The Ultimate Fighter Season 13 Episode 4

Results, Top Story

This week’s epsidoe opens with a few words from the now in control Junior Dos Santos. He doesn’t really say anything of substance, “I like to be in control.” and that is about it. Lew contributes that he feels as though Team Dos Santos is outworking Team Lesnar. . .well of course HE feels that way. He even goes so far as to take a swipe at Lesnar for not caring. And since Lesnar doesn’t care, in his mind they are just simply going to get stomped.

Back at Camp Lesnar Len is lamenting his loss on the last episode. Lesnar himself returns from his emergency trip home and talks about how Len’s loss took the wind out of his sails. Clay seems to be having trouble during training and Lesnar sends him out of the cage. Charlie also has trouble getting motivated and hears about it from Lesnar. Perhaps there is something to what Lew is saying.

Next we are treated to the obligatory drunken shenanigans around the house. Chuck is goofing off and dragging a bed outside. Why? it doesn’t matter why. I’m sure this nonsense appeals to a certain demographic, and I’m sure that I dislike that demographic.

Fight Announcement

Team Dos Santos has control and with said control they choose:

Ramsey Nijem vs. Charlie Rader

After a quick commercial break we find ourselves back at the house and we soon discover that Ramsey has painted sparkly toenails and that he watches Glee. The homophobes waste no time in tormenting him for it. There are also clips of him dancing around the house naked while his housemates pour water over him. Then there is a strangely erotic shot of him and Shamar sitting on a bed together while Shamar rubs his back.

In the evening Ramsey is sitting around with the whole of Team Lesnar while they accuse him of only being on the show to look sexy. He takes that info back to his room where he discusses how they are eating out of his hand and totally underestimating him.

The next day for training Brock Lesnar brings Matt Hughes in as a training partner for his team. There are the usual shots of the guys rolling around on the ground with Hughes. It’s a rather short scene but it was still nice to see Hughes as he has been off the radar since his brutal knockout at the hands of BJ Penn in November.

From there we watch as Ramsey prepares for his fight. It is really scenes like this that showcase the staleness of the show. We have been watching guys spar for the past 13 seasons and as a form of entertainment it is really rather lacking. I’m not big on the stupidness that goes on in the house but I find it more satisfying than this.

Charlie discusses his game plan. He expects Ramsey to utilize his wrestling and try and take him down.

The budding relationship between Chuck and Charlie is explored. Chuck is very confident that Charlie will win by 1st Round KO.

Weigh In

Charlie Rader = 170 pounds

Ramsey Nijem= 170 pounds

During the weigh ins Lesnar notices the infamous toenails, then back in the locker room he tells Charlie that if he doesn’t beat Ramsey he is a disgrace. Charlie is still talking gameplans with his teammates and he seems to be fixating on stuffing Ramsey’s wrestling chops. The rest of his team is insisting that he knock Ramsey out.

Ramsey’s pre-fight interview has his talking about how he doesn’t care about the TV aspect to this show and that he is used to not fighting for glory. He goes back to his days as a college wrestler wherein he was fighting in crappy towns in front of crowds of 7 who don’t even care when he defeats a real badass.

Charlie Rader vs. Ramsey Nijem

Round 1- Herb Dean is the ref for this contest. Nijem backs Rader up with punches then ties him up in the clinch on the cage. Rader responds with knees to Nijem’s leg. Nijem returns with knees of his own, Rader likewise and so on. Nijem gets underhooks and starts to land his knees with more effectiveness. Nijem hits one of knees below the belt, Rader sells it properly and gets the break he so desperately needed. It does him very little good as Ramsey immediately backs him up against the cage again. We go right back to a kneeing contest. Rader lands some weak shots to the face. This set up goes on for a while until, with about a minute left, Nijem scores a takedown. Rader stands up about 15 seconds later. Nijem doesn’t let go and with 30 seconds left he gets another takedown. He stands up and lands a huge shot to the grounded Rader and then the round ends. 10-9 Nijem.

Round 2- Rader tries to swing early on but Nijem quickly penetrates and goes for a takedown. Rader staves it off for a second by grabbing the cage but he goes down soon enough. Nijem threatens to take the back but Rader counters with some big shots. Nijem weathers the storm and gets the back. From there he is able to slowly work his way into a rear naked choke which quickly ends the fight.

Ramsey Nijem def. Charlie Rader via Submission (Rear Naked Choke)- Round 2

After the fight Lesnar rips on his fighter saying that the fight was over as soon as Ramsey stepped in the cage. He questions Charlie’s heart and points to how long it took him to tap out. To show just how pissed off he is he tosses a stool across the gym and rants about how his guys don’t even want to be there. In an interview Dana White is all too eager to back up his meal ticket talking about how terrible it is that Lesnar, who doesn’t need the money and doesn’t need the fame, was kind enough to take time out of his life for these kids and yet they don’t even care.

Post fight Lesnar takes his team apart in the locker room calling them all “chicken shit” and repeating the word “choke” over and over and over again. Len, in a move of integrity, gets up and walks out on Lesnar saying that he left it all in the cage so he’ll just skip the rest of the ass chewing. Lesnar gives it back to him and the episode there. Staged or otherwise that was good TV and the high point of a rather uneventful show.

Final Thoughts

Not a ton to love here as the lead up to the fight revolved around Ramsey’s painted toenails and TV preferences and the fight itself was boring and not very competitive. As mentioned the post fight tirade from Lesnar and Len’s anger towards it made the show passable but only barely. The teaser for next week promised a serious injury and more from Len as he continues to stew over Lesnar’s comments.