The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) Season 12, featuring welterweight coaches (and division rivals) Josh Koscheck and Georges St. Pierre, gets underway with Episode 10 and Michael Johnson is all wet over the number of pranks being played in the final days at the TUF house. He blames Alex Caceres for the shenanigans, but "Bruce Leroy" insists he's innocent.
Johnson is pretty mad over a watered-down shirt, just imagine how upset he would have been on Season 8 when Kyle Kingsbury dropped a billion and one offspring into the center of a California roll.
After the producers establish the Johnson vs. Caceres "rivalry," shit gets real over at the gym because Kyle Watson and Aaron Wilkinson are about to see who makes it to the semifinals.
Quarterfinal elimination fight #3: Kyle Watson (13-6-1) vs. Aaron Wilkinson (6-3)
Round 1: Low kick by Watson. Another. Inside low kick. Watson rushes him and takes him down. They struggle for position and Watson mugs him from half guard. After a lot of squeezing and grimacing, Wilkinson escapes in a scramble but Watson is right there and drags him back down. More squeezing and grimacing. Wilkinson gets desperate and rolls over but gives up his back and winds up getting locked up and choked out.
Kyle Watson def. Aaron Wilkinson via submission (rear naked choke)
After the fight, Coach St. Pierre brings Freddie Roach in to help school the recruits on the basics of the sweet science. As expected, they're a bit starstruck but try and get the most out of his surprise visit.
Unfortunately we get very little of Roach and what he brings to the gym because apparently we need to allot more time for the Johnson-Caceres feud. As if we didn't know by now that they don't like each other. Not to mention they're going to be fighting in about ten minutes.
What a waste.
At the weigh ins, Coach Koscheck calls Michael Johnson a black GSP and tells him that Bruce Leroy will emerge victorious. Both fighters make weight without incident.
The red team coaches are sitting out rather than choosing sides so Jeffrey Lentz volunteers to corner Caceres while Kyle Watson corners Johnson. We get a few more clips of trash talk before the fight.
Quarterfinal elimination fight #4: Michael Johnson (8-4) vs. Alex Caceres (4-2)
Round 1: Low kick lands for Leroy. Johnson snaps a 1-2, scoops him up and slams him down hard. Caceres gets guard, kicks out and jumps to his feet. Johnson charging with strikes. Leroy gets his mouthpiece knocked out and referee Herb Dean stops the action to let him reset it. After the break, Johnson is all over him and scores another scoop slam. Leroy being stingy with his legs and again gets back to his feet, firing off a combo on the break away. Low kick lands for Leroy. Johnson looks tired. Caceres swarms and Johnson locks him up and they go to the cage. Lots of struggling and Johnson finally backs off. Johnson lunges with punches but misses. Leroy jumps in and winds up on his ass but quickly recovers. Someone awkwardly yells "Good boy!" to one of the fighters. They clinch against the cage and Caceres lands a big knee at the buzzer.
Round 2: Low kick lands for Caceres but Johnson gets a huge slam and secures side control. Johnson adjusts position and pushes him to the cage. Johnson starts the ground and pound but Caceres uses it to escape and comes out swinging. Johnson is game but they both kind of flop to the ground in exhaustion. This time it's Caceres who gets top position. He can't hold it and they're back up and throwing leather. Caceres back to the ground and Johnson trying to grind him up. Leroy again gets to his feet, lands a nice right and gets driven into the side of the cage. Johnson with a scoop slam that likely wins him the round. Nice elbows from the top for Johnson at the horn.
Michael Johnson def. Alex Caceres via unanimous decision
George St. Pierre applauds his guys for a "great fight" while Koscheck shouts "That fight sucked!" The coaches meet with Dana after the bout and it's agreed: Michael Johnson will face Nam Phan while Kyle Watson battles Jonathan Brookins.
GSP says Brookins may be the favorite but don't underestimate Watson. He's not so optimistic about Phan's chances, especially after the face-off at the announcement.
Tune in next time for the two-hour semifinal extravaganza. Who gets to compete at the live TUF 12 Finale? Find out in two weeks!
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