Sherdog.com’s Guide to the “Ultimate Fighter”
Scott Holmes Nov 1, 2005
Oh lord, it's Halloween. Hope you got out and rolled some
neighborhood kids for their candy.
The reality is that a lot of you guys are taking your own little ultimate fighters trick or treating. We're getting old aren't we? I spent Saturday night at the usual Halloween party I go to every year — only this year it wasn't the same. I spent at least an hour holding my friend's newborn.
Halloween is only good for one thing and that is seeing your hot
co-worker in fishnets, not pretending to love babies. I decided
that this year I was going to toss aside conventional wisdom.
Halloween trends never change. Guys all think they are clever so
they wear costumes like Fat Bastard, Napoleon Dynamite or a cast
member of Reno 911 squad. Girls keep things simple and they always
go as sexy nurse, sexy cat, sexy teacher and so on.
This practice has gone on since the beginning of time.
People we're horrified.
I'm guessing that most of you couldn’t care less but Halloween is a big deal in my town, so it took a bit of sacrifice on my part to stay home and break down the latest TUF episode for you people. What made tonight's viewing a special treat was that my roommate's new squeeze showed up to hang out.
We've all been through this. Your buddy's girl won't shut up. She's alright but she gets on your nerves so the last thing you ever want to do is get stuck hanging out with her when you aren't at a bar or a concert. The only time you like talking to her is when the music is too loud and you can just nod and give her that stupid grin to fool her.
I'll try and recap what I remember because I can't go back in the den to see the TiVo'd version. Who knows what he and his gnarly are doing on that couch.
Tonight was the last episode before the big finale on Saturday. So far, Luke Cummo is the only fighter to have made reservations in Vegas. Luke surprised everyone so it's going to be interesting to see if any of the favored heavyweights live up to their hype.
Opinions may vary from town to town but many of us thought that Mike Whitehead (Pictures) and Keith Jardine (Pictures) were even money to make it to the finals.
(Know why? Because both men come from smart camps and they have been sitting back letting everyone else duke it out. Plus I know their names. I knew who they were so I figured they must be good. That's how life works. You go with what you know.)
Jardine would get his chance to prove himself tonight against Rashad Evans (Pictures). Rashad knows he's had a tougher road than the rest of the guys. He's fought twice and in the process has injured his hand, a part of the body he might need later. Rashad's proven himself after confounding Whitehead and dispatching Tom Murphy early on. Both Rashad and Luke were considered beatable before which has proven not to be the case.
Rashad would have his hands full this week, as Jardine is the rested and happens to be the real deal.
Since there has been some team maneuvering, Rashad is paired up with Matt Hughes (Pictures) as his coach. Rashad and Matt have been separated like Nick and Jessica Simpson since about week five. Rashad looked flashy in his first win and Hughes, being the hard ass that he is, took umbrage to that style of fighting. Now Rashad is stuck with Matt in his corner and doesn't feel like Matt will do his best to help him.
Somewhere before the bell rings these two squash their beef and get a game plan. Matt tells Rashad to fire first against Jardine and that's what he does. Rashad tags Jardine with the first punch of the night, rocking him with a left jab. Evans moves in for the kill but Jardine is able to fight back Jardine eventually gets Rashad down and mounted but Rashad is able to get on top. Jardine spends the last few minutes of round one eating the occasionally elbow while being stacked against the fence.
In the second round Jardine comes alive and show's his arsenal. Both men walk to the center sporting some unusual eyes. Rashad's left eye is swollen completely shut and Keith's right eye has a bloody mouse under it. Rashad gets popped repeatedly in this round and Jardine is able to stun him several times with a hard over hand right. This punch is right in Rashad's blind spot is very effective in the second round.
Matt Hughes (Pictures) tells Rashad to go for a takedown after his next flurry, "he won't be expecting it." Rashad puts this advice in the back of his mind and midway through the third he get his shot and puts Jardine on his back. The rest of the night is Rashad's as he keeps Keith on his back and peppers him with elbows and short punches until the fight is over.
Rashad wins another tough battle and proves that he's now the man to beat. He's plowed through three fighters and gotten dinged up along the way but he'll be fighting this Saturday. While he may not have been as dominate as Diego was last year, Rashad Evans (Pictures) has battled hard and might be the next guy to come in and cause some interest in his weight class. Providing that Rashad is able to get past either Seth Petruzelli (Pictures) or Brad Imes (Pictures).
So Saturday we get to see the finals shape up and then the championship. Afterwards Diego Sanchez (Pictures) will tangle with Nick Diaz (Pictures), which should be interesting. Worth staying home for but I plan on telling the roommate to scram.
The reality is that a lot of you guys are taking your own little ultimate fighters trick or treating. We're getting old aren't we? I spent Saturday night at the usual Halloween party I go to every year — only this year it wasn't the same. I spent at least an hour holding my friend's newborn.
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This practice has gone on since the beginning of time.
Usually I try and honor the memory of someone whose time has
passed. Sometimes this approach has backfired, like the year I was
golfer Payne Stewart or last year's Christopher Reeve debacle. This
year I played it safe but tried to be the creepiest guy at the
party so I went as the Burger King, you know … "Wake up with the
King.”
People we're horrified.
I'm guessing that most of you couldn’t care less but Halloween is a big deal in my town, so it took a bit of sacrifice on my part to stay home and break down the latest TUF episode for you people. What made tonight's viewing a special treat was that my roommate's new squeeze showed up to hang out.
We've all been through this. Your buddy's girl won't shut up. She's alright but she gets on your nerves so the last thing you ever want to do is get stuck hanging out with her when you aren't at a bar or a concert. The only time you like talking to her is when the music is too loud and you can just nod and give her that stupid grin to fool her.
I'll try and recap what I remember because I can't go back in the den to see the TiVo'd version. Who knows what he and his gnarly are doing on that couch.
Tonight was the last episode before the big finale on Saturday. So far, Luke Cummo is the only fighter to have made reservations in Vegas. Luke surprised everyone so it's going to be interesting to see if any of the favored heavyweights live up to their hype.
Opinions may vary from town to town but many of us thought that Mike Whitehead (Pictures) and Keith Jardine (Pictures) were even money to make it to the finals.
(Know why? Because both men come from smart camps and they have been sitting back letting everyone else duke it out. Plus I know their names. I knew who they were so I figured they must be good. That's how life works. You go with what you know.)
Jardine would get his chance to prove himself tonight against Rashad Evans (Pictures). Rashad knows he's had a tougher road than the rest of the guys. He's fought twice and in the process has injured his hand, a part of the body he might need later. Rashad's proven himself after confounding Whitehead and dispatching Tom Murphy early on. Both Rashad and Luke were considered beatable before which has proven not to be the case.
Rashad would have his hands full this week, as Jardine is the rested and happens to be the real deal.
Since there has been some team maneuvering, Rashad is paired up with Matt Hughes (Pictures) as his coach. Rashad and Matt have been separated like Nick and Jessica Simpson since about week five. Rashad looked flashy in his first win and Hughes, being the hard ass that he is, took umbrage to that style of fighting. Now Rashad is stuck with Matt in his corner and doesn't feel like Matt will do his best to help him.
Somewhere before the bell rings these two squash their beef and get a game plan. Matt tells Rashad to fire first against Jardine and that's what he does. Rashad tags Jardine with the first punch of the night, rocking him with a left jab. Evans moves in for the kill but Jardine is able to fight back Jardine eventually gets Rashad down and mounted but Rashad is able to get on top. Jardine spends the last few minutes of round one eating the occasionally elbow while being stacked against the fence.
In the second round Jardine comes alive and show's his arsenal. Both men walk to the center sporting some unusual eyes. Rashad's left eye is swollen completely shut and Keith's right eye has a bloody mouse under it. Rashad gets popped repeatedly in this round and Jardine is able to stun him several times with a hard over hand right. This punch is right in Rashad's blind spot is very effective in the second round.
Matt Hughes (Pictures) tells Rashad to go for a takedown after his next flurry, "he won't be expecting it." Rashad puts this advice in the back of his mind and midway through the third he get his shot and puts Jardine on his back. The rest of the night is Rashad's as he keeps Keith on his back and peppers him with elbows and short punches until the fight is over.
Rashad wins another tough battle and proves that he's now the man to beat. He's plowed through three fighters and gotten dinged up along the way but he'll be fighting this Saturday. While he may not have been as dominate as Diego was last year, Rashad Evans (Pictures) has battled hard and might be the next guy to come in and cause some interest in his weight class. Providing that Rashad is able to get past either Seth Petruzelli (Pictures) or Brad Imes (Pictures).
So Saturday we get to see the finals shape up and then the championship. Afterwards Diego Sanchez (Pictures) will tangle with Nick Diaz (Pictures), which should be interesting. Worth staying home for but I plan on telling the roommate to scram.
