Episode four of The Ultimate Fighter 7 is in the books and since this week's episode is titled "Everything to lose" I wonder about the second half of that quote as it pertains to the contestants (and possibly the viewers).
After our standard recap of last week we roll right into Jesse Taylor and his afterparty of one. Not that anyone has labeled him all brawn and no brains but I think I saw him trying to open a Heineken with a butter knife.
Matthew Riddle and Dante Rivera continue their on-camera courtship with some friendly barbs but you know what they say about the thin line between love and hate.
Team Rampage is back in the gym trying to find a way to rebound from their first loss - and Rampage gets a laugh from me when one of his boys rolls a grappling dummy into an armbar and Rampage exclaims "See that! He just gave it to you!"
Rampage also doesn't appreciate the fact that the heat's turned off while he trains and that his team doesn't have gloves that fit. Maybe there is something to that name Team Brown-nose after all.
The guys on Team Blue expect Forrest to pit his top guy against their worst. Patrick Schultz humbly acknowledges his place on the team and prepares himself to get called out.
Back at the house everyone is still reeling from last week's herpes outbreak and when Jesse Taylor gets a few red bumps on his chest he goes from team hero to Typhoid Mary in less than 24 hours. He gets sprayed with some tough-actin' Tinactin and lives to fight another day.
Riddle starts up with his shtick again - only this time Rivera's not there to hear it. As Riddle drones on the viewing audience simultaneously becomes envious of Dante Rivera.
Dana is conspicuously absent from the fight announcement and Forrest wastes no time announcing Tim Credeur from Team Brown taking on Matthew Riddle from Team Blue.
Credeur makes a good point while explaining his decision to fight Riddle: He wants opponents who can make him a better fighter and a leftover like Patrick Schultz is not capable of doing that.
Ouch.
At the house we get more of Riddle and Rivera. This time Rivera is needling Riddle over whether or not he has the stones to bet $500 on his own fight. Meanwhile my wife offered me $500 to change the channel.
Team Brown hits the gym and Credeur gives a pretty convincing argument for why he's there. Over at Team Blue's training session Coach Ibarra tells Riddle he must get into Credeur's butt. While initially appalled, I do concur that sodomy is enough to make any man tap.
Riddle shows up at the weigh-ins wearing a Speedo with a promise to show America what he's got. I wonder aloud what it was about Gabe Reudiger that Matthew Riddle found so appealing - since he seems to be emulating his entire routine.
Both guys make weight but back at the house Riddle admits that he has at least 10-15 years left in MMA. That's assuming he can first get his driver's license and move out of his Mom's house.
Team Brown's Tim Credeur (10-2) vs. Team Blue's Matthew Riddle (1-0)
Round 1: Riddle opens with a lazy shoot but hangs on and wrestles him down. Riddle not doing much and Credeur explodes out of it and gets back to his feet. Jab and low kick by Credeur find their mark. Half-assed crane kick and another lazy shoot backs Credeur up who locks up and gets dumped to the mat. Riddle pushes him to the cage but Credeur escapes. Kick/slip by Creduer followed by some punches and they tie-up but this time it's Credeur who gets the takedown. Credeur gives him a half-slam into the cage and Riddle rolls out and briefly gets control. Credeur grabs a leg but eats a shot and ends up in guard. From there he reverses and lands some shots from the top. Riddle starting to take punishment and gives up his back. Credeur pours it on as the bell sounds. Close round.
Round 2: High kick and shoot by Riddle gets Credeur to the mat. Creduer quickly looks to triangle but instead finds his feet and reverses. Riddle against the cage eating elbows. Credeur postures and lands a big shot. Credeur postures again but Riddle escapes and comes out swinging like a Wildman with punches and kicks. Credeur retreats and gets taken down. Credeur looks gassed. Riddle lands a nice elbow. Both sides are screaming. Credeur almost has a triangle but loses it. Riddle rolls and winds up on bottom. Riddle looks spent. Credeur rolls into a slow-motion armbar but Riddle is too winded to defend and is forced to tap.
Tim Credeur defeats Matthew Riddle via submission (armbar)
Team Blue is now down 0-2 and Rampage looks extremely disappointed. A very mediocre episode was saved by a very entertaining fight. While not the most technical affair, it was still very close and the action was constant and back-and-forth.
Stay tuned next week as Rampage loses his cool, Bisping makes a cameo (and gets kicked in the yam-bag), and Jeremy May and Matt Brown have a war of words.
See you then!
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