takes Carlsten’s back, flattens out his hips and locks in the rear naked choke. Tap out at the 2:22 mark. Royler’s revenge.
Next up -Erin Beach (3-1) vs. Sam Sicilia (10-0)
Sicilia is one of 9 undefeated fighters trying to get into the TUF house. Looks like for good reason, as it takes him just 8 seconds to knock Beach out with an overhand right.
Doing TUF live is going to allow for live post fight interviews, looks like. Dig it. Jon Anik interviews “Mini Lauzon” Proctor about his fight. “I was nervous as hell…this is my dream and I wasn’t going to let is pass by me,” Proctor says.
Next up – Austin Lyons (9-1) vs. Chris Tickle (7-4)
Lyons used to be 260lbs in highschool, we’re told. Wish they had that year book photo to show on the air. Oh well.
Tickle channels his inner Serena Williams by screaming with each strike he throws. It works. 24 seconds in, off the power of consecutive right hands, Tickle gets the TKO win and 5k bonus. He’s in the house.
The cameras go to White and Faber and Cruz, who have the photos of all the fighters in front of them on a table, cage side. They discuss what they’ve seen thus far.
The show that brought you a house full of jocks has added another highschool element, as Anik reveals the disproportionately haughty sounding “winners circle.” Camera pans over to what looks like a miniature, three leveled, bleacher. Ever see “Spinal Tap?” It looks like someone may have made a similar dimension mistake for the “winners circle,” as they did for the stonehedge set piece in that movie. After their fights the winners from tonight are to go and sit there, we’re told. Excitement seminar in session!
Next up – Brendan Weafer (6-3) vs. Andy Ogle (8-1)
Weafer and Ogle exchange strike attempts and clinch briefly before the shorter Ogle uses his lower center of gravity to get an inside trip takedown. Weafer uses his feet on the hips of Ogle well to keep Ogle away from him. But Ogle crowds Weafer against cage.
Weafer works for the triangle, controlling Ogle’s posture. Ogle lets his left hand go outside the guard completely, the triangle is on but Ogle is pushing Weafer against the cage and not allowing him to scoot back on his shoulders and fully lock it in. Ogle uses his outside arm to strike, Weafer is trying to keep Ogle’s posture down.
Weafer is able to circle away from the cage and comes under Ogle’s left leg to keep him from standing and slamming him. Weafer works the sweep from triangle now, doesn’t get it. Ogle is able to posture up momentarily and tries to strike.
We haven’t seen a triangle choke locked in for that long without being escaped or having caused a tap, maybe ever. A moment later referee josh Rosenthal stands the fighters up while Weafer has Ogle in the triangle with less than a minute left.
That’s an unfortunate second first – Can’t immediately ever remember seeing a fight stood up while one fighter is in a submission, defending, before.
Back on the feet, Ogle drops Weafer, pulls a guillotine choke and the fight finishes with Weafer defending the choke.
All three judges score the round and fight 10-9 for Ogle. Dana White reads the result in the cage. Ogle turns to Dana, hugs Dana. Ogle jumps on Dana, wraps legs around Dana and locks in the full body embrace. Really.
This might be more awkward for Dana White than all the times he had to field questions about Dakota Chocrane’s gay porn past in the last few weeks.
Anik interviews Sicilia – the guy who just won by KO in 8 seconds, and Tickle, who won in 24. Sicilia says “that 8 seconds just changed my life.” Tickle is the first fighter to express a preference for a coach on TUF saying, “I like Faber.” Anik turns to the camera and says, “I hope Dominick Cruz is listening to this,” and smiles. Shameful. If there’s one thing we don’t approve of at Cage Potato, it’s shit-starting.
Next up – Vinc Pichel (6-0) vs. Cody Pfister 7-3
Well, the fight for most confusing name spelling-to pronunciation compatibility might be a draw here. Pfister wants the takedown badly, gets it and works to pass immediately. Pichel is just as active working for submissions off his back. Pichel locks in an omoplata which he uses as a sweep which Pfister in turn turns into his own omoplata attempt. Sweet.
Pichel works a reversal and lands another omoplata. They get to their feet. Pfister changes levels and gets another takedown. Pichel gets up. Pfister gets the back of Pichel from the standing position.
Pichel shakes him to the ground and is back in Pfister’s guard, landing big elbows that open up a cut on Pfister. Pichel gets Pfister’s back in a scramble and finishes the rear naked choke without hooks in at the 1:21 mark.
Next up – Mark Glover (5-1-1) vs. John Cofer (7-1)
Glover’s training and interview montage bring back one of my production pet favorites – subtitling, in English, the words of a British person. They are not always that hard to understand, but it’s still fun to fuck with them that way, considering they invented the language.
John Cofer makes pottery. They call him, “The potter.” You know, sometimes its ok not to have a nickname, guys.
Cofer presses Glover up against the cage for a bit, Glover frees himself. Glover works kicks and knees, Cofer catches one of those knees and takes glover down. Glover backtracks to the cage to get up, Cofer picks him up and slams him back to mat.
Cofer traps Glover’s right arm behind his own back and hits him, bully style. Glover gets it free and tries to walk up the cage again, then looks for a switch. They get back to their feet, they trade knees then a taunt from Glover and jumping knee that Cofer eats before getting the clinch against the cage again.
Glover pushes away with 2 minutes left. Cofer lands a good left to the head of Glover at the end of a combo. Glover tries knees from the clinch, Cofer grabs a knee again and gets the takedown. This time Glover wraps full guard and tries for a guillotine. Glover gives it up and looks to walk up the cage again.
Glover up to his feet, Cofer still has a leg. Glover lands a knee and breaks away. Just under a minute left. Glover throws a couple kicks, Cofer grabs one and gets the takedown with under 30 seconds left. Glover back to his feet, but with Cofer behind him with his arms tied around his waist as the horn sounds.
Big “Wrath of the titans,” presence tonight on TUF. Wait, you might say, didn’t that movie come out a couple years ago? No, that was “Clash of the titans.” “Wrath of the titans,” is a very different sequel, soon available on blu-ray.
Kevin Harvick, who is a nascar driver, the on-screen graphic tells us. Wait, so the fighters and coaches still have to give up their cell phones when they enter the house and training center, but things are aired live and celebrities are in the audience? Ironic or just incongruent? Neither? Not really sure what either word means, actually.
Back for the official decision. It goes to Cofer, 10-9. Cofer’s in the house.
Next up – Chase Hackett (4-1) vs. Chris Saunders (9-2)
This is twice now that we’ve seen a curly mustached fighter in the UFC and on FX – first Ian McCall, and now Hackett. Hackett describes himself as a “stay at home son,” and his fighting style as “handsomeness.” So interesting how back in 1875, men with McCall and Hackett’s style of facial hair would have likely been serious, solemn, individuals.
Hackett lands a kick to the head, Saunders goes down. Hackett follows Saunders to the ground. Saunders recovers and gets up, pulls arm-in guillotine choke from full guard.
Hackett evidentially trains with Bellator (until last night) champion Joe Warren and Faber takes the opportunity to point this out and poke fun at Warren, calling him the “most dangerous man in the world,” and then laughing.
One can only imagine that Hackett heard the rib of his teammate and uses his anger to fight out of the guillotine. Up on their feet, the pair trade right hands to the head. Hackett works for a single leg, gets it. Saunders back up to his feet and looks for his own takedown but doesn’t get it.
They trade jabs and then Saunders catches a kick, then tries another takedown. Hackett with the double underhooks against cage. Hackett lands punches on separation. Saunders appears to get his second wind and gets active with wide but hard punches.
It’s clear Dana White does not like Hackett. He is criticizing his effort inside the cage. Saunders pulls guillotine from guard. Hackett gets out with 15 seconds left. They trade shots from inside Saunders’ guard until the horn.
Dana White reads the decision – all three judges score the fight 10-9 for Saunders.
Another break for White, Cruz and Faber to talk about what they’ve seen. White makes another dig at Hackett, saying it looks like he’ll be living with his mom a lil while longer. Oh you saucy bitch, Dana. Looks like TUF has finally added that much needed “Real Housewives,” cattiness to its own reality format.
But seriously, it is interesting, cool and mostly refreshing to get to hear guys like White, Cruz and Faber talk about fights as they watch them in an unguarded way.
James Vick (4-0) vs. Dakota Cochrane 11-2
This is it, folks. If Cochrane can’t pull out this win, we may never again get the chance to see how homophobic TUF cast members would be in the house. Cochrane did gay porn years ago to pay off student loans but says he is hetero. He’s even got a fiancé and kids. So, not gay. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
Cochrane shoots in fast, Vick defends, goes for a judo toss (no, I don’t know Judo or Japanese well enough to distinguish between all of them), doesn’t get it. Cochrane tries for another double, doesn’t get it. They stay clinched up against the fence. They both try for takedowns, don’t get them, stay in the clinch.
Vick goes for an arm-in choke but it is, as the coaches point out, not on the correct side to execute. Referee Rosenthal sees that a submission is being applied and watches closely since submissions are clearly prime stand-em-up opportunities. Cochrane breaks free.
Not one takedown has been executed to this point even though perhaps more have been attempted than in any prior fight tonight. Cochrane changes levels and tries for another takedown, gets stuffed at 1:30.
Dana White calls for the break, “we need to break them to determine a winner,” as both guys work actively to improve position from inside the clinch. Rosenthal breaks them up with 45 seconds left in the round. Cochrane tries to get busy with two punch combos, then goes for a double, Vick goes for an arm-in guillotine, Cochrane reverses into full guard. Vick looks for submissions as the horn sounds.
Closest fight thus far.
The judges score it a split decision, in favor of Vick. No romo.
Next up – Johnavan Vistante (4-1) vs. Michael Chiesa (7-0)
Chiesa with a quick takedown, works to get the back as Vistante tries to sit up. Chiesa with Vistante’s back. Chiesa peppering Vistante with punches from on top, with his hooks in from the back. Flattens hips and works for the choke. The choke doesn’t appear to be under the chin but Vistante taps.
Next up – Mike Rio (8-1) vs. Ali Maclean (9-5-1)
Faber looks at the long-haired Rio and the closely cropped blonde Maclean, says, “Long hair don’t care. This is Tito Ortiz vs. Clay Guida.” A water boy comparison from Dana White and then the UFC President and TUF coaches are reminded that they’re watching fights as Rio and Macclean light each other up a few times with punches.
Rio takes stiff jabs from Maclean and the coaches wonder out loud why the three time national champion wrestler doesn’t try to take the fighter from Belfast down. After some more jabs and kicks, Rio has enough of that and gets a takedown, works to sidemount. Rio opens up with punches, Maclean tries to get back to his feet but Rio controls him and keeps him on ground. Rio gets to Maclean’s back and lands punches. Maclean stands, Rio immediately suplexes him, gets hooks in from the back. “Bloody is the nose of Maclean,” one imagines Mike Goldberg would say right now. Rio gets the rear naked choke tap out at the 1:30 mark.
Next up – Justin Lawrence (3-0) vs. James Krause (14-4)
Lawrence, who trains out of Blackhouse, throws some side kicks and spinning kicks to the head of Krause that whiff on Krause but look pretty. Faber says, “ooh we’ve got a karate guy.” Stiff jab from Krause, but Lawrence gets a takedown is very active with a flurry of punches to the downed Krause. Krause gets up but Lawrence is relentless and chases him with knees and hooks to the jaw. A big left lands, drops Krause and Lawrence follows him to the ground with a couple more punches before the bout is stopped. Lawrence is the most effectively explosive fighter yet tonight.
Next up – Drew Dober (8-3) vs. Daron Cruickshank (10-2)
Cruickshank lands a big body kick, changes stance, throws side kick. Dober ducks under and goes for the takedown. Cruickshank defends, and on separation, he is a maniac, landing multiple head kicks and punches in a matter of seconds before landing his own big takedown, working immediately to sidemount and mount.
Dober recomposes his guard. Cruickshank lands a big elbow from inside the guard, Dober works backwards to the fence, stands up. Cruickshank continues to be aggressive on separation, throwing head kicks and punches, Dober goes for a takedown, Cruickshank defends. Cruickshank now looks for his own takedowns, gets a single leg.
Dober stands up, Cruickshank is aggressive with strikes on separation again. Dober lands a left hand, then hits Cruickshank in the balls. The ref breaks it up to give Cruickshank time to recover. White takes this opportunity to tell Faber and Cruz, “just so you guys know, your corners suck. Neither one of them are telling the guys how much time is left.”
The coaches decide to “push back” on that criticism telling White to give them clocks, pointing out that most of them use their phones as stop watches and that White and the show’s producers made them give up their phones.
The fight restarts and White’s cat-fight ends. Cruickshank and Doe trade punches until Cruickshank gets a takedown, Doe, stands and lands his own double, fight ends with Cruickshank back on his feet looking for another takedown.
Cruickshank gets the unanimous decision from the judges and is in the house.
Next up – Jeremy Larsen (8-2) vs. Jeff Smith (9-1)
The cage side salon-talk continues at the start of the bout as Cruz comments that Smith, though known as a submission guy, seems to have come good stand up, after he lands a body kick. Faber replies that Larsen “has a grim reaper tattooed on his shoulder though, so you have to take that into account.”
Faber thinks that fighters that try to rock the tough-guy look are lame, man. Smith lands the takedown, opens up a cut on the left side of Larsen’s head. Larsen stands up. Smith pulls a guillotine, then uses the grip to sweep Larsen over. Larsen stands back up.
Larsen catches a kick from Smith and takes him down. Smith immediately shoots an arm bar, Larsen defends. Larsen works into the sidemount. Smith scores a nifty reversal and they are back on their feet.
Larsen lands a big left hook to the head of Smith, followed by a takedown. Smith goes for a toe hold, Larsen defends. Smith grabs a knee bar with two minutes left. Larsen appears to almost tap, then escapes, works to sidemount on Smith.
Knees to the body of Smith from Larsen. Larsen lands elbows to the far side of Smith’s body while maintaining pressure from the cross side position. Larsen tries to mount, Smith catches his leg, Larsen escapes quickly, ends the fight in cross side.
Larsen wins the unanimous decision. Larsen’s in the TUF house.
Next up – John Tuck (6-0) vs. Al Iaquinta (5-1-1)
Tuck with a body kick, caught by Iaquinta, Tuck tries to jump into an arm bar, misses. They go back to the ground. Tuck works for arm bar more methodically now. Iaquinta defends, stands, his arm extended but he doesn’t tap. Tuck releases the arm, grabs Iaquinta’s right leg then gets behind him and takes his back. Slick.
Iaquinta stands up with the fighter from Guam on his back. Iaquinta escapes. Both men measure each other for awhile but neither lands cleanly until Iaqunita lands a good body kick, followed by two good leg kicks, and then a lead high kick.
Tuck has a toe that is totally fucked, bent the wrong way, he has changed stances. This is affecting his fight for sure, as he’s now heavy on his feet and only throwing big arm punches, one at a time.
Iaquinta takes Tuck down and the Serra/Longo fighter pounds on Tuck from Tuck’s half guard with punches. White, Cruz and Faber are all grossed out by Tuck’s toe. One of them makes a vomiting noise.
The horn sounds, Tuck immediately points to his toe for the ref to see. Doctors come in the cage to examine, point and stare. Great fight, best of luck to Tuck with that injury.
Iaquinta wins the decision, but really wins because he has 10 functioning toes. Eewww
Next up – Akbarh Arreola (19-6-1) vs. Myles Jury (9-0)
Akbarh, out of Mexico, is on a huge win streak, and it’s probably in his interest to keep on wining here since I can’t imagine it will be easy for him to successfully get on another international flight with that name any time soon.
Jury gets the takedown, in Arreola’s full guard. Jury lands some thudding body shots from inside the guard. Akbarh works for an arm bar, doesn’t get it, back in full guard. Jury with short elbows. Ref stand up at 2:52. Jury gets the takedown. White says, “Akbarh had better get some wrestling.” Hopefully he can pick some up at the store on his way home.
Interesting stories from Faber and Cruz about these fighters. Cruz says he commentated on a fight Jury fought in Brazil and Cruz talks about how some of his teammates have trained with Akbarh.
Another stand up from the ref at just under 1:30. Another takedown from Jury. This is why stand ups are not effective. One guy wrestles well, the other guy does not. No way you can stop that fight being on the ground.
Cruz tells how both these men were training partners for a long time and that it went back and forth in training between the two. Akbarh tries to get up but can’t, Jury ends the fight on top in the guard.
Jury gets the unanimous decision victory. Myles Jury is the final fighter in the house.
Faber, Cruz and White gather in front of the “winner’s circle/stonhedge”. Poor planning. The mini bleachers set up don’t even fit all the fighters as one awkwardly tries to kneel to listen to White talk and almost falls over. Live television, folks. Things get wild and crazy.
“You know how hard you’ve worked. This is only the beginning,” White tells the new cast of TUF. “We’ve got 13 weeks of busting ass in here…welcome to The Ultimate Fighter.”
On next Friday’s episode, Cruz and Faber will pick their teams and two fighters will be paired up and fight. Live fights every Friday night, folks, on FX at 10pm EST/PST.
