Tag: The Ultimate Fighter 21

TUF 21 American Top Team vs. Blackzilians: Episode 10 Recap and Results

With the 21st season of The Ultimate Fighter nearing the finish line, could the Blackzilians clinch the season victory on episode 10? Or would American Top Team live to fight another day?
With three 100-point fights left, ATT cannot lose any more of th…

With the 21st season of The Ultimate Fighter nearing the finish line, could the Blackzilians clinch the season victory on episode 10? Or would American Top Team live to fight another day?

With three 100-point fights left, ATT cannot lose any more of the fights. Otherwise, it loses and the Blackzilians claim victory in this heated rivalry.

Knowing it needs a victory, ATT decides to go with team captain Nathan Coy to not only look to stay alive but bring the fights back to its home gym. Coy is 0-1 on the season, falling via submission to Vicente Luque in the 50-point round.

The Blackzilians counter with Valdir Araujo, as they believed Sabah Homasi would be ATT‘s next pick. They came to that conclusion because he was cutting weight in the house, signifying he would likely be fighting next.

When it came time for the weigh-ins, both teams sent out their guys. When it was revealed Coy was the pick for ATT, coach Conan Silveira handed Homasi something to rehydrate with, showing he was a decoy for the Blackzilians‘ assumptions.

Somehow, this led Blackzilians owner Glenn Robinson to accuse Dan Lambert of pulling a fast one. He theorized that if he had sent out Jason Jackson, Lambert would have sent out Homasi.

Basically, Lambert would have multiple people ready and match up based on whom Robinson sent out.

Of course, that is impossible, as paperwork for who is fighting needs to be handed in on the day of the weigh-ins. That means only one fighter could have had paperwork handed in for them, making that theory incorrect.

This led to Lambert challenging Robinson to a grappling match or for him to shut his mouth. After the gauntlet was laid down by Lambert, Robinson backed down a bit.

Come fight time, we saw an exciting grappling display full of transitions, ground-and-pound and submission attempts. It was Coy’s wrestling that would ultimately earn him a unanimous decision after two rounds, despite some good aggression from Araujo, who was constantly trying to be a threat in the fight.

That win by ATT claimed home-gym advantage, put the score to 300-200 and ultimately saved its season.

It still needs wins in the last two fights to win, but it can tie the score next week with another win, which would keep it afloat.

 

Season Results

Winner Loser Points Leader
Kamaru Usman (B) Mike Graves (A) 25 Blackzilians lead 25-0
Luiz Firmino (B) Uros Jurisic (A) 25 Blackzilians lead 50-0
Valdir Araujo (B) Steve Carl (A) 25 Blackzilians lead 75-0
Carrington Banks (B) Sabah Homasi (A) 25 Blackzilians lead 100-0
Hayder Hassan (A) Andrews Nakahara (B) 50 Blackzilians lead 100-50
Jason Jackson (B) Marcelo Alfaya (A) 50 Blackzilians lead 150-50
Vicente Luque (B) Nathan Coy (A) 50 Blackzilians lead 200-50
Hayder Hassan (A) Felipe Portela (B) 50 Blackzilians lead 200-100
Kamaru Usman (B) Steve Carl (A) 100 Blackzilians lead 300-10
Nathan Coy (A) Valdir Araujo (B) 100 Blackzilians lead 300-200

 

Notes and Observations

  • I think it’s important to note that before his fight, Coy was visited by his wife and children. I know he still has to go to the cage and fight, but I think that motivation helped him get through the fight. He saw what he needs to fight for, and I think that’s what he needed to motivate him and get him to perform at a higher level.
  • I have come to like Dan Lambert a lot and dislike Glenn Robinson this season. Robinson’s attitude and personality rub me the wrong way, and his excuses when things haven’t gone his way have bothered me. The theory at the weigh-ins that ATT prepared two fighters was annoying. His complaining and annoyance at the loss in the Hayder Hassan-Felipe Portela fight were also peeving. I am sure I am not the only person who feels that way, too.
  • Speaking of Lambert and Robinson, a grappling match should have been the coaches challenge. That or a sparring match. I know for a fact that won’t be it, as the previews suggest it will be a track and field challenge, but seeing their hatred play out on the mat or in the cage would have been awesome.
  • It was great strategy by ATT to have a decoy fighter cutting weight to throw off the other team. Robinson’s theory of having Araujo fight Homasi was a smart one, but because Homasi was the decoy, it was the wrong matchup. That allowed ATT to gain the strategic advantage.
  • During the Harley-Davidson episode of TUF, there should be absolutely no commercials from the company otherwise. Basically, the Harley-Davidson episode is a 10-15-minute commercial for the motorcycle company, plus ads for other products on the station. That really makes it an episode to miss because I don’t want to be watching ads for more than half of the show.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

TUF 21 American Top Team vs. Blackzilians: Episode 9 Recap and Results

American Top Team is back on the board and within striking distance, as The Ultimate Fighter 21 heads to the 100-point round. With four fights left, who would strike to push their point total ahead toward the finish line?
This episode focused…

American Top Team is back on the board and within striking distance, as The Ultimate Fighter 21 heads to the 100-point round. With four fights left, who would strike to push their point total ahead toward the finish line?

This episode focused on giving both teams a reward for their hard work during the season.

American Top Team took its squad on a boat ride through the waterway outside its house. It rode on a luxury boat with food and drink, which was a nice reward.

As for the Blackzilians, they had a night out at a tavern where they were surprised by their families. It was highly emotional for all of them, as most are married, have a girlfriend or kids.

When it came down to the fight picks, ATT went with veteran and champion Steve Carl. The former World Series of Fighting champ is 0-1 in the competition already, taking a loss to Valdir Araujo.

His weight was a focus in the lead-up to the bout. He came in heavy against Araujo and had to cut the extra weight in an allotted amount of time last time out.

The Blackzilians went with Kamaru Usman, who defeated Mike Graves in his first bout on the show. He had the job of bringing the fight back to the Blackzilians gym, as Hayder Hassan‘s win in the last episode brought it back to ATT‘s gym.

At the weigh-ins, Carl had a scare, as he was a quarter-pound overweight. However, after dropping his underwear, Carl made weight, saving an extra cut.

Come fight time, it was a one-sided affair for Usman. He used wrestling, clinch and superior striking to stifle Carl. After two rounds, it was a clear decision victory for Usman.

That earned his team the 100 points, making the score 300-100 going into the final three fights.

 

Season Results

Winner Loser Points Leader
Kamaru Usman (B) Mike Graves (A) 25 Blackzilians lead 25-0
Luiz Firmino (B) Uros Jurisic (A) 25 Blackzilians lead 50-0
Valdir Araujo (B) Steve Carl (A) 25 Blackzilians lead 75-0
Carrington Banks (B) Sabah Homasi (A) 25 Blackzilians lead 100-0
Hayder Hassan (A) Andrews Nakahara (B) 50 Blackzilians lead 100-50
Jason Jackson (B) Marcelo Alfaya (A) 50 Blackzilians lead 150-50
Vicente Luque (B) Nathan Coy (A) 50 Blackzilians lead 200-50
Hayder Hassan (A) Felipe Portela (B) 50 Blackzilians lead 200-100
Kamaru Usman (B) Steve Carl (A) 100 Blackzilians lead 300-100

 

Notes and Observations

  • As of now, two people are 2-0 in the competition, which could be an indication of who makes the finale. The two fighters are Usman of the Blackzilians (victories over Graves and Carl) and Hayder Hassan of ATT (wins over Andrews Nakahara and Felipe Portela).
  • Speaking of Usman, in both fights, he was fairly boring but effective. He ground for most of it, despite the fact that he showed glimpses of decent striking. That’s not going to win him fans through excitement, but it certainly will snag him some wins down the road.
  • Carl has definitely been the biggest disappointment of the season. Between his weight cut issues and performances, he has not looked like the world champion he was not long ago. He is the only guy who is 0-2 in the competition. To be fair, he fought two of the better guys on the Blackzilians, but he didn’t even look good or competitive in those fights.
  • We have three fights to go. There are 300 points left to earn. In my mind, both teams need to go with their three best remaining talents. ATT has to go with captain Nathan Coy for his grinding ability, Hassan for his hot streak and Marcelo Alfaya for his experience. As for the Blackzilians, they should probably go with Luiz Firmino, Valdir Araujo and Jason Jackson, unless Usman can go one more time.
  • From the looks of things in the previews, it looks like ATT is going to close the distance on points, so don’t be surprised if it wins the next fight or two.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

TUF 21 American Top Team vs. Blackzilians: Episode 7 Recap and Results

Following its first victory of the season, American Top Team already dropped the ball last episode. On this episode of The Ultimate Fighter 21, it looks to regain home-gym advantage from the dominating Blackzilians.
This episode was unique because it w…

Following its first victory of the season, American Top Team already dropped the ball last episode. On this episode of The Ultimate Fighter 21, it looks to regain home-gym advantage from the dominating Blackzilians.

This episode was unique because it was the halfway mark of the season, so the coaches were given the option of making two substitutions to their squad.

In examining their teams, both gyms made one replacement to their squad.

On Blackzilians‘ side of things, it was discovered that following his knockout loss to Hayder Hassan, Andrews Nakahara was given a medical suspension by the athletic commission. That meant he was ineligible for the rest of the competition, which led to Glenn Robinson inserting World Series of Fighting veteran Alexandre Pimentel into the field of fighters.

As for American Top Team, it was already down a fighter after Steve Montgomery suffered a seizure and was medically released from the house. So, Dan Lambert simply added Bellator vet Cristiano Souza to the squad.

As for the fight pick this week, ATT went with its captain and power wrestler Nathan Coy. He was countered by Blackzilian Vicente Luque, an underdog in the eyes of many.

When it came to fight time, things did not go as many would have probably expected. Coy constantly looked for his takedowns, with Luque defending them proficiently. Not only that, but Luque lit Coy up on the feet. We all knew that Luque held the striking advantage, but we figured that he’d overcommit and get grounded by Coy.

It went to a sudden-death third round, where a gassed Coy continued to shoot for takedowns. However, he left his neck open, which allowed Luque to grab a hold of an anaconda choke and earn a tapout, giving Blackzilians yet another win.

That put the Blackzilians up 200-50, and even more impressively, six fights to one. They continue their hold on home-gym advantage as they go into the final 50-point fight next week.

 

Season Results

Winner Loser Points Leader
Kamaru Usman (B) Mike Graves (A) 25 Blackzilians lead 25-0
Luiz Firmino (B) Uros Jurisic (A) 25 Blackzilians lead 50-0
Valdir Araujo (B) Steve Carl (A) 25 Blackzilians lead 75-0
Carrington Banks (B) Sabah Homasi (A) 25 Blackzilians lead 100-0
Hayder Hassan (A) Andrews Nakahara (B) 50 Blackzilians lead 100-50
Jason Jackson (B) Marcelo Alfaya (A) 50 Blackzilians lead 150-50
Vicente Luque (B) Nathan Coy (A) 50 Blackzilians lead 200-50

 

Notes and Observations

  • What’s kind of funny about ATT replacing Montgomery with Souza is that both men were a part of the ill-fated Fight Master: Bellator MMA. What’s even funnier is that Souza defeated Montgomery, his teammate, to get into the Bellator house and participate on the show.
  • Luque easily has the best English of any of the Brazilian fighters on the show. He has a slight accent, but just barely. I think that’s because he was born in New Jersey and moved to Brazil at a young age. This likely gave him time to develop his English before leaving (I believe he said he moved to Brazil at the age of five).
  • I am so surprised at most of these fights. I thought ATT was way stronger in terms of talent, and it is getting dominated. The biggest surprises, in my eyes, have been Luque and Jason Jackson, who beat guys I thought were vastly superior to them.
  • Dana White didn’t think there should be a third round, as he believed Luque secured the victory after two rounds. While he may have had a point, I think it was the right call. I actually think all the fights should be three rounds. I don’t like the two-round fights, as it takes away from a potential fatigue-induced finish down the stretch. There are more third-round finishes than you would think.
  • Just an observation about the live finale. It doesn’t appear that the UFC is going to be keeping a lot of these guys around. There are already eight fights added, and we’re not even on the final 100-point round of the show. Usually, there are 11 or 12 fights on a card. That means there are three or four fights left to add. After you consider there will be the finals bout between the two best fighters, there would only be room for two or three more bouts.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

TUF 21 American Top Team vs. Blackzilians: Episode 6 Recap and Results

With American Top Team finally on the board, could it keep the momentum in its favor to make it two victories in a row? Or would the Blackzilians be able to recover and get back the win that ATT picked up in the previous episode of The Ultimate Fighter…

With American Top Team finally on the board, could it keep the momentum in its favor to make it two victories in a row? Or would the Blackzilians be able to recover and get back the win that ATT picked up in the previous episode of The Ultimate Fighter 21?

The score is 100-50 Blackzilians, and the show basically got down to business right away. ATT picked one of its most experienced fighters, Marcelo Alfaya, to take on hungry, unheralded Blackzilian Jason Jackson.

When fight time came along, things did not go the way many expected it to.

Alfaya, the veteran savage who has fought under the bright lights, put forth an incredibly underwhelming performance against his counterpart. Meanwhile, Jackson, the less experienced fighter of the two, used quickness, a tight jab and takedown defense to thwart any offense from Alfaya.

Jackson stuck and moved, while Alfaya barely put out enough offense for the audience to notice he was there. Alfaya rarely shot for takedowns, something he should have combined with the clinch to stifle Jackson.

It simply didn’t happen.

Jackson won a majority decision and brought things back to the Blackzilian gym. He also raised the score to 150-50, as his team continues to dominate a baffled ATT.

Once again, Dana White was critical of the fight, and I can’t blame him. There was no urgency from either fighter to finish impressively, especially from Alfaya.

 

Season Results

Winner Loser Points Leader
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
Carrington Banks (BLK) Sabah Homasi (ATT) 25 Blackzilians lead 100-0
Hayder Hassan (ATT) Andrews Nakahara (BLK) 50 Blackzilians lead 100-50
Jason Jackson (BLK) Marcelo Alfaya (ATT) 50 Blackzilians lead 150-50

 

Notes and Observations

  • Alfaya is crazy. Like, really scary. He’s the type of guy who gets cut off in traffic, punches the offender’s window in and drags them out of their car. Just watch his pre-fight breathing bit that had Nathan Coy and Mike Graves laughing their butts off.
  • Speaking of Alfaya, in the aftermath of his fight, he told his coaches that he was conserving his energy in the fight—especially in the first round. That is a terrible strategy, especially in a two-round fight. You have to take the Hayder Hassan approach, where you go in aggressively and look to finish early and often.
  • According to the preview for the next episode, since it is halfway through the competition, the coaches will have the option to bring on a maximum of two new fighters and exchange them for fighters currently on the squad. I would assume the Blackzilians won’t exchange anybody, but seeing as Steve Montgomery left the show already and ATT is struggling, I wouldn’t be surprised to see at least one new ATT member. In looking at ATT‘s roster of welterweights, some of its choices could be Joe Ray, Karl Amoussou or some other surprise appearance. Either way, ATT is in desperate need of changes.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

The Ultimate Fighter 21 ATT vs. Blackzilians: Previewing Each Fighter

It’s official. The long-running The Ultimate Fighter series is back for the UFC, but this time with a twist.
It’s gym vs. gym.
That’s right, rival Florida gyms will go head-to-head, as Dan Lambert’s American Top Team takes on Glenn Robinson’s Blackzili…

It’s official. The long-running The Ultimate Fighter series is back for the UFC, but this time with a twist.

It’s gym vs. gym.

That’s right, rival Florida gyms will go head-to-head, as Dan Lambert’s American Top Team takes on Glenn Robinson’s Blackzilians camp in what should be a heated rivalry. It’s one that’s full of defecting, betrayal and in-the-cage competition.

In examining the squads, both are different. ATT has some seasoned veterans who have been to the big show mixed with a couple of key prospects, while the Blackzilians are more prospect-heavy and looking to surprise people.

Strap in, because you have a scouting report coming your way. Here is a preview of each cast member this season.

Begin Slideshow