This episode begins with Kimbo predicting he will fight next. Roy Nelson talks about the marquee value of a Roy Nelson-Kimbo Slice fight. Kimbo appreciates being a part of Team Rampage. During practice, Rampage says he has a specialist to train with him. Enter Rampage. Kimbo reminds Rampage of himself when he got started. Team Rampage works with Kimbo on his wrestling and calls him a sponge and very coachable.
Team Rashad is feeling good after getting the first win. But there may be a little trouble in paradise. Rashad thinks Roy isn’t taking this very seriously and as a result is uncoachable. He’s set in his ways but Rashad wants him to be more respectful to both the coaches and the other guys on the team. Roy has a sitdown with the coaches as they try to motivate Big Roy. Coach Wittman seems tired of Nelson’s act. He warns Roy that he could end up with Rampage if he doesn’t listen.
Fight Selection
Rampage gets to pick the fight again, per the rules of the coin toss last week. Since Rashad elected to pick the first fighter, Rampage has the power to pick the first two fights. Rampage has already lost the power to pick next week, so it wouldn’t surprise me if this was the last time Rampage gets to pick the matchup again.
Rampage calls out James McSweeney to fight Wes Shivers. Rampage admits he has no strategy for this fight selection. He knows that James is Rashad’s boy and he’s doing it just to be mean. That’s one reason why Rampage won’t be picking again. Rashad likes the matchup.
Training Session
McSweeney is from England but has been training with Greg Jackson and Rashad for over a year. He’s 28 and feels like fighting is what he was built to do. He’s extremley confident against Wes Shivers.
Team Rampage comes to start training but Team Rashad is still using the facility. They are just talking and it doesn’t sit well with Rampage. He thinks they could be doing that anywhere. Rampage proposes that he should go over there and fart on their heads. He calls it the ghetto blaster. Rampage is joking with the team, but he wants them to respect the schedules for practice time. He’s fair but firm. Rashad notes there are a lot of serious undertones to their casual joking relationship. But they could snap in a moment’s notice.
Wes Shivers was drafted into the NFL by the Titans and also tried to get on with Atlanta. Doctors told him he wouldn’t do anything athletic again after shoulder surgery. This is his chance to prove them wrong. Shivers doesn’t think McSweeney can stop him. He’s 6’7 and 270 with a hard straight right. Shivers feels confident that he can take out Rashad’s #1 pick.
Fight Day
Marcus and Demico talk about Shivers vs James. They say no matter how good James is, when he gets hit by a 270 lb man, he’s going to feel it. James and Wes admit to being cordial with each other in the house but this is business.
Wes Shivers vs. James McSweeney
Round 1
Wes ignores the glove tap to start the fight. Now there is a man that listens to his coach.
James goes for a leg kick but Wes is too far away. Wes catches James as he tries to get inside and backs James off. Wes follows and they clinch against the cage. Wes uses his size and forces James to the ground. Half guard for James. Wes looks uncomfortable here. Wes has an arm lock and goes for a kimura. James rolls out and to his feet. James looks winded. High kick from James. James comes in again and Wes catches him low. The ref stops the fight for recovery time. James is ready to go and again, Wes ignores the glove tap. Wes unloads punches and James does some flying kicks. This is wild for heavyweights. Wes looks tired now as both have their hands down. Wes jabs. James is cut next to his left eye. James with a leg kick. Wes is standing still now. James comes to him and whiffs a jab. Time to put that punch in the vault. Wes with a jab. James misses a wild punch. Leg kick from James. Another leg kick countered with an overhand right from Wes. Wes catches a jumping kick and lands an overhand counter. Wes is counter-haymakering. That’s fun. James with a leg kick. Two more jabs from Wes end the round. Sloppy as hell but the action level was nice.
Round 2
James lands a jab and follows with a leg kick. Wes misses a right and nearly knocks James down with a leg kick. Wes jabs, James with a leg kick. Notice what’s working here kids? Wes ducks a high kick and shoots. They scramble but end up back on their feet. Wes catches a kick and dumps James to the ground. Wes moves into half guard. Rampage calls for elbows. Rashad calls for hips. Wes moves into full guard. Wes tries to punch him out and James gives up his back. Wes goes for a choke. James rolls out of the rear naked and gets to his feet. Wes still has James’ back and tries to pull back a choke but James turns into mount on Wes. James actually lets Wes up. Rashad is yelling like banshee at James. “Don’t wait!” He is more annoying than Matt Serra, and I didn’t know that was possible. Rashad seriously won’t have a voice left after this. He’s literally begging James to attack. This is your #1 pick? They are gassed and Wes is throwing lazy leg kicks. Wes goes for a lazy shoot and James kicks him on the way in. It turns into a guillotine for James with 30 seconds left. Wes pops out with ten seconds to go and it could go another round. I certainly hope not. These guys have nothing left.
No third round. Thank God.
Winner: James McSweeney by majority decision 19-19, 20-18, 20-18
Rampage admits he’s in a bad spot right now. He lost the two fights he had control over. He preaches heart to his team and doesn’t want them to quit.
Fight Announcement
Well, you know who this is going to be. I only know one guy on this show that would garner a fight announcement at the end of the episode. Next week’s fight will be:
Roy Nelson vs. Kimbo Slice
Dana White does a quick sell and it’s on folks. It’s the fight you wanted to see. And it’s happening next week.
