Joe Duarte (3-0), who was submitted via rear naked choke by Phillipe Nover (5-0-1) in round two, told Fighters.com, “I just cut much weight too rapidly. I thought I could make it easy but it didn’t turn out that way.  I was real slow and sluggish during the fight.  I will come back stronger next time….”

“Next time” will be 26 September at the Alberta-based Colloseo Championship Fighting in Edmonton, against MFC veteran Ryan Heck (5-2).

Heck was TKO’d in the first round at his last fight by Ryan Machan (5-2) in July.

“Big Deal” Ryan Jimmo (6-1), who was eliminated when he lost a majority decision to Antwain Britt (4-1), will headline XFights: Ontario vs Maritimes 4 October in Moncton, New Brunswick.

Jimmo, a Saint John, NB, native who now trains in Halifax, will face Toronto’s “Lethal” Jason Cecil (3-5).

Cecil is coming off two losses, most recently being TKO’d at 1:55 of round one by Martin Desilets (8-2) earlier this month at Xtreme MMA 5.

Jason Guida (17-17), who was eliminated from competition after missing weight by one pound, has signed with EliteXC and will fight at the promotion’s ShoXC event 10 October in Hammond, IN, not far from Chicago.

Guida will face “Cannibal” Mamed Khalidov of Poland, who will be making his U.S. debut.

Khalidov ended an eleven-fight win streak earlier in September with a draw versus Daniel Tabera (11-1-3).

Brandon Garner (4-1), whose lightweight bout versus Brian McLaughlin (0-0) was ruled a No Contest after he landed an illegal knee, was nevertheless booted from the competition.

Garner confirmed to Fighters.com that he will fight on 11 October at the Carolina Fight Promotion’s Carolina Crown event, against Wisconsin’s Seth Marquez (1-2) at a catch weight of 140 pounds.

Marquez won his first professional fight in July, submitting Eugene Crisler (7-8) via third-round rear naked choke.

The final sixteen of the original 32 contestants will compete for the remaining eight spots in the house in the episode airing tonight.

UFC President Dana White proclaimed the same thing to this season’s 32 contestants to be coached by Nog’ and Mir for the TUF 8 championship at lightweight and light heavyweight; but, before he could finish his sentence, Phillipe Nover (5-0-1) hit the deck in a fainting spell.

“Fainting Phillipe” White called him; and, Nover had a tough opening challenge versus Joe Duarte (3-0).

“I’m going to have to make him faint again,” Duarte said before the fight.

But, it was Duarte who had to tap in a Nover rear naked choke in the second round to keep from fainting.

Nover opened the first round with a head kick, followed by a body kick.

“He hits like a heavyweight,” Nog’ said.

But, Duarte countered a Nover leg kick with a straight left that dropped Nover. Duarte pounced; and, Nover gave up his back and ate an elbow.  But, Nover actually pounded Duarte while Duarte had his back and attempted a rear naked choke.

In the second round, Nover tripped Duarte into half mount.  Duarte gave up his back; and, Nover slipped in the rear naked choke.

Mike Stewart (1-1) made the field of 32 when Jason Guida (17-17), brother of lightweight “Carpenter” Clay Guida (24-9), couldn’t make the 205-pound weight limit.

As quickly as he stepped-in, he stepped out after a straight left from Krzysztof Soszynski (15-8-1).

“Machete” Fernando Bernstein (0-0) “was more like the butter knife,” said White after Bernstein was quickly tapped out in a rear naked choke by Dave Kaplan (0-0).

“Sugar” Rashad Evans‘s (12-0-1) brother, Lance Evans (2-2), quit with a rib injury after one round versus “Pezao” Vinicius Magalhaes (0-1).

Built like a brickhouse Antwain Britt (3-1) won a light heavyweight spot in the TUF house in a majority decision slugfest versus “Big Deal” Ryan Jimmo (6-1).

Light heavyweight Jules Bruchez (0-0) was very confident after Eric Magee (1-1) in a rear naked choke.

Lightweight Brian McLaughlin (0-0) took it to Brandon Garner (4-1) in the first round before Garner zapped McLaughlin with an illegal knee and the fight was declared a No Contest.

White decided McLaughlin had earned a bed before the fight was stopped without a winner.

This season’s Jeremy May (5-5), Jose Aguilar (0-0), talked a lot before one round with Junie Allen Browning (1-0).

Browning rolled out of two Aguilar ankle locks on the road to an otherwise dominating striking and G’n'P display.

Aguilar quit in his corner, saying “I’m pretty.  That’s all that matters, dog.”

Browning was clearly Mir’s favorite fighter.  He coached Browning through his domination of Aguilar and told Nog’, “Don’t pick him.  He told me he hates Brazilians.”

The difference in personalities between Mir and Nog’ were immediately noticeable.  Mir talked a lot while Nog’ watched and said little.  Nog’ also revealed little about the fighters he’s eyeing for his team while Mir let slip who his early favorites were.

Next week, the final sixteen fighters will fight their way into the remaining eight beds.

Fighters.com:  How did you get started in MMA?

Brandon Garner:  I started training jiu-jitsu while in high school at a Royce Gracie affiliate. I wanted to see if I could use my jiu-jitsu in the Octagon like Royce did and so I signed up for a fight and just kept doing it.

Fighters.com:  Where do you train? Who do you train with?

Brandon Garner:  I train in Raleigh, NC and Fayetteville, NC with Team ROC. Some other notable fighters who train with us include Tim Kennedy [9-2] and Jason Palacios [6-4].

Fighters.com:  Do you train full time or are you still training soldiers at Fort Bragg?

Brandon Garner:  I still mix my training with teaching soldiers.

Fighters.com:  How did you get started training soldiers?

Brandon Garner:  One of my instructors (Greg Thompson) got contracted to work at Ft. Bragg about 10 years ago. He started picking up new contracts and needed some extra help. About four years ago I was working at a bank and was very unhappy with my job. He called me and asked if I wanted to work for him and I jumped at the opportunity

Fighters.com:  Outside of MMA, what are some of your interests or hobbies?

Brandon Garner:  I played soccer in college so that is still a hobby of mine. I also like to travel whenever I have the time.

Fighters.com:  What would you do if you weren’t a fighter?

Brandon Garner:  If I wasn’t fighting I would probably be coaching soccer or going back to school for some type of higher education.

Fighters.com:  Who has helped you the most to get you where you are now?

Brandon Garner:  There are so many people that have helped me along the way that it’s really hard to narrow down. I would say the most helpful people have been my parents. They have always shown me endless support.

Fighters.com:  What do you consider to be your strengths?

Brandon Garner:  I would say that my biggest strength is my competitive nature. I am constantly hungry to improve and perfect my technique and learn new things.

Fighters.com:  What do you love most about your life?

Brandon Garner:  The thing that I love most about my life is that my job is also my hobby. Not many people can say they are passionate about what they do for a living. I also have great friends and family behind me.

Fighters.com:  What would you want others to know about you?

Brandon Garner:  I’m pretty quiet and shy until I get to know people. Some people misinterpret me as being arrogant or mean. I wish people wouldn’t be afraid to approach me more.

The 16 lightweights and 16 light heavyweights will be coached by Fighters.com’s top heavyweight contender and interim UFC Champion “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-4-1) and former UFC Heavyweight Champ Frank Mir (11-3).

Lightweights

Jose Aguilar (0-0)
Fernando Bernstein (0-0)
Junie Allen Browning (1-0)
Rolando Delgado (0-0)
Joseph Duarte (0-0)
Efrain Escudero (10-0)
Brandon Garner (4-1)
David Kaplan (0-0)
Eric Magee (1-1)
Brian McLaughlin (0-0)
Wesley Murch (3-2)
Shane Nelson (9-3)
Phillipe Nover (5-0-1)
Ido Pariente (8-3)
John Polakowski (2-1)
George Roop (8-3)

Light Heavyweights

Ryan Bader (7-0)
Antwain Britt (3-1)
Jules Bruchez (0-0)
Charles Diaz (3-0)
Lance Evans (2-2)
Karen Grigoryan (6-1)
Jason Guida (17-17)
“Big Deal” Ryan Jimmo (6-1)
Kyle Kingsbury (7-1)
Tom Lawlor (4-1)
Ryan Lopez (4-4)
“Pezao” Vinicius Magalhaes (0-1)
Eliot Marshall (5-1)
Sean O’Connell (0-0)
Shane Primm (1-0)
Krzysztof Soszynski (15-8-1)

Among the international line-up are a Russian - Grigoryan, an Israeli – Pariente, a pair of Canadians – Jimmo and Soszynski, and a Brit – Murch.  The light heavyweight crew is more frequently battle-tested than the lightweights, including two fighters stepping into the house with more than 20 professional fights – Guida and Soszynski.

The action culminates 13 December, when SpikeTV airs the live finale.