The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 9: Episode 6 recap and discussion

Episode six of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 9 gets underway and the discussion immediately turns to Michael Bisping, who come fight time last week was harder to find than Carmen Sandiego.

At the fight announcement, lo and behold Coach Bisping arrives to pick the fights: Lightweights Martin Stapleton vs. Cameron Dollar.

Team UK finds no flaws in "Stapes" game and think it should be a relatively easy fight. Dollar feels the power of the hat-tilt will prevail.

Bisping comes over to make amends with Amasinger and the best he can come up with is that he overslept. Amasinger is too nice to kick him in the nads so they smile and go on their merry way.

Stapes grinds it out in practice and compares notes with Bisping. The strategy is to stuff the takedowns and strike him into a bloody mess. Stapes is still mad over the UK team's first loss and vows revenge.

Back at the house, Stapes talks shit armed with some carrots and celery. He seems to be rather chipper while Dollar is an anxiety filled mess.

Dollar hits the gym and gets some polishing from Coach Henderson. Hendo forces him to train striking and Dollar resists, admitting that he's horrible at it. It's strangely reminiscent of last season when Roli Delgado had no idea how to manipulate the speed bag.

We then get the most gratuitous piano solo since "The Lonely Man" as the gang waxes poetic about life as a fighter and the sacrifices that come with it. I kept expecting Stapes to pass through in faded blue jeans and a dingy backpack looking for a ride out of town.

Pre-fight hype in the locker room shows Stapes with nerves of steel while Dollar is scared of his own shadow.

Lightweight elimination fight #2: Martin Stapleton (5-1) vs. Cameron Dollar (4-1)

Round 1: Jab by Stapleton. Low kick by Dollar. They clinch and Stapleton takes a nasty punch to the back of the head that buckles him. He gets his footing and drives Dollar to the cage. Dollar goes down but gets right back up dumps Stapleton to the ground. Dollar takes his back and rains down punches. Dollar flattens him out and attempts a rear naked but Stapleton defends and breaks free. Dollar still has hooks in and reapplies the choke, this time landing it for the tap.

Cameron Dollar defeated Martin Stapleton via submission (rear naked choke)

Bisping is shocked and Hendo laps up every bit of devastation on his face. Stapes looks shell-shocked. Dollar gets all gangsta back in the locker room and enjoys his big win.

Coach Henderson presides over the next fight announcement and chooses welterweights Frank Lester vs. James Wilks.

In training the Brits think Wilks is getting underestimated. Considering Lester called him "a pussy on his feet," I think that's a safe assumption. Wilks doesn't want to make the same mistake so trains for both standing and grappling.

The US boys talk tough in the comforts of the mansion and call Wilks out for living in Orange County for the past ten years and not really being a Brit. Santino DeFranco likes that Lester acts like a loon.

Damarques Johnson offers a $100 bounty for every one of Wilks teeth Lester can knock out. Charming.

Hendo's big advice for the fight is "Stick and move." I wonder if he's been playing Mike Tyson's Punchout prior to his training sessions. Unfortunately he can't press Select in between rounds so hopefully he has something else to offer.

Welterweight elimination fight #3: Frank Lester (3-2) vs. James Wilks (5-2)

Round 1: They touch gloves and Wilks reaches in for a jab. Lester swings wildly. Wilks backs him up with a combo. They exchange a few soft kicks and punches and Wilks eats a hard punch on the exit. Lester bouncing around and Wilks is flat-footed. Lester drops him with some punches but gets caught in a heel hook when he tries to mount. Lester escapes but tumbles backwards and Wilks is right there to jump on top of him. They struggle for position and Wilks gets side control. Wilks tries to pass and eats an upkick. Lester stands as Wilks tries for a guillotine and gets an airball instead. Lester rocks him with punches. Wilks lands a knee in the clinch and pushes him to the cage. They take a breather. Lester with a failed trip. They look gassed. Back to the cage. Nice knee to the face by Wilks. These guys are spent. Wilks with a sloppy takedown. They remain in missionary position and the horn sounds just as Wilks secures an arm triangle choke.

Round 2: Lester mumbles something about his tooth and doesn't answer the bell. Bisping goes berserk on Mazzagatti to make him fight or stop the bout for failure to answer the bell. F-bomb detonates. Apparently Lester got his teeth knocked out and cant get the mouthpiece on -- because they're still lodged in the mouthpiece.

The ringside doctor does an onsite extraction and he's good to go. They touch gloves. For some reason that amused me. Wilks eats a jab and answers with one of his own. Wilks with a low kick. Soft head kick for Wilks. "Hands tight!" Bisping screams for the hundredth time. Wilks shoots in and pushes him to the cage but gets stuffed. Wilks lands a series of uppercuts but Lester won't budge. Wilks changes levels and drops him. They stand up and take turns whaling on each other. Wilks throws him to the ground and jumps into side control. He easily mounts and when Lester leaves an opening, Wilks slaps on a textbook armbar for the tap.

James Wilks defeated Frank Lester via submission (armbar)

Lester had four teeth knocked out in the fight -- which by my calculations puts him $400 in the hole.

Karma, she is a bitch.

Stay tuned next week as we get a crash course in infection control, someone gets the Triple H treatment and eats a sledgehammer, and yet another two fight episode! Hoo-wah!

See you in seven!