Previously on TUF, Camozzi was sent packing due to a broken jaw, setting up a comeback for Seth Baczynski. Tensions rose between Jamie Yager and his teammates on Team Ortiz. And Team Liddell went 2-0 after Brad Tavares came out on top after 3 rounds with James Hammortree.

Tonight, there is a lot of talk about the Tavares/Hammortree battle. The two were pretty even throughout most of the fight, each winning a round. Tavares managed to pull out the third round. But the biggest surprise came from Yager rooting for Tavares – Ring takes this personally and tries to talk to Yager (but really, it did seem to go in one ear and out the other. We shall see) about his loyalties. Even though they’re not all on the same team, Tavares, Yager, Noke and McCray (“The Minority Report” as Yager dubbed them) claim to “rep” each other. Ring goes on to share these sentiments with several other guys who, to put it nicely, just don’t like Yager.

The next day, Chuck makes the next fight selection in which Rich Attonito will take on Kyacey Uscola. From the comments of their teammates, it sounds like it will be fairly evenly matched.

At Team Ortiz training, Tito is getting to know Uscola. As it turns out, his longtime girlfriend is pregnant with his son who is due to be born during the course of the show. He’ll miss it, but he knows he’s there to provide for his child’s future. Tito is impressed all around with Uscola, with his striking and his takedowns particularly, but feels he still needs preparation. He doesn’t want to put any extra pressure on Kyacey, but they need the win.

Attonito trains with American Top Team and is looked upon very highly by the coaches. He has a solid skill set – good wrestling, good takedowns. Chuck’s expectation is that Attonito will be able to take Uscola down easily and beat him down to get the win. Unfortunately for Attonito, Chuck had prior commitments that happen to fall at this same time and therefore he will miss the fight. Rampage? Is that you???

Back at the house, there’s a lot of yelling and screaming. Apparently, Uscola’s shirt went missing and it was suspected that Yager was the thief. McCray finally found it, but that didn’t stop a lot of heated words from being exchanged between Uscola and Yager. I couldn’t really decipher it all between the constant bleeping, but there is definitely no love lost between these two.

Ortiz is chatting with Yager about what’s bothering him, which reignites the fight with Uscola. It seems as though Yager is this season’s Junie Browning. At least McKinney has come to the realization that there is really no reason to argue with someone like that – someone who won’t listen anyway. As it turns out, Yager did not “steal” the shirts from the coaches as Uscola thought, but Uscola still won’t apologize.

Attonito shares pictures of his wife with Yager, and talks about the heart and the motivation he needs to be where he is. Awww, and who said fighters can’t be lovers too?

FIGHT DAY

Round 1
After what seems like hours of dancing, Uscola finally strikes. Attonito counters with a nice overhand. Both are very tentative. Attonito delivers a nice combo. Uscola responds with some nice jabs. Attonito connects with an uppercut. Uscola falls back and Attonito pounces with endless hammerfists. Uscola can’t regain himself and keeps rolling around to escape. Uscola gives up his back which Attonito tries to mount while still pounding away. Attonito tries to get his legs around but can’t . Back on their feet, they clinch against the fence. Attonito grabs Uscola by the upper body and literally slams him on his head. Attonito just continues to punish Uscola on the ground. Somehow Uscola manages to reverse and he is on top of Attonito with side control but all he does is lay there catching his breath. Neither is advancing. Attonito rolls and is on all fours when Uscola starts with the knees. The first lands to the chest, but then he unleashes a nasty knee that connects with his head. Ref Rosenthal jumps in, and Uscola leaps up thinking he won! Rosenthal has to explain to him that it was an illegal knee, as Attonito is lying on the ground like a fish. They assess Attonito and Rosenthal decides that he can’t continue, calling it a DQ.

Winner: Rich Attonito via DQ

From the start, Dana was impressed with Attonito (and rightfully so). Uscola was merely surviving the entire round. Then the knee heard round the world happened…how could Tito and Uscola think that didn’t hit him in the face??? Both are pissed, calling it bull, etc. Tito says Uscola’s chance was “taken away from him” – uh, no, he lost his chance. Uscola says he no longer has respect for Attonito (as if it was his decision?). Bottom-line (even by Dana’s own admission), the fight was one-sided anyway. Rich was winning until the illegal knee.

Later that evening, it is found that after a visit to the hospital, Attonito’s hand is broken and will need surgery. Uscola is hoping they will advance him in his spot.

With Chuck up 3-0, he chooses Charlie Blanchard to fight Jamie Yager. Chuck expects Blanchard to pull out a KO, and Tito sees an easy win. Tito declares that if they lose again, he’ll kill himself (*sigh* one can only hope!).

Liddell likes Blanchard’s standup, but Blanchard is worried about Yager’s kicks and aggressiveness. Blanchard does not seem entirely confident.

Yager on the other hand, is told by Tito to be the example for the team and to cut the BS. He claims to be so defensive because of the way he grew up – he came from nothing. But that’s not who he “really is.” In order to win the fight, Tito says he must not stop moving – circle constantly and defend takedowns. Calls it an easy win.

Uscola’s hope: that Yager’s jaw gets broken. Hey, it’ll keep him from running his mouth ?

Yager says his height will definitely be his big advantage – yeah, ask Stefan Struve how that worked out for him

FIGHT DAY

(It’s 5 of…. Hmmm…)

Round 1
Some dancing and Yager aggresses first. Lots of circling and Yager is jabbing the air. Blanchard shoots, Yager sprawls and still ends up pinned against the fence. Blanchard tries to slam him, but Yager defends it well. Nearly as soon as they’re back on their feet, Yager lands a huge nasty right that drops Blanchard. Blanchard turtles up; Yager unleashes a flurry of hammerfists and pounds Blanchard into submission.

Winner: Jamie Yager via TKO

Team Ortiz is chomping at the bit now that they have control. Suddenly they’re all “rah rah teamwork”. Yeah, he’s still a d-bag.

Next week: Tito makes his first fight pick. The guys start speculating the wild card choices, but an injury takes one loser out of the running.