The first round of fights are officially over and we’ve got four fights left to determine who’ll be on the TUF Season 18 finale, competing for a guaranteed spot on the UFC roster. Coming off a Fight for the Troops card where two of the past three winners of the show (Colton Smith, Michael Chiesa) faced off, it’s nice to see fighters still in the infancy of their career jockeying for a spot in the UFC.
We begin, as always, with fallout from last week’s fight/elimination. Ronda brought food over to the house for her team for those who had been eliminated. She’s also a heck of a bartender, apparently.
There’s some jealousy on Meisha’s team because Tate has favorites, Holdsworth and Pena apparently. Mainly it’s complaints from those who’ve lost about how little time they receive against those who Tate and her staff have perceived to be capable of winning the tournament. I can sympathize with them, of course, but from a coaching standpoint it makes sense to put your eggs in the basket of the fighter who can win.
Holdsworth talks (a couple segments later) about how it kind of sucks to have won, with everyone eating poorly and not training with him regularly. It’s difficult to be moving forward around a group of people who aren’t. Tate’s coaching staff talks the guy up fairly substantially. He’s doing everything the right way, working hard and eating right.
Wooten (again, little later) is a bit homesick and has a bit of the cabin fever.
The final eight, and the coaches, go to Harley Davidson to play with some motorcycles. The winner of each weight class, and their coach, gets a motorcycle. Cain Velasquez shows up to talk about motorcycles and whatnot with the cast.
Nate Diaz show up to work with Team Rousey. Diaz teaches some BJJ to her team. Team Rousey loves the guy. Davey Grant named his kid after him, apparently, and one of the first fights Rousey made a point to see was Diaz/Gamburyan at the TUF Season 5 finale.
Tate comes in and does some shenanigans at the house with some Silly String wars. A friend of Tate & Carraway, Kenny Salvini, comes in to chat with the group about setback and whatnot. Salvini is a motivational speaker after having become crippled in a skiing accident.
Both guys are on weight.
Tonight’s fight is three rounds, if needed. No two rounds and a third if necessary.
Round 1 – Holdsworth gets the takedown a minute in and looks to grind in. Wooten’s up and Holdsworth jumps on his back about midway through the round. He’s got a good body triangle and sinks a RNC in. Takes him some time but he gets the tap at 3:07 of the first round.
Holdsworth advances to the TUF Season 18 finale.
Next week is Sarah Moras vs. Julianna Pena.
