TUF 20, Episode 1 recap
The twentieth season of the Ultimate Fighter debuts tonight at 10:00 PM on Fox Sports 1. The season features sixteen straw weight women competing for the UFC title.
The twentieth season of the Ultimate Fighter debuts tonight at 10:00 PM on Fox Sports 1. The season features sixteen straw weight women competing for the UFC title.
In a change from past seasons, White shares the news that the 16 fighters will be seeded. The No. 1 seed will face No. 16, No. 2 will take on No. 15, and the pattern will continue until the opening round is complete.
While the fighters are seeded, the coaches do not know those seeds and will pick teams based on a training evaluation of the athletes. The traditional coin toss decides which coach picks the first fighter or the first fight. However, White reveals a twist.
For whichever fighter a coach selects, the opposite team will automatically be given said fighter’s pre-determined opponent from the bracket.
Team Pettis wins the coin toss, and coach Pettis opts to select the first fighter. He takes Esparza, who is announced as the No. 1 seed. As a result, No. 16 seed Angela Hill joins Team Melendez.
The rest of the fighters are selected, and the 115-pound tournament to determine the first UFC strawweight champion shakes out as follows:
Bracket A
#1 Carla Esparza (Team Pettis) vs. #16 Angela Hill (Team Melendez)
#8 Bec Rawlings (Team Melendez) vs. #9 Justine Kish (Team Pettis)
#5 Aisling Daly (Team Pettis) vs. #12 Angela Magana (Team Melendez)
#4 Jessica Penne (Team Pettis) vs. #13 Lisa Ellis (Team Melendez)
Bracket B
#2 Joanne Calderwood (Team Pettis) vs. #15 Emily Kagan (Team Melendez)
#7 Rose Namajunas (Team Melendez) vs. #10 Alex Chambers (Team Pettis)
#6 Felice Herrig (Team Pettis) vs. #11 Heather Clark (Team Melendez)
#3 Tecia Torres (Team Melendez) vs. #14 Randa Markos (Team Pettis)
#3 Tecia Torres vs. #14 Randa Markos
Round 1 – Referee Herb Dean oversees the action. Torres opens with a leg kick followed by a hook. Torres lands another kick. Markos charges forward with wild combinations, but Torres counters with punches and sidekicks to the body. Torres attacks with more hooks. Markos counters with a takedown, and Torres sprawls. Markos rolls for a heel hook but can’t get it. Torres returns to her feet. Markos has Torres pressed against the cage, and they fight for a takedown. Torres attempts to take the back, but Markos remains on top. Torres throws punches as Markos gets back to the feet. Markos clinches and throws knees. They break to the center of the octagon. Torres presses forward with hooks over the top, but most are blocked. Markos gets a body lock and takes Torres to the ground. Markos passes to the half guard, but Torres is active with punches and submission attempts from the bottom. Torres attempts a triangle choke but can’t lock her legs in correct position. Torres tightens the choke, but Markos won’t submit. Markos counters with hard knees to the body, and the bell sounds.
Round 2 – Torres with an inside leg kick and then another moments after. Markos responds with hard leg kicks of her own. Torres rushes forward with combinations. She throws a body kick that is caught by Markos. Markos takes the fight to the ground. Torres attacks with a leg submission, but Markos steps over into half guard. She passes to side control, but Torres redeems guard seconds later. Torres attacks with an armbar that has Markos in deep trouble. Markos escapes back to top position and takes side control. Markos briefly advances to mount but has trouble holding the dominant position for long. Markos advances to mount again and throws a flurry of vicious elbows. Torres eats a number of clean shots but somehow survives until the bell.
After two competitive rounds, the judges deem the fight a draw. A sudden-victory round will decide the winner.
Round 3 – Markos lands an inside leg kick, and Torres responds with a straight punch. Torres continues to attack aggressively with combinations. Markos fires back with another leg kick. Torres lands more strikes. They clinch, and Markos lands a hard knee to the face of Torres, who spins Markos against the cage. Torres breaks, and they circle the cage with little offense. Markos shoots for a takedown and drags the fight to the ground again. Markos passes to side control and prevents Torres from escaping to her feet. Torres eventually stands up, but Markos is on her back. Torres drops for a takedown, but Markos reverses and takes top position. Markos advances to mount and finishes the round throwing punches from the top.
Randa Markos def. Tecia Torres via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)