Brad’s MMA Blog

The Ultimate Fighter Season 5 Episode 6: No BS. Just Fights.

These are my favorite type of episodes; all fights No BS. No crying, no horses, no ice cream cake, no water bottles in the pool, no speedos errr wait there was one but it was blurred. Although drama wise this has been one of the best seasons since the first. We got 2 great fights “Creepy” Joe Lauzon vs Brian Geraghty and Corey Hill vs Rob Emerson. Lets get to it.

Dana says Joe Lauzon looks like a nerd but will kick your ass. One comment on Joe is that him KOing Pulver was unfuckingbelievable. One of the bigger upsets in UFC history. What were they thinking putting Pulver against such a huge underdog. Way to go Joe.

Pulver talks with Brian before his fight with Joe telling him to forget that they ever fought. “Forget the fact that he hit me.” Jens Pulver. Has Pulver watched that fight? I was there it’s hard to forget. BTW I was screaming for Joe b4 and after the fight.

Brian has an impressive record 24-9-2.

Joe tried to stay as calm as possible. Joe’s blank stare looks focused.

No weigh ins.

Fight 1.

Lauzon takes Brian easy. Brian shows no offense as he pulled guard when Joe got an underhook and was slammed down near the cage. From their Lauzon lands some brutal elbows and looks to have Brian hurt. In a scramble Brain gets to his feet but gives Lauzon his back. Lauzon takes no chances and finishes the fight with a rear naked choke with out any hooks in.

Wow that was quick. BJ gets his first win. BJ is fired up. What a great coaching job by BJ eh Chuck?

I’m going to stick to my guns and say no matter who coached who in the first 5 fights the same person would have won. This is more a credit to Pulver thought as he is playing Joe Silva in these fights. +1 Pulver.

Even thought Brian like Pulver left Joe unscathed Joe hit his head pretty good on the takedown.

“Kid’s good… it means I didn’t get knocked out by a bitch.” – Pulver.

Was Pulver secretly rooting for Joe?

Brian feels he left his heart in the dressing room. He has never been so embarrassed in his life.

Dana tells us that the Hill/Emerson fight decides control of the next fight matchup. Look as though BJ’s win is for naught.

Emerson seems grateful for his opportunity hopefully he fights like it. Emerson thinks Corey isn’t as half as good as Nate. I agree.

It seems as though Corey lied about his fight record. His 4-0 record is a farce. He tells Pulver that he has 2 amateur fights one in a cage and one in ring. Do you believe him? I don’t. Wonder what else he is lying about.

6’4 155 is insane. Good move by Dana and crew.

BJ thinks Emerson can walk right thru him. I think so as well. Two amateur fights against the most experienced fighter on the show. If Emerson can land a few good shots early and set the tone of the fight this should be an easy fight to get him into the next round.

Fight 2.

The fight doesn’t go as BJ or I had it planned. In the first Corey comes out early and establishes his reach advantage and gains much needed confidence by breaking away from Emerson clinch and avoiding a take down. Emerson lands a few shots of his own including some great low kicks but Hill now knows he is in the fight.

BJ thinks Coreys punches aren’t doing any damage Rob should just power thru them.

In the second Emerson seems to have figured Hill out landing punches and kicks at will while Corey is able to land his stay away from me jabs. The round ends in exciting fashion with Emerson and Corey tangled up with Emerson cranking on a pretty good Heel Hook.

When the fight goes to the judges it seems we have our first tie.

In round 3 Corey once again does a good job of establishing his reach advantage and keeping Rob at bay. Rob is mentally unable to get past the fact that he is getting hit but does land a few good rights and kicks. The jabs are doing no real damage and once again Rob fights to the level of his opponent. The fight en

The third is close but Dana thinks Emerson won.

Corey hill wins.

Corey admits after the fight that this was his first fight. Dana admits that he knew that as well. Maybe Horn is right about this kid after all. I think he will be an easy out in the next round.

Brad Doerges
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MMA-Fighter.com on MySpace

Thanks to a blog reader Taisei Kickuchi has been Revealed. Answering a question I posted in a previous blog reader Josh C. Let me in on a member of Jen’s Pulvers coaching staff.

He was a wrestler from Port Washington, NY in Long Island. After high school, he went on and wrestled at the University of Buffalo. He was on the team all 5 years at UB and was one of the team’s leaders. He fought through some bad knee injuries and surgeries and thus never qualified for nationals.

It also looks as if he has been competing in the XFO.

http://fcfighter.brinkster.net/fighter.asp?FighterID=256431

Thanks Again Josh for the response.

Brad

From the previews last week it looks as thought this weeks show will be less about Gabe Ruedigers and Corey Hills fight and more about Gabe trying to make weight. Will BJ finally get a win this week? Will Tony DeSouza make another grown man cry? Let’s Find out!

Team Pulver questions why Andy didn’t try to take Brandon Melendez down. I’m still wondering that as well. It’s not like he is a monster on the ground its just that he stands no chance on his feet with a guy that “ has 2 inches of height and 9 inches in reach on Wang”. Quoting myself wasn’t as fulfilling as I initially thought it would be.

Pulver realizes that if he keeps winning then his team keeps picking the fights. Does he say the same exact thing after every fight or is this stock footage?

I think this brings up an interesting situation where it looks like it will Team Pulver vs Team Pulver in the semis.

Team Penn Training Session.

Lobstah is disgusted with Andy for not using his black belt in Brazillian Jiu Jitsu in the fight. 155ers around the world are disgusted that Allen Berube (2-1) got a shot over them… Especially the guy who KOed him in under 20 seconds.

Penn is frustrated. He had two inexperienced guys go down and one heart breaker with Emerson. Wang who wont listen to a word anyone says. “Is this the Bad News Bears or what?” –Penn

We cut to Noah and DeSouza rolling. BJ doesn’t think Noah is taking his training seriously. Noah is getting mauled. “He is missing a chromosome.” Tony doesn’t take Noah’s jokes kindly and makes him pay by putting Noah in every choke and uncomfortable position possible. Noah gets pist and kicks a heavy bag. Noah screams “so a better guy beat me… So what!” I don’t know if he is referring to Manvel or DeSouza. Noah walks off while Tony yells at him to stop talking shit.

“(I’m) all about business when it comes to grappling and fighting.” — Tony DeSouza

Now to the drama; Gabe is at 176 and he feels he should be at 170 so he can easily be ready to fight.

Looks like the producers over at Spike bought the house a cake. How convenient its Gabes favorite. Is this one of the things they ask you in the pre screening process? Gabe is just going to have a small piece. Gabe says he is mad at himself. Sounds like a line from America’s Biggest Loser.

Matt Wiman calls Gabe the weakest link because he is not ready to fight. He is right for once.

TUF Standings. Team Penn is taking a beating. Literally.

Corey Picks Gabe. Gabe says he looked into Corey’s eyes and can see fear. The barking dog is gone.

Team Penn discusses some strategy for the fight. Gabe thinks that he will be fine on the ground if Corey takes him down. BJ says Corey won’t try to take him down but instead will go for Sprawl and Brawl or as I like to Ultimate Boxing.

BJ says Gabe needs to concentrate on making weight. The question is if he does make weight will be able to fight after. I saw Joe Riggs being dragged out of the weigh ins after he struggled to make weight for his fight with Matt Hughes and it clearly showed when they fought.

Team Penn starts discussing strategy for the fight on their way home from the gym. Gabe wants to talk fight strategy while his team mates want to talk about his weight. Gabe’s cutting strategy begins with going home and taking a nap. Gray thinks Gabe should hit the gym, Gabe says Corey doesn’t have the fire.

Gabe thinks the only thing that can stop him is himself. Or a chocolate Ice Cream cake.

Gabe weighs in. 173.5 only 17.5 to go Gabe puts on the sweat suit and gets to work errrrrr I mean he starts walking on the treadmill.

Gabe is at 169.5 with 16 hours till weigh in. At this rate he might make it. I heard that Gabe was about 17lbs over the day before his weigh in at UFC 63 and we all know how well that fight went. Wait it didn’t go well at all.

Gabe loses a bit more over night. He is at 163.5 in the morning so its back to walking on the treadmill. Gabe reweighs in with 2 hours left and has only lost 1.5lbs since the first weigh in. Gray says he hasn’t done anything. I disagree walking on the treadmill got him to lose 4 lbs yesterday why wouldn’t it put him 8lbs lower today?

They take him to the sauna but Gabe is being lazy about it only staying for a minute at a time then wanting to get out. Gray and BJ get in the sauna with him for support. BJ tells Emerson to get geared up and begin cutting weight incase Gabe can’t do it.

BJ thinks Gabe is wimping out. He sits on the bike in the sauna for just a few minutes barely pedaling then keeps wanting to leave. He steps out of the sauna and falls over.

“I’ll make the weight.” – Gabe Ruedigar

Phone Poll: “Will gabe make weight?” 45% think yes.

They drag him back in the sauna. Gabe wants to check his weight. Gabe wants to give up only 3 lbs over. Now they are taping the bags on. Gray is the sauna with him trying to help Gabe. I’m quickly turning into a fan of Gray. Gabe falls off the bike for the last time.

Corey makes 155.5 easy.

Team Pulver is waiting at the gym for the weigh ins. They are told they must go back to the house now. Corey starts to realize what is happening and he is not happy.

Cut to Gabe on the ground. B put me back in…. then he starts breaking down into his death bed voice. “Just grab me and put me in their”. Penn and Gray tell him if he wants back in he will have to get up and get in the sauna himself. Gabe doesn’t budge.

Some one comments that Gabe should be on another show; “Celebrity fit club.” Fucker stole my joke. Some people think he didn’t want to make weight. Manvel wants him out of the house.

We find out that they took Gabe to the hospital and gave him an IV.

Once back at the house Gabe gets more backlash then he expected. Gabe is apologizing to everyone. Corey accepts his apology but Emerson doesn’t want to hear it. Gabe feels like he is getting treated like a pariah. That’s an understatement.

BJ wonders if this was his whole plan to not fight on the show. I wonder what’s wrong with Gabe and how much being away from home is effecting him.

Pulver thinks Corey should get a pass. Pulver calls Gabe Fat boy and Lazy guy and suggest he get sponsored by burger boy or donut world.

Dana calls all the fighters to the gym and he is not happy. Here comes the do you want to be a fighter speech.

Nothing pisses Dana off then not making weight. Looking bad for TUF season 4 winner Travis Lutter. Don’t worry Dana doesn’t hold a grudge ask Josh Barnette. Dana says you shouldn’t be here if you can’t make 155 lbs. He asks Gabe Is this what you really want to do? You’re not staying here! Gabe got kicked out of the house.

Gabe crys to the confessional cam. This so much more than just a sport to Gabe; “Its my life.”

Dana wants everyone to come out like Nate Diaz and Emerson. No one gets a free fucking pass. Emerson is coming back to fight. BJ is happy!

We have our top 4. A new begging for Team Penn. Team Penn is punished for not working together to halp gabe cut weight. Pulver gets to pick the next 2 fights.

At fight picking time Brian wants to fight Wayne Weems but can’t so he chooses Joe Lauzon instead. Corey picks to fight Emerson. Looks like BJ finally got to choose a matchup.

Next show 2 fights one show. Watch it.

Brad Doerges