The Ultimate Fighter Season 5 Review Big Fighters Don’t Cry…
The Ultimate Fighter Season 5 Review
Big Fighters Don’t Cry…
This season looks to begin like any other season with fighters looking like kids in a candy shop checking out their new rooms the pool table and the well stocked fridge. But something is different about this season. Besides the fact there is only one weight class some uncharacteristic aggression appears with fighters sizing each other up and other fighters questioning each others sexual preferences.
Cut to the big BJ Penn Jen Pulver hype. These guys just don’t like each other. Pulver doesn’t feel respected by Penn and Penn is mad because he feels that Pulver has been ducking him.
Now to the typical but slightly humorous pre fight hype…
“He ain’t ever touched the 155lb gold…” – Pulver
“When we fight this next time I’m gonna wipe him out… I wouldn’t blame him if he retired…” – Penn
Pulver makes an interesting comment about how he and BJ have found a new way to fight each other. Using their camps fighters as pawns…
Next we come to Dana’s hideous acid wash shirt and the coin flip. Pulver wins the toss and gets to choose between picking the first fighter or the first fight. Pulver choose the latter then all hell breaks loose. Like an elementary school dodge ball game Penn had everyone who likes him more then Pulver raise their hands. Funny thing 60% of them did.
Dana tries to lay down the law with a few F-bombs but can’t as BJ once again makes them raise their hands. Unfortunately we don’t get to see who got picked last because of the Chicken Frys sponsored “Brackets”. It looks as though it might have ended up like this.
It looks as though it might have ended up like this. The teams are.
BJ Penn
1. Gray Maynard
3. Matt Wiman
5. Gabe Ruediger
7. Joe Lauzon
9. Rob Emerson
11. Andy Wang
13. Allen Berube
15. Noah Thomas
Jens Pulver
2. Cory Hill
4. Nate Diaz
6. Brandon Melendez
8. Marlon Sims
10. Manvel Gambaryan
12. Cole Miller
14. Brian Geraghty
16. Wayne Weems
Wonder what will become of guys like Nate Diaz who raised their hand for Penn but got picked by Pulver.
On the Drive home Pulvers team is all fired up. Hill starts mouthing off about how he wants to kick everyone’s ass. Manvel joins in saying he wants to fight “right NOW!” This statement is peculiar to me since the last fight he had was a decision victory over TUF vet Sam Morgan in early 2004.
Back at the house Hill is still fired up and starts barking like a dog at Gabe. Gabe later gets the last laugh over Hill by calling him DMX. I have never seen this type of behavior from a TUF cast before. Maybe this stems from the immature behavior of the two coaches during the team picking session.
BJ Penn has a 6:00 am practice which is 3:00 am Hilo time. Andy Wang complains that he doesn’t usually come home till 6:00 am. Wonder what his day job is… sounds nice.
BJ states his mission goal. To find out what his fighters weaknesses are and make them stronger in that area. This sounds like a great Idea in theory.
BJ on paper looks to have the better staff. Rudy Valentino – BJ’s Kick Boxing coach, UFC fighter Tony DeSouza, and BJJ black belt Reagan Penn. Gabe says that everyone weather they admitted or not wanted to be on BJ’s Team. Gabes comment may be a little swayed by the fact that he used to train with BJ at Ralph Gracies…
Pulver’s Camp is also impressive Matt Pena - Boxing, Taisei Kikuchi – Don’t know who he is? (Any help email me *not the fight finder please.) Kirk White - Wrestling. After the training session it is apperent that everyone on Pulvers camp wants to fight NOW! Miller wants to fight Ruediger because he didn’t like his dog impression and because he is over weight. Manvel wants to fight NOW! because its been 3 years!!!!!! Miller wants to fight now but actually had the best reason. He knew that more people will watch the premier show and he wants to put on a show for them.
The show shifts to one of its more celebrity fighters Gabe Ruediger. Gabe has a weight problem and it’s more then obvious with his barrel gut and becomes even more obvious when he steps on the scale and is 22lbs overweight. BJ says that’s a lot. Fuck even Joe Stevenson says that’s a lot. Wonder what Dana will call Gabe…
All the stress of the show and several training sessions with no weight loss cause Gabe to break down. He begins to cry and BJ tries to consol him and questions weather his teasing may have been the cause of the melt down. Emerson thinks Gabe is a pussy for breaking down and Allen adds insult to injury when he states that Gabe is giving 100% in the gym but maybe “shouldn’t give 100% in the kitchen.” I’m not a doctor but I think all the stress from the show is causing Gabe to produce massive amounts of Cortisol thus the weight retention.
Pulver announces the fights. It will be Allen Berube vs Cole Miller. Guess Pulver thought Miller had the best reason.
Gabe is off the hook. Some fighters put on make up. Pretty brave with several homophobes in the house.
Miller is a huge favorite over the “Crustacean Sensation” with10 more fights and 4.5 inches in reach advantage. After several high kicks by Miller Allen secures the takedown only to find him self in a week guillotine attempt. Allen escapes only to find himself locked into a triangle choke. Allen taps and is kicked out of the house. I guess the promotion for his restaurants is over now. Or is it… Monstah Lobstah! Monstah Lobstah! Monstah Lobstah!