The Ultimate Fighter 17 - Discussion, Rumors and Results!

[Keithlewis]

[Keithlewis]

[broncofan]

That was brutally awesome! This is the best TUF season I can remember in a long time.

[Keithlewis]

[Keithlewis]

Courtesy: Dan Downes, UFC.com


The episode opens up with Adam Cella, recipient of last week’s spin kick of doom, returning to the house from the hospital. Despite earning an eternal spot on MMA highlight reels, he’s in good spirits. The first thing he wants to do is congratulate Uriah Hall on his victory, and doesn’t let the fact that Hall is in the shower stop him. Hook kicks may stop him, but Cella will never let personal space deter him jfrom his dreams.

On to this week’s fight between Kevin Casey and Collin Hart. Still recovering from a cut sustained during his fight to get into the house, Kevin Casey surprised many by taking a fight so soon. He explains that this was all part of the strategy. Kevin wanted to make sure he had the ability to choose his opponent to set up the matchup he wanted. He chose Collin Hart because Hart lacks dangerous striking skills that could open up his cut. As Kevin diminishes Collin’s striking ability, Bubba belittles all of Kevin’s abilities. Collin stays above the fray, stating “I’m the quiet type.”


TEAM JONES:

At the Team Jones training session, we learn that Bones’ strategy for winning resides in Collin’s ground game and cardio. Casey may be more muscular, but Hart’s superior athleticism will lead him to victory. We then hear the Collin Hart story. With a nickname like “The Dick,” one would assume Collin got his start at Adams College. Surprisingly, Hart was actually a victim of bullying as a kid. Never too big on team sports, Hart had his first MMA fight when he was 18 years old and has been going strong ever since.

Back at the house, the guys are talking about Kevin’s rap career. This naturally leads to a freestyle rap battle among the members of the house. Adam Cella wisely sits this one out.


TEAM SONNEN:

We now move to the Team Sonnen training session, where Kevin talks about his entry into the world of MMA. Involved in martial arts since a child, he took things to a new level when he became friends with Rockson Gracie. After Rockson passed away when he was in college, Kevin dedicated himself to an MMA career. Chael Sonnen sums up Hart's strategy: Kevin will utilize top control and ground and pound his way to the next round.

Back at the house, the power goes out, and we all know what that means -- prank time! Team Sonnen’s idea of a prank, though, is to run into a bedroom and throw toilet paper at their foes. Sure it’s no antiquing, but it’s something, right? Collin Hart doesn’t appreciate this because Team Sonnen has violated the house rule to not mess with each other’s sleep. Collin should have known that the TUF house is like Mad Max -- people get murdered for gasoline and there are no rules.

Collin refuses to let the “prank” go and shows his displeasure at weigh ins by giving Kevin the middle finger. It may not be the most effective means of protest, but I’m pretty sure it was Ghandi’s second option after that whole non violent resistance stuff. At weigh ins we also learn that Josh Samman would bet his house and any money he has on Collin winning the fight. Next to that, Zak Cummings’, “I don’t see Kevin losing,” lacks a certain sense of panache.

Back at the house, a few of the guys are still angry about Collin’s actions at weigh ins. Uriah confronts Collin about it and Kevin tells us that, “Older guys [like me] have to teach younger guys a lesson.” This leads us into fight day.


FIGHT TIME:

Collin sprints out the gate to begin round one. He jumps at Kevin (Jones later calls it a “ninja move”) and immediately transitions to a single-leg takedown. He easily moves to side control, but fails to do anything with it. Kevin gets his guard back and attempts a guillotine. Collin defends and the two are back on their feet. Kevin initially wins the advantage, but Collin soon backs him down and pushes Casey against the fence. The two trade knees in the clinch and Collin lands the more solid blows. With 20 seconds left in the round, Kevin breaks the tie-up and lands hooks with both fists, but Collin soon ties him back up and the round ends.

In between rounds, Kevin’s corner tells him that he needs to win the next round and that he should use some more of the punches that gave him success at the end of the first. Jones wants Collin to work the body more and tire Casey out.

The second round begins and Kevin Casey follows orders, finding the mark with a couple of solid left crosses. Collin immediately clinches and puts Kevin -- who is now bleeding -- against the fence. Collin fails to score the outside trip, but uses the move to transition behind Kevin and take him down with a bodylock. Kevin’s cut appears to open up more as Collin moves to side mount. From this position Collin grinds Kevin down and uses short punches and elbows to batter his opponent. Kevin earns his guard back, but time is now his enemy. He continues to try to set up submissions from his back, but Collin rains down punishment as only 30 seconds remain. Collin stays in the dominant position and Kevin continues to bleed as time expires.

Back from the break, the judges all give it to Collin Hart 20-18 (was there any doubt? [well, okay, sure]). The coaches give their post-fight commentary. Chael Sonnen credits Collin’s relentless pressure with wearing Kevin out, and criticizes Kevin by saying that he “never came to fight.” Jon Jones is pleased with his fighter’s performance and says he expected Kevin to slow down as the fight progressed. Dana White says that Hart broke Casey and that Kevin “didn’t even try to win the fight.” Kevin Casey also admits that he physically wasn’t all there in the fight. Collin is upset he didn’t get the finish, but doesn’t have a lot of time to talk because he hops on a treadmill right afterward.


FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENT:

Team Jones has their first win under their belt and control is back on their side. Bubba McDaniel finally gets his chance to fight. His opponent will be the youngest man in TUF history, Kelvin Gastelum. Jon Jones believes Kelvin to be one of the weakest links on the opposing team. Chael Sonnen admits that Bubba is certainly the favorite to win the fight, but, “Kelvin is going to surprise some people.”

The episode ends with a sneak peak into next week’s episode. How does Team Sonnen react to their first loss? Can Kelvin overcome the odds? Can Chael Sonnen be any good at a game that forces him to not speak? Find out this and more next week on The Ultimate Fighter!


Season at a glance:


Team Sonnen (2-1):

Luke Barnatt (1-0, TKO win over Gilbert Smith in episode 2)
Uriah Hall (1-0, KO'd Adam Cella in episode 3)
Zak Cummings
Tor Troeng
Jimmy Quinlan
Kevin Casey (0-1, lost a UD to Collin Hart in episode 4)
Kelvin Gastelum


Team Jones (1-2):

Clint Hester
Josh Samman
Bubba McDaniel
Gilbert Smith (0-1, TKO'd by Luke Barnatt in episode 2)
Collin Hart (1-0, defeated Kevin Casey by UD in episode 4)
Adam Cella (0-1, KO'd by Uriah Hall in episode 3)
Dylan Andrews



The series resumes next Tuesday, February 19, on FX at 9 p.m. ET/PT (check local listings for Central and Mountain Time). In that episode – “The Reflection of Perfection” – Actor Mickey Rourke visits Team Sonnen to share insights from his days as a boxer. Coach Jones wonders if a competitor is ready to fight. Then McDaniel and Gastelum meet for the fourth preliminary fight. For more show information, and your chance to play the TUF Fantasy Tournament, visit http://www.ultimatefighter.com/ and follow us on Twitter @TUFonFX or on Facebook.com/TUF.

[Keithlewis]

[Keithlewis]

Courtesy: Dan Downes, UFC.com



The episode opens with the coaches' take on the impending Bubba McDaniel vs. Kelvin Gastelum match. Jon Jones believes that Kelvin is the weakest link on Team Sonnen and that Bubba will win this fight anywhere. Chael Sonnen concedes that Bubba is the favorite, but thinks that conditioning will be on their side. Despite that perceived advantage, Chael calls in some backup and has Ronda Rousey call Kelvin to give him more incentive. She promises that if he wins, she’ll come out to Vegas and train with them.

So far this season, the interactions between the coaches have been surprisingly jovial. Jones admits that he likes to remain aloof from his opponents and doesn’t enjoy talking to them, but acknowledges that the two see each other so much that he can’t really stop it. As Jones and Sonnen make small talk in the hallway, Luke Barnatt puts Bubba on blast. Given the experience gap between Kelvin and Bubba, he calls it “cheap shot” for Bubba to choose such a raw opponent. He predicts that karma will side with Kelvin and he’ll score the KO upset.

Back at the house, Chael Sonnen and some of the other assistant coaches stop by to play charades. Gilbert Smith is wearing his casual camouflage briefs...and nothing else. As the guys inside the house are enjoying the classic pastime of the habitually bored, Bubba sits in front of the fire alone and tells us his story. “I was that kid that shouldn’t be alive.” Without going into much detail, Bubba states that throughout his life, he and the municipal and/or federal laws have not always agreed on right and wrong.

From Bubba's tale of legal gray areas, we transition to the life of Kelvin Gastelum, whose major source of inspiration comes from his mother. She raised Kelvin and his sister all on her own with modest means. Besides fighting for his mom to make her proud, he’s fighting for other kids who find themselves in his position. “I come from poverty, and with enough hard work and discipline you can get what you want.” He feels that Bubba -- and everyone else -- is underestimating him and he’s ready to prove them wrong.


Strategy Sessions:

Cut to Chael Sonnen giving a pep talk to the team. He asks the crew, “What emotion will help you inside the cage?” He answers the question for them and tells them that no emotion helps you. The only thing you can count on are your two fists and actions. After making a particularly emotional appeal against emotion, Chael reverts to his old ways and rhymes words together.

While Kelvin and Bubba get ready for their fight, Josh Samman looks to avoid one. He tells the Team Jones coaching staff that if Bubba wins, he’d like to avoid the next contest. He’s banged up and goes through the rundown of his injuries. Jon Jones holds two disparate reactions to Samman’s request. On one hand he praises Josh for his openness and even compares it to his own relationship with coaches Greg Jackson and Mike Winkeljohn. Then, in the very same breath, he says that Samman is too open, and that he and the other coaches don’t appreciate fighters trying to make demands.

At the Team Jones training session, Bones talks about the (mis)match a bit more. He claims that Bubba takes it easily on the feet and that his superior BJJ takes it on the ground, too. Assistant coach Josh Wood goes even further saying the only way Bubba loses is from a lucky punch or mental mistake. Meanwhile, Mickey Rourke shows up to give a talk at Team Sonnen’s camp which can best be summed up as, “work hard and avoid crazy chicks.”

As Bubba and Kelvin weigh in on the scale, other cast mates weigh in on the fight. Adam Cella thinks that the fight is much too one-sided. Josh Samman criticizes Kelvin’s diet, but Luke Barnatt sees Kelvin winning as long as he stays aggressive. Zak Cummings echos with the warning: “don’t sleep on Kelvin.”


Fight Day:

Both fighters begin the first round aggressively. Bubba rushes in, and Kelvin head tosses him on the mat. Bubba rises quickly, but Kelvin closes the distance and locks in a front headlock. Bubba pulls off a slick sweep from half guard and soon jumps to take his opponent’s back. Kelvin fights the choke and returns to his feet, but Bubba still has a waist lock secured. Kelvin rolls through and ends up in Bubba’s butterfly guard. Bubba uses an armbar attempt to roll Kelvin over and moves to mount. Kelvin gives up his back again and Bubba takes advantage of it. Again Kelvin defends and the two break apart and return to their feet. Bubba attempts a takedown, but Kelvin counters and puts Bubba on his back again. Bubba sweeps with 45 seconds left and the frantic pace continues. Kelvin runs a single to take top position, takes side mount with 10 seconds remaining and stays there until the bell.

The second round opens with Kelvin Gastelum landing a ferocious low kick. He then closes the distance and puts Bubba into a bodylock. Bubba attempts a counter throw, but Kelvin winds up on top. Gastelum transitions to side mount, but quickly loses position. Bubba has top position and his corner pleads with him to drop some elbows. Instead, he transitions for a rear naked choke attempt, which Kelvin easily shakes off. Kelvin lands a few punches as Bubba attempts another sweep. This time, though, Kelvin holds position and secures some ground and pound. When Bubba tries to sweep again, Kelvin uses a front headlock to transition to Bubba’s back. Chael shouts, “Oh my God! He might have it!” and Bubba taps with 2:22 left in the round.

Chael calls it the best fight so far and chalks up “one more for the bad guys.” In the locker room, Jon Jones tries to pump Bubba up for his shot at the wildcard and says he’ll be better than ever. The wound is still fresh, though, and Bubba says, “I feel like a failure.” Ronda Rousey calls to congratulate Kelvin and he giggles like a nervous schoolboy.

The captain of the Dark Side announces the next fight and it will be Josh Samman vs. Tor Troeng. Chael says that they chose this fight because each has the ability to make it to the main event and they’ll just have it out next week. Josh thinks that Tor has his exact same skills, just with less athleticism.

The episode ends with a preview of next week. Will Uriah Hall alienate his teammates? Do Josh’s recurring injuries affect his performance? Can Kelvin’s paper mâché heart win Ronda over? Find out this and more next week on The Ultimate Fighter!


Season at a glance:


Team Sonnen (3-1):

Luke Barnatt (1-0, TKO win over Gilbert Smith in episode 2)
Uriah Hall (1-0, KO'd Adam Cella in episode 3)
Zak Cummings
Tor Troeng
Jimmy Quinlan
Kevin Casey (0-1, lost a UD to Collin Hart in episode 4)
Kelvin Gastelum (1-0, submitted Bubba McDaniel in episode 5)


Team Jones (1-3):

Clint Hester
Josh Samman
Bubba McDaniel (0-1, submitted by Kelvin Gastelum in episode 5)
Gilbert Smith (0-1, TKO'd by Luke Barnatt in episode 2)
Collin Hart (1-0, defeated Kevin Casey by UD in episode 4)
Adam Cella (0-1, KO'd by Uriah Hall in episode 3)



The series resumes next Tuesday, February 26, on FX at 9 p.m. ET/PT (check local listings for Central and Mountain Time). In that episode – “Path to Greatness” – A fighter’s attitude ignites a blowup at the house, causing a major rift in Team Sonnen. While the fighters battle it out in a night of bowling, Jon and Chael raise the stakes in a game of their own. Then Samman and Troeng meet in the Octagon® for the sixth preliminary fight. For more show information, and your chance to play the TUF Fantasy Tournament, visit ultimatefighter.com and follow us on Twitter @TUFonFX or on Facebook.com/TUF.

[Keithlewis]