Sorry to everyone for missing last week's episode. Through a serious of unfortunate events, I managed to miss the show on Thursday, and then again on Saturday for the replay. In the end, I never did end up getting to see last week's episode. For the record -- Gray Maynard advanced to the semifinals over Brandon Melendez.
The show opens in the backyard of the Ultimate Fighter House. Brian Geraghty asks Nate Diaz how he feels about having to fight his teammate Corey Hill. Diaz says, "I don't want to have to f---ing be all chilling with the dude who I'm gonna fight usually." Diaz says Hill is one of the fighters he likes a lot and it's going to be weird to fight him. Diaz says he's going to train a bit with Team Penn, to get away from Hill.
Corey Hill is in the sauna cutting weight. Turns out Hill has multiple personalities. Hill's other persona, Buddy Rowe, is encouraging him to gut it out in the hot box. Hill says Buddy Rowe is "somebody that's had to work three times as hard as the average person, one of those guys who always gets the short end of the stick, the fat kid who gets picked last in dodgeball, the short kid who gets picked last in basketball." Hill says Buddy Rowe helps him not be nervous, and gives him a swagger.
We go to the Training Session for Team Penn. Team Pulver member Nate Diaz has joined the blue team for their morning workout. Diaz says he knows Jens Pulver won't be happy, but he feels Pulver will be "understandable about it." Joe Lauzon doesn't like that Diaz is training with his team, because Lauzon's injuries could be exposed to the other team. BJ Penn jokes with Diaz, asking him if he's a spy. Penn then says seriously that Diaz is welcome to train with them, because it would be hard to have to train with your upcoming opponent. Diaz is shown rolling around with Penn. Penn says he would have loved to have Diaz on his team. Penn tells Diaz he needs to bring the fight to Corey Hill, unlike Rob Emerson. Penn coaches Diaz on some submissions he noticed Hill would be vulnerable to in his fight with Emerson. Assistant Coach Tony DeSouza tells Diaz he should take Hill to the ground and get a submission.
Nate Diaz is staying to workout with Team Pulver in the afternoon. Diaz says he's going to get "hated on" by Team Pulver for working out with the opposing team. Manny Gamburyan gives Diaz the finger when he walks in. Brandon Melendez calls Nate Diaz "a traitor."
[Commercial Break]
We come back to the Training Session for Team Pulver. Nate Diaz tells Jens Pulver he worked out with BJ Penn in the morning. Diaz said he had extra weight to cut. Pulver gives him a funny look of defensiveness. Pulver asks Diaz if he rode in the van to practice with Team Penn. Diaz says he did. Pulver says, "Yeah, that s--- is starting to bother me." Diaz says he still has his gold shirt on. Pulver says it's okay. To the cameras, Pulver says he can't be a hypocrite because he told all of his guys that they should do what makes them feel comfortable. Pulver seems more irritated, because he knows BJ Penn took delight in it.
Nate Diaz and Corey Hill are shown working out, far away from each other. They are on opposite ends of the gym. Hill says he was bothered by it at first, but now he has just accepted it. Jens Pulver says he's tried to stay neutral, and he won't corner for either of the fighters. Brian Geraghty and Wayne Weems will be cornering for Nate Diaz, while Brandon Melendez and Cole Miller will be cornering for Corey Hill.
[Commercial Break]
This is the third TUF 5 quarterfinal fight.
Tale of the Tape
Nate Diaz (21 / 6'0" / 73" reach / 5-2 record)
Corey Hill (28 / 6'4" / 76" reach / 0-0 record)
3 - NATE DIAZ vs. COREY HILL
ROUND ONE: No glove touch by the teammates. Corey Hill goes after Nate Diaz first, swinging wildly. Diaz grabs a single leg, but Hill sprawls well. Diaz drives Hill into the cage. Hill is defending exceptionally well. He even takes time to swat Diaz upside the head a few times, while continuing to sprawl. Diaz falls to his back, pulling Hill into his guard. Hill stands up, and so does Diaz. Hill throws a wild haymaker, and Diaz again grabs a single leg. Diaz pulls Hill to the ground, and goes for a legbar. Hill spins around, while Diaz continues to hold onto his leg. Hill throws down hammer punches to Diaz's head. Diaz is getting hit a bunch, so he gives up the submission. Hill stands up and backs off. Diaz stands up. Hill is swinging for the fences. Again Diaz pulls Hill to the ground, but again Hill stands back up. Hill lands a straight right hand. Diaz can't seem to get inside on Hill, so Hill is winning the stand-up. Diaz throws a knee, but falls backwards from the momentum. Diaz clinches Hill and throws up some knees. This time, Hill grabs a double leg and takes Diaz down. Hill is on top, in Diaz's guard. Diaz has a guillotine, and is working for a triangle. Diaz locks his legs. Hill tries to escape, but is losing oxygen. Hill taps out.
FINISH: Nate Diaz won by Submission at 3:02 of Round 1.
STAR RATING: (**-) Corey Hill came out with a vengeance in this fight, after looking tentative against Rob Emerson. Hill pretty much dominated the entire fight, until he got too overconfident and tried to play in Nate Diaz's backyard. On the ground, Diaz had a significant advantage over Hill, and it didn't take him long to effectively use his advantage to force the tap out. Even though Diaz won this fight, Hill actually had the better performance. Diaz didn't have a great showing, but in the end, his skill and experience simply won out.
RAMIFICATIONS: Nate Diaz moves on to the TUF 5 semifinals, along with Joe Lauzon and Gray Maynard. Corey Hill looks to have a very bright future in MMA.
Corey Hill is congratulatory towards Nate Diaz after the fight. Jens Pulver feels neither fighter lost anything, as both had good performances. Pulver says self-depreciatingly, when Hill finds himself a coach who can actually coach, he'll be unstoppable.
We go to the Official Weigh-in for Manny Gamburyan vs. Matt Wiman. Dana White says he expected Wiman to make the quarterfinals. White feels Gamburyan is too small for the lightweight division. White thinks Wiman will win.
[Commercial Break]
We come back to the Training Session for Team Penn. Karo Parisyan has arrived to surprise his cousin Manny Gamburyan. Gamburyan is running on the treadmill. Parisyan sneaks up behind him and says hello. Gamburyan is shocked and elated. To the cameras, Gamburyan says he wondered if it was a dream. Clips are shown of Parisyan in the UFC. Specifically, Parisyan's fight with Nick Diaz at UFC 49 is featured. White explains how Parisyan won the fight by split decision. Parisyan says he is cool with Nate Diaz, Nick's younger brother. Nate Diaz says the same, and is shown giving Parisyan a high-five. Gamburyan and Parisyan are shown rolling around the octagon. Gamburyan says he can't lose in front of his cousin.
We go to the Training Session for Team Penn. Matt Wiman hopes to use his reach advantage against Manny Gamburyan. BJ Penn is a bit worried because Gamburyan is a "ball of muscle." Wiman feels confident he will win.
Back to the Ultimate Fighter House. Gamburyan is shown singing prayer. Matt Wiman is also a religious man, saying he feels blessed by God.
[Commercial Break]
This is the fourth and final TUF 5 quarterfinal fight.
Tale of the Tape
Manny Gamburyan (25 / 5'5" / 66" reach / 8-2 record)
Matt Wiman (23 / 5'10" / 69" reach / 6-3 record)
4 - MANNY GAMBURYAN vs. MATT WIMAN
ROUND ONE: No glove touch. Manny Gamburyan throws the first punch, with a one-two combo. Matt Wiman shoots in on Gamburyan, lifts him up, but is unable to take him down. Wiman keeps working, and eventually scores the takedown. Wiman is on top of Gamburyan, in his guard. Gamburyan lands a few hard shots from the bottom. Gamburyan escapes, and reverses position. Wiman makes it back to his feet, but Gamburyan still has a hold of his head in a guillotine. Wiman is bleeding and the ref pauses the fight for the doctor to check him out. The doc okays Wiman and action resumes. Gamburyan goes back to slugging away at Wiman. Action goes back to the ground, with Gamburyan on top in Wiman's guard. Gamburyan is staying top-heavy, smothering Wiman on the ground. Gamburyan continues to score points with punches. Wiman escapes. Gamburyan has him locked around the waist. Jens Pulver is calling for a hiptoss. Gamburyan scores a partial throw, which is good enough to get Wiman to the ground. Wiman is warned for elbowing Gamburyan to the back of his head. The round ends. Advantage Gamburyan.
[Commercial Break]
ROUND TWO: Matt Wiman is surprisingly behind, so he'll need a finish, or to win this round to even things up. BJ Penn instructs Wiman to look at Manny Gamburyan when he punches. So far, Wiman has been covering up when he's tried to punch, not looking at Gamburyan. Wiman throws a wild haymaker that misses Gamburyan, and causes Wiman to stumble. Gamburyan takes advantage of this and scores a takedown on Wiman. Gamburyan is again on top of Wiman in his guard. Gamburyan is staying busy with punches. Wiman is struggling to escape. Gamburyan passes to half guard, but gets pulled back into guard. Wiman lands some short elbows. BJ Penn yells for Wiman to do something. The ref stands the fighters up. Gamburyan continues to stand and tee off on Wiman, while Wiman goes at Gamburyan blindly throwing punches. Gamburyan shoots in, but Wiman sprawls and grabs a guillotine. Gamburyan muscles Wiman back to his feet and the fighters separate. Wiman scores a takedown. Gamburyan is working for a kimura. Wiman gets Gamburyan's back. Gamburyan stands up, but falls back down. The fighters are all contorted, with Wiman still on Gamburyan's back, but Gamburyan manages to sneak his head around, get a look at Wiman, and land a punch to Wiman's face. Even in this awful position, Gamburyan continues to be the aggressor. Wiman is now going for an armbar. Gamburyan again uses his strength to escape. Gamburyan is back on top of Wiman. BJ Penn yells, "I don't care if you're tired. Armbar. Triangle. Anything." Gamburyan rides out the round on top of Wiman. Closer round than the first, but I'd also give this round to Gamburyan.
FINISH: Manny Gamburyan won by Unanimous Decision.
STAR RATING: (**) Matt Wiman fought a really odd fight. Manny Gamburyan wore him down early, and Wiman just wasn't the same fighter he usually is. Most of the fight consisted of Gamburyan riding Wiman. Wiman seemed frustrated, exhausted and eventually defeated. Gamburyan might be a short guy in stature, but he's got as much heart as any fighter I've ever seen. Sold fight, nothing spectacular, but solid. The first real big upset of TUF 5.
RAMIFICATIONS: Manny Gamburyan rounds out the semifinals, joining Joe Lauzon, Gray Maynard and Nate Diaz to battle it out for the TUF 5 championship. That makes it two Team Penn members and two Team Pulver members in the final four. In the preview for next week, Dana White is heard saying he wants teammate vs. teammate in the semifinals to ensure a Team Penn vs. Team Pulver finale. Neither coach likes this idea very much, so we'll have to see how things go down next week. Will the bossman win out, or will the coaches get their way? Something tells me we might be seeing:
Joe Lauzon vs. Gray Maynard
Nate Diaz vs. Manny Gamburyan
[End Show]
