Another week and another episode of TUF … this week we begin with the fallout of last week’s fight as Jessica Rakoczy stopped Roxanne via knockout. David Grant vs. Louis Fisette is next with Team Rousey in control. We get the usual introductions and explorations of each fighter going in.
Grant is hoping to use TUF to make enough money to get married to his girlfriend. She works while he fights and they have children together, apparently.
Fisette is happy to be there, after being eliminated in the first round. He gave up his job for this, apparently.
- Main storylines this week:
House shenanigans – We get some truth or dare, which is fairly dull. It’s not quite cringe inducing … but it’s unremarkable, even by TUF standards.
Ronda’s mom stops by – Every sport has its version of a stage mom and Mrs. Rousey, a legitimate badass, might be MMA’s first. She’s kind of a scary cat, too. Dr. Ann Maria Demars does hold a world title in Judo and gives some pretty good advice when discussing the nature of the fight game. You can see why Rousey is the way she is based on her mother.
Weight management – The curse of Gabe Ruediger lives on as the curse of eating poorly, and struggling to maintain a good fighting weight, is profiled. Anthony Gutierrez is made fun of for eating a lot but he’s at 150, which isn’t a horrible cut to make at 135. The Brit uses an Epson salt bath to sweat off the 13 lbs or so he needs. The American claims to be less than 10 off. Both make weight on fight day with everyone’s favorite NSAC adviser, Keith Keizer, looking it over.
Raquel Pennington is out of the closet. More power to her. Her family wasn’t supportive at first but her father apparently helped her accept being a gay athlete. Considering she isn’t fighting this episode it’s odd they’d pull this clip out without a ton of context around her. Until the end, at least.
Pranks begin – Perhaps the stupidest part of the show has been the pranks. The first one was Team Tate making a Count from Sesame Street gag. Yawn.
The Fight – David Grant vs. Louis Fisette
Round 1: Really wild fight as Fisette nearly got stopped at the end of the first with strikes. Grant has a pretty big edge with his hands and it’s pretty obvious.
Round 2: Grant gets the early takedown and taps Fisette with a RNC at 1:02 of the second.
Rouse still has the hammer.
Next week’s fight – Jessamyn Duke vs. Racquel Pennington
