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One TUF duo: Tito and Chuck

Four episodes in and the series is really hotting up. What’s been going down?

Episode one,  Dana White introduced something new, the wild card. An opportunity for a fighter to get another chance at TUF 11 glory. Dana and co will be picking a guy to comeback for the eighth spot in the quarter finals. Throwing in this new element to the competition adds further excitement for viewers.

This premier episode moved at a fast pace, highlighting the bouts fought for a place in the ultimate fighter house. We witnessed some real barn-stormers. Dana proclaimed he has high hopes for season 11, being so impressed by the quality of fighters.

Moving into the second episode, the 14 selected contestants settled into their new home and got picked by icons of the octagon ‘Huntington Beach Bad Boy’ Tito Ortiz and ‘Iceman’ Chuck Liddell, for their respective squads. Ortiz chose fighters based on their performance he’d witnessed, Dana was surprised with Liddell’s picks. Little did we know Chuck had done his homework and knew exactly what he was doing.

Shenanigans are under-way, Jamie Yager of Team Punishment (Ortiz) alongside fellow cohorts wound up others wishing to sleep, sounding air horns.

Kicking of the cage combat was Auzzie Kyle Noke, of Team Liddell versus green-haired Clayton McKinney. Liddell, a strategist picked MicKinney to oppose his fighter seeing the guy as weak link, carrying a shoulder injury. A wise decision, despite Clayton’s best efforts he lost out to Australian Kyle Noke via triangle-choke submission.

At the opening of the third instalment Dana announces Chris Camozzi is out of the show, due to a broken jaw, prohibiting him to take part. Ortiz picks Seth Baczynski as a replacement.

Next up to compete in the UFC cage saw Chuck’s Hawaiian Brad Tavares facing off against James Hammortree, hailing from Florida.

A tough fought contest, mainly taking place on the deck, as wrestling competed with Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Being even at the end of 2 rounds of octagon action, Dana White declared sudden victory, taking the bout into a third stanza. Hilo boy Tavares took the win as the better grappler on the day.

Liddell’s team are on a roll.

Jamie is a cast member getting himself noticed for all his antics. Episode 4 Yager forms a clique consisting of his buddies, named the Minority Report. Yager’s crew includes Auzzie Noke alongside all the brown skinned contestants.

Chuck in control picks the match-up: Rich ‘The Guido’ Attonito versus Kayacey Uscola. Both competitors are hotly tipped prospects this series.

Attonito v Uscola was one hell of an exciting bout. Round 1 saw Rich deck Kayacey, Attonito completely dominates. Uscola weathers the storm, attempting a Kimura submission. Uscola makes a come-back but earns himself a DQ for his efforts for kneeing a downed opponent. Attonito won but didn’t look the winner but hey if you don’t keep to the rules there are consequences, as Uscola discovered to his dismay. Uscola is one to watch, he could be chosen later as the wild card.

A third loss of the Ortiz coached team, but one more contest to come.

Up next tough built Charles Blanchard of the blues came to blows with Afro-haired Jamie Yager. Cocksure Yager, the striker from California was too swift for Florida’s Blanchard. Yager put in a most impressive performance, hitting Blanchard on the button, following up earning first win for coach Ortiz.

Episode 5 of The Ultimate Fighter is aired tonight, FIVE USA, can coach Ortiz pull a second win out of the bag?

Don’t worry if you have missed an episode, catch them all at youtube, just look up the FIVE on demand channel.