The episode starts with a van ride back to the house, with Team Ortiz team members talking about the dissapointing loss of McCray from the previous week. ProMMAnow.com TUF 11 blogger Kyacey Uscola believes the reason that McCray gassed was due to Coach Ortiz overtraining the entire team.
“I hate to say it but I know [expletive] Tito knows it,” said Uscola. “From the day that he knew he was fighting, he went through the whole [expletive] workout with us, hard as [expletive].”
Coach Liddell on the other hand is pretty pleased with the 4-1 record that his team has achieved so far in the competition.
Back at the house, Yager and McCray discuss the topic amongst themselves.
“I don’t think Ortiz overtrains us, that’s the kind of stuff I gravitate to,” said McCray. “I think I get better when I get broken down and get built up.”
During a training session for team Ortiz, a couple of team members disagreed with the notion that overtraining is an issue. After word gets back to Coach Ortiz, Tito calls a meeting to discuss the topic, and to address the issue head on as a team. After a quick talk, the team seems to be back on the same page and ready to get control back in the competition.
Now it is time for the coaches challenge that was previewed last week, and what better of a competition could we have between Chuck and Tito then Dodgeball?
“If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball,”
I guess we will see. Dana breaks it down for the competition: First team to 3 wins $10,000.
In game one, team Liddell easily picks off all of Team Ortiz until only Coach Ortiz remains. With only Tito left, game 1 easily goes to Team Liddell.
Games 2 and 3 go much the same. Coach Liddell capped off the series win with a one-on-one victory over his nemesis, eliminating Coach Ortiz, and collecting his $10k.
Back to the training center, with Coach Liddell back in control. Cort McGee will be stepping into the Octagon for Team Liddell, and will be facing off against TUF 11 favorite Nick Ring from Team Ortiz.
Coach Liddell’s reason for picking Ring is a simple one.
“I want to take out who everyone else thinks is their best guy,” said Liddell. “I want that, I mean you got to beat him sooner or later.”
McGee has an interesting story, with a serious drug habit that nearly took his life. He actually came back to life after briefly dying while shooting up, and it is pretty amazing that this kid is on the show chasing his dream.
Team Ortiz resumes their training when a pretty severe looking injury occurs during sparring. James is taken down while training in the cage, and landed awkwardly on his back, and had to be taken out of the building on a stretcher. With injuries mounting, it will be interesting to see who will find their way back into the competition.
Team Ortiz fighter Nick Ring explains that knee injuries caused him almost three years away from mixed martial arts, and that he is blessed to be able to compete again.
Hammortree returns to the training center to give Coach Ortiz the latest on his back injury. It seems, at least at this time, that Hammortree may be able to recover from the injury, as there are no breaks or anything else severe enough to immediately eliminate him from the competition.
After the weigh-ins, it’s fight time.
Round 1 – McGee lands first with a straight right hand. McGee goes upstairs with the kick, then shoots in and gets an early takedown. Ring is controlling McGee’s posture nicely from his back. So far McGee has been unable to work free to land any shots of significance from the top.
Ring looks for a hip sweep, then works to his feet. Ring is now establishing his leg kicks going high, then working the legs. McGee comes back with a kick of his own. Head kick by Ring just misses, and he is now controlling the distance with his kicks. McGee ate a shot and looks hurt.
McGee closes the distance and goes to the clinch. Ring lands several knees to the body and outside thigh of McGee. So far, Ring is winning the clinch game.
McGee disengages and throws an elbow as he backs out to create space. Ring scores again with an inside leg kick as McGee comes forward. McGee shoots for a takedown but it’s stuffed and Ring now has the neck of McGee.
McGee is reaching for a leg, but Ring quickly transitions to his back and is looking to get a hook in. McGee turns into him and gains half guard. Ring looks to pass, but McGee is keeping his guard for the time being. Ring is now posturing for some punches from the top. Ring is now landing some nice right hands forcing McGee to scramble from his back.
McGee regains full guard, but is eating some big punches from the top. That is how Round 1 ends. ProMMAnow.com scores Round 1 for Nick Ring, 10-9.
Round 2 – Ring comes out looking to kick, and McGee counters with a right hand. McGee with a leg kick, and Ring counters with a strong inside leg kick that nearly takes McGee off of his feet.
Ring goes headhunting, then gets back to the leg kicks. McGee with a nice counter right hand. McGee with a spinning back kick. McGee is staying busy with combos, but is still taking leg kicks.
Ring moves forward dipping his head and eats an uppercut. Ring lands a right hand then a kick. McGee is coming forward now with right hands. Ring looks to clinch and gets caught with an uppercut again. Ring gets the clinch but only for a moment. McGee is finding a home for his right uppercut now.
5 punch combo from McGee, and now he is getting the better of the stand up, and seems fresher. Leg kick by Ring, uppercut by McGee. Ring is now throwing the jab more consistently.
Back to the clinch with knees from Ring. McGee is the busier of the two with punches, while Ring is landing more kicks. Nice right hand lands flush for Ring, and McGee just misses with a wild right hand. Ring comes forward and gets caught with another 3 punch combo.
Very busy round for both guys. Ring goes back upstairs but McGee is still coming forward. Nice jab by Ring, he’s now doubling up with his jab. McGee comes in wild and Ring clinches, then lands a knee to the thigh.
A takedown could decide this round. McGee is working the body of Ring with right hands,. They disengage with :20 to go. Ring with kicks, McGee with punches to the body. McGee finishes strong with a 4 punch combo as the bell sounds. ProMMAnow.com scores Round 2 for Cort McGee.
Before the official word is in, Coach Liddell and Yager get into a shouting match over who really won the fight.
There will be no 3rd round… we have a decision, and the decision goes to Nick Ring. That was a pretty close fight, and I personally thought that the fight should have went 3. Coach Liddell agrees with ProMMAnow.com, but it since we are not judges, McGee gets the loss instead of getting a third round.
Stay tuned here at ProMMAnow.com for weekly recaps of all of the episodes of “The Ultimate Fighter: Team Liddell vs. Team Ortiz,” and check out guest blogger Kyacey Uscola’s weekly blog exclusively here at ProMMAnow.com
Should have been a 3rd round!!