TUF 13, Episode 4 recap
With Junior Dos Santos’ squad up 2-1 on Brock Lesnar’s team, we’re about to put a third of “The Ultimate…
With Junior Dos Santos’ squad up 2-1 on Brock Lesnar’s team, we’re about to put a third of “The Ultimate Fighter 13” in the books with tonight’s fourth episode.
The Team Dos Santos training session begins in high spirits now that Ryan McGillivray has upset Team Lesnar’s No. 1 pick and reclaimed matchmaking duties.
Assistant coach Lew Polley talks about the coaches’ spirited debates but that, in the end, everyone is looking out for the fighters’ best interests. Lew doesn’t think Team Lesnar is operating in a similar, all-for-one manner.
Brock initially is missing from the practice. During the previous episode, he went home to deal with personal issues. But Brock soon shows up and offers Len Bentley some words of encouragement following his recent loss.
Brock is committed to getting wins for his remaining four fighters. And he’s not happy with Clay Harvison, who seems distracted. Charlie Rader looks equally lackluster to Brock, who is getting irked by the minute.
Team Dos Santos’ Ramsey Nijem (4-1) vs. Team Lesnar’s Charlie Rader (14-4)
UFC president Dana White does the intros, referee Herb Dean officiates the proceedings, and we’re underway.
Charlie throws a leg kick and is backed up with punches. Ramsey puts him against the cage and dips to look for a takedown. Charlie defends and delivers some knees in between his re-balancing. Ramsey clings to him and continues working for the takedown while mixing in a couple knees of his own. Charlies defends well, lands a few more knees, but he can’t get off the fence. Ramsey then delivers knees to the legs and keeps his opponent pinned against the fence. Charlie mixes in some short punches, and Herb calls for action. Ramsey secures a single leg and works for the takedown, but he can’t get it. An illegal knee from Ramsey brings about a short timeout, but we quickly restart in the center of the cage. Ramsey wings some wild overhands that allow him to put Charlie against the cage again. This time, he immediately works knees. Charlie answers with a few short punches but doesn’t have much behind them. Ramsey continues working for the takedown but mixes in enough knees to be the clear aggressor. Charlie answers with knees and punches, but Ramsey finally gets his takedown. He wings punches, but Charlie quickly hops back up. Ramsey pins him against the cage again and quickly gets another takedown. He delivers some punches to the head and body, is kicked away, but moves back in with a right hand that partially connects. The first round belongs to Ramsey, 10-9.
Between rounds, Ramsey gets words of encourage while Brock implores Charlie not to “hold back.”
The fighters trade wild punches to start the second round, but Ramsey quickly closes the distance and looks for the takedown. Charlie is warned about grabbing the cage and is quickly taken down. Charlie gets back up and then pops a kneeling Ramsey with punches. Ramsey gets back up, powers forward and gets another takedown, this time taking the back of his kneeling opponent. He then rolls him over, gets in one hook, delivers punches, and then gets his second hook. He rolls again to take back mount, slaps on the rear-naked choke, and Charlie quickly taps out.
“I knew we lost that fight when Ramsey got in the octagon,” Brock says in a confessional. “I could see it in Ramsey’s eyes. It wasn’t in Charlie’s eyes. … I thought I was in a bad dream. Here’s a guy who was beating himself.”