UFC President Dana White has a ambitious dream for The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) reality show,
“My goal, my dream [Read more...]
Dana White Envisions A World Cup Of Ultimate Fighter Winners
The Ultimate Fighter: Season 13 Episode 9: “Then It Turned Uglyâ€
Last week on TUF, Chris and Ramsey kicked off the quarterfinals with dominating wins. Tonight, the quarters are concluded when Chuck gets his rematch with Zach and Ryan takes on Tony. When there are only four left, Dana announces the semifinal picks. But the night is not free of drama when one fighter crosses the line in the house.
Zach finds a confidence boost in knowing that he’s already beaten the guy he’s about to fight. This time he plans to switch it up, trying to keep it standing to show that he’s got more schools. But Junior also wants him to showcase what he does well, Jiu Jitsu, by getting Chuck down and submitting him again.
Back at the house, Chuck is asked what he’s going to do with the $5K from his win. He says he wants to give some to Charlie (to help Charlie out to see the son he hasn’t seen in over a year) but Charlie doesn’t have the heart to take Chuck’s hard-earned money.
Brock is impressed with the 180 that Chuck has done since his initial loss to Zach. He wants to see that same Cold Steel fighter show up for this fighter. According to Brock, he’s improved greatly and thinks this fight could have a different outcome.
FIGHT DAY
ROUND 1
Both are swinging immediately. Both land short jabs. Zach goes for a head kick that grazes Chuck. But Chuck is much more offensive, swinging big and hard and connecting. Zach shoots and pins Chuck against the cage, landing several knees in the clinch. Chuck gets in a few knees of his own, but Zach is working for the takedown. Zach finally gets a leg, but can’t get Chuck down. He continues to work Chuck’s body but they are warned to progress. After being restarted, they exchange leg and body kicks, with Chuck landing a huge one. As they continue to exchange kicks, you can see a mouse forming over Zach’s left eye. Kick after kick and Chuck finally throws a right that puts Zach off balance. Zach recovers and charges Chuck backwards into the clinch. While Zach tries to pull Chuck’s leg down, Chuck pelts him with short jabs to the head. Zach backs off slightly, and is able to throw a solid head shot, but also allows Chuck to throw a big one or two. Zach ducks back down and Chuck tries to grab onto his neck for a choke, but Zach gets out. Zach backs up again and Chuck throws a bomb that rattles Zach. Zach stumbles back and Chuck comes at him hard, swinging relentlessly. Zach tries to cover and back up to get away and just as it looks like it might get stopped, he gets out of reach. Chuck catches up and tries to repeat as the bell rings.
ROUND 2
Swinging immediately, but Zach loses his balance and slips. Chuck jumps on him, and ends up in his guard but very quickly lets Zach up. Both are more tentative on their feet now with Zach throwing kicks in slow motion. Chuck comes at Zach with big straight arms, but Zach drops and shoots at Chuck’s waist, nearly getting him down. In the clinch, Zach drops and pulls Chuck down with him, but he can’t get him entirely into his guard. Refusing to stay on the ground, Chuck gets off and backs up. But Zach won’t give up, shooting on him again. Clinching, Zach is mostly just leaning on Chuck. Neither of them is doing much – a few weak knees or jabs. They are restarted and Chuck throws several unanswered combos. Chuck chops at Zach legs with solid kicks. Zach’s answers are half-hearted. Chuck continues to push, landing three times as many shots. Zach gives a last ditch effort at a takedown but fails. The round ends with both on their feet.
Winner: Chuck O’Neil via Decision
The last fight was so close, but this time Chuck brought it and really avenged himself. Dana says that Chuck might not be the best striker, the best wrestler, etc., but he is the toughest.
Zach is beside himself, punching doors on his way out. Chuck is just blown away – the kid went from alternate, to wild card, to semifinalist, all in a few weeks.
At Team Lesnar’s training session, Brock works with Tony on a gameplan. He hopes that Tony looks as good in the octagon as he has in training. He thinks Tony is a well-rounded guy, but he worries that he’s too “fancy†when in a dominant position.
Back in the house, Chuck gives props Zach for taking every bomb he threw. Everyone agrees that the kid’s got heart. Zach then returns from the eye doctor, where he has learned that he has torn the retinas in both eyes. They did immediate laser surgery in both eyes. While he didn’t lose any vision, the doctor has warned him that he cannot fight in the future because of the risk of permanent vision. When he tells Chuck, Chuck feels guilty and hugs him. Just when Zach was finally making something of his fight career, getting past being paid $100 to fight in parking lots, he has stop. Wow, that sucks.
As the “weakest link†on Team Dos Santos, Ryan is looking to use that as inspiration and prove everybody wrong. His daughter is who he’s doing it all for, and he just hopes that she understands that.
FIGHT DAY
ROUND 1
Ryan swings first but his jab is checked. Both are very tentative. Both throw combos that get checked or dodged. Ryan steps in for a right and Tony catches him with a left uppercut. At first Ryan seems okay, but then he stumbles backward into the fence. Tony pounces on him and unleashes a barrage of fists and the ref jumps in to stop it.
Winner: Tony Ferguson via KO
Ryan can’t even look at his daughter’s picture because he feels like he let her down. Junior advises him to keep going and never give up. He wants them to believe that whatever happens is meant to make us stronger. Now the pressure is on Ramsey to take the team to winner’s circle.
The guys are all gathered the next day to hear the semifinal fight announcement:
Ramsey vs. Chris – The #1 guy versus the guy who everyone keeps counting out.
Tony vs. Chuck – Yes, it’s teammate vs. teammate, but both see it as business only. Fireworks will ensue.
At the house, the celebration begins. Alcohol is flowing, the music is pumping and a good time is being had (stripper Ramsey makes his appearance, as usual). But it was all fun and games until it turned ugly. Before cutting to commercial, it looks like Chris pours a beer down Tony’s back. Tony chases him into the next room and jumps on him angrily. The last thing we hear is, “You like beer?!?â€
We come back to hear Charlie laughing, but see Tony’s forearm in Charlie’s face. Charlie tries to calm Tony down, but his efforts are failing. Tony brings up Charlie’s son which is a low blow that really pushes Charlie to the edge. It takes most of the guys to keep them apart. Everyone is shocked to see this side of Tony, and it appears that everyone sides with Charlie on this one. However Tony doesn’t think he didn’t do anything wrong and once again it takes more than one person to keep Charlie from killing Tony. Chuck has suddenly found his motivation to beat Tony.
I really used to like Tony.
Next week: Tony faces the consequences of his actions, having burned every last bridge he had in the house. And the last four fighters face off in the semifinals.
The Ultimate Fighter: Season 13 Episode 8: “Shut Him Upâ€
Before tonight’s episode of TUF, in the wildcard Chuck O’Neil transformed from “Trash-bag Charlie†to “Cold Steel†as he choked out Javier Torres in convincing fashion. And in tonight’s first quarterfinal fight, quiet ninja Ramsey Nijem takes on tough guy Clay Harvison, while Shamar Bailey finally gets his wish, as he looks to shut up Chris Cope in the cage.
From the beginning of the episode, there are concerns. Shamar admits that he’s got some pain in his back and fears that he’s pushed himself too hard. But he’s will to fight through the pain to fight Crhis and to shut him up once and for all.
At Team Dos Santos training, Junior works with Ramsey on his stand-up, knowing that that is likely where Clay will try to keep the fight. Junior considers Ramsey to be the best wrestler on his team, so if he’s able to get Clay he knows it’ll be all over. With family from war-torn Palestine, he sees wrestling as a survival skill and is really just happy to be fighting in a cage and not for his life. How many guys can say that?
Later, Dana brings Brian Stann in for a surprise visit to speak with the guys. As a Marine prior to fighting, he talks about all the things that he learned from being in the military and how he has used those skills to his advantage – namely the discipline. He stresses the importance of dedication, the training and making the right decisions. Brock jokes at the end that maybe some of the guys could benefit from enlisting.
Brock gets Clay and Chris together to work on their wrestling. Clay needs some work, especially knowing how good Ramsey is at it. Brock is pleased to see how quickly Clay is picking up some of the takedown defense moves. He hopes that stuffing his takedowns will help to discourage Ramsey and leave him open for Clay’s stand-up.
After the weigh-ins, Ramsey is complaining about feeling sick (I think we could’ve done without the belching, thanks!) but he’s pumped and ready to fight.
FIGHT DAY
ROUND 1
They both swing big and miss right away but Ramsey quickly has Clay down. Ramsey swings around and tries to mount Clay’s back. He nearly gets shaken off, but quickly remounts with one leg locked around. Clay is on all fours, allowing Ramsey to pepper him with headshots. Clay sprawls and opens himself up too much allowing Ramsey to get his arms under his chin. Ramsey pulls tight and Clay taps almost immediately.
Winner: Ramsey Nijem via Submission (Rear Naked Choke)
Clay is pissed at himself for losing to “Stripper Ramsey†but Dana pats him on the back, and tells him not to be upset considering he was fighting a week after busting his knuckle. Brock is very nonchalant about the loss, but when away from Clay all but calls him an idiot for giving up his back to a wrestler. Even Chris tries to make an excuse out of Clay’s knuckle. Hey guys, how about giving Ramsey some credit?
Next to fight will be Shamar, who Junior has the utmost confidence in. Shamar is using Chris’s tendency to scream at random moments as his motivation to beat him. His gameplan is to keep him backpedaling and off balance on his feet, and to then take him down to finish him off. He believes it is pretty much his fight for the taking.
Despite Shamar’s hatred for Chris, the feeling is not mutual. Brock’s advice to Chris is to continue pestering him. But wisely, Chris sees that he has nothing to lose in this fight but everything to gain which is exactly the opposite for Shamar. His plan is to keep fending Shamar off and wearing him out. Brock tells him he’s just got to “own Burger King.†Dana wonders if Chris, who is just having fun with it all, can expose Shamar as the very one-sided fighter he saw in the first fight.
FIGHT DAY
ROUND 1
Shamar comes out swinging and pushing Chris back as he said he would. Chris just keeps circling to avoid it. Shamar reaches in but misses. Shamar’s looking anxious and trying to pick his shots but he looks impatient. Chris finally throws a combo and Shamar shoots at his waist. Pegging him against the cage with one leg up, Shamar allows Chris to pepper his head and body with short shots. Shamar holds onto that one leg and struggles to get Chris down, but Chris sprawls. Chris pulls away and they return to center. More dancing and circling, until Shamar unleashes a combo that backs Chris up. In the clinch, they both land a few knees. Shamar has control, but Chris is the one landing shots and staying busy. Chris frees himself and dances around the cage which looks like is frustrating Shamar. He keeps dropping his guard. Shamar charges again, and allows Chris to land several hammer fists while on the cage. In a final push, Shamar shoots, but once again is unable to do much as the round ends.
Uh, what was that Shamar?
ROUND 2
And the dance continues. A nice exchange where both land a couple jabs. Shamar goes in and Chris catches him with a right. Chris is staying light and avoiding Shamar’s shots. Shamar throws a right, and Chris throws 2. Shamar shoots and they clinch where they alternate knees. Shamar changes his mind and backs off. Chris swings big, but Shamar ducks in time. A combo from Chris lands this time. Now Chris is going offensive, but Shamar decides to shoot. The clinch doesn’t last though and they stay on their feet. They’re both swinging big, but Chris is always throwing combos instead of Shamar’s single jabs. A big overhand from Chris misses. With a minute left, they clinch and Shamar is bleeding. They briefly stand, but Shamar shoots again and the round ends as Chris is landing hammer after hammer.
Winner: Chris Cope via Decision
Shamar’s gameplan = gone out the window. Shamar couldn’t control the stand-up. Chris stuffed every one of Shamar’s takedowns. While Shamar had a lot of the control, he just couldn’t overcome Chris.
JDS is shocked with end result, but in reality, Shamar couldn’t win it. He got showed up. Shamar catches Dana and says that he wanted to show the judges a different side of his game, that he’s not just a wrestler and that he could’ve taken Chris down if he wanted. Dana points out that he did try several times to take Chris down, but Shamar explains that he pulled something in his back. So which is it Shamar? You could have taken him down but you chose not to? Or your back was hurt so you couldn’t do it? Excuses, excuses….
Looks like Chris will not be shutting up any time soon 
Next: With the pressure mounting, Tony goes ballistic. Then two more quarterfinal fights: Cold-Steel Chuck O’Neil takes on Zach Davis in a rematch and Tony Ferguson fights Ryan McGillivray. The show will end with the semi-final fight announcements. Eight episodes in and the fights are finally getting better!
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