Team Canada, led by Canadian MMA stalwart Patrick Cote, is now 3-0 with three dominant wins. This week Tyler Manawaroa looks to stop the tide as he faces off against Team Canada’s Nordine Taleb. We’ll find out that in the next hour as it’s time for yet another episode of TUF: Nations. Welcome fight fans; as always I’ll be here to give you play by play for the entire episode that was.
As always we start out with the fallout from last week’s fight. Team Australia is disappointed in their loss as Team Canada discusses going undefeated through the first round.
Historical note: Team Canada goes into this week’s fight at 3-0. So far history is in play in an odd sense. The only season where a near sweep happened was Jackson/Evans on season 10 as Team Evans started out 7-0. It would be something special if Team Canada swept out Team Australia but not amazing. Plenty of Canada’s best prospects are in this house and most of the Australian team is significantly less heralded.
This week we’re promised some international violence with the phrase “don’t blink” coming into phrase. Time for the usual fighter profiles. Manawwaroa has never seen snow before and has a fun time in the Canadian winter.
Most of Taleb’s wins come via strikes. Taleb has the physique the UFC loves and apparently a short temper. He looks huge for the weight class. Physically he reminds me of Josh Sammon from TUF Season. He’s a fight poster kind of guy. He’s got three fights in Bellator, losing his last one (which was his last fight).
Most of Manawaroa’s come from submissions. Manawaroa kind of looks like a smaller version of Mark Hunt; I wouldn’t be shocked if his submission skills were complimented by being a tough Australian guy with an iron chin. He’s also 19 and would’ve been on the “Smashes” season of TUF if not for the fact he was 17 at the time. Coming in he’s the best fighter on Team Australia, on paper at least. He’s undefeated and a stud of a prospect like Robert Whittaker, who was the best prospect out of the area on the “Smashes” season of TUF.
Both camps talk up their fighters and this feels like something special is going to happen.
TUF House Fight: Tyler Manawaroa vs. Nordine Taleb
Round 1: The Kiwi (Manawaroa is originally from New Zealand and trains out of Australia) wants this on the ground. Taleb wants to stand. Manawaroa tries all round to make this a NAGA match and Taleb wants to play Glory. Interesting style dynamic going on as Taleb outlands him but the Kiwi is a tough kid and eats all of it without much of a problem. 10-9 Taleb
Round 2: Manawaroa decides he wants to play Glory, too, and now we’ve got ourselves a stand up brawl to start the fight. He gets nutted a minute in and gets some time to recover. Absolutely wild brawl in the second as both guys are throwing DOWN. 10-9 Manawaroa, 19-19
We’ve got a third round!
Round 3: Both guys come out throwing for the fences as this is a wild, wild brawl. Taleb turns it on but he’s eating a lot of punishment, too, as the Kiwi isn’t giving him an inch. He gets a late takedown that seals it on my scorecard. The Aussie gets a sweep and nearly get the finish as he can’t finish it out. INSANELY close and that final flurry could’ve swung a judge or two. I’ve got it 10-9 Taleb … but I’m not sure if that’ll be the final verdict.
Official decision: Tyler Manawaroa wins by unanimous decision
Afterwards Taleb is carried to the hospital as his foot is broken. He broke it in the first round, apparently.
Team Australia now has the hammer and a perfect sweep by Team Canada is now officially ruined. We have our next fight, too, as Kyle Noke unveils it in front of everyone.
Richard Walsh vs. Matthew DesRoches
