TUF 8: They Go At It

By Steve Cha

“I like the small guys.  They go at it,” UFC President Dana White stated to TUF 8 coach Frank Mir (11-3).

Lightweights Wesley Murch (3-2) and John Polakowski (2-1), who, in his words, “loves giving hugs to everyone”, didn’t disappoint White in the first fight of the night on Wednesday’s episode of The Ultimate Fighter 8.

Both fighters were able to land strikes and take each other’s backs; however, at the end of the first round, British fighter Murch injured his shin on a low kick attempt. 

Ouch!

Murch braved the pain, but, early in the second round, collapsed; and, the ref was forced to stop the fight.

True to his words, Polakowski hugged Fighters.com’s top heavyweight contender and TUF 8 coach “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-4-1), White, and Mir, forcing an admission from Nog’: “ I don’t care, you know.  I like to hug too.”

Light heavyweight Sean O’Connell (0-0) bragged, “I watched every season of Ultimate Fighter!  Forrest Griffin is my favorite active fighter.  I will follow in those guys path and be champion some day.”

But, Shane Primm (1-0) stood in the doorway of the TUF 8 house.  Primm dominated O’Connell, tapping him in a rear naked choke in the first round.

Lightweight Efrain Escudero (10-0) predicted he would “probably take [his opponent] down, ground’n’pound him, take his back, and rear naked choke him.”  True to his word, Escudero took down Ido Pariente (8-3), climbed on his back, and well…just read Esucdero’s prediction.

Bounty hunter-by-day Ryan Lopez (4-4) started his fight versus light heavyweight Tom Lawlor (4-1-1)  with a kick, but was taken down.

Lawlor immediately took Lopez’s back and sunk in the rear naked choke, forcing the former Men’s Health model to tap.

White introduced the fight between BJJ black belt “Crazy Cuban” Roli Delgado (5-3-1) and George Roop (8-3) as the “battle of the beanpoles.”

Roop had the clear advantage standing; but, on the ground, Delgado nearly submitted him.

Roop was able to keep the fight standing and took the decision, prompting Mir to comment that Roop “is coachable” and “imagine what he can get him on my team and work with him in practice”.

According to Mir, light heavyweight Kyle Kingsbury (7-1) won the first round of his fight.  But, the two-time All-American wrestler Ryan Bader (7-0) was able to rebound and submit Kingsbury with a tight arm triangle.

Nogueira commented that Bader has “top wrestling, he got eyes of the tiger and I like the way he fights.”

Light heavy Charles Diaz (3-0) talked a great game; however, Shane Nelson (9-3) completely overwhelmed Diaz with a barrage of strikes. Nelson dropped Diaz with a big knee and picked up the easy decision victory.

BJJ specialist Eliot Marshall (5-1) took Armenian-born 205er Karen Grigoryan (6-1) to the limit and lost a controversial split decision.

Grigoryan was the constant aggressor; however, Marshall landed the crisper strikes and constantly worked for submissions. Both White and Mir agree that Marshall should have been awarded the victory; however, White emphasized that a fighter should “never leave it in the hands of the judges.”

There was a consolation prize, however.  Unfortunately for Antwain Britt (3-1), he broke his hand in last week’s episode’s slugfest with “Big Deal” Ryan Jimmo (6-1).

The coaches and White decided to bring back an elated Marshall and, as white put it “justice was served.”