Episode four of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 11 featuring coaches Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell and Tito "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" Ortiz gets underway with an extremely protracted recap of last week's fight. I guess it was to expose Jamie Yager as a Team Liddell sympathizer.
He gets called out after the fight for cheering on Tavares in what is sure to be one of this season's many confrontations.
Back at the house we get a closer look at "The Minority Report" which is the new, more PC friendly name for "The Brown Clique" consisting of Yager, Brad Tavares and Kris McCray. I was kind of hoping it was like the movie so a little animatronic spider could come and zap my eyes out.
Yes, I'm jaded.
We go right back to the gym for the next fight announcement and Coach Liddell picks Rich Attonito to fight Kyacey Uscola. It's "Hulk Smash" vs. "The Pitbull" according to the contestants.
Cue the "Lonely Man" piano solo which we all know after 11 seasons means someone is going to start gushing over their kids. This time it's Uscola, who will miss the birth of his child to play TUF guy.
And I hope he wins, simply so he doesn't have to explain to his wife that he sacrificed everything to get bounced out of the competition in Episode 4.
Team Liddell showcases Attonito's skill set, which includes a repertoire of cute little faux-mob names and a history of "tossing people like pizza's." That's a lot to live up to in my opinion.
Chuck has to duck out to handle some outside commitments and will unfortunately miss Attonito's fight. Somewhere across the pond, Dean Amasinger is sympathizing.
Back at the house Uscola accuses Yager of stealing his sweater. The F-bomb starts flying and they begin arguing over who the bigger A-hole is. Basically just another day in the TUF house. Must be some sweater.
Coach Ortiz defends Yager and says he's not a thief but it doesn't do much to silence the rat-tat-tat yammering -- which is ironic because Attonito shows him pictures of his wife and Yager is silent for the first time all season. He manages to get a "That's what's up!" before it gets too uncomfortable.
Elimination bout #3: Rich Attonito (7-3) vs. Kyacey Uscola (18-15)
Round 1: Overhand right lands for Uscola. Attonito answers. 1-2 for Attonito. Then a jab. Attonito drops him with a combo and pounces. Uscola covers and rolls and tries to stay out of harms way but gives up his back. Attonito can't capitalize but manages a full-on piledriver when Uscola tries to stand. He rains down more punches to a surprisingly conscious Uscola but gets Randleman'd and ends up on his back in a Kimura. Uscola can't keep it locked on and tries to tee off but accidentally plunks Attonito with two illegal knees while he was still down. Replay shows a possible phantom knee but it's too late, fight's over.
Rich Attonito defeats Kyacey Uscola via disqualification.
Coach Ortiz blows a gasket and obliterates one of the gym doors in the process. Coach Liddell returns and makes his next fight pick and chooses Charles Blanchard to fight Jamie Yager. Ortiz promises to shoot himself if Yager loses.
I'm not touching that one.
Attonito got the win but he also suffered a broken hand and will no longer be able to compete in the competition. Oddly enough, he didn't seem that broken up about it.
Coach Liddell is gamely trying to coax Blanchard through a strategy for beating Yager while Team Ortiz thinks it's going to be a walk in the park. Tito wants Yager to make an example out of Blanchard.
Both fighters make weight without incident and share an unintentionally funny hug prior to commercial break.
Elimination bout #4: Charles Blanchard (7-2) vs. Jamie Yager (2-1)
Round 1: Huge height advantage for Yager. Lunching jab misses for Yager. Combo misses. Blanchard shoots but can't get the takedown. Yager makes him pay for it with a right. Blanchard crumbles and turtles up. Referee saves him from more damage.
Jamie Yager defeats Charles Blanchard via TKO (strikes)
Could the luck of Team Ortiz finally be changing for the better?
Stay tuned next week as Tito gets control of the fight picks, another contestant goes down with injury and a couple of wildcards have the possibility to get called up. Who will it be?
See you in seven!
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