Ultimate Fighter 7: Episode 1 recap and discussion

by Jesse Holland on Apr 2, 2008 10:00 PM EDT

The Ultimate Fighter 7
Season seven of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) is officially off and running as episode one opens with a promise that "It's all going to change."

The 16 new contestants wander into the gym with an unexpected air of humility.

Then (almost comically) the remaining doors open and more contestants file in like the multiple Smiths from the hallway scene towards the end of The Matrix Reloaded.

It took a few minutes of standing around bewildered but fortunately simple arithmetic prevailed and the guys realized there were now 32 contestants instead of 16.

Dana welcomes the cast and introduces coaches Forrest Griffin and Rampage Jackson. Dana reminisces about season's past and declares his hatred for pussies and posers. I guess that explains his public disdain for the Sherdog forums.

His solution is to have the contestants fight their way onto the show - or Fighters vs. Posers as Dana so affectionately calls it.

Elimination tournament. Eight fights in the first episode. Trial by F'ing fire. I know it's early but damn if this isn't shaping up to be the best opener in TUF history.

Not every contestant is as ecstatic as I am about this new development. Brandon Sene quit his job and sold his cars so that he could be on the show. Hopefully he doesn't get sent home on the first day since he now has no way to get home from the airport.

Rampage wastes no time getting into character following Dana's announcement and swears it smells like someone shit their pants. I suppose it's possible seeing as how Tim Sylvia didn't leave the UFC until last week.

The middleweights weigh-in first and everyone made weight which is surprising considering it was done on such short notice. Kudos to them.

Middleweight Elimination Fight #1: Prince McLean (4-5) vs. Mike Dolce (4-4)

Round 1: McLean eats a punch and they tangle and fall to the mat. McLean reverses but gets slammed back down for his efforts. Dana is amused by Dolce's war face. Rampage is partial to McLean's personality. Soon after McLean crumples in the corner from strikes.

Mike Dolce defeats Prince McLean via TKO (strikes)

McLean breaks down on camera as the producers give us the slow piano music that means we should be sad. Unfortunately the next fight is starting right away so the best we can do is bid adieu and keep it rolling.

Middleweight Elimination Fight #2: Cal Yarbrough (0-0) vs. John Clarke (6-2)

Yarbrough is a friend of Coach Griffin but Forrest isn't high on his chances. Clarke had to cut 17 pounds to make the fight and is getting too old to get drunk and fight in Boston. Knowing Boston's high moral standards, I find that very hard to believe.

Round 1: Yarbrough misses with a high kick. Clarke shoots and scores easily. Forrest calls it garbage. Rib punches by Clarke. Yarbrough scrambles but goes nowhere. Clarke tries for the kimura but lets it go. Clarke gets warned for punches to the back of the head. Clarke rolls. Forrest continues to grimace. Yarbrough escapes and gets to his feet. They go back to the ground and Yarbrough gets top position. Clarke easily reverses and looks for the armbar. Yarbrough escapes and sticks his head into a guillotine but is able to back out and get to his feet. Yarbrough throws some sloppy strikes but Clarke is too exhausted to defend and just covers up until the ref stops it.

Cal Yarbrough defeats John Clarke via TKO (strikes)

The producers must not have been very fond of John Clarke since we don't even get a parting shot with him looking sullen on the bus ride to the airport. Instead we roll right into the third fight of the night. No complaints here.

Middleweight Elimination Fight #3: Steve Byrnes (6-1) vs. Amir Sadollah (0-0)

Round 1: Sadollah lands a front kick. Byrnes shoots and backs him to the cage but gets stuffed and still holds on. Byrnes eventually spins him to the mat into half and then full guard. Byrnes eats some shots from the bottom. A lot of effort for positioning and a lot of energy getting spent. Byrnes sneaks in some elbows. They inadvertently kiss during a transition. Sadollah does a nice roll and reverses position. Dana and Forrest argue whether or not Sadollah is strong. Byrnes locks in an armbar but Sadollah narrowly escapes. Sadollah back on top. Rampage gets submitted by his own spelling. Sadollah stands and gets reversed. Sadollah bleeding from the nose but stays busy from the bottom. Rampage doesn't like Byrnes face so close to Sadollah's yam-bag. Round one ends with Byrnes landing hammer fists.

Round 2: Sadollah with a high kick. Sadollah shoots and drags Byrnes to the floor. Byrnes rolls and gets top briefly but Sadollah keeps the momentum with him and gets back to top position. Byrnes stands up and eats a knee. Byrnes is sucking wind but still gets a takedown. Sadollah looks like he's playing twister and accidentally lands on top of Byrnes. Sadollah lands some heavy blows from the top. Byrnes rolls again and gets trapped in an armbar and is forced to tap. In his excitement Sadollah runs to the side of the cage and jumps on it - only to come crashing right down like a winded Humpty Dumpty. Not satisfied with the embarrassment of falling on his head, Sadollah commences with an on-camera dance. And it's the robot. The largest collection of crickets and tumbleweeds ever assembled make their way across televisions nationwide.

Amir Sadollah defeats Steve Byrnes via submission (armbar)

Prior to the final televised fight of the night, we get highlights (and lowlights) of four fights that took place during the first wave of the middleweight elimination tournament.

CB Dolloway (6-0) defeats David Baggett (4-2) via TKO (strikes)
Dante Rivera (10-2) defeats Jon Wood (6-3) via submission (kimura)
Nick Klein (3-0) defeats David Mewborn (4-0) via submission (arm-triangle choke)
Paul Bradley (5-0) defeats Reggie Orr (5-5-1) via unanimous decision

Middleweight Elimination Fight #8: Dave Roberts (4-5) vs. Jeremy May (6-5)

Roberts is seen training with Rampage before the fight much to the dismay of Jeremy May. Rampage tells May to mind his own business.

Round 1: Roberts with a low kick. May returns the favor. Glancing haymaker by May. Roberts keeps his hands low. May rushes in with a combo that backs Roberts into the cage. May smothering him with punches. Roberts grabs a leg in desperation and they fall to the mat. Roberts looks lost and gets caught in an armbar. Rampage looks disgusted. May gets a wee bit cocky after the fight.

Jeremy May defeats Dave Roberts via submission (armbar)

Episode one is officially in the books and I couldn't be more pleased with the way this season has started. Fans have long been clamoring for more action and less drama and episodes one and two look to deliver on that demand.

My only question is: How will they be able to sustain this kind of action-packed pace for the remainder of the season? Only time will tell.

Stay tuned next week as they crank out eight more fights to determine the remaining middleweight contestants for this season including one of the most brutal knockouts in the history of the show - complete with ambulance!

See you then!

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Comments

How the HELL did I get the first post I am still watching the show.

by iagoof22 on Apr 2, 2008 10:22 PM EDT reply actions

How the HELL did I get the first post I am still watching the show.

Because no one else cares about having the first comment unless they have something to contribute.

by ShatteredDreams on Apr 2, 2008 10:28 PM EDT reply actions

If there’s one thing that Matt Hamill has proved tonight, it’s that he’s got a good chin after eating few kneeing from Tim Boetsch.

by 123boogie on Apr 2, 2008 10:40 PM EDT reply actions

man 2 tkos and an armbar already. awesome.

by DoctorSamson on Apr 2, 2008 10:43 PM EDT reply actions

Good fights from some bad fighters so far.

by Mattchupichu on Apr 2, 2008 10:57 PM EDT reply actions

definitely the best opening episode from any seasons. Nice to get right into fights. I’m pretty stoked about next week.

by DoctorSamson on Apr 2, 2008 10:59 PM EDT reply actions

I have to agree. for the last few seasons it seems you have to wait so long to weed out the crap and get some good fights. i like danas plan on this one. get rid of the week right away

by rick on Apr 2, 2008 11:11 PM EDT reply actions

MANIA!! When will us Brits get the show on Bravo over here? We seem to miss out on everything, isnt it about time the UFC fully expanded in to the UK as it clearly has the market! It pisses me off that we dont get the live fights unless they are in the UK, and TUF shows dont show for ages after shooting, its bollocks!!
Get your finger out Dana, even I know where you should be going with the promotion of the UFC in the UK and it aint happening!

by mo on Apr 2, 2008 11:13 PM EDT reply actions

Pretty good start of a season :] I can’t wait to see Riggs fighting, he has a funny accent :P

by dieGo[ATL] on Apr 2, 2008 11:17 PM EDT reply actions

looks good so far .. hope 2 have some good fights this season.
anyone catch forrest diggin in his nose after the first fight?

by tuffguy01 on Apr 2, 2008 11:18 PM EDT reply actions

I’m definitely excited for the season. However, the talent pool seems so saturated. Some of these guys were SO sloppy. It was hard to watch.

Rampage and Forrest will make it entertaining, though.

A couple of lines that were great..

Rampage: “I’m gonna take notes down. (few seconds later).. I can’t spell what I want to write right now”.

Dana: “Ughh, this is fucking horrible.. it looks like two turtles fucking”

by R-Dizzle on Apr 2, 2008 11:45 PM EDT reply actions

Basically, it’d like a regulsr seaon of the ultimte fighter. Except I’m drunk and the fighters seem …ehhh.

by Mattchupichu on Apr 3, 2008 12:51 AM EDT reply actions

I’m def. happy so far.
I mean 8 fights and some pretty good finishes. No doubt the 16 that are in the house will definetly want to be there.
I’m a fan of the new ultimate fighter idea, A

by Jesse_Canadian_MMA on Apr 3, 2008 1:13 AM EDT reply actions

i am so pumped for this season! rampage is funny, the brynes Sadollah fight was great! that Sadollah guy is funny too, i think Brynes deserved to be in the house, oh well

by FUCK ELITEXC! Go St. Pierre!!!!!! on Apr 3, 2008 1:37 AM EDT reply actions

Definitely a nice change of pace, good job UFC. Poor Rampage n’ Forrest, their buddies both lost!

by THORAZINE on Apr 3, 2008 4:19 AM EDT reply actions

I liked this new format for the show. 8 fights the first week and 8 the second. Pretty good. Although it’s early, Rampage and Forrest don’t seem to be like oil & water, like the Matts last year. They both seem to have good senses of humor. That’s good so we can concentrate on the fighters instead of the coaches.

Quote of the night from Rampage: “Get your face out his nuts!”

by GangOfOne on Apr 3, 2008 5:29 AM EDT reply actions

BUNCH OF CHUMPS BUT WE’LL SEE

by dcsoldier187 on Apr 3, 2008 6:00 AM EDT reply actions

Sorry Jesse, but I have to see this seasons start as what it is: a way of Dana and SpikeTV to crank two more weeks out of the (mostly) horrendous reality-show/soap-opera mashup.

Who’ve been the best fighters? No idea, can we really tell after the producers blasted us with their drama-gun?

CB Dolloway, Dante Rivera and Nick Klein looked good from what little we saw, but apparently they can’t do Mr. Roboto as well as the very underwhelming Amir Sadollah, so they only get a 10 seconds recap each.

I’m a bit curious about Mike Dolce. His performance was not bad and I wonder if there is legitimate knockout power in those hooks (who – as Rampage mentioned – looked pretty precise too). All my bi*chin’ aside I will most likely follow this season as eager as all the ones before, because if you can get thru the thick of the TV drama, there usually are 1-2 guys who got the talents to make it in this sport.

by YouTapped on Apr 3, 2008 6:06 AM EDT reply actions

IT was nice to see the shift in the progress, 8 fights right off the bat.

Everyone will be pumped until they lose thier first fight in the house.

I have a feeling this season is gonna be good.

by Yikes on Apr 3, 2008 7:12 AM EDT reply actions

Mike dolce is one to watch for. He trains with team quest in portland, has done so for years. Thid dude rolled around with matt lindland and dan henderson, he’s no chump, as you soon will see.

by Travis on Apr 3, 2008 7:39 AM EDT reply actions

I liked this approach to the season. The coaches can really see who has that mental toughness to be a great fighter. Before they had them almost in a bootcamp. Running, working out, sparring and stuff. But just because a guy is great at workouts, doesn’t mean he’s great when the fight is for real. Who worked out harder than Mike Whitehead? Now look at what happened once he fought.

From what I saw, a lot of these fighters have a long way to go. We forget that sometimes. Remember Josh Koscheck on the show. All he had was his wrestling and nothing else. Now he is much more well rounded. Fans need to remember, this show is to find a star in the making. That’s why I was opposed to Mac Danzig, because he was no rookie, so you are going to see guys who are not technical experts. Some of them even looked sloppy in their transitions last night and that’s ok. Unless it’s a comeback show there shouldn’t be any 20 fight veterans there.

by Getrawbc on Apr 3, 2008 7:49 AM EDT reply actions

Sorry Jesse, but I have to see this seasons start as what it is: a way of Dana and SpikeTV to crank two more weeks out of the (mostly) horrendous reality-show/soap-opera mashup.

Who’ve been the best fighters? No idea, can we really tell after the producers blasted us with their drama-gun?

CB Dolloway, Dante Rivera and Nick Klein looked good from what little we saw, but apparently they can’t do Mr. Roboto as well as the very underwhelming Amir Sadollah, so they only get a 10 seconds recap each.

I’m a bit curious about Mike Dolce. His performance was not bad and I wonder if there is legitimate knockout power in those hooks (who – as Rampage mentioned – looked pretty precise too). All my bi*chin’ aside I will most likely follow this season as eager as all the ones before, because if you can get thru the thick of the TV drama, there usually are 1-2 guys who got the talents to make it in this sport.

I think this years approach will help to weed out the guys that don’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of making it. I don’t remember the dude’s name from last year but he came in with a 0-0 record and obviously didn’t have the fire to make it. He just ended up being fodder for Mac. I vote for less drama and more documenting the blood, sweat & tears it takes to be an MMA fighter.

by loudpedal on Apr 3, 2008 7:55 AM EDT reply actions

I was very impressed with Amir. His ju jistu was really sharp and he looks durable and he is mentally tough. He enjoyed the moment while some others were probably nervous as hell. Enjoying the moment gives you an edge IMO.

I was very familiar with Dolce. I have seen him fight a few times in the IFL and I expect him to be a force this season.

I didnt know Dana White, hated the laying and praying so much. I didnt think he minded it since he keeps giving Sherk title shots.

I saw highlites from next weeks fights and it looks like someone locked in a flying triangle or arm bar…. I wonder who it was!

by john on Apr 3, 2008 8:19 AM EDT reply actions

MANIA!! When will us Brits get the show on Bravo over here? We seem to miss out on everything, isnt it about time the UFC fully expanded in to the UK as it clearly has the market! It pisses me off that we dont get the live fights unless they are in the UK, and TUF shows dont show for ages after shooting, its bollocks!!
Get your finger out Dana, even I know where you should be going with the promotion of the UFC in the UK and it aint happening!

Its on bravo this saturday at 2100 before fight night-13 starts.

by blueishe on Apr 3, 2008 8:23 AM EDT reply actions

Well yet again Dana White gives a great reason why the UFC should be so proud of him. What a great first impression to give to fighters by coming on the show and using the F word more times than ever before. Wow, really the UFC should get rid of him before he completely ruins the whole thing.

by JJ on Apr 3, 2008 8:43 AM EDT reply actions

Just after watching the first show… I think season will easily be better then last year’s season. Im gonna make it a point to watch every one until it gets hockey and corny. Great way to weed out the crowd.

Jesse, I dont think Clarke is going anywhere.. I think he is gonna be an injury stand-in.

by Luppers on Apr 3, 2008 8:47 AM EDT reply actions

I was very impressed with Amir. His ju jistu was really sharp and he looks durable and he is mentally tough. He enjoyed the moment while some others were probably nervous as hell. Enjoying the moment gives you an edge IMO.

I was very familiar with Dolce. I have seen him fight a few times in the IFL and I expect him to be a force this season.

I didnt know Dana White, hated the laying and praying so much. I didnt think he minded it since he keeps giving Sherk title shots.

I saw highlites from next weeks fights and it looks like someone locked in a flying triangle or arm bar…. I wonder who it was!

If you watched any of the IFL, you most likely know who Mike Dolce is. He had the KO in under 10 seconds and they ALWAYS replayed it. He is a team Quest fighter with great, heavy hands. However, he isn’t all that well of of his back. I expect Dolce at the very least to provide for a very exciting fight next round.

I thought that thad kid, 0-0, Amir was going to be a joke. I remember reading an article saying that he was “Mr. Personality” of the house – the Blake Bowman of TUF 7. However, I was thoroughly impressed with him, and was rather surprised to read all the hating on him alrady. For his first ever pro fight, well actually, that fight didn’t even count as a pro fight, I thought that he looked great. You want to talk about well rounded? I wonder if he wrestled in school because that looks looks like it could be his biggest weankess right now.

Dante looked very powerfull and CB looked impressive in there highlighted wins.

by ViolentMike on Apr 3, 2008 10:21 AM EDT reply actions

I bet Steve Byrnes thought he was gonna have a easy win from Amir. Amir is my favorite so far, because of the great haircut and that he’s so good for a guy that only fought amateur so far.

by Landowner on Apr 3, 2008 10:31 AM EDT reply actions

I think this years approach will help to weed out the guys that don’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of making it. I don’t remember the dude’s name from last year but he came in with a 0-0 record and obviously didn’t have the fire to make it. He just ended up being fodder for Mac. I vote for less drama and more documenting the blood, sweat & tears it takes to be an MMA fighter.

Corey Hill also came in at 0-0 and was mauling the eventual winner Nate Diaz until he shot too far and got caught and submitted. And since then he beat Joe Veres like a rented mule and looked pretty effing impressive doing it. So I wouldn’t write anyone off until they get a chance to show what kind of shit they’re made of. Also, that Amir Sadollah dude had only a few amateur muay thai fights, and he looked alright.

by Hardcase on Apr 3, 2008 11:28 AM EDT reply actions

I was very impressed with Amir. His ju jistu was really sharp and he looks durable and he is mentally tough. He enjoyed the moment while some others were probably nervous as hell. Enjoying the moment gives you an edge IMO.

I was very familiar with Dolce. I have seen him fight a few times in the IFL and I expect him to be a force this season.

I didnt know Dana White, hated the laying and praying so much. I didnt think he minded it since he keeps giving Sherk title shots.

I saw highlites from next weeks fights and it looks like someone locked in a flying triangle or arm bar…. I wonder who it was!

An occasional hand job more than makes up for boring LnP.

by PW on Apr 3, 2008 11:32 AM EDT reply actions

I have to say that i love the new format, it makes a lot of sense. You know, weed out the weak, untalented fighters before they have a chance to ruin the show. I have a name for it already…“The Abbadi Effect”

by Nokimono on Apr 3, 2008 2:49 PM EDT reply actions

I saw CB Dollaway’s fight against Hans Marrero on HDNet Fights, and was very pleased with him. Then I hear that he’s on here, so he immediately became my choice to win the whole thing. I was glad to see he dominated his opponent, and moved into the final 16.

I’m worried that we’re still going to get the trash Dana was trying to root out, because people like Cale and Amir made it through. Put them up against someone with some real talent and those guys will look like Anderson Silva fighting Cale and Amir.

I would’ve much rather seen them switch it around, and have Dolce fight Cale/Clarke/Brynes/Amir, so that a guy like Prince who most likely deserved to be on the cast more than a Cale could get in there, and really try to make it in. Prince just got put up against a better fighter. No one is saying Prince would’ve gone the distance, but down the line when we’re seeing Cale fight again, I’m always going to be like, “why the hell did he make it into the 16?”

by Scott on Apr 3, 2008 3:16 PM EDT reply actions