Shaw and Slice go way back, with the boxing promoter being the 0ne that first brought Kimbo Slice to mainstream attention when he had him fighting in his short-lived EliteXC MMA organization. Slice had been a YouTube sensation due to clips of him fighting in backyard street fights, and his fights on CBS and Showtime drew very strong ratings. Despite his rudimentary skills, EliteXC presented Slice as a dominant fighter something that was exposed when he lost to Seth Petruzelli in 14seconds. However this loss and the controversy that surrounded it did nothing to dent his marketability with his televised fights in the UFC against Roy Nelson and Houston Alexander doing huge numbers. This was despite the organization going out of its way in its The Ultimate Fighterreality show to remind people of his inferior skillset. Shaw will be hoping that this marketability will translate to the boxing ring.

Hat Tip: Pound for Pound
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Before we get into things, let’s take a look at the results from earlier this evening:

- Mark Bocek def Joe Brammer by submission R1 (Rear Naked Choke)

- John Howard def Dennis Hallman by KO R3

- Brian Stann def Rodney Wallace by unanimous decision

- Jon Madsen def Justin Wren by split decision

- James McSweeney def Darrill Schoonover by TKO R3

We are live from The Pearl at The Palms in Las Vegas, NV. Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan are on commentary tonight.

Marcus Jones vs. Matt Mitrione
Referee: Steve Mazzagatti

Round 1

Quickly into a clinch and Marcus powers Matt down to the mat. Marcus has side control. Into half guard and Matt scrambles up to his feet. Back to their feet and Matt misses a big right. Marcus shoots for a single-leg but Matt uses the cage to stay up. They are clinched against the cage with Matt throwing an occasional knee. Marcus backs off and throws a leg kick. Stuffed takedown attempt by Marcus turns into a guillotine attempt by Marcus as he falls back to the mat. Matt postures up and slips out of the hold. Matt kicks away at Marcus until the ref stands them up. Matt lands a nice straight but Marcus takes Matt down. Matt uses the cage to get back up to his feet. They slug it out and Matt lands a few good shots. Marcus looks to be hurt but he takes Matt down as the round comes to an end.

Inside Fights scores it 10-9 Marcus.

Round 2

Marcus rushes towards Matt and gets caught with two rights. Marcus goes down. Matt goes for the finish as Marcus lay on his stomach. Matt lands a few more unanswered shots and Mazzagatti calls the fight.

Winner: Matt Mitrione by KO at 0:10 of R2

Matt gives Marcus a lot of credit after the fight. This guy talks a mile a minute.

Frankie Edgar vs. Matt Veach
Referee: Herb Dean

Round 1

Frankie with a head kick to start. Nice right landed by Edgar. Veach shoots for a single leg but Frankie gets out of it. Veach picks Frankie up and carries him to the center of the octagon. Big slam from Veach but Frankie holds on for waist control. Frankie gets back to his feet only to be slammed down once again by Veach. Edgar quickly gets back to his feet. Edgar is bleeding from his nose. Right from Veach. Left kick to the body by Edgar. Left by Edgar. Right counter from Veach. Left hook from Veach. Leg kick from Edgar. A left lands for both men. Veach swings away. Left from Edgar lands. Veach falls to the ground after whiffing on a punch. Back to his feet and Veach catches a left kick to end the round.

Inside Fights scores it 10-9 Veach

Round 2

Veach goes for a single leg but Edgar fights it and avoids the takedown. Good combo lands for Edgar. Huge right from Edgar puts Veach on the mat. Edgar swarms. He switches from mount to rear naked choke and sinks it in. Veach can’t get out and is forced to tap.

Winner: Frankie Edgar by submission at 2:22 of R2 (Rear Naked Choke)

So it appears as though I’m going to be subjected to previews of Avatar for the rest of the night. I can’t pinpoint exactly why, but this movie looks about as appealing as a fat girl in a belly shirt.

Joe Rogan talks to Hulk Hogan. He shills TNA and says “maniacs” a lot.

Mark Bocek vs. Joe Brammer
Referee: Herb Dean

This is a replay of a fight from the undercard. If you read the first part of this post, then you already know the outcome. Since they are going to show it, I’m going to cover it.

Round 1

Bocek starts with two lefts and Brammer responds with a head kick. Bocek attempts and misses a superman punch. Right from Brammer as Bocek comes in. Bocek lands a right and shoots in behind it. Nothing comes of it and they regroup in the center. Bocek with a double leg takedown. Brammer tries to get to his feet but Bocek takes the back and patiently applies a body triangle. Brammer defends with wrist control. Brammer stands but Bocek remains on his back. Bocek sinks the choke in and Brammer taps out on his feet,

Winner: Mark Bocek by submission at 3:36 of R1 (Rear Naked Choke)

Kimbo and Alexander are up next in what is sure to be exciting while it lasts. Great matchmaking with this fight.

Kimbo Slice vs. Houston Alexander
Referee: Josh Rosenthal

Round 1

Alright. I’m excited for this one. Houston circles on the outside to start. Kimbo stalks. No punches have been thrown for 60 seconds and some boos can be heard from the crowd. Houston misses a leg kick. Kimbo with a jab but Houston is on his horse. Two minutes have elapsed without a power shot being thrown. More boos can be heard. Right left flurries finally come from Kimbo. Alexander clinches and throws knees. Combos from both men and they reset. Kimbo chants begin. Alexander bobs away from Kimbo’s shots. One minute remains. Inside leg kick from Houston. I’m no longer excited about this fight. Kimbo with a jab. They stare at each other for the final ten seconds of the round. I didn’t think I would have to score this round.

Inside Fights scores it 10-9 Alexander

Round 2

More circling to start round two. The ref encourages some action. Big haymaker misses from Kimbo. More encouragement from the ref. A left from Kimbo knocks Alexander off balance. Kimbo takes him down and has mount. Alexander gets up and Kimbo lands another right. Alexander slips and Kimbo lands another good shot. Kimbo grabs his back and lands a beautifully nasty belly to back suplex. Alexander moves into a guillotine but Kimbo can’t secure it. Kimbo gets a mount and lands some damaging blows. Houston gives up his back and Kimbo still can’t secure the choke. Just watching Kimbo work for a choke is surreal. Back to their feet and Kimbo goes for another suplex as time expires.

Inside Fights scores it 10-9 Kimbo

Round 3

Houston comes in and they slug it out in the center of the cage. Houston is moving a lot slower in this round. He has stopped circling and gets nailed by a jab from Kimbo. Houston almost looks ready to go. Alexander comes in and trying to land something on Kimbo but he’s eating jabs each time. Kimbo misses a right off of a leg kick. Houston knocks Kimbo down with a leg kick. Kimbo grabs Alexander by the leg and takes him down. Kimbo is in half guard with 90 seconds left. The ref stands them up. Lef kick from Alexander. Kimbo misses a right counter. Kimbo lands a right and Alexander responds with a right that knocks Kimbo back a few steps. The round ends and both men have their hands on their knees after the horn sounds. Close round.

Inside Fights scores it 10-9 Kimbo and scored the fight 29-28 Kimbo.

Winner: Kimbo Slice by unanimous decision 29-28, 29-28, 30-27

Kimbo apologizes to the crowd but asks that they be a little more appreciative for their efforts.

Joe Rogan talks to BJ Penn and Diego Sanchez to hype their lightweight title bout next week at UFC 107.

Matt Hamill vs. Jon Jones
Referee: Steve Mazzagatti

Round 1

Jones leads but misses with a front thrust kick. Hamill with a left hook that is blocked. They trade leg kicks. Left kick to the body from Jones. Hamill with a spinning backfist. Single leg attempt from Hamill but Jones slips out and lands a right in the process. Jones with a spinning backfist. Jones trips Hamill down and gets in full mount. Jones rains down elbows. Hamill is having trouble doing anything but defend his face right now. Hamill is bleeding. Jones looks to the ref for a stoppage. Jones drops an elbow straight down and the ref pauses the fight to take a point from Jones. 12 to 6 elbows are illegal in the UFC. The ref goes to stand Hamill up but Hamill isn’t into it and continues to lay there as blood runs into both of his eyes. With Hamill being deaf, could he have thought that Mazzagatti had actually stopped the fight when he was taking a point? The ref calls the fight off when Hamill shows no willingness to get up from the illegal elbow.

Winner: Matt Hamill by DQ

It’s the right call because Hamill was unable to continue due to the illegal blow.

Matt Hamill says he can’t move his left arm. He gives props to Jones and says that he will be back. Jones says that everything happens for a reason and isn’t upset with the loss.

Joe Rogan is with Dana White and Dana announces Chuck and Tito as the coaches for the next season of The Ultimate Fighter. Dana says that Chuck Liddell is as enthusiastic as he’s ever seen him.

Roy Nelson vs. Brendan Schaub
Referee: Herb Dean

Round 1

Schaub lands the jab early. Roy shoots for a knee and Brendan peppers him with punches against the cage. Schaub lands a lot of good punches and Roy grabs him. Roy takes Brendan down. Roy in side control. Brendan powers his way to his feet. Brendan lands a good combo. Roy fires back with a short right hook. Schaub with a jab. Nelson goes for a hook but Schaub is killing Roy with his handspeed. Another jab lands for Schaub. Brendan comes in with another jab but Roy counters with an overhand right that puts Brendan out! Roy lands another shot for good measure and the ref stop the fight. Schaub never saw the first punch coming and got hit right on the temple.

Winner: Roy Neslon by KO at 3:45 of R1

Nelson downplays the victory by saying he’s just a fat guy.

That’s all for our live coverage of tonight’s action.
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Roy Nelson vs. Brendan Schaub (TUF 10 Finals)
Matt Hamill vs. Jon Jones
Kimbo Slice vs. Houston Alexander
Frankie Edgar vs. Matt Veach
Marcus Jones vs. Matt Mitrione
Darrill Schoonover vs. James McSweeney
Jon Madsen vs. Justin Wren
Brian Stann vs. Rodney Wallace
John Howard vs. Dennis Hallman
Mark Bocek vs. Joe Brammer

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Rodney “Sho Nuff” Wallace has earned his chance to dance on the biggest stage in the sport.  His high level of talent, dedication, success, and some sharp management have earned him a contract offer to fight for the UFC.

Wallace fights at 205 and carries a record of 9-0.  Looking at Wallace’s body of work thus far, the UFC will not be disappointed in their decision to sign him. 

He represents the new era of MMA.  Not unlike the blueprint made famous by Georges St. Pierre, Wallace is dangerous in multiple facets of the fight game.

Not just any fighter makes it to the UFC.  It does not happen overnight.  Only the best the sport has to offer are given the opportunity to compete, to bring their brand of fight to the world.

Only the best can say they fight for the UFC.  Rodney Wallace can now say that with pride.  He makes his UFC debut on December 5th at the Ultimate Fighter 10 Heavyweights Finale.

He is diving into the fires against a dangerous opponent immediately.

Some fighters ease their way into competition in the UFC.  They fight other up-and-comers trying to make a name for themselves.  Or in many cases they break-in through The Ultimate Fighter. 

Sometimes though, a fighter debuts against a known competitor right out of the gates.  Former WEC Light Heavyweight Champion Brian “The All-American” Stann is Wallace’s first test in the Octagon. 

While Brian Stann is not necessarily elite in the 205-lb realm, he is a game and very dangerous competitor.  He has a lot of pride in being a veteran U.S. Marine. His fights are a tribute to his brothers and sisters in uniform.  This drives him to be an aggressive, and fierce warrior. 

His ground game leaves a bit to be desired but he is capable of ending a fight early with vicious striking.  The man has no fear and attacks moving forward more often than not.  A dangerous fighter without a doubt.

Wallace will have his hands full.  He will need to weather a storm to impose his game.  Surely he is prepared to do that.  This is his chance to shine. 

Rodney Wallace may not be a household name but the man is no slouch in this industry.  There is plenty of fight footage displaying Wallace’s striking and ground prowess. 

He utilizes a combination of seamless grappling and precision striking to pick his opponent apart.  His attack varies based on what his opponent does. 

He has throws, submissions, knockout power, speed, agility, this fighter is the whole package.  Add to that a killer instinct, and you have a recipe for success.

His ability to adapt is very impressive.  A great example of Wallace’s diversity would be his fights at Vendetta Fighting Championships.  There he showed strength in every facet of the game, eventually winning the tournament.  He won three fights in one night, two submissions and one decision.

An exciting aspect to Wallace’s debut against Stann is the fact that Stann is a known name in the sport, with a reputation as a dangerous fighter. 

If Wallace is able to defeat Stann, it instantly displays his ability to compete with a man who was a champion not that long ago.  Stann may not have set any title defense records, but a champ is a champ.

Regardless of how the fight goes, Wallace will have his opportunity to show what he can do against the former WEC champ.  It should be very fun to watch.

With Fight Legion Inc. managing him, a great sponsor like hurtsbad.com, and Team R.O.C. in his corner, Rodney is in good hands.  He has a world of potential in front of him. 

Look for him to make a splash in the big kid section of the pool real soon.

We begin with Dana giving his speech from last episode. Dana wasn’t happy that no one stepped up in Matt’s place and Dana said he probably would have given the spot to anyone that did.

Dana talks to Kimbo and Kimbo tells him that he doesn’t want to take another loss. A knee specialist tells Kimbo that he has arthritis in his knee and that is where the pain comes from. Dana is essentially offering Kimbo the shot and Kimbo doesn’t step up. He says that he is 40% and fighting James just wouldn’t be a smart move. He wants to live to fight another day.

Matt talks to the doctor and he says his mind and body are 100%. Matt wants to fight and he will get his chance against James McSweeney. James thinks that both his standup and ground game are far superior to Matt’s so he doesn’t think he will have any problems with Mitrione.

Matt credits his recovery to a good night’s sleep. He admits to milking the injury and using it as a strategy to get James off his game.

Scott Junk says he has been seeing dots in his eye since the Mitrione fight. The doctor tells him that his fight career is over because he has two tears in his retina.

Marcus Jones hears of the news about Junk and flips out at the training center. He gets in Matt’s face and threatens his life. Marcus confesses some pretty violent thoughts in his interview. Rampage comes in to calm the big man down and makes Marcus give him his word that he won’t do anything to Matt. It’s well-known by this point in the season that Marcus Jones is a sensitive giant, but he went too far on this one. Accidents happen in MMA and Matt didn’t intentionally poke Junk in his eye nor did he have intentions of ending his career. Settle down big fella.

Junk comes back to the facility after surgery. He says the doctor says he can resume training in two months. The doctor recommended that Scott not fight anymore but the injury does not effectively end Junk’s career. It’s up to Scott whether he wants to continue fighting or not. My guess is that this doesn’t stop Scott. Marcus is happy his friend is okay. See Marcus, all that woofing for nothing.

Weigh-In

Matt Mitrione 256
James McSweeney 229

James gets in Matt’s face, literally, at the weigh-in. James pushes Matt and the two need to be separated.

Fight Day

Matt travels to the training center alone. The two get psyched up in their dressing rooms before the fight. These two certainly don’t like each other and it makes for a nice little grudge match.

James McSweeney vs. Matt Mitrione

Round 1

James with a leg kick to start. Two missed head kicks from James follow. Matt lands a one-two combo. Right leg kick from James. Matt comes in with a combo and lands a straight right. Front kick from James. Nice right hook from James lands. James misses on some looping punches. Matt catches a kick and lands a hard right. He lands another as James tries to clinch. James is able to trip Matt down but Matt grabs on for a kneebar. James spins out and ends up on top of Matt in side control. Matt tries to get to his feet but James has his neck. James pulls Matt back down in a choke and Matt taps out.

Winner: James McSweeney by submission (guillotine choke)

Dana thinks that James has what it takes to be an ultimate fighter. James and Matt make amends after the fight. Dana gives Matt credit for having heavy hands.

Fight Day

Marcus and Darrill are up next. Marcus is still awed by the sport and this experience. He will feel more validated as a fighter if he can win a second fight. Darrill is confident and will be looking to set up a big right hand. Marcus has still adopted “The Darkness” as his nickname. So am I the only one that prefers “The Gentle Giant?”

Marcus Jones vs. Darrill Schoonover

Round 1

Marcus starts with a leg kick that turns into a clinch. Belly to belly slam from Marcus. Marcus has side control and lands a few rights. Marcus lands some more rights as Darrill tries to find a spot to hide. Marcus grabs an arm and tries to power into a kimura. Darrill gives his back but rolls again and Marcus is in guard. Marcus stands up and stalks a scooting Darrill. Marcus goes back into guard. He grabs Darrill by the neck with his left and drops hammers with his right like Wanderlei did to Jardine. Darrill gets hit with some good shots. Marcus starts throwing both hands and Darrill is out.

Winner: Marcus Jones by KO

Everyone from the coaches to the fighters to Dana White are impressed with Marcus Jones. It is the first loss and first knockout for Darrill. He says he won’t let the loss discourage him and plans to come back even harder.

Semifinal Announcement

Dana has already made the fight selections. They will be scheduled for three 5 minute rounds:

Roy Nelson vs. James McSweeney
Brendan Schaub vs. Marcus Jones

Seems like it’s been a while since Rampage and Rashad have got into it. So this is the perfect time for another showdown in the hallway. It starts innocently enough and escalates into serious trash talk again. Hey, this would be a pretty good buildup for a fight between the two. Someone call Joe Silva. Let’s make this fight happen.

Rampage hopes that Marcus can win so it will validate Rampage’s season as a coach. Rampage wants

Team Rampage comes out with their final prank for Team Rashad. They paint their dressing room pink, put pink stuffed animals everywhere and a disco ball. Rampage hopes this will be the one prank that sets Team Rashad off. To this point, Team Rashad has laughed off everything Rampage has done.

Zak continues to get picked on at the house but that is just his demeanor. Some guys wish he would stand up for himself a little more. James is especially harsh on Zak and Zak says that James is one of the guys in the house that he doesn’t care for. Zak is nice even when he’s saying he doesn’t like someone.

Team Rashad sees the Pink Room and has a good laugh. Rashad doesn’t get upset by the redecorating, but he’s obviously a little disappointed. Rampage said that Rashad’s nickname of “Sugar” is fitting because if he likes this room setup then he must be a little sweet.

Zak is using the bathroom and James decides to wedge the door so Zak can’t open it. Zak gets claustrophobic and starts freaking out. He rushes at James and starts throwing punches. James throws a leg kick and grabs him in a guillotine to calm him down. Zak says that James is a prostitute’s used douchebag. Well. James is actually proud of Zak for standing up to someone but James has a contract to win and doesn’t want to lose his opportunity in this squabble. Zak is now Roy’s #1 fan.

Fight Day

Roy sees his fight with James as him vs. Team Rashad. Coach Wittman goes all Nipsy Russell on fight day and gives both men motivational poems. Where has this been all season?

Roy Nelson vs. James McSweeney

Round 1

Roy charges with punches but James sidesteps. James misses an overhand right. Both men are trying to land knockout rights less than a minute into the three-round fight. Roy shoots and James grabs a guillotine. James has his back against the cage. He lets go of the choke and the two break away in an exchange of punches that miss. James lands a nice jab. James is taunting Roy a bit, calling for Roy to hit him. Roy lands a good shot and James backs off. Roy shoots in and takes James down. Roy works for a crucifix, similar to when he finished Kimbo. Roy starts hammering lefts, again just like in the Kimbo fight, and the referee has no choice but to stop the fight. If MMA fighters had finishing maneuvers, Roy Nelson has found his.

Winner: Roy Nelson by TKO

Dana gives Roy some props and said that he was finally impressed with his performance. James is disappointed after the loss. Roy Nelson advances to the finals, this Saturday on Spike TV.

Brendan isn’t worried about Marcus’ wrestling and says he will be more confident in his standup and more willing to let his hands go.

Rampage and Rashad meet again in the training center. All things seem to be ending with chivalry until Rashad calls Rampage a bitch. Rampage doesn’t like it and they get in each other’s face. They honestly look like they might kiss for a second. Rampage keeps repeating the same two phrases for about three minutes. Apparently, Rampage wants Rashad to treat him like a bitch. Has anyone called Joe Silva yet? These two really should have a fight with each other. I’m surprised no one has thought of this before.

Rampage is nervous for Marcus’ fight with Brendan. Rampage wants Marcus to win so he can wipe the smirk off of Rashad’s face. Rampage says he feels pressure as a coach.

Fight Day

Marcus is proud of himself and wants to prove he is a good fighter. Brendan plans to stick and move while Marcus plans to ground and pound. Neither man sees the fight lasting very long. Team Rashad has pinned up green sheets to cover up the pink walls that Team Rampage put in their dressing room.

Marcus Jones vs. Brendan Schaub

Round 1

James lands a right but Marcus smothers him to the ground. Marcus is on top and moves to side control. Brendan tries to buck out of it. Marcus stuffs it. Brendan gets half guard but it doesn’t last long as Marcus moves into full mount. Brendan grabs Marcus and does a good job of not letting him get off. Brendan scrambles to his feet and into a clinch on the cage. Marcus lands a big knee that causes separation. Brendan regroups and lands a big right that knocks Marcus down. Brendan goes in for the kill and rains down punches. Marcus is out and the ref calls the fight.

Winner: Brendan Schaub by KO

Rashad is happy that Team Rampage has been shut out of the finals. Rashad does, however, feel bad for Marcus.

Marcus says that today may be his last day fighting. That seems like an odd statement from someone that seemed to have so much passion for the sport.

Brendan takes on Roy in the finals, this Saturday on Spike TV. Roy is happy that Brendan made it to the final because he became friends with him. Dana summarizes the season by saying you never know what’s going to happen.

TUF 10 Finale, Saturday Dec 5

Roy Nelson takes on Brendan Schaub for the UFC contract. Also, Matt Hamill takes on Jon Jones in a light heavyweight bout. Marcus Jones apparently didn’t retire, because he will fight Matt Mitrione at the Finale. Also scheduled for the Finale will be Kimbo Slice vs. Houston Alexander. Don’t expect that one to last very long.
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Rampage Training Session

Kimbo was wrestling with Demico and felt something awkward in his knee. Rampage is training Kimbo as if he will be the one to replace Matt and take on James McSweeney, should Matt opt out of fighting. There isn’t a person on this show that doesn’t think that Kimbo is the number one replacement for an injured fighter. This knee injury casts the first shade of doubt.

Brendan Schaub trains for his fight with John Madsen. He’s not worried about John’s hands and is only concerned about avoiding the takedown, as John is an accomplished wrestler.

James has taken to training Brendan in the absence of Rashad’s coaching. Rashad is still trying to avoid playing favorites so maintains his neutral stance. He’s basically running the practice but letting them train themselves.

A doctor comes in to check on Kimbo’s knee. He’s missing cartilage around his thigh and leg. He has worn out the cartilage and either needs his knee drained or a cortisone shot. Kimbo does not appear to be a fan of needles.

Coaches Challenge

Dana White is wearing a Pride T-Shirt. $10,000 to the winning coach and $1500 to each fighter of the winning team. It’s two-on-two. Rampage will be playing with Coach Tiki and Rashad will be playing with Coach Van Arsdayle.

Dana White is impressed with the level of play. Team Rampage won the first game 15-8. Team Rashad came back to win the second game 15-10. The third and deciding game is a close one. Team Rashad wins 15-13.

You know Rampage isn’t going to take this well. He’s a good sport afterwards, Rashad is not. Rashad once again calls out Rampage for not caring about his fighters. Rashad says Rampage should pay his fighters $1500 each of his own money. That’s not cool for Rashad to put Rampage on the spot like that. Rampage turns it around on Rashad and avoids opening up the checkbook. Well done, Rampage.

House Call

Kimbo is bothered by his knee. He’s bruised up but will not turn away from a fight. He has a battle with an ice bath that actually turns out to be pretty funny. He keeps trying to get out but James is coaching him up to stay in.

Training Session

John Madsen is trying to remain focused on Brendan Schaub. Brendan feels a little slighted that Rashad is spending a lot of time coaching John, thinking they have a bond as wrestlers. John is going to try to take Brendan down. Brendan knows this. It will come down to who can execute their gameplan the best.

Rashad confronts Matt about fighting. He wants a clear answer as to whether Matt wants to fight or not. Matt says he feels a little pressured to fight by his team. Matt says he’s tired of the drama and can’t wait to get home and back to his normal life. Sounds like he doesn’t want to win and be an ultimate fighter.

Rashad says he is going to call Dana and tell him that Matt’s out of the fight. Cue Dana’s seasonal “Do You Want To Be An F’n Fighter?” speech. Dana grabs the guys and lets them know there may be an opening to fight. Matt’s medical results will be coming in tomorrow, but Matt hasn’t really shown a desire to fight if he is cleared. Dana also questions Matt’s desire to fight. Dana concludes his speech with, “Have a good fucking day, boys.”

Weigh-In

Brendan Schaub 239
John Madsen 247

Schaub comes from Greg Jackson’s camp while Madsen comes from the camp of Matt Hughes. Good backgrounds here.

Fight Day

Madsen wants to be first to react and thinks the wrestler will win this one. James is doing a helluva job in psyching up Brendan. James is really coming out of this looking like he has some coaching in his future. He reminds me of Matt Serra when he was a fighter on Season 4 of The Ultimate Fighter. Only less annoying.

Brendan Schaub vs. John Madsen

Round 1

Madsen shoots and Brendan stops it. Madsen feints and then steps back out. Brendan is leery of the next shot attempt and is hesitant to engage. Jon shoots in and Brendan grabs a choke. John lifts Brendan up and body slams him down. Brendan ties him up on the ground but loses control when he tries to use the fence to get up. John misses a hammerfist and Brendan is able to tie him back up. The referee stands them up. John takes Brendan down to a knee but they get up into a clinch. Brendan lands a good shot before John makes a tighter clinch. Brendan throws some knees. Brendan is doing a lot of grabbing in this round, from the fence to John’s shorts. The ref is sending Brendan a lot of warnings. John with another body slam out of a single-leg shoot. They remain relatively inactive on the ground as the round comes to an end.

Round 2

Brendan presses John against the cage. John spins him and Brendan lands a good knee. John slips on a shot attempt and just sort of grabs at Brendan. They let go and restart. John is circling as Brendan comes in. Brendan with a straight right followed by another and John is out. Fight is over.

Winner: Brendan Schaub by KO

Dana is impressed with Brendan. John was getting fatigued and had his hands down. A lazy mistake against a quality opponent. It was as simple as that.

Next Week – Actually two weeks

Two hour special on December 2. Guess no show next week. Both quarterfinal fights will be shown as well as both semi-final fights. Will Kimbo fight or will it be Matt? The finalists will be determined.
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Rashad decides that he isn’t going to coach as much. He is going to separate the guys fighting each other and basically just run practices. They guys will be on their own when it comes to fight time. Justin admits it is weird training in the same facility as his opponent. He is able to scout Roy a bit and Roy is able to scout Justin.

Matt says his brain is still feeling bad after his fight with Junk. He puts on quite a show in the car on the way home from practice. Most of the guys think he is milking it and looking for attention or sympathy. Brendan wants to give him the benefit of the doubt and thinks Matt may have a concussion. If that’s the case, an alternate would be needed. Enter this week’s tease of Kimbo returning.

Rampage wants Kimbo to get back in the contest if Matt can’t go. I doubt he’s the only one. Everyone seems to concur and sees it as a forgone conclusion that Kimbo will be the replacement for Matt.

Training Session

Team Rashad begins training and Matt has not yet returned from the hospital, making the Kimbo rumors even stronger.

Team Rampage thought the poster prank was too beloved by Team Rashad. So they decide to do something they won’t like. They put cocks in the cars of Team Rashad. Chickens. They apparently smelled bad and crapped everywhere. Team Rashad seemed to be entertained by the prank. This confuses Rampage. Once again his plan to prank Team Rashad has backfired. They seem to enjoy chasing the chickens around the parking lot and have even named them. Rampage says he has one more trick up his sleeve and Team Rashad won’t be happy about it when it happens.

Matt comes home after staying the night in the hospital. He doesn’t give much of an answer to anyone regarding his status for his next fight. He just tells people his brain is rattled.

Dana White comes to the house and confronts Matt to get to the bottom of things. He asks Matt if he can fight and Matt says that he can’t say no. Dana notes that the doctors can say no. They leave the discussion with Matt intent on fighting as long as the doctors will clear him.

Training Session

Kimbo says that Roy has a lot of tools and is good on the ground as well as standing up. Kimbo says that Justin is the kid that ate all the donuts when he was a kid and denied it when his parents called him on it. Even though he had powdered sugar all over his face. What the hell kind of analysis is that? First off, if anyone is the sneaky donut eater here it’s Roy. Secondly, how do you take Roy’s assessment seriously and then compare Justin to a kid that likes donuts in the same breath? It doesn’t make sense, Kimbo.

Weigh-In

Roy 264
Justin 250

Dana says that Roy loves Roy more than anyone loves Roy. This could have been an old quote about Roy Jones Jr.

Fight Day

Roy and Justin have formed a bond while in the house and claim they will be friends after the show. Roy wants to win first and put on a show second. Justin feels his youth will help him push the pace against Roy. Roy says he must win two more fights or else his wife is going to be pissed off.

Roy Nelson vs. Justin Wren

Round 1

Glove tap to start. Justin feints. Roy lands a jab. Justin rushes in and Roy lands another jab. Justin comes in again and Roy backpedals. Justin lands some nice shots, including an uppercut. He lands two more hooks and Roy clinches. Those were some good shots landed by Justin but Roy took them well. They stay in a clinch against the cage until the ref restarts. More heavy shots from Justin land. I keep waiting for Roy to just collapse after one of these. Justin blocks a one-two from Roy. Justin feints a jab and lands another overhand right. He misses with a looping right. He chases Roy. Roy lands a good one-two. Roy lands two more jabs while Justin circles. Roy connects on a leg kick with one minute left. Some dirty boxing from Roy sees him land a glancing uppercut. Justin avoids a big right from Roy. They trade wild punches to end the round. Pretty close round.

Round 2

Roy starts off by landing a jab and then avoiding a right from Justin. More misses from Justin as Roy retreats. Roy lands some more counter shots after Justin misses. Just shoots but it turns into a clinch, kind of. Justin tries to retreat but falls. He gets back to his feet before Roy can capitalize. They clinch on the cage again and Justin throws some elbows. Back off the cage and Roy lands another right. Justin lands a punch flush on the chin of Roy. Roy gets inside and Justin swings away. Justin is getting tired with one minute to go. These guys look far better than any other pair that have gone two rounds, though. Justin misses more punches as Roy ducks. Roy with an uppercut in the final ten seconds as Justin shoots in.

No third round. Odd. No one believes that the scorecards should be read yet. I have Justin in the first and Roy in the second. Should be a third round here.

Winner: Roy Nelson by majority decision

Dana notes that Roy likely would have won the third round anyway, as he was in way better shape than Justin. Dana also says he will give Roy props for a good fight whenever Roy is the reason for the fight being good. That said, Dana doesn’t give Roy props after the fight.

Next Week

Matt is still non-committal about fighting. Rampage and Rashad have their coaches challenge. It’s volleyball this time. Brendan Schaub and John Madsen fight in the next quarterfinal bout.
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Junk has a huge mouse under his right eye when he gets home. Mitrione hobbles in the house and goes straight to bed. Wes Sims isn’t having it and wants Mitrione to party it up after the win. Mitrione isn’t having any of that, and remains in bed claiming that his brain hurts.

Training Session

Rampage is down 7-0 and all hopes for a Team Rampage victory lie on the F’n huge shoulders of Marcus Jones. Rampage is banking on Marcus. Well, it’s not like you have any other options, Rampage. He says the walls will be the next to feel his wrath if Marcus loses a close one.

Marcus makes a move for the bathroom but a scorpion-spider-leviathan spooks him. Marcus shrieks like a girl as Justin Wren comes in to save the day. It actually looks like he beats the bug down with the bottom side of a cane. It’s rolled up magazines or nothing for me.

Mike Wessel misses his wife who is at home dealing with surgery and cancer. That’s got to be tough for him. It shows the sacrifices some of these guys make in order to be on this show, just for a shot at being in the UFC.

Rashad wants Wessel to stand with Marcus and use his quickness to get inside on him and punish him into submission with some of his power shots. They don’t want him to take Marcus down.

Training Session

Marcus Jones was the 22nd overall pick in the NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He loves MMA like most people love ice cream. Rampage questions the fighting spirit of Marcus. His giddiness over learning new techniques amuses the coaching staff.

Brendan draws a picture of Marcus as a joke. Someone writes “sucks balls” underneath the picture. Marcus gets super offended and finds it disrespectful to himself and his family. It turns out that Mike wrote the “sucks balls” part but doesn’t fess up to it. Probably a good idea as Marcus says he will rip the arm off of the man that did it.

Rampage makes up with Darrill, sort of. He gave Titties a pinch and Darrill takes offense. Darrill gets in Rampage’s face but Team Rashad breaks it up quickly. Rampage is amused by Darrill’s moxy. He admits that he actually likes Darrill. If he didn’t like him, he would call him Bitch Titties. Good one.

Weigh-In

Mike comes in at 260. Jones weighs in at 262. Kimbo says Marcus is excellent on the ground and calls him Darkness. I really hope that nickname doesn’t catch on. The Gentle Giant is much more fitting for Marcus.

Fight Day

Marcus wants to prove himself as a fighter. Mike wants to legitimize himself as a fighter. Team Rampage is having trouble finding gloves that fit their man. Marcus is eager to put the thumps on his opponent as the cage is the lone place that he doesn’t have to be polite to people.

Mike Wessel vs. Marcus “The Gentle Giant” Jones

Round 1

Mike lands a right and unleashes a flurry of rights. Marcus smothers him and just kind of forces him to the ground off of Mike’s trip attempt. Marcus loses his grip on a kimura. Marcus has his back and Mike spins into him to avoid the rear naked choke. Mike goes for ground and pound but Marcus applies an armbar and it’s over. Mike taps.

Winner: Marcus Jones by submission (armbar)

Dana is immediately concerned as Mike’s arm doesn’t look good following the tap. It isn’t broken but there appears to be some kind of damage there. Marcus looked good as he attempted three different submissions in less than a minute, with the final one securing the win.

Mike isn’t happy and wants to be by himself to collect his thoughts and emotions. He is disappointed and very emotional after the fight. It’s tough to watch really.

Marcus and Team Rampage are excited about the win.

Quarterfinal Fight Selections

Team Rashad will now be forced to fight each other. A lot of Team Rashad wants to fight their own Matt Mitrione or Darrill. Marcus says Rampage can pick his fight for him. Probably not the best idea, Marcus. Rampage wants him to fight Titties. Dana is still being rubbed the wrong way by Roy Nelson. He thinks Roy is too cocky. If you were that good Roy, you wouldn’t need to be on The Ultimate Fighter.

Dana comes out to announce the fights:

Roy Nelson vs Justin Wren
Brendan Schaub vs Jon Madsen
James McSweeney vs Matt Mitrione
Marcus Jones vs Darrill Schoonover

Rashad asks Dana if he can get some Team Rampage fighters to help him train, seeing as though he has 7 guys active and it’s weird to train with guys you will be fighting. Rashad asks Team Rampage if anyone wants to get some work in with his team. No one from Team Rampage bites, citing team loyalty.

This leads to another confrontation between the two coaches. It also leads to the best joke of the season when Rashad calls Rampage a sucka. Rampage tells Rashad that if he thinks he’s a sucka then he should treat him like one and give him a lick, all while grabbing his crotch. Rashad walked right into that one.

Next Week

Matt goes to the hospital and they tease yet another Kimbo return. Roy fights Justin next week.
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His nearly unblemished record speaks for itself, and if your only loss came at the hands of Lyoto Machida that’s nothing to be ashamed of.

Simply put, “Sugar” Rashad Evans is the real deal and always has been.  Some folks have an affinity towards him, others can’t stand his style.  Regardless, this fighter has a wealth of qualities that cannot be overlooked. Like or dislike him, that remains a fact.

The former UFC light heavyweight champion has displayed one resounding quality with an undeniable display of coaching ability on The Ultimate Fighter Season 10.

Rashad’s approach to coaching is inspiring to say the least if not flawless at its best. 

The Ultimate Fighter on Spike TV has been rolling for years.  Many times the coaches set the tone for the show moreso than the fights or the fighters themselves.  That is definitely the case in the current season of the show. 

What has happened over the years has been the opening of a doorway into the personalities of guys most fight fans only know through their fights. 

Everyone knew what type of guy Tito Ortiz was, but few knew what a class act Matt Serra was until he participated in the TUF show. 

By showcasing not only the fights but the everyday actions and opinions of certain fighters, the UFC has allowed fans the opportunity to step into the fighters’ lives and really get to know them.

The open window into these fighters’ personalities has gone both ways for different fighters, for various reasons.  Matt Hughes lost a lot of respect from many fight fans after his stint on the show.  His personality could never compare with his talent level. 

Then again, getting to know Georges St. Pierre on the TUF show allowed fans to find a real stand up guy in a fighter that normally was limited by a language barrier. 

Point being, 15 minutes in a cage does not allow for a fight fan to come to know what a fighter may be like as a person.  Often times what fight fans see in the cage is day and night compared to what a fighter is like in real life. 

Wanderlei Silva is one of the scariest people on the earth after entering a cage, but on the streets is one of the kindest people in MMA.  Many casual fans may never know this.

The TUF show has allowed Evans to show a side of him many fight fans may never have seen.  Most fight fans can admit the guy is a phenomenal fighter.  That said though, who knew what an influential and charismatic leader he could be? 

This guy has the potential of being every bit as great a coach and corner man as he ever was a fighter.  Of course he obviously is a fighter but he has a long future in the sport with the type of leadership he is displaying as a coach.

He has a long career ahead of him inside the cage, but when that time passes, he may make one of the best coaches the sport has seen.  His ability to encourage one moment and hold a fighter accountable another moment is impeccable. 

He can speak softly one moment, and turn up the heat a second later.  He will not be intimidated, nor will he allow a fighter to falter.  There really is not enough good that can be said about his run as a coach on TUF 10.

Another aspect of his stellar performance is the simple fact that Quinton “Rampage” Jackson could make Chuck E. Cheese look like a good coach. 

Rampage is doing such a horrible job of leading his team that anything Rashad does will look good.  Of course Evans rises above now, but his performance is better than many who were chosen to lead a team on The Ultimate Fighter. 

In the end it is worth noting how well he is doing.  It is more than likely a reflection of his own training that he gets with Team Jackson.  Greg Jackson is a premier corner man and trainer in this sport. 

It is apparent that the influence he has on his fighters sticks and trickles down.  Surely Rashad is his own man, but one would imagine he would have to give credit to Jackson for some of his approach. 

Rashad’s win-loss ratio is just one aspect of his coaching abilities.  More important is the way he leads his warriors into battle, how he prepares them. 

He tells one fighter today is the day of your birth, today you will be born as a UFC fighter.  He tells another if you’re not focused on winning this whole thing, if your not focused on being the Ultimate Fighter, you’ve already lost. 

He identifies where the individual is at mentally, he addresses them accordingly and they perform for him.  That is coaching at its finest, and Rashad is one of the finest coaches the TUF show has seen thus far.
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The message was short, but the news is clear.

“Pelligrino pulled. Stay tuned to see replacement”

There is no word yet on why Pellegrino has pulled out of the lightweight fight . “Batman” is coming off a unanimous decision victory to Josh Neer at UFC 101. His bout with Edgar would be a deciding factor in terms of contendership.

Frank Edgar’s last fight was a three round unanimous decision victory over Sean Sherk at UFC 98. Edgar is a top contender in the UFC lightweight division.

“The Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale” is set for Dec. 5 in Las Vegas, Nevada. This is yet another injury problem that has come up for the UFC today after Thiago Alves pulled out of his Jon Fitch fight earlier this morning. Stay tuned to Inside Fights on breaking news on this card and who will replace Pellegrino at the TUF 10 Finale.

Update: Pellegrino has three herniated discs in his back, according to Ariel Helwani at AOL FanHouse. Also, Matt Veach has been named the replacement per MMAWeekly.com.
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