The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights

[Blue Chipper]

I'll skip to my personal feelings and takes on this weeks episode since everyone alredy knows what's happening.

The match between Kimbo and Nelson felt like a wrestling match in that I was rooting deeply for the face, which I percieve as Kimbo, to prevail against the heel, which I think was clearly Nelson. I love UFC, but for some reason, Iv'e grown quite fond of Slice. He seems like a genuinely nice guy, and he has made the show slightly, but noticably, more entertaining. I loathed Big Country, extremely; He had some bastard-ish tendincies.

It was a roller coaster of a match. Kimbo displayed some moderately good punching, at first, and my heart sunk when Country took him down. It completely ticked me off watching Slice (the good guy) get stuck by a fat ass bastard in the crucifix, although the punches looked girlishly weak (as also noted by Dana). Then, the second time, I gave up hope. It just absolutely sickened me watching that. It was anti-climactic. It was worse seeing Roy prance around the ring showboating, while he wasn't even dominate, with Slice being the loser. Slice, given time, could become a great mma fighter, in my opinion. Kimbo didn't originally "draw" me into watching TUF ( Iv'e always been an avid MMA fan), however Slice was someone I slowly grew attached to due to his surprisingly positive personality. It was truly like, to me, a heel vs. face fight in wrestling where you wanted the face to win. Is that weird?

Yea, JMT and others will probably be more heavy with the actual show and nicely review it, however this was my particular (unique) take on this fight.

 

[salomon1080s]

totally disappointed in the kimbo fight...

they spent the entire show building up kimbo as this hard worker that has learned some ground game, only to to watch him lie there unable to get off his back like a turtle. When the fight was on their feet i couldn't be more excited for a knock out, but my excitement soon turned to boredom as nelson laid his gut on kimbo the rest of the fight. I was hoping herb dean was going to stand them back up too bad roy nelson was still getting those pathetic punches.

Before the promo for next week even aired, i knew dana white would find a way to get him back on the show. As big of a ufc fan, i'm i have no interest in the reality show without kimbo.

For the record, rampage jackson is a terrible coach and his fighters are doomed to fail in the octagon because of it.

 

[jmt225]

I'm disappointed like salomon. That fight was fucking horseshit.

Okay, first of all.... in the 1st Round, Herb Dean should have separated them when Nelson was doing NOTHING except holding Kimbo up against the cage. That lasted for like a good minute and a half! And then, once Nelson gets him down, he gets mount and is unable to do anything with it. That was fucking pathetic! So what does he do? He lays that big ass belly on Kimbo, and proceeds to land some of the weakest Ground and Pound in the history of MMA. Seriously, what he did with trapping Kimbo's arm while laying on top of him was EXACTLY what Brock Lesnar did to Frank Mir at UFC 100, except, the difference is that Lesnar actually wanted to win the fight like a REAL fighter, not like some fucking chump.

In the beginning of the episode, they showed Nelson talking about how he wins fights with weak ass shots, while counting out loud, just to get the ref's attention where he has to stop a fight. Honest to God, who the fuck wants to win like that? That's not a win; it's a chicken shit move made by some fat ass who doesn't want to wear himself out.

Fuck Roy Nelson. I cannot wait to see this pussy get his ass beatdown. I don't know who's going to do it, but hopefully it occurs in the Semi-Finals. That bitch doesn't deserve to go to the Finals as far as I'm concerned. His stand-up is shit, and so is his ground game.

As far as Kimbo... while I don't wish any ill will for Marcus Jones, as he seems like I really cool dude, but I really hope Kimbo gets another shot. I agree with what Dana had to say about him. He showed up, worked hard, had a tremendous attitude, and if there's someone injured or gets kicked out, then Kimbo should be the first in line to take his place.

But yeah... disappointing fight. My friends who are casual fans got really turned off by it, and I imagine so did a lot of other casual fans of the sport who tuned in just to see Kimbo. While I'm sure the ratings will be great for the program, this was still a loss for the UFC, ESPECIALLY if Kimbo doesn't fight again until the Finale where I'm sure he'll have an undercard fight no matter what. Terrible fight, and once again... fuck Roy Nelson.

 

[INDYjon22]

I'll agree about the fight last night. Even though Roy Nelson is my pick to win it all he fought like a fuck head. He talks a lot of shit that I honestly have not decided yet if he can back it up. He is probably the best well rounded fighter in the house rivaled by only Wes Sims in my eyes but his fight with Kimbo left a lot to be desired. He tryed boxing and it didnt work so he did exactly what Rampage said he would do and laid his fat belly on Kimbo. The biggest belly in the world beat Kimbo Slice not Roy Nelson. Now I do agree that the fight should have been stopped on the only basis of Kimbo not knowing how to defend himself in that position but I don't think it should have ended like that. Nelson was not making any big hits on Kimbo and really wasnt doing all that much. If they wanted to be fair it should have been kept on the feet because of the lack of action. I thought Kimbo was on his way to a win until the knee didnt work out.

 

[Rizza]

Like INDYjon above me Roy Nelson is my pick to take the whole thing, and has been since the show started a few weeks ago based solely on his experience with MMA, he's not who I want to win, as I am personally rooting for James Mcsweeney, but he is who I think will win. That being said I was wanting Kimbo to win that fight, just because he seems like such a good guy, and because Roy Nelson is a Jackass. As we all seen though Kimbo was defeated by the largest stomach in MMA and not very convincingly either. Oh well, at least he will still be on the show as apparently no body gets sent home this season, which is bullshit in my opinion, but they can't risk there biggest draw leaving the show, which is understandable. I think that if Kimbo could have kept it standing, that he wouldv'e taken it as it appeared he was boxing Nelson pretty good, but the ground has been Kimbo's Achilles heal of MMA, and I was not surprised when Nelson gained complete and total control after the takedowns. Damn Roy Nelson makes himself a easy motherfucker not to like though doesn't he? Did he seriously ask for a hamburger after the fight was over, I couldn't believe that shit, and I bet that after his "win" over Kimbo his ego is going to be larger then before which I'm sure will be a nightmare for the everyone in the house. All in all a solid episode which leaves me looking forward to the next one.

 

[jmt225]

Just a quick ratings update for this week's episode; Dana White is claiming the show drew 6.8 million viewers, while Dave Meltzer is claiming it drew 6.1 million.

Either way, that's a lot of fucking people. I mean, I think everyone knew it would be a lot, but damn... you just cannot underestimate Kimbo's drawing power. The guy has a HUGE fan base. But the question is... did he lose a good majority of that fan base after his performance on the show? I guess only time will tell, but right now, while it's of course possible we see him fight again on the show, I read a rumor that Kimbo will be fighting in December at UFC 107 (the show Rampage ditched), and that tells me that either Kimbo doesn't fight again on the show, or if he does... he loses once more. But it'll be interesting to see how he can draw on pay-per-view, especially after his last fight.

 

[Marquis]

Well I finally got around to watching the episode, and like most predicted, Roy of course won. I was surprised to see Kimbo did better then I expected. His stand up looked fine, better then Roy's for sure, and on the ground, while Roy did dominate him there, Kimbo almost rolled Roy over to his back, sadly I'm sure the weight disadvantage is what kept him from doing it. I'm not sure why everyone seems so bothered by the fight. He layed on Kimbo, big deal, it happens all the time in the sport, it's called lay and pray. At least he made a effort to try and TKO him, which he did. He even gave away how he was gonna win the fight when he was giving his teammates pointers in the house, explaining just to keep hitting a way for stoppage no matter how weak. So it could have been predicted.

Anyway, they're already setting up Kimbo's return apparently, and given any other fighter in the house besides Roy, I think Kimbo stands a good chance of winning. Shame he has to replace the coolest guy in the house so far, if it happens.

 

[jmt225]

I think Rampage showed himself to be a real cunt tonight by not consoling his fighter after his loss. I completely agree with EVERYTHING Rashad Evans had to say on the matter. And speaking of Rashad, with each passing episode, I like the dude more and more.

Anyway, Brendan Schaub vs. Demico Rogers was by far the best fight we had this season. It was four minutes of non-stop, back and forth action. I really thought Demico had the fight won when he got it to the ground, but Schaub showed a lot of heart and skill by eventually getting the upper hand and locking in that beautiful Anaconda Choke. Very good fight. Hopefully the remaining fights are just as good...

 

[Slyfox696]

I pretty much agree with jmt on this one. I guess I didn't have as much of a problem with Rampage not being there to console his fighter as I did with him just not being there. Like, at all...before the fight, Rampage and the coaches were no where to be found. How the heck can a guy depend on his coaches if they aren't there? I thought that was just absolutely classless. Here is a guy the coaches are supposed to be giving the best opportunity for success, and they aren't even there to warm the fighter up. Awful.

I also like Evans more and more with each passing episode, but that could just be because Rampage looks like more and more of an ass.


Good fight, hope we see more. Far better than that atrocity last week, and it seems like UFC is doing everything they can to get Kimbo back.

 

[IrishCanadian25]

I think Rampage showed himself to be a real cunt tonight by not consoling his fighter after his loss. I completely agree with EVERYTHING Rashad Evans had to say on the matter. And speaking of Rashad, with each passing episode, I like the dude more and more.

You know, you saying this makes me realize that this season of TUF reminds me completely of TUF 3, Team Shamrock vs Team Ortiz. I went into that season as a Shamrock fan and a Tito hater. I did a total 180 on that by the time the season ended.

Tito was 100% dedicated to his guys, and you saw that with the relationship he developed with Kendal Grove. Tito worked his ass off with his guys, demanded the best from them, and acted as a coach first, a friend second.

Shamrock, on the other hand, was wishy-washy, so wrapped up in his own beef with Tito, and he didn't really give his guys his all. If I remember right, some of Ken's guys wanted to jump ship mid-way through the season.

Same deal here. Rampage picked a shit team and has already given up on them. In addition, I think he knew he'd be leaving UFC after this show, and is trying to get camera time to be funny and show himself as an actor, not a fighter. It's a crap thing to do, because 8 kids careers depend partially on Rampage. I think he's just trying to ride Kimbo's coat tails.

Evans, though an arrogant SOB, is funny, sincere, and a solid coach. It helps that he's a former winner of this competition - he's been through this before and understands the value that TUF affords the participants. He brings a sort of "sage knowledge" to the team.

Overall, the big winners this year will be Evans and Kimbo Slice. The big losers will be Rampage and Roy Nelson, though if Nelson wins, I think he'll draw viewers who just want to see his fat ass get knocked out.

 

[Turd Ferguson]

You can't depend on Rampage or Tiki to begin with. All they do when a fighter is in trouble is tell them to "get up" or "get out of it"... and really not much else. Rashad is a much better coach to begin with as he seems to honestly care about the fighters he's coaching. His team as a whole is at such a huge advantage because of the fact that Greg Jackson is his assistant coach... and he just so happens to be the best trainer in MMA.

I really wish Kimbo wound up on Rashad's team, mainly because his ground game needs so much work, and learning under Rashad and Greg Jackson would have helped him out so much. If Kimbo learned how to put together a ground game, as well as defend on the ground, he would have been a force in this competition. It sucks that Kimbo doesn't even grasp the basics of ground defense and that Rampage and Tiki really didn't do shit to prep him for defending himself on the ground.

Rampage was my favorite fighter in the UFC for a long time, but between his all-around doucheness during the filming of TUF and quitting MMA to do the A-Team movie, he's really lost a lot of respect of UFC fans. I know he'll eventually come back as there's a huge payday waiting for him with a Rashad Evans fight, but he should be fighting Rashad in December to begin with. Dana only scheduled the fight in Memphis for what was supposed to be a homecoming for Rampage.

 

[X]

I think Rampage showed himself to be a real cunt tonight by not consoling his fighter after his loss. I completely agree with EVERYTHING Rashad Evans had to say on the matter. And speaking of Rashad, with each passing episode, I like the dude more and more.

Agreed. Though I find it just about impossible to dislike Rampage (come on, who doesn't want to hang out at a bar with Rampage for a night?), he's a terrible coach. Seriously, I can't believe he can even call himself a "coach", his other trainers are the ones doing all the work. Rampage just throws out catchphrases and cracks jokes. Rashad is such a better coach it isn't even funny.

The Schaub-Rogers fight was very good, probably the best fight we've seen yet. I really like this Brendan Schaub kid, and he's got a ton of talent. I'm very excited to see how he does from here on out, because he looks like he's going to be a real threat to win this whole thing.

Good episode as usual.

 

[xAsianRejectx]

All right. So after viewing the first few episodes I'm going to post a bit of a review on what I think of the season so far.

Wow, Dana and the UFC are heavily marketing Kimbo Slice. I thought last nights episode was going to be about Kimbo trying to get back in competition as they previewed it. But that lasted about the first 15 mins. It's clear that the UFC is going to advertise Kimbo in all of their previews just to get people to watch what happens. Even if he's not the center focal point of an episode. Speaking of Kimbo, he really is a cool guy and very humble. It's clear that he's the babyface of the season. As far as aquiring the skills needed to become a good mix martial artist... we'll have to see later if he can do that.

I have to say the my favorite fighter in the house has to be Marcus. Mainly because he's a sensitive, yet huge guy. He truly is a "Big Baby." He also comes out as very humble and willing to do anything for this spot. It's obvious he has the power, he just needs to aquire some good strength and conditioning as he gases out too much and too early. He's also very well spoken and I truly believe that mix martial arts is his passion. He has the heart for it, just needs the skills.

I don't want to go into much detail about all the fighters. That will take to long. But I will say that Big Roy needs do a complete 180 on his attitude. He just rubs everyone the wrong way. Also Matt needs to smarten up. Who the fuck tells the opposing team your game plan? Such a dumdass move. I have to agree with his teammates and say he's not confident in his abilities at all.

As for the coaches, Rashad is definitely the better of the two. I've never had a disliked him, but with each episode he gets a bunch of kudos from the viewers and me. Really a top notch caoch who knows what he's doing. On the other hand, Rampage is the worst coach. His strategy is terrible and like he said, they need to switch things up pronto. But I can't hate on the guy. He just gets to emotional when he or his team loses. He really needs to conncet more with them and help them properly. But he's so lovable and such a comic relief. I bust out laughing at his comments and mannerisms. He's too lovable and funny for me to hate.

All in all, it's been a good season so far.

 

[gd]

I think Rampage showed himself to be a real cunt tonight by not consoling his fighter after his loss. I completely agree with EVERYTHING Rashad Evans had to say on the matter. And speaking of Rashad, with each passing episode, I like the dude more and more.

Obviously Rashad is the more likeable one, with Rampage on the other side there is no way you can't like Evans. Rampage. is just an awful coach, plain and simple. He seems to not really care that much about anyone on his team, except for maybe Kimbo. He really has no motivation to actually do the work to help the guys on his team learn, but he gets pissed off when they lose.

He is quite funny though, which is good I suppose. At least is gives us an entertaining show, but I still don't think he'll be a very good actor.

Anyway, Brendan Schaub vs. Demico Rogers was by far the best fight we had this season. It was four minutes of non-stop, back and forth action. I really thought Demico had the fight won when he got it to the ground, but Schaub showed a lot of heart and skill by eventually getting the upper hand and locking in that beautiful Anaconda Choke. Very good fight. Hopefully the remaining fights are just as good...

Meh, didn't think it was that great. I was extremely tired while watching it and may have been half asleep, but it was nothing great. I really liked Demico, but he just wasn't technically sound enough to hold his position or get away from Shaub. Shaub didn't really impress that much though, he even admitted he was disappointed with himself. He seems pretty solid, but I doubt he'll win the whole competition.

Also, that Mitrione guy is pretty ******ed. I hope he does fight big Marcus and gets crushed, that'd be funny.

 

[INDYjon22]

fyi General Disarray Rampage is the one who doesnt care about his team except for Kimbo, not Rashad, easy mistake I know, im not trying to pick on you. However , I can not believe I am saying this but Rashad Evans is actually growing on me as well. I can not stand his cockyness and dickesh behavior in the octagon but he is a really great coach. He actually seems like he cares about his guys which is something I have not seen in a long time on this show. Rampage on the other hand was one of my favorite fighters but I am gradually starting to not like him. He is a great fighter but a worse coach and even bigger ass hole. The fact that he left his guy in the ring and didnt even try to encourage him is unforgivable and the fact that he didnt even show up until like 10 minutes before the fight is outright wrong. Ive had that happen to me during a wrestling meet and it is one of the worst feelings in the world knowing that your coach is seemingly doing something more important then coaching you when its your turn. Truly an asshole move on Rampages part and I really hope his team mutanies against him because there is no way guys like Demico Rogers or Wes Sims need to put up with that sort of shit. GO TEAM RASHAD!!!

 

[X]

Wow, impressive fight from Justin Wren. Wes Sims has a lot more experience than Wren, and appeared to be the clear favorite going into that fight, but man were our expectations wrong. Wren made quick work of Sims and put him to sleep with a very good arm triangle. Sims was straight-up unconscious at the end of that match. Very impressive, Rashad's team is now 5-0. They could seriously go undefeated. Once again though, Rampage just leaves his fighter in the ring after the fight. Seriously? The guy just got choked out, he's laying on the mat unconscious, and you can't go to pick him up and check on him man? That's not only a shitty coaching move, that's just a shitty move as a person. Even Dana called him out on that.

Wes Shivers put it best: Rampage isn't a coach, he's a fighter. That has become painfully obvious so far in this season. He bitches about how his guys aren't trying enough, yet he spends all of the training sessions just cracking jokes. You don't like losing so much Rampage? Well, be a better fucking coach. I thought it was hilarious at the end of the show where he was talking to Rashad and he just came out and said "I'm not a coach"...then what the fuck are you doing here man? Besides earning a paycheck while you wait to be the new Mr. T in the A-Team movie.

Not a bad episode though, I was a bit disappointed by Wes Sims' loss, he's such an upbeat and charismatic dude, you just want to cheer him on. He brings entertainment to everything he does. The bit about the guy jerking off in the shower had me giggling.

Good episode.

 

[jmt225]

Once again though, Rampage just leaves his fighter in the ring after the fight. Seriously? The guy just got choked out, he's laying on the mat unconscious, and you can't go to pick him up and check on him man? That's not only a shitty coaching move, that's just a shitty move as a person. Even Dana called him out on that.

I would bet every single thing I own that when Dana said that, it was well after the show was over; you know, around the time Rampage backed out of the Rashad Evans fight. If Rampage was still fighting Rashad and was still on good terms with Dana, that would have never been aired. Dana told BJ Penn in the 5th Season of the Ultimate Fighter that the last thing you won't as a coach on this show is to be compared to what Ken Shamrock was on the 3rd Season of the Ultimate Fighter, and for Dana to say what he said... well, in pro wrestling terms, he "buried" Rampage and there's no way he would have said anything like that while the show was still being taped and those two were still on ass-kissing terms. No way.

Anyway, I still agreed with what Dana said nonetheless. You can tell when editing is making someone look bad, but man... this isn't the case at all on this show. Rampage each and every week is just coming off more and more as a true jackass, and it looks like it just gets worse next week. And Rashad, well.... he continues to look great. He's a great coach, but at the same time... he comes off as a very good person for even giving a damn about the fighters who aren't on his team's feelings. Moreover, this week specifically, he came off as a real bad ass for doing what he did at the end of the show. Not only has he completely outclassed Rampage this season, but this week he made him look like a real bitch.

Oh, and as far as the fight between Wes Sims and Justin Wren is concerned... very disappointing. That's not the same Wes Sims I saw against Frank Mir. At least against Mir, while Sims got his ass kicked, he still put up a fight. Here he was just dominated by some no name, and I for one couldn't believe it. I was expecting Sims to be the one to turn around Rampage's team, but he was terrible. I guess he's just been more concerned about being a goofball than actually fighting. Not everyone can be Mayhem Miller, I guess.

And lastly, another "Kimbo is coming back!" was teased. This is going to be quite pathetic if by the end of the show, he never got a chance to fight again. That just totally false advertising, lol.

 

[D-Man]

That fight was such utter dogshit last night. Like jmt said, this was not the same Wes Sims that fought Mir. He looked sloppy, overconfident, and predictable against a skilled wrestler. So, he paid the price and got his ass hnded to him.

As for Dana White's comments, I never really listen to much of what he says. He claims to always be a stright shooter and to come across with honest opinions but let's face it... he's a promoter. I don't believe a word he says on television. Naturally, with Jackson backing out of the fight with Evans, Dana White is going to make Evans look like a God in the interviews.

Rashad is definitely classy when it comes to his training methods, but he's still a young, boisterous, shit-talking instigator. Sure, he treats his fighter well and stands by them. And I also believe that he has a big heart and truly loves every aspect of the business that he puts his heart and time into. But, that doesn't change the fact that the guy is a different person that the person he was when he competed in TUF. His success has completely gone to his head and I don't like him, even though he's uber talented.

Rampage has been portrayed very poorly on the show for obvious reasons. But allow me to play the devil's advocate for a minute. We saw his previous track record on TUF season 7. He is obviously not a good coach. So, why bring him back then? All of a sudden, everyone wants to bash him for his coaching skills and crucify him for the second time around. Obviously, he's not a coach. He's a motivation speaker, if you will. His trainers are the coaches. So everyone needs to stop giving him such a bad rap. If you want to blame someone for his bad coaching, blame Dana for allowing him to coach another season.

 

[INDYjon22]

I am truly shocked that Sims lost this fight. He was my other pick for the finals but I guess not anymore. Justin Wren is fucking good. I dont like him to much but the dude can fight. I will be interested to see his next fight. Sims on the other hand looked good at the start but got his ass dominated. He should never have gone for that front kick cause it was sloppy and he was fighting a wrestler. Rampage continues to piss me off while Rashad continues to grow on me. Never thought i would say that. I think at this point the only guy Rampage can count on winning will be whoever fights Meathead Matt. Big Baby and Scott Junk both have a shot but I think the only one who will win will be whoever gets matched up with Matt. Should be interesting to watch.

 

[jmt225]

Rampage has been portrayed very poorly on the show for obvious reasons. But allow me to play the devil's advocate for a minute. We saw his previous track record on TUF season 7. He is obviously not a good coach. So, why bring him back then? All of a sudden, everyone wants to bash him for his coaching skills and crucify him for the second time around. Obviously, he's not a coach. He's a motivation speaker, if you will. His trainers are the coaches. So everyone needs to stop giving him such a bad rap. If you want to blame someone for his bad coaching, blame Dana for allowing him to coach another season.

The thing is, Rampage wasn't that bad on TUF 7. Sure, he didn't win much, but he was a loveable guy and got along fine with everyone on the show. Not once did he come off as an asshole during that season, whereas this season it seems to happen every damn episode. Hell, he even went to the house a few times to hang with the fighters in Season 7. He hasn't done that once this season. All he's done is act like a complete jackass.

Ever since he loss to Forrest, Rampage has just become a different man. The Rampage before the whole "Christian" deal was like this; you know, being a pervert to women, insulting everyone, etc. However, when he became a "Christian", all that kind of shit stopped, and he still managed to remain a very entertaining individual. But since the Forrest lost and the 'accident', he went back to his old ways it seems. There was that video of him humping a female reporter, and now this season on TUF he's just been a mean, rude, selfish jackass.

 

[Dave]

I honestly cannot believe that I have been missing this and no one thought of PM'img me to tell me...

Anyway, I watched the last episode and it just reminded me of how much I absolutely adore all things UFC at the moment. The show was brilliant and Sims was hilarious wit his "Family of Jensens" bit. I legitimately lol'ed at that and I could not believe that Zak was just taking it like a punk-ass bitch. I think the show will definitely miss Wes Sims and I know that I will think that the show is less humerous.

The fight was open and shut. I could tell from the way that Wren got into the octagon that he was going to kick Sims ass, I knew it! Wren has not shocked me, only taught me to be wary of the smaller man in this tournament because they all have the same goal at the end of the day. I thought that when the match was made, that Sims would have demolished Wren because of his height and reach but it was not to be, I guess.

Two more thing, really quick:

1) Kimbo Slice is hilarious. He is also looking beastly with that beard. Someone buy him a fucking razor so that I can see his face when he is speaking.

2) Rampage is the worst coach since Shamrock and I am absolutely shocked that he wont even get into the ring to see if his fighter is OK. It shows a complete lack of respect for his fighter and it's his fault that he got beat in the first place. If he isn't going to teach the guys, why be there? What a joke Rampage is and I loved Evans bit at the end where he got in Rampage's face. He deserved it and I hope he gets his ass in gear because there is no way that Wren should have beaten Sims with his physical advantage.

 

[jmt225]

Found this some other place and thought I'd share it with you guys.

10 Things We’ve Learned From The Ultimate Fighter Season 10 So Far

With the 10th season of The Ultimate Fighter now in full swing, here’s a quick look at 10 things we’ve learned so far…

1. Kimbo Slice Is Still A Ratings Winner
The first episode drew 4.1 million viewers, a record for the show, and the highest rating ever for a show debut on Spike TV. the third episode brought what the fans had been waiting for: Kimbo Slice’s fight with Roy Nelson.

The episode outdid the previous record, pulling in a mammoth 5.3 million viewers, with a peak of 6.1 million. After his defeat ratings have dropped closer to 3 million viewers – still good numbers when compared to previous seasons.

2. Roy Nelson Is This Season's Douchebag
A key ingredient of each season of TUF is for one fighter to man up and take on the time honored role of season douchebag. Whilst no Junie Browning, Roy ‘Big Country’ Nelson has wasted no time in letting the other cast members know that he is well qualified to take on the role.

After only two episodes he had already infuriated his trainers who branded him “uncoachable” due to his poor attitude. Dana White also appears far from impressed. After a less than stellar win over Kimbo Slice, Nelson strutted around the cage like he’d just defeated a world champion, and confidently declared that he was “glad to put on a show for Dana and Lorenzo.”

Meanwhile Dana had a different opinion. He thought the fight “sucked.”

3. Marcus Jones Is An Unusual Human Being
At 6ft 6 and 265lbs, former NFL star Marcus Jones has an intimidating physique, perfect for a mixed martial artist. In training he appears to be throwing his sparring partners around like ragdolls.

Despite this, when he’s not beating the life out of his opponents, “Big Baby” reveals he likes nothing better than to indulge in his passion for gardening.

That’s not the only revelation he has up his sleeve though. “I used to be very passionate about Dungeons & Dragons,” he admit before sheepishly confessing, “I might be the most boringest brother at home”.

4. Kimbo Slice’s Ground Game Rivals Cheick Kongo’s
Having been training and fighting professionally as a mixed martial artist for over two years you would have assumed that Kimbo Slice may have at least acquired the basics of the ground game.

If he has then it appears he’s been taking lessons from Cheick Kongo who’s idea of ground defense is to deflect his opponents punches with his head.

Proving himself to be a quick learner however, Slice did manage to nulify the worst of Roy Nelson’s ground and pound by sticking his head into the flabby mass of “Big Country’s” ever-expanding belly.

5. Rampage Jackson Is Possibly The Worst TUF coach Of All Time
…and that’s really saying something considering Ken Shamrock was once a coach on the show. There’s a number of examples to illustrate this point, but really, one will suffice…

“Do what you got to do Abe, do what you got to do” was just one of the pearls of wisdom he shared to team member Abe Wagner in episode one. In the middle of being beat to a bloody pulp at the time, Abe clearly hadn’t the foggiest idea what he was supposed to be doing.

Not to worry, Rampage was on hand with more helpful advice born from his years of professional fighting experience. “…you got to do something Abe, you got to do something…”

6. Some Of The Heavyweights Have Yet To Discover ‘Cardio’
Despite featuring a number of pro fighters and former NFL football players, most of this seasons heavyweights appear to have the cardio of a 60 year old couch potato. Nowhere was this more apparent than in the James McSweeney Vs Wes Shivers fight.

Shivers appeared to gas somewhere between walking into the cage and touching gloves with McSweeney at the beginning of the first round. Not to be outdone McSweeney threw a couple of kicks before quickly following suit.

By the end of the bout both had essentially dispensed with the notion of fighting and were busy clutching their knees and gasping for breath, occasionally responding to the exasperated pleas of their coaches to fight by shuffling around the cage after each other like a couple of asthmatic geriatrics.

7. Rashad Evans Seems Like A Good Coach
Whilst Rampage Jackson bungles his way through the coaching aspect of the show like a mixed martial arts equivalent of Inspector Clouseau, Rashad Evans couldn’t fail to look like a tactical genius in comparison.

Some of the skills Evan’s appears to have over Jackson in this area include A. Picking his team based on their skills rather than how tall or famous they are. B. Having a strategy and C. Giving his fighters USEFUL advice during their fights.

In all seriousness he does appear to be one of the better coaches we’ve seen on TUF to date, and his methods are working so far as his team is now up 5-0.

8. Kimbo Slice Is A Likable Grafter
There are easier and quicker ways for Kimbo Slice to make money than appearing on The Ultimate Fighter.

He does however appear to be willing to start at the bottom and work his way up. Aware of his weaknesses, Slice remains humble. “I’m a rookie at this” he acknowledged after his defeat, “I’m a street fighter trying to become an ultimate fighter.”

His attitude and willingness to learn may help to silence some of his critics.

9. Rampage And Rashad Really Don’t Like Each Other
Whilst Rampage is clearly the funnier of the two, when it comes to a bit of the old verbal jousting, Rashad has proved more than a match for him so far.

In the last episode after Team Rampage slumped to a fifth consecutive defeat, Rashad critized his ‘hands off’ approach to coaching and, as things escalated, informed him that “I can fight you with your style and still beat your ass.” On the losing end of the exchange, it wasn’t long before Rampage beat a hasty retreat saying, “Conversation over, Imma get to my troops.” Rashad shouted after him, “what you gonna do, just go in there and text? It’s not like your gonna teach them nothing…sorry ass!”

It’s only a matter of time before Rampage punches him in the face, or, if things get really bad, digs out the ‘Yo Momma…‘ jokes.

10. The Best Is Still To Come
…or so Dana White would have us believe. We do have faith though, mainly because it’s hard to imagine things getting much worse than the first three episodes. It’s somewhat ironic that the show had it’s biggest viewing figures ever for some of the worst fights ever seen in 10 series of the show.

The fourth and particularly the fifth episodes were definitely an improvement. There’s still a lot of ground to make up though if this is to meet Dana’s estimation that “by episode 8, you're going to be going wild.”

Very fun read, and I agree with it for the most part. Here are my thoughts for each number.

1. DUH! I think everyone knew this going into it. However, even so... that 6.1 Million draw was very, very impressive for his first fight on the show. That's better than anything the UFC could have ever dreamed up.

2. Absolutely agree. He was my favorite for winning going into this thing, and now I just hope he gets his ass beat. The guy is just smug as fuck, and thinks he's the most hilarious person on the planet. No, he's just annoying. He could have easily become the everyday type of man, with a bit of sentimental factor, but instead he took the douchebag route. I am very, very disappointed in him.

3. Marcus Jones is perhaps my favorite fighter in the house. Yes, he is unusual, but that's his appeal. You don't expect someone as big and strong as him to also be so soft. It's quite appealing, and I for one can't help but to root for him, even if he is on Rampage's team.

4. Lol.... is Cheick Kongo's ground game really THAT bad? I mean, I know it's bad, but come on... to say Kimbo Slice's rivals it means it some of the worst in MMA, lol. Nevertheless, yes... Kimbo's ground game needs a lot of work. Again, this was no surprise.

5. Completely agree. As I mentioned to D-Man earlier, I didn't think Rampage was too bad on the 7th Season of the Ultimate Fighter when he coached against Forrest Griffin, but man oh man has he been horrible this season. From his team selection, to the way he trains them, to the way he reacts after every loss... Rampage is a horrible, horrible coach. And it would be somewhat okay if he made up for it with pure entertainment, but Rampage hasn't been very entertaining this season. He's just been a jackass.

6. Yeah, well.... what do you expect? Most Heavyweights who don't gas are the ones who should be fighting at 205 in the first place (like the Heavyweights on the 2nd Season of TUF, where eventually I think 95% of fighters did cut down to 205 once the show was over). So this, again, was expected. What wasn't expected, however, was how bad these fights were going to be. I mean, Dana White was hyping this shit up as the best season in the show's history, and yeah... it's safe to say that so far he seems to be full of crap. However, I'll get to that later.

7. Rashad Evans has been fantastic this season. He rivals Tito, Matt Serra and Forrest as the best coaches the show has ever had (Couture would make this list, but his win/loss record on the 1st season wasn't very impressive).

8. Definitely. I've always liked Kimbo, but I have a new found respect after watching him on this show week after week. He just seems like a hard worker and an all around good dude. How can you not like someone like that, especially when reality television is filled with nothing but hateful, conniving pricks?

9. Obviously, and I loved how the writer finished this number off; I completely agree with him. Never did I expect Rashad to win a battle of words against Rampage Jackson, anytime, but 'Shad just outdoes Rampage at pretty much everything, it seems.

10. Seriously, if Kimbo doesn't fight again, and if the rest of the fights (especially in the 2nd Round) don't turn out to be literally great, then Dana has never been more full of shit than he was when hyping up this show. This season, so far, has NOWHERE near been the best season the show has ever had. Seasons 5, 1, 3, and 6 (in that order) are by far and away the best seasons in the history of the show, and nothing, NOTHING, that has happened this season rivals them. The 'coaching rivalry' isn't anywhere near as entertaining as Tito/Ken and Penn/Pulver, there's no drama in the house whatsoever, and the fights have, for the most part, been really bad to mediocre.

 

[Fizzy]

So far this season sucks. Only good thing about it is Rashad showing how great a fucking guy he is. Really I never liked the guy but this shows changed my fucking mind. Great coach. Another thing that surprised me is Kimbo's a great guy. He helps his partners, and looks like he really wants to improve himself. Woulda never guessed that coming into this season. Rampage is by far the worst coach EVER. Really who the fuck treats their students that way? Guy's a complete fuck up. Hopefully Dana's right about this getting better.

 

[X]

Another good episode. Rampage continues to prove himself to have the maturity of a five year old who's just discovered poop jokes. Atleast he's amusing sometimes though. Seeing him get all up in Titties' face was stupid. Yeah, I'm calling him Titties because I can't remember his real name. Speaking of Titties, very impressive victory. He put on a nasty triangle choke on his opponent.

Good episode, not spectacular, but very good. Looks like we've got some big time drama coming up in the next few weeks though from the looks of next week's preview.

God Rampage's team sucks. I honestly don't think they're going to win one fight all season.

 

[Slyfox696]

I found previous seasons of The Ultimate Fighter on sale at my local Hastings for around $13, and I just finished the second season. Watching the second season helps me appreciate just how shitty Rampage is as a coach/corner man. Everything Team Hughes did, Matt Hughes was DETERMINED to win, and was pissed if his team didn't win. Hughes didn't even really have much to gain, and he cared like hell that his team won. And when his fighters didn't try, he'd get pissed and work the rest of his team to make them understand not working hard is not allowed on his team. And when his fighters put a great effort, he's there to console them. And while the fight is going on, he's always yelling instructions, working his fighter through the match. Hughes and Rashad Evans actually got into an argument early in the show, and Hughes had to corner Evans later in the show, much to Evans chagrin. However, after the fight, Evans had nothing but great things to say about how Hughes helped him win the fight, and how he understands that Hughes just really wants to win.

That's the difference between a good coach/corner man, and Rampage Jackson. When he needs to be getting ready for a fight, he's busy writing "titties" on the other fighter's sign. When his fighter loses, he doesn't give a damn about anything other than he just lost. And after the fight, instead of getting pissed and making a pact to himself to work harder, he's too busy trying to make jokes and get people pissed off.

Matt Hughes was a winner as coach of The Ultimate Fighter. Rampage Jackson is a jerk off.


Great episode. It's a shame Evans and Jackson isn't going to happen, because the bad blood between them is amazing. I kept thinking Jensen was going to catch Schoonover flush with one of those hammerfists while he was in the triangle choke, but he never could get enough force to do enough damage to break the hold. Great episode and I can't wait until next week.