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Thanks to a friendly neighbour and their Sky Plus box and some useful websites I’ve now caught up on episode 12 along with the awesome finale show. So here’s a brief recap of the final episode from Virgin 1 with the finale review to follow shortly.

Episode 12 focuses on the final fight between American Frank Lester and Brit James Wilks to decide who will go head to head with Team USA welter weight hopeful DeMarques Johnson. Wilks has the advantage since beating Lester once already plus he is the fresher fighter.

It’s interesting to see Wilks and Lester are good buddies despite competing against each other inside the octagon.

Curry night for Team UK courtesy of Dean Amarasinghe. Michael Bisping tells of how chuffed he is to have put British MMA on the map with this series of  The Ultimate Fighter.

Fun and games ensue, as the team mates knock each other in the pool! It truly is fantastic how well Team UK have all bonded so well.

Jame Wilks vs Frank Lester 

Round 1) A tough fought first round, featuring lots of standup action and clinching defending against takedowns. Very close, infact both coaches believe their fighter won the round.

Round 2) Wilks receives a low blow pausing the action straight away but they are soon back to it. Another close tough round with no clear winner.

Round 3) James keeps his composure, eventually winning via knee strikes.

Lester did well, he was one tough cookie, you can’t take that away from him.  Wilks’ win earns him the spot for the Ultimate Finale for the welter weight TUF 9 prize taking on DeMarques Johnson.

Team UK doing so well spurs Dan Henderson on for his confrontation with Team UK coach Michael ‘The Count’ Bisping at UFC 100 on July 11th.

The Ultimate Fighter as shown on Virgin 1 Sunday nights at 11pm
in the UK on Freeview TV, Sky or Virgin Media.
UFC & MMA blog by Dynamite Duane

 

duane@bluraymma.com

http://twitter.com/BluRayMMA
www.myspace.com/dynamite_duane

Tonight’s first fight is announced between Martin Stapleton from Rochdale
taking on American Cameron Dollar in the Light weight bracket.
Royal Marine Stapleton is very confident where as Dollar
confesses to being nervous.

Following last episodes no showing by Mike Bisping we see him wholeheartedly apologise to Dean Amarasinghe for his absence at cage side. Bisping explains he overslept due to not sleeping sleeping well since landing in the US.

Stapes is the sort of bloke you would respect but not want to get on the wrong side of down your local boozer carries himself with the confidence you would expect from a tough as a nails military man. Dollar looks scared of the northener when he comes near him.

Dollar’s strengths lay in wrestling so in training he concentrates on improving his stand up game. But will it pay off for him inside the octagon?

Stapes the very confident 8 year army veteran confesses to missing his daughter.

All preparation is over – it’s fight time!

Round 1)
It transpired that coach Dan Henderson did a fantastic job training and inspiring Cameron Dollar who demolished the British fighter Martin Stapleton. Stapes following a powerful blow to the head tapped out to the American’s Rear Naked Choke submission. Now that is what I call a surprise result, that is why the UFC and the sport of MMA is so damn exciting for us spectators.

At 2 a piece it made the scores even between Team UK and Team USA but don’t forget there was one more fight to be shown on episode 6.

The next bout was chosen between 2 welters this time, Frank Lester of San Diego taking on James Wilks originally from the Midlands. Wilks a resident in the States moved to the US having trained in Orange County, California. Lester labels Wilks a traitor to his country having left the UK to train MMA stateside, also saying he is spoilt.

Frank Lester in training is an intense dude. Dan Henderson sits down and has a chat with him encouraging the guy to loosen up and relax more as he needs a clear mind pre-fight.

Round 1)
Worthy of note here Steve Mazzagatti as the asigned referee. Lester looks the better striker but Wilks takes a leg of Lester’s attempting a heel hook submission showing he isn’t a one dimensional Brit striker but a skilled BJJ grappler. A tough fought round going mostly Wilks’ way, ending with Lester being saved by the bell caught in Wilks’ choke hold. There is a delay in starting the second round due to Lester have teeth knocked out by the Brit fighter stuck in his gum-shield. Mazzagatti instructs the cornermen to remove the teeth and continue the contest. Bisping expresses disapproval that if he is unable to start then his man Wilks has won the fight by default.

Round 2)
The 2nd round under way and Wilks is mauling his American counterpart. It’s not long before James Wilks takes a tap out win via Arm-bar. Awesome fight. Frank Lester showed a lot of heart continuing despite having teeth knocked out but the battling Brit fighter was the better man on the day.

UK 3-2 USA, yes Team UK is back in the lead. Two more scraps next week where it could all change.

Make sure you tune into Virgin 1 every Sunday at 11pm in the UK on Freeview TV, Sky or Virgin Media. Setanta Sports subscribers can catch The Ultimate Fighter second showing every Wednesday. Over in the States the programme is aired on Spike TV a few days earlier.

MMA blog by Dynamite Duane

duane@bluraymma.com

www.myspace.com/dynamite_duane

Following Nick Osipczak’s knockout win for Team UK the American TUF hopefuls came to realise the Brits mean business. Where the Yanks went wrong is believing the British fighters are one-dimensional strikers. Osipczak showed himself to be a canny well-rounded fighter.

Next we get to see Team USA training but mostly not getting on and picking fights we each other. Generally it seems they are all out for themselves, not willing to help each other. Henderson attempts to pull them together as a unit boosting morale in the American camp.

Time to choose the next preliminary bout it’s Bisping’s turn he picks Andre Winner representing the UK against former IFL fighter Santino Defranco in the lightweight bracket.

Dre looks impressive in training taking down Mike Bisping having just learnt the skill from him.

Defranco has got a lot of heart since returning to MMA following brain surgery after attempting to be on an earlier season of The Ultimate Fighter. That really shows strength of character.

Fight time.
Round 1)
Dre looks good defending and attacking in the stand up battle. On the mat Dre gets snared in Defranco’s guard, it doesn’t look good for the Brit but he takes Bispings advice breaking free to drop some bombs on his grounded opponent grabbing the TKO win. Team UK 2-0!

Defranco’s loss was the second consecutive loss for Dan Henderon’s team. Hendo doesn’t seem great at inspiring his fighters plus Team USA are not gelling well as a unit. The difference with the two factions is Team UK have no egos and happily learn from each other and have fun along the way but the American TUF contestants are a different kettle of fish.

This week we are treated to a second battle inside the cage as the competition continues Henderson gets the pick. For the third preliminary bout it is the turn of the welterweights. DaMarques Johnson is chosen versus Dean Amarasinghe of Nottingham. Both fighters are hot prospects, Dean beat veteran Brit mixed martial artist Alex Reid and DaMarques is the more experienced taller fighter. Pre fight the Utah native Johnson prays inside the octagon grateful for the opportunity.

It is fight time but someone is missing, Mike Bisping is AWOL, which does not bode well for Amarasinghe. Dean is not without a corner-man as Bispng’s own coaches Mario Sukata and Dave Jackson are on hand.

Round 1)
Johnson swiftly shoots in taking down Amarasinghe to the canvas. Johnson outclasses the Brit utilising his BJJ skills taking the first win for via Triangle submission tapping him out.

The win appears to be a huge morale booster for the American lads but the UK loss reflects badly on the absent Michael Bisping, ultimately Johnson was the better man on the day getting the result that counted.

Next week:
Where was Bisping? Will Team USA work together? Two more fights inside the UFC octagon.

Make sure you tune into Virgin 1 every Sunday at 11pm in the UK on
Freeview TV, Sky or Virgin Media. Setanta Sports subscribers can catch The Ultimate Fighter the second showing every Wednesday. Over in the States the programme is aired on Spike TV.

MMA blog by Dynamite Duane
duane@bluraymma.com
www.myspace.com/dynamite_duane

At last what seemed like a long wait is over! The new season of The Ultimate Fighter premiered this past Sunday on Virgin 1 here in the UK (Wednesday on Spike TV over in the States, hot on the heels of Ultimate Fight Night 18). 16 British fighters entered but only 8 would make it through joining Michael Bisping’s Team UK in Las Vegas.  First of all to decide who would be staying on British soil and who would earn the opportunity of a lifetime, following in the footsteps of TUF winner Bisping there would be 8 fights fought over standard UFC rules with duration of 3 x 5 minute rounds.

 

This first episode took place just before the fight pitting Rich Franklin and Dan ‘Hendo’ Henderson, the decider of Team USA coach from UFC 93 in Dublin, Ireland back in January. Hence both Franklin and Hendo being present since at that stage Dana White and co didn’t know which combatant would coach the Americans. Fast-forward in time we now know Hendo edged out the win over Franklin taking the decision following 3 gruelling rounds of octagon action. The great usefulness about the TUF series is not just fantastic television each week but the dual purpose of creating new UFC stars while booking 2 established UFC fighters for a big money fight afterwards, when the coaches clash one on one.

 

The elimination bouts soon got underway on Bisping’s home turf, the Wolfslair training facility, located in Widnes near Liverpool.

 

First up was Bisping’s first protégé of the night – Gary Kelly, a fellow member of Wolfslair gym, taking on Andre Winner. Despite all the encouragement from Bisping Kelly wasn’t triumphant in the octagon. Andre lived up to his name winning in fine style knocking out Gary Kelly, who was on dream street! This first fight showed what a tough group of competitors had been amassed from the British ranks of mixed martial arts. First lightweight decided for Team UK, 3 more to go.

 

Another pair of lightweight mixed martial artists entered the cage. Jeff Lawson fights out of The Bulldog gym in my hometown – Bournemouth. Lawson a submission specialist and one of the most experienced Brits selected. His opponent striker James Bryan hailing from Bath did not fare well against the vastly more experienced Lawson. Lawson submitted Bryan to join Andre Winner on Team UK.

 

First of the welterweights saw James Wilks tapout Che Mills to go through. Mills’ loss was an upset considering his calibre, but that’s the way it goes in the world of mixed martial arts.

 

The fourth cage conflict saw Martin Stapleton of Rochdale brutalise Dan James of Swansea, giving the military man a win via tapout.

 

Next to go was AJ Wenn eliminated by Ross Pearson from Sunderland, another impressive mixed martial artist winning by TKO in the second round.

 

The second welterweight fighter to make it through would be Nick Osipczak a resident of London, who bested Tommy McGuire of Peterborough with a TKO win.

 

Third fight from the welterweights featured the biggest name so far – Alex Reid, a recognised face on the UK cage fighting circuit. I first saw him on ITV’s Cage Combat programme way back in 2002. Reid faced off against Dean Amarasinghe of Nottingham a younger lesser-known fighter with a lot going for him. Reid a master of showmanship lasted the full 3 rounds thanks to his experience but it was Dean who surprised besting the veteran receiving the decision. The better man won on the day but it would have been interesting to see Reid’s antics on the show, as he is a real character.

 

One final decider to go, giving one more opportunity for a member of the Wolfslair to make the squad. David Faulkner would be the fighter and he got the job done, defeating James Bateman grabbing a tap-out victory via Heel Hook.

 

 

 

So here we have it, listed below are the Brits who flew out to Las Vegas.

 

Team UK – The Lightweights:

 

Andre Winner – London

 

Jeff Lawson – Bournemouth

 

Ross Pearson – Sunderland

 

Martin Stapleton – Rochdale

 

 

Team UK – The Welterweights:

 

David Faulkner  - Liverpool

 

James Wilks

 

Nicholas Osipczak – London

 

Dean Amarasinghe – Nottingham

 

For a complete low-down on all the shows entrants see my previous blog: http://bluraymma.com/blog/the-ultimate-fighter-us-v-uk-on-virgin-1/

 

 

 

From the brief glimpse of next weeks show it appears the Yanks are not fully prepared. We witness entrants struggling to make weight and collapsing in a heap under the strain.

 

Make sure you set a reminder on your Sky planner and series link it for Virgin 1 Sundays at 11pm – you don’t want to miss a single episode!