TUF 12, Episode 1 recap
Welcome to our first episode recap for the new 12th season of “The Ultimate Fighter.” As you no doubt know…
Welcome to our first episode recap for the new 12th season of “The Ultimate Fighter.”
As you no doubt know by now, the latest installment of the Spike TV/UFC reality series features welterweight champ Georges St-Pierre and upcoming title challenger Josh Koscheck as coaches.
The cast, meanwhile, is comprised entirely of lightweight fighters.
In tonight’s episode, 28 hopefuls vie for the 14 coveted cast-member slots. The only thing standing in their way is the decisive elimination round of fights.
As the episode begins, the group of fighters – which ranges from young to old, experienced to inexperienced, known to the totally obscure – files into the familiar UFC Training Center in Las Vegas.
UFC president Dana White, Georges and Josh then enter and address the group. And it just wouldn’t be “TUF” without a version of Dana’s all-too-familiar pep talk.
“You are not UFC fighters yet,” Dana says. “You want to be UFC fighters. And what we like in the UFC are guys who like to [expletive] fight. … We want to see guys go after it. I want to see guys with that animal instinct.”
Dana then confirms a recently adopted format change that also is set for this season: wild-card picks. After the cast is whittled down to 14 through the elimination round, a preliminary round kicks off. However, two fighters eliminated from the preliminary round will be chosen as “wild cards,” and they’ll get a second chance to get the eighth and final spot in the quarterfinal round.
The bad? It’s another fight in an already-grueling schedule. The good? It gives an otherwise-eliminated cast member a second life. Just ask Kris McCray, a “TUF 11” wild-card pick who ultimately posted a runnerup finish and earned a UFC contract.
But up first is the elimination round, and Dana encourages each fighter to give it everything he has.
The following day, the gym is humming with nervous energy as fighters stretch, hit pads and simply meditate. But with 14 fights and just 42 minutes of airtime, the fights roll out with a fast-and-furious pace.
Up first is Marc Stevens (12-5), who was a wrestler when Josh was an assistant coach at his college. Josh, though, only vaguely remembers the competitor and wonders aloud if his skills stretch beyond the wrestling mat. To let us know, he takes on T.J. O’Brien (14-3), whose stretched-out frame earned him the nickname “Spider.”
Referee Steve Mazzagatti gets the action started, and Marc quickly drops his opponent with a lopping overhand right. The punch lands solid, as do the dozen follow-up shots that prompt a quick, 13-second knockout.
“You remember me now,” Marc jokes as he addresses the coaches’ table and Josh.
One down, 13 to go.