(Brookins and Chiesa will be fighting hard for the UFC’s new “Filthiest Hair” bonus. / Photo courtesy of CombatLifestyle. For more photos from this gallery, click here.)
Since he’s been recapping the season for us anyway, Elias Cepeda is back to handle liveblog duties for this evening. Round-by-round results from the Ultimate Fighter Live Finale main card broadcast will be collecting after the jump starting at 9 p.m. ET. Refresh the page every few minutes for all the latest, and please, no comment-section lurking; if you’ve got something to say, share it with the class.
(Brookins and Chiesa will be fighting hard for the UFC’s new “Filthiest Hair” bonus. / Photo courtesy of CombatLifestyle. For more photos from this gallery, click here.)
Since he’s been recapping the season for us anyway, Elias Cepeda is back to handle liveblog duties for this evening. Round-by-round results from the Ultimate Fighter Live Finale main card broadcast will be collecting after the jump starting at 9 p.m. ET. Refresh the page every few minutes for all the latest, and please, no comment-section lurking; if you’ve got something to say, share it with the class.
Sorry for the delay, folks – my cable went out. We are in the second round of John Cofer vs. Justin Lawrence now.
We pick up the action midway through the 2nd…
Both men are swinging big and in combinations each time and are showing fatigue. Overhand right from Lawrence finishes up a combination that includes leg kicks. Lawrence gets inside with punches, they clinch up, Cofer lands a knee to the head.
Cofer takes Lawrence’s back while standing and suplexes the kid. Cofer takes Lawrence’s back on the feet and works him into a face-down position and looks for the rear naked choke. Lawrence escapes, stands up and jumps into the full guard. Round ends.
Round 3
Lawrence lands a foot kick straight to the jaw of Cofer as he backs away and knocks him out cold!
“I’m here in the UFC and I’m here to stay,” Lawrence declares.
Max Halloway vs. Pat Schilling
Rd 1
Halloway with his hands low, Schilling shoots in for a single leg, switches to a high crotch but Halloway defends well. Schilling contines to press in, backs Halloway against the cage. Schilling hits a single leg but Halloway gets right back to his feet. Schilling lands a left kick, Halloway lands a body kick.
Halloway lands a long jab. Schilling shoots in but gets stuffed. Schilling rushes in with uppercuts that miss. Schilling throws a spinning back fist. Halloway throws a head kick that is blocked. Halloway trying to mix in left hooks to the body in and they are landing. Halloway misses a flying knee, lands a leg kick and head kick.
Schilling rushes in with uppercuts and hooks again, all miss. He shoots in from too far away and Halloway sprawls and stands. Schilling lands the cross of a one-two combo. Schilling shoots for a double leg against the cage with ten seconds left, he rolls for a knee bar at the close of the round and it ends with him extending Halloway’s leg. Saved by the bell?
Rd 2
Halloway lands an overhand right. Schilling ducks down, Halloway throws and misses another flying knee. Schilling doesn’t get the take down, they are back on their feet. Halloway starting to find his range with punches to Schilling’s head.
Schilling half commits to a take down attempt after getting hurt on the feet. Halloway separates and they are back on their feet. Halloway just unloading on Schilling now with punches and knees. Schilling absorbs shots, backs away and then circles out before another half-hearted shot. Halloway lands another two body punches and then an over hand right to Schilling’s head as Schilling shoots.
Schilling shoots, gets stuffed and has trouble getting up to his feet. The body shots have appeared to have really taken Schilling’s spirit. Schilling shoots for an ankle pick and gets stuffed again. Schilling is hurt but has the presence of mind to keep his hands up and to try to circle away when he can.
Halloway hurts Schilling again with body shots, his hands drop and his mouth opens. He shoots for another take down, gets nothing. Schilling lands a spinning back first but then eats a check counter left hand. Halloway drops Schilling with punches against the cage and tees off on him as the bell sounds. This time Schilling is saved by the bell
Rd 3
Jon Anik mentions that Schilling told his corner that his right shoulder is injured. Halloway throws rapid-fire jabs that land. Schilling counters with a big right cross that lands on Halloway’s head. Schilling tries to get a head and arm control from the feet, Halloway backs away. Schilling shoots low for a take down and whiffs.
Halloway taunts Schilling, Schilling throws a spinning back fist followed by a side kick. Both are blocked. Halloway lands a left kick to Schilling’s body. Halloway lands a stiff jab, and another. A left hook, right cross punch combo from Halloway that drops Schilling. Halloway refuses to go down to the ground to try and finish and they are back on their feet with under a minute left. Halloway with a left hook to the body and right cross to the head. Halloway attempts a jump-off-the-cage spinning back kick. He rushes Schilling with punches and kicks. Halloway attempts a jumping spinning back kick, misses and the fight finishes.
Official decision is next.
All three judges scored the fight 30-27 for Halloway. The youngest fighter currently on the UFC roster says he wanted to show that he “belonged in the UFC.” He clearly does.
Jonathan Brookins vs. Charles Oliveira
Rd 1
Oliveira working kicks to the leg and body. Brookins gets inside and lands some nice dirty boxing punches to the head. Oliveira lands some hard knees to the body from the Thai plum. Oliveira misses a knee to the head and Brookins slips under and gets a double leg take down against the cage. Oliveira works a high guard and shoots an arm bar up at Brookins. Brookins defends and stands up.
They are both on their feet. Brookins lands a straight cross. Oliveira has Brookins backed against the cage now and Brookins’ chin starts to come up. Oliveira lands a huge over hand right that hurts Brookins.
Brookins gathers himself but still has his chin up and hands low as they stand up. He is eating punch after punch to the chin from Oliveira. Still, Brookins hanging tough. He starts to eat leg kicks to the inside and outside of his lead leg. Oliveira misses with a flying knee, Brookins catches a leg but fails to use it to score a take down.
Rd 2
Kenny Florian uses his multilingual skills to tell us that Oliveira’s corner was telling their fighter that Brookins has no hands, during the break. Brookins comes out hard, gets to work with slaps, yes slaps, to the head of Oliveira. The Brazilian responds with punches to the head. The punches look like they hurt more.
Brookins changes levels for another take down attempt, Oliveira gets a body lock of his own and lands a slam take down of his own. Brookins tries to lock in a guillotine choke but Oliveira escapes. Oliveira stands up, lands some short elbows to Brookins’ head as the tUF 12 winner tries to stand up. Oliveira locks in an arm-in guillotine from a D’arce grip, falls back into his own guard and gets the tap out win.
Oliveira with the 2nd-round submission win over Brookins.
Time for the TUF finale, nation!
Michael Chiesa vs. Al Iaquinta
Rd 1
Iaquinta immediately lands two big right hands. Al catches a leg kick from Mike and throws some punches. Chiesa shoots for a single, Al goes down but gets back to his feet. Al pushes the pace.
Mike finishes a punch combo with a leg kick that is caught. Al goes for a take down but Mike gets his back and drags him down to the mat. Chiesa with Al’s back, face-up, working for a rear naked choke with nearly three minutes left in the round. Chiesa gets the choke, Al refuses to tap and goes to sleep!
Michael Chiesa finishes up the most dramatic story in TUF history by winning the entire season in impressive fashion just weeks after the death of his father. Amazing.
And, oh yeah, Chiesa wins a sweet Harley.
“It has been such a journey…no way I was going to lose this fight,” Mike says.
Jake Ellenberger vs. Martin Kampmann in a welterweight title challenger eliminator, or something.
Kampann comes out to Three-6 Mafia. I love it. Danish crunk rap, ftw. Ellenberger goes with the more tried and true inspirational “Till I collapse,” by Eminem.
Rd 1
The pair feel each other out with no strikes or shots taken for the first twenty seconds or so. Ellenberger lands a huge left hand flush to the jaw of Kampmann. The Dane looks to be out but hangs on somehow through a ground strike onslaught from Ellenberger. Kampann wraps full guard and controls Ellenberger’s posture.
Ellenberger has Kampman pressed against the cage on his back with three minutes left. Ellenberger briefly postures up and throws a flurry of strikes. Kampmann survives again, tries for a switch, then a guillotine. Ellenberger defending the choke.
Under a minute left, Ellenbeger still defending as Kampann tries to get his grip. He doesn’t but gets up to his feet. Ellenberger continues to crowd him. Kampmann goes for a take down of his own with seconds left in the round but doesn’t get it. Round ends.
Rd 2
They get right back at it with furious punches! Kampmann rocks Ellenberger. The wrestler buckles but does not stop swinging back! Ellenberger lands another huge left hook on Kampmann. The race around the ring, throwing hard punches at each other’s heads.
Kampmann’s nose is cut badly. Kampmann drops and apparently knocks Ellenberger out with a knee to the head and follows up with strikes and referee Steve Mazzagatti steps in before he can do more damage. Fight over.
Another come from behind win for Kampmann!
“I need to get punched a little bit to wake up,” Kampmann says. Geez, dude. I guess so. Kampmann has made a career out of taking damage and then managing to gut through and finish.
This week’s episode essentially begins with Coach Dominick Cruz lambasting last week’s losing fighter Chris Tickle. Faber gloats after his team’s second consecutive win.
“Cruz is trying to hold it together but he’s a poor loser. I know. I beat him before.” Oh snap.
Sure enough, Cruz appears to be losing it. “We had one thing to do; stuff the takedown,” Cruz tells Tickle in the locker room immediately after his submission loss to Joe Proctor. “We were telling you in the corner, turn you back to the mat. He didn’t have the choke in…that loss shouldn’t have happened.”
Then Tickle tries to say something. Cruz responds, “shut up and listen.”
Cruz continues to lecture Tickle outside of their locker room. Faber notices this and shouts out to Chris, “Great job, Tickle. You did good. Don’t let anybody get you down. Don’t let anybody get you down.”
Cruz loses it. “Faber, nobody cares what you have to say. Just get out of here,” he says. Then Cruz proceeds to insult Faber’s fashion sense. Really.
On to this week’s matchup – Team Cruz’ Vinc Pincel vs. Team Faber’s John Cofer. Faber offers simple advice to the former division I wrestler Cofer. “Weather the storm. When he comes in hard, go for the takedown.”
Faber says that he feels that Pincel has terrible takedown defense. Let’s see if Pincel makes him a liar.
This week’s episode essentially begins with Coach Dominick Cruz lambasting last week’s losing fighter Chris Tickle. Faber gloats after his team’s second consecutive win.
“Cruz is trying to hold it together but he’s a poor loser. I know. I beat him before.” Oh snap.
Sure enough, Cruz appears to be losing it. “We had one thing to do; stuff the takedown,” Cruz tells Tickle in the locker room immediately after his submission loss to Joe Proctor. “We were telling you in the corner, turn you back to the mat. He didn’t have the choke in…that loss shouldn’t have happened.”
Then Tickle tries to say something. Cruz responds, “shut up and listen.”
Cruz continues to lecture Tickle outside of their locker room. Faber notices this and shouts out to Chris, “Great job, Tickle. You did good. Don’t let anybody get you down. Don’t let anybody get you down.”
Cruz loses it. “Faber, nobody cares what you have to say. Just get out of here,” he says. Then Cruz proceeds to insult Faber’s fashion sense. Really.
On to this week’s matchup – Team Cruz’ Vinc Pincel vs. Team Faber’s John Cofer. Faber offers simple advice to the former division I wrestler Cofer. “Weather the storm. When he comes in hard, go for the takedown.”
Faber says that he feels that Pincel has terrible takedown defense. Let’s see if Pincel makes him a liar.
Then the time comes when we realize that Andy Ogle is perhaps too earnest for the TUF mansion.
Back at the house, Ogle shadow fights in the yard as Sam Sicilia and Justin Lawrence watch on.
As Ogle throws punches and feints shots, he talks to himself. “There’s tough guys in this house. I’m a tough guy. This house will make me tougher,” he says.
Sam says, “ I feel like some guys are going to start to break down.”
In earlier weeks Ogle shared poetry that he appeared to have written about his girlfriend back home. After a rough night, he decides to share more.
“I decided to stretch and meditate for a bit because I had one of the worst nightmares I’ve ever had,” he tells Sam and Justin. Lawrence, the little shit, replies, “Oh really? Do you wanna share or no?”
Ogle, maybe detecting zero judgment in Lawrence’s obviously caustic words says, “Yeah go on now, I’ll share. I dreamt that my girlfriend had been murdered . It was like these woods and shit, like it was in the papers, police were around and everything and then I just fucking woke up.”
Sam and Justin look like they are about to crack up as Ogle talks. They seem surprised at Ogle’s forthrightness.
It should be noted, though it has gotten little to no air time on TUF telecasts, fighters in the house having reoccurring nightmares while living there during seasons, has been very common over the years, I’ve been told.
“Things build up in this house and sometimes if you think too much your mind can start playing games on you,” Ogle says.
Ogle’s mental state continues to be a factor in practice when he appears to have a panic attack.
“I can’t breathe, mate,” he tells Faber. “Physically I’m breaking down so mentally I’m breaking down,” Ogle later explains.
Faber tells Ogle to take the rest of the day off and rest. Ogle is preoccupied with what people back home in England will think of him.
“I don’t want to look like a little girl,” he tells Faber. To which the uber supportive California Kid responds, “You don’t feel like a little girl. You punched me right in the face, you felt like a man.”
“A man with a mangina,” Ogle laughs back.
Later in Cruz’ practice room, we learn that Pincel got his nickname “From Hell” from his mom. Cruz says that Vinc is an “animal.” The ensuing practice footage backs up that assertion.
Sam Sicilia seems to be having his own stress as well. After a tough practice Cruz goes to him and asks what is wrong. Sam reveals that he is feeling the pressure of being Cruz’ number two pick.
Cruz tells him that’s nonsense. “You’re here to get better. Keep it up. Don’t even stress this,” he says.
Turns out that Sam and Mike’s Team Purple thing is making others nervous. Since they are best friends from back home and on opposite teams now, will they spy for one another in practice?
Ogle , who has yet to fight, is freaking out at the idea that Mike could do just that if he gets paired with Sam. “Trust is a terrible thing. You can end up getting stabbed in the back,” Ogle says in his typical, chin-up, I’m auditioning for a Guy Ritchie film and I don’t even know it, fashion.
When Ogle confronts Mike with his concerns, Mike attempts to quash his fears. “It’s [Sam’s] job to figure it out,” he assures. He will not give his friend inside information on what Team Faber does in practice.
Faber talks of Cofer as a “solid all-around fighter,” and says that the gameplan is for him to “get the hell out of the way [of Pincel’s strikes] and take him down.”
_______
After weigh ins, where both Vinc and John make weight, UFC Prez Dana White comes in and addresses the fighters. This is the long-awaited sequel to Season 1’s “Do you want to be a fucking fighter” speech.
“You guys are one week away from being in the house longer than anyone else ever has,” White says, because of this season’s live format. “This is the time when you start to crack…remember why you are here. Rashad Evans fought on TUF in 2005. Look where he is today. There is a fucking light at the end of the fucking tunnel. There is a fucking pay-off when its all over. But now’s the point where you might say, ‘I want to be a fireman, this shit sucks.’ You’re going to come to the realization that this isn’t what I fucking want to do for a fucking living. And that’s cool, there’s nothing wrong with that. But for the people that know this is exactly what the fuck I want to do, suck it up, stick it out, do your training. And whether you win this fucking thing or you don’t, I promise you that you will be a better fucking fighter when you leave this place. You’ll be a better fucking man. You’ll be a completely different person. Believe me, shit will pay off for you in the end,” White concludes.
The fighters are clearly pumped from White’s pep talk and he all but gets a standing ovation. Gotta hand it to the guy, he knows how to promote and motivate. And curse. Dana White really knows how to curse well.
Fight time!
Rd 1
Cofer throws big first, an overhand left. Pincel counters with an uppercut. Cofer grabs a leg from a knee thrown by Pincel but his takedown attempt gets stuffed. Cofer storms in with another punch combo but Pincel stands him up with a counter left hook. Pincel lands a left jab right uppercut combo. Pincel with another uppercut counter. Inside leg kick from Cofer.
Pincel is swinging big but Cofer is using good footwork to circle out of danger. Cofer with a right uppercut left hand combo that lands. Cofer follows with a straight, uppercut combo that lands. Cofer catches a kick form Pincel, backs him up into the cage but doesn’t get the takedown. Pincel clips Cofer with a punch as a counter to a leg kick. Cofer lands a big uppercut, Pincel doesn’t flinch. Cofer shoots for a high takedown, doesn’t get it. Clinches again with Pincel, pushes against the cage and throws punches on separation, catching Vinc with one. Pincel is bloodied and comes out raging with 5 seconds left – landing a couple of hard punches.
Rd 2
Pincel is amped up strands right in front of Cofer. Cofer then stuns him with two straight punches down the middle. Pincel lands an uppercut that hurts Cofer, follows up with a knee. Cofer gets deep shot for a takedown in but Pincel defends once more. Cofer takes Pincel’s back against the cage standing, with no hooks in. Eventually Pincel circles out and escapes. Cofer lands an uppercut, Pincel rushes in, gets the clinch and throws knees to the body. Vinc pushes Cofer against the fence. Pincel drops down for a takedown and gets a power slam double.
Cofer shoots for a triangle, Pincel passes, lands in a reverse mount on Cofer’s chest but facing his legs. He stays there the rest of the fight, throwing body shots and keeping pressure on.
Draw, sudden victory third round is on!
Rd 3
Pincel comes out firing, Cofer is visibly tired but does a good job of covering up and throwing back. Still, Pincel pushes him backwards against the cage and gets another double leg takedown. From side mount, Pincel secures an arm triangle choke quickly and gets the tap out.
Team Cruz gets the hammer back.
Pincel says that “Cofer is a tough ass dude. I honestly thought I was going to pick him apart with shots but he got me. You can see [points to face]. When the game plan fails you go for broke.”
Anik says that the dream ends here for Cofer for like the second time in 15 seconds. Cofer tells him that is a “tough pill to swallow.”
Fight pick Time!
Sam Sicilia vs. Chris Saunders is on for next week. Ogle can rest easy for a lil more.
According to a new report on MMAJunkie, the ratings for Friday’s episode of The Ultimate Fighter on FX were low enough to make it the lowest-rated episode in the entire 15-season run of the series, and represented a 27% drop from the season premiere last month. (Damn, and we were sure that the Chris Tickle gout-subplot would be a ratings juggernaut.) Here’s how the ratings have shaken out so far this season:
The Ultimate Fighter: Live episode 1: 1.3 million viewers The Ultimate Fighter: Live episode 2: 1.1 million viewers The Ultimate Fighter: Live episode 3: 1.2 million viewers The Ultimate Fighter: Live episode 4: 1.1 million viewers The Ultimate Fighter: Live episode 5: 947,000 viewers
According to a new report on MMAJunkie, the ratings for Friday’s episode of The Ultimate Fighter on FX were low enough to make it the lowest-rated episode in the entire 15-season run of the series, and represented a 27% drop from the season premiere last month. (Damn, and we were sure that the Chris Tickle gout-subplot would be a ratings juggernaut.) Here’s how the ratings have shaken out so far this season:
The Ultimate Fighter: Live episode 1: 1.3 million viewers The Ultimate Fighter: Live episode 2: 1.1 million viewers The Ultimate Fighter: Live episode 3: 1.2 million viewers The Ultimate Fighter: Live episode 4: 1.1 million viewers The Ultimate Fighter: Live episode 5: 947,000 viewers
Grain of salt time…
Obviously, this season’s installment of the show has aired on a different channel, on a different night, and in a different format than all the previous seasons, so it makes sense that the ratings numbers on Spike TV wouldn’t automatically carry over. For the record, FX and Spike are available in approximately the same number of homes.
While TUF fans could eventually re-discover the show on FX, the notorious Friday-night timeslot will be the biggest hurdle to overcome; the UFC’s target audience of young men generally doesn’t stay in and watch TV that night. Will we see a re-scheduling of the show if ratings continue to plummet?
This season’s TUF features live fights each week but everything before that are taped highlights of how the fighters and their teams and coaches have spent the past week. By the looks of what we saw on episode 3, a good amount of what Team Cruz did before getting ready for the next bout was making fun of how Dominick Cruz mind fucked the whole of Team Faber last week.
Cruz coach Lloyd Irvin gleefully recounted how, after choosing overall number one pick Justin Lawrence to fight this week, Dominick Cruz told Faber that he could choose who, from his team wanted to fight. Faber was shocked by Cruz giving up matchmaking power that he had earned after James Vick KO’s Daron Cruickshank and asked his team who wanted to fight.
No one raised their hands. And, as Irvin pointed out, many of them were all but looking up at the sky, whistling. A flustered Faber gave the pick back to Cruz, who chose the most accomplished fighter in the house, Cristian Marcello.
Faber lets us know, during an interview, that he really is trying to contain his rage at Cruz. “I’m doing my best to hold it together,” he says. “But, you know, I want to punch the guy right in the face,” bro. Ok, I added the “bro,” in. But no matter what Faber is saying, his surferspeak always makes it sound like he’s inviting you to go catch a few waves or telling you about the killer party he’s throwing next weekend, and could you please pitch in for the keg.
From the little we’d seen thus from Lawrence, the fact that he trains at Blackhouse, and Marcello’s pedigree and experience, this seemed more like a TUF Final than a first round bout.
But before we get to the fight itself – Chris Tickle’s annoying ass, ladies and gentlemen. Episode 3 featured the Team Cruz fighter, being a smart ass in teasing Team Faber members, acting all sensitive when teased him, trying to spar with ear rings in, destroying parking lot signs, using perhaps the most quickly passing case of diarrhea to avoid training and (yes, really) wearing a fucking gas mask during an interview.
Back in the house, Tickle worked hard to tell Team Faber members how stupid they looked in not raising their hands when their coach asked them who they wanted to fight. But Justin Lawrence made it clear that it wasn’t just Team Faber guys who were annoyed by Tickle.
As reels ran showing Tickle’s hilarious, totally disruptive and incredibly creative “prank” of pulling out Urijah Faber’s parking space sign out of the ground, Lawrence delivered the play by play with about as much excitement as one could imagine him having to describe clipping his own toe nails. Lawrence says Tickle is “obnoxious.”
This season’s TUF features live fights each week but everything before that are taped highlights of how the fighters and their teams and coaches have spent the past week. By the looks of what we saw on episode 3, a good amount of what Team Cruz did before getting ready for the next bout was making fun of how Dominick Cruzmind fucked the whole of Team Faber last week.
Cruz coach Lloyd Irvin gleefully recounted how, after choosing overall number one pick Justin Lawrence to fight this week, Dominick Cruz told Faber that he could choose who, from his team wanted to fight. Faber was shocked by Cruz giving up matchmaking power that he had earned after James Vick KO’s Daron Cruickshank and asked his team who wanted to fight.
No one raised their hands. And, as Irvin pointed out, many of them were all but looking up at the sky, whistling. A flustered Faber gave the pick back to Cruz, who chose the most accomplished fighter in the house, Cristian Marcello.
Faber lets us know, during an interview, that he really is trying to contain his rage at Cruz. “I’m doing my best to hold it together,” he says. “But, you know, I want to punch the guy right in the face,” bro. Ok, I added the “bro,” in. But no matter what Faber is saying, his surferspeak always makes it sound like he’s inviting you to go catch a few waves or telling you about the killer party he’s throwing next weekend, and could you please pitch in for the keg.
From the little we’d seen thus from Lawrence, the fact that he trains at Blackhouse, and Marcello’s pedigree and experience, this seemed more like a TUF Final than a first round bout.
But before we get to the fight itself – Chris Tickle’s annoying ass, ladies and gentlemen. Episode 3 featured the Team Cruz fighter, being a smart ass in teasing Team Faber members, acting all sensitive when teased him, trying to spar with ear rings in, destroying parking lot signs, using perhaps the most quickly passing case of diarrhea to avoid training and (yes, really) wearing a fucking gas mask during an interview.
Back in the house, Tickle worked hard to tell Team Faber members how stupid they looked in not raising their hands when their coach asked them who they wanted to fight. But Justin Lawrence made it clear that it wasn’t just Team Faber guys who were annoyed by Tickle.
As reels ran showing Tickle’s hilarious, totally disruptive and incredibly creative “prank” of pulling out Urijah Faber’s parking space sign out of the ground, Lawrence delivered the play by play with about as much excitement as one could imagine him having to describe clipping his own toe nails. Lawrence says Tickle is “obnoxious.”
Fighters on past seasons of TUF were prohibited from bringing all sorts of personal effects with them, including cell phones, bring books, read newspapers, watch television or listen to the radio. Looks like they were unaware of the “gasmask” loophole. Tickle sits in the van with his team on the way to the training center looking like a dufus wearing a gas mask. “I brought this from home,” he explains. O RLY?
Inside the training center, Tickle has already lost the respect of his coaches, who are convinced that he will do anything to avoid training hard. First, he is late to getting in the ring because of how long he takes to tape his feet. Next, he forgets to take out his earrings, so he has to take his gear off to take them out.
After much prodding and a couple delays, Tickle is finally in the cage training when he informs Cruz that he “has diarrhea,” and has to stop training and leave the cage. Cruz is not pleased and he and his coaches discuss the problem that has already become Tickle. After training, Cruz takes aside Tickle and explains how important it is for him to train hard every day, all practice long, because he will likely soon be fighting himself, and because he has potential.
In an interview, Tickle explains how this made him very upset. “I’ve never had a coach in my career,” he says, perhaps explaining a whole lot. “I don’t care if you like me. I’m here to fight and win.” And make poopy.
As Team Faber comes into the gym, a couple of them, including John Cofer walk in funny and say that Tickle walks like that. Where Cruz’ coaching, advice and encouragement annoyed Tickle, this makes him fucking livid.
“I don’t walk like that, bro,” he tells Cofer. He then chases down Cofer in Team Faber’s locker room and repeatedly talks about how offended he is by Cofer being a “smart ass,” but does absolutely nothing about it. Cofer later tells his coach, “I know who I want to fight.”
In an interview, Tickle, still looking incensed says, “since I was 8 years old I don’t put up with anyone’s shit. And I never will.” Either he’s trolling or he just took it to a dark place, no joke. Something happened to him before he was 8 that he’s using to create hate for Cofer. Yikes.
Faber blames Cruz personally for Tickle taking his parking sign. So he defaces Cruz’ giant portrait to make him look like Count Dracula, or something, he says. Later on, Team Cruz one-up him by making a thong out of string to cover up what they call Faber’s “giant chin butt.” Funny, I’ve never noticed that before. I’m sure you hadn’t either.
Faber plays it cool when he sees that. “Cool, a Faberkini,” he says. Stay chill, Urijah. Stay chill.
Marcello prepares for Lawrence by trying to be unpredictable on the feet – faking shots and coming at him with strikes. He seems to want to knock out Lawrence, even though the kid looks to be a far better striker. Seem like a crazy idea?
Well, as Faber coach Justin Buchholz says, “Don’t discount crazy.”
Meanwhile, Cruz is training Lawrence to get ready to make Marcello pay for shooting in and to be prepared for unorthodox BJJ takedowns. Assistant coach Wilson Reis is there to show Lawrence what Cruz is talking about.
Back at the TUF house, Marcello says, “I have something he don’t have,” pointing to photos of his children and wife. “They give me strength, they give me power.”
Weigh in time!
Both Lawrence and Marcello make weight and have what is edited to be one of the longest staredowns ever. Marcello gets in Lawrence’s face Chute Box style and even tries the “made you flinch,” move. Lawrence does not flinch. They both smile.
Fight Time!
We’re live now and the coaches are giving their fighters their pre-fight advice. “We need to kill, Cruz tells Lawrence.
Lawrence circles, keeping his distance. Lawrence feints constantly and Marcello stalks from a safe distance. Lawrence lands an inside leg kick and overhand right. Lawrence perhaps gets a bit too close and Marcello chases him down with wild strike attempts. Lawrence turns and runs to get out of harm’s way. More feinting from Lawrence before he lands a push kick that drops Marcello.
Marcello gets back to his feet and Lawrence barely misses with a couple overhand rights. Marcello shoots in, gets stuffed.
More circling from Lawrence. Push kick from Marcello. In the last fifteen seconds, Lawrence throws a side kick that doesn’t connect but backs Marcello up. Marcello returns fire with a cross-left hook combo that doesn’t connect but also backs up Lawrence. The round with the two fighters each throwing kicks simultaneously.
Round 2 – Lawrence stays a little more in range at the start and is a little more active with kicks and punches. Thirty seconds in Marcello uses that shorter range to go for a high shot and work double underhooks.
He drives Lawrence back into the cage but lets go to swing a wild right hand that misses. Lawrence lands a punch to Marcello’s head. Marcello throws two head kicks that are blocked by Lawrence. Cruz tells Lawrence to begin countering off of those.
A spinning back kick from Lawrence whiffs. Marcello lands a left hook and then a right cross. Faber yells for him to keep his chin down. Marcello throws a kick, Lawrence changes levels and dumps Marcello but does not follow him to the ground.
Marcello stands up. Lawrence lands a jab then a rear push kick to the body. A jab from Lawrence. Marcello seems to feels a sense of urgency with three minutes left in the fight starts and begins stalking Lawrence more aggressively. He walks into a jab that drops him.
Marcello stands up and is immediately hit with another jab. Lawrence with a right hand. Lawrence lands a left hook. Lawrence hits a jab to the face of Marcello, and then a push kick to the body. These shots seem to be taking their toll on the wind of Marcello.
After a couple minutes of his corner yelling for him to feint the right hand cross and then throw his power hook, Lawrence finally does just that, as Faber had feared he would in training, and knocks Marcello out.
TUF host Jon Anik asks Lawrence how he’s reacting to being the number one pick overall in the post fight interview. “There is added pressure from being number one…but that’s something I’ve got to get used to,” Lawrence says.
Marcello uses his post-fight interview to pitch himself to Dana White and Lorenzo Fertitta for this summer’s big Rio card. “Give me the opportunity to fight in Brazil,” he asks. The oldest fighter in the house calls Lawrence a “great kid.”
Team Cruz goes to 2-0.
They go RIGHT TO picking the next match up. A camera man falls down from the excitement and fast pace.
No shenanigans from Cruz this time around as he picks Myles Jury and Al Iaqunita from Team Faber to go at it next week.
(It’s the opportunity of a lifetime, with one lucky winner picking up a six-figure UFC contract and an immediate shot at Aaron Riley. / Photo courtesy of Facebook.com/TUF)
In case you weren’t able to watch Friday night’s marathon premiere of The Ultimate Fighter Live — or read our thoroughly detailed recap — here’s the short version: The porn-star will not be moving into the house, Jon Tuck nearly got his toe ripped off, and half of the 16 one-round fights ended via stoppage. Follow us after the jump, and we’ll show you every single one of those stoppages, in a series of GIFs courtesy of IronForgesIron. Enjoy, and let us know who you think will go all the way…
(It’s the opportunity of a lifetime, with one lucky winner picking up a six-figure UFC contract and an immediate shot at Aaron Riley. / Photo courtesy of Facebook.com/TUF)
In case you weren’t able to watch Friday night’s marathon premiere of The Ultimate Fighter Live — or read our thoroughly detailed recap — here’s the short version: The porn-star will not be moving into the house, Jon Tuck nearly got his toe ripped off, and half of the 16 one-round fights ended via stoppage. Follow us after the jump, and we’ll show you every single one of those stoppages, in a series of GIFs courtesy of IronForgesIron. Enjoy, and let us know who you think will go all the way…
(Joe Proctor def. Jordan Rinaldi via guillotine choke)
(Cristiano Marcello def. Jared Carlsten via rear-naked choke)
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.
