Ultimate Fighter 10: Episode 3 Recap

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This is the episode we’ve been waiting for ever since Kimbo Slice was announced as a participant on this season of The Ultimate Fighter. Roy Nelson will battle Kimbo Slice on tonight’s show.

Kimbo has been using his TUF down-time connecting with God. Kimbo Slice will exist as long as his beard does. Those are his words, not mine. Then he goes deep on us by comparing “enemy” to “inner-me.” These TUF houses really must be boring.

Rashad wanted Roy to fight Kimbo because of his experience. He thinks Roy will be the least awed by the aura of Kimbo. He also favors the well-rounded game of Roy Nelson.

Keith Jardine comes in to join Team Rashad. Rashad starts stirring the pot with Rampage now that Jardine is in the house. Rampage is cool with Jardine. He’s not cool with Rashad, however, as Rampage says he was supposed to fight him and not Jardine. Jardine stepped up because Evans wanted to keep his belt longer, according to Rampage. Rashad and Rampage start jawing in the training facility. Rampage thinks Rashad knocked out Chuck Liddell with his bad breath. Rampage calls out McSweeney, who is shaking his head nearby. Rampage taunts him and says he can’t understand him with Rashad’s nuts in his mouth. NICE!

Rampage jokes on Kimbo’s beard and his skull cap. For the record, Kimbo has not found chicken bones in his beard. Kimbo takes it well and Rampage likes his attitude and his humility.

Team Rampage trains Kimbo on the ground. Rampage is having problems simulating the big-belliedness of Roy in sparring. The rest of Team Rampage offers words of encouragement to Kimbo. Meanwhile, Roy is sharing his wisdom with the members of Team Rashad, like counting unanswered punches aloud so the referee has to take action.

Training Session

Team Rampage works on conditioning. What they lack in skill they will make up for in conditioning. Maybe this “lack of skill” thing should have been addressed when they drafted their team.

Marcus Jones steps out of a drill because his knee was hurting. Someone calls out next fight and Marcus gets mad because he was promised the next fight. Rampage calls out Marcus on his knee strength and thinks maybe he shouldn’t fight next since he just stepped out of a drill because his knee was bothering him. Marcus gets upset because he really wants to fight next and takes it as a lack of confidence from his coach. Don’t worry, both sides made up very quickly.

At The House

Marcus Jones is not your typical athlete. He enjoys Dungeons & Dragons, comic books, and gardening. Apparently he’s a badass at the latter. I think he tried out for the wrong show. He should be on The Ultimate Gardener. Marcus has built a friendship with Kimbo despite vastly different interests. Kimbo, however, sees Marcus as a bigger version of himself.

Weigh-In

Kimbo Slice 230 lbs
Roy Nelson 264 lbs

Team Rashad marvels at the skills of Roy Nelson, especially considering his misleading body type. Rashad says Roy is his best guy on the ground and his standup isn’t too bad either.

Fight Day

Rampage and Kimbo play bull and matador as if one of them were playing with their kids. No kids here though. Just to grown men playing matador. Rampage shows off his new Kimbo inspired hairdo.

All the guys in the house are stoked for this fight. Nelson admits that if he gets caught with a good shot then he won’t keep the fight standing.

Kimbo Slice vs. Roy Nelson

Round 1

They trade jabs but it’s mostly a feeling out process early in the standup. Roy lands a nice jab. Kimbo with a leg kick. Kimbo is trying to find his distance. Roy moves in with a left hook but Kimbo blocks. Kimbo gets Roy on the cage and lands two solid shots. Roy tries for a double-leg but Kimbo hits a short uppercut. Roy goes for the takedown. Apparently those shots hurt. Kimbo is doing a good job of avoiding the takedown here. The two are clinched against the cage with two minutes to go in the round. Roy gets Kimbo off the cage and finally is able to trip him down to the mat. Roy moves into full mount, exactly the spot Rampage was having issues with during training. It’s foreshadowing folks. Kimbo nearly cagewalks out of the mount but Roy rolls back on top. Roy moves into crucifix and has Kimbo trapped. Twenty seconds left and Roy is landing unanswered, unblocked shots on Kimbo. There isn’t much on these punches, however. 15 seconds and referee Herb Dean tells Kimbo to fight back or the fight will be stopped. Ten seconds. Five seconds. Round is over. The ref didn’t stop the fight. Granted, the shots weren’t damaging but 20 seconds of unanswered punches should be enough to stop a fight. If there were two minutes left the fight would have been stopped.

Round 2

Kimbo lands a couple of good rights but Roy rushes in and just bodies him to the ground. That’s 264 pounds for you. Roy moves into side control and is looking to crucifix again. He locks Kimbo’s arm and has the same crucifix. More unanswered shots and the ref stops the fight this time.

Winner: Roy Nelson

Dana doesn’t like Roy’s attitude after the fight. Mostly because Roy didn’t finish with devastating shots, so he feels Roy should calm down with his cockiness. Dana also alludes to the fact that Kimbo could be back, as often happens in these tournaments when injuries occur. You can bet that Kimbo will get first dibs as a replacement.

Next Week

Marcus Jones has impressive power in training but collapses in an incident at the house. Rashad envisions eight wins in a row and discusses team strategy. That strategy gets leaked and now Team Rashad has a rat to sniff out. If Marcus can’t continue in the tournament due to collapsing, it could pave the way for Kimbo to return.