First up is Joe Lauzon versus Brian Geraghty. Lauzon is known as the guy who beat Jens Pulver in a stunning UFC upset just before Season 5 began. Joe has also been keeping a blog for the Boston Herald as the season progresses, which you can find here.
There is some discussion of Joe and Jens' history, with Pulver encouraging Geraghty to try to put that history out of his mind when fighting Lauzon.
The fight starts, and Joe attacks. He rocks Geraghty with some good punches before taking the fight to the ground and dropping some nasty looking elbows, one which misses, but probably leaves a nice dent on the mat.
Geraghty manages to wriggle away, and scramble to his feet. Unfortunately, when he does so, he gives Lauzon his back, and Joe pounces, catching Geraghty in a rear naked choke and getting the first win for Team Penn.
To celebrate his loss, Geraghty is this week's weeper, crying over the loss, and his poor performance. I swear, somebody has cried every week on this show. It's like a damn very special Oprah episode.
With fight 1 out of the way, preparation for fight 2 begins, featuring Rob "One Loss" Emerson versus Corey "Pro-Am" Hill.
Jens and Hill are strolling around discussing Corey's fight experience. Corey has told people that he is 8-0, but he comes clean(ish) with Jens, telling him he is actually only 4-0. The actual truth is that Corey has never had a pro fight, and has fought two amateur fights.
The fight begins, and Rob and Corey start trading punches. With his reach, Corey is able to keep Emerson at bay, and Emerson does a lot of backing up, occasionally throwing a leg kick, while Corey throws bombs, some of which actually connect.
Read that for five minutes, and you have the first round.
For the second round there is much of the same, although at the end Rob slips, Corey pounces, but Rob manages to lock in a heel hook as time expires.
The fight goes to the judges, who give Corey the first round, and Rob the second. It's time for a third round, or 'sudden victory' as it is now euphemistically called.
For a recap of the third round, go back to the description of the first round and read it again for five minutes.
Shockingly, BJ thought Emerson won the third round, while Jens had it for Hill. Dana, not impressed with either performance, thinks Emerson won, but I'm sure that Dana's giving Emerson a free pass for this second fight has nothing to do with that opinion. After the judges are awakened from their comas, they score the third round, and the fight, for Corey Hill.
Back in the locker room, Corey comes out of the closet and tells everyone that this was his first professional fight. Nobody tells Corey that these fights are all exhibition, so I don't think they really count as pro fights.
The Good
- Joe looked excellent in his fight. He is the guy to beat in this competition, but I think Lauzon versus Manny would be a good finale fight.
- Jens' attitude regarding his loss to Joe was refreshing, particularly given the way that some fighters like to make excuses after a loss (I'm looking your way Tim Sylvia!) Jens continually impresses me as a person, but he really needs to start keeping better company.
- Brian Geraghty did not look good. I think he can be redeemed however, given the fact that he was upset with himself and his performance, and not with Dana for favouring the wrong kind of fighter, as we saw in the first season with Leben and his losses.
- Corey Hill was also unimpressive. However, given the fact that he was brought onto the show because of his height and potential, rather than his record, I'm not too upset. I don't want to see Corey Hill in the octagon fighting for the title in September, but I think that, in a year or so, he will be a force in the UFC.
- After losing one of the best Ultimate Fighter fights ever with Nick Diaz, Rob Emerson earned the respect of MMA fans and fighters. I think he lost much of that with his loss to Corey Hill. Unlike his fight with Diaz, Emerson fought not to lose, rather than to win. And he still lost. But more importantly, he showed that he rises to just below the level of his opponent. Emerson could still be a great fighter, but he needs to do some training, both mental and physical.
Next week, BJ gets angry and kicks someone out. They can do that? If so, why didn't he do it with Rutabega? Also, we're getting two fights again, although it's unclear why. My guess is that the fighters didn't have enough zany antics to fill an entire episode.
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