Every reality show needs a villain.
The Apprentice had Omarosa, The Real World had Puck, Top Chef had Marcel and who could forget Johnny "Fairplay" from Survivor: Pearl Islands. Reality television villains are such a guilty pleasure for the viewing masses that producers of Survivor and The Real World/Road Rules Challenge have entire seasons dedicated to these miscreants. The Ultimate Fighter is no different as the elventh season found its villain in Jamie Yager.
It's not like anyone didn't see Yager's impending casting as archfiend coming. The prior three episodes featured a heavy dose of "Yager's a dick" foreshadowing and this week the producers cashed in with two confrontations.
The first incident involves Jamie's actions from last week's fight. Nick Ring, of Team Punishment, takes exception to Yager (his teammate) cheering on Team Liddell's Brad Tavares. Ring confronts Jamie after Tavares wins the fight and Nick dresses Yager down about proper edicit and being a team player. Yager responds with wry smile and a the equivalnet of a teenagers "okay" after they've been caught doing something wrong but won't stop. The two hug it out in one of the most awkward "bro hugs" in reality show history.
Back at the house viewers witness Yager's cabal of henchmen, which he so lovingly refers to as the "Minority Report" (becuase they have brown skin, except Kyle Noke who is Australian. Go figure) express their feelings about Tavares' recent victory. They even use a talking stick. How quaint.
Team Liddell still has control over who fights next and Chuck taps Rich Attonito to fight Kyacey Uscola. Viewers get a quick bio montage of each fighter: Uscola is fighting for his family with a kid on the way, while Attonito is Italian with a lot of nicknames.
Prior to the fight there is one more dose of reality show drama. Kyacey is missing a sweater and finds it (his name is written on it) in Yager's closet though later it is said to be in Yager's room. Uscola quickly labels Jamie a thief, which Yager takes exception to by throwing out lots of expletives about disrespect. Kyacey responds in kind and it looks like we are about to get a rural vs. urban, street vs. farm clash of cultures (that means Yager says "dawg" a lot while Uscola calls him a "punk"). The bickering continues on the drive to the gym, and at the gym, with a ragged looking Ortiz (foreshadowing to his eventual departure?) serving as final arbiter. Nothing really comes of it other than the fact that Jamie will claim more umbrage than George Lucas talking to the guy who made the one hour review of Episode I.
As this is a fighting reality show there is suppose to be violence and a half-an-hour in we are on to the fight. Typically that means a three round fight but not this time -- it's like a M. Night Shyamalan twist!
Attonito drops Uscola right off the bat and appears close to finishing the Team Punishment fighter. But Kyacey survives and locks in a kimura and sweeps Rich. With side control established Uscola lands several blows and as Rich attempts to stand up Kyacey lands two knees which appear to be illegal blows to the head of a downed opponent. However the replay appears to show that the first knee hit Attonito in the chest while the second one appeared to miss. The referee doesn't go to the replay (in Nevada, instant replay is available, however these are technically "exhibition" bouts) and Kyacey loses via disqualification.
Tito Ortiz is visibly displeased with the fourth loss in a row for his team and takes out his frustration on a door. Incidentally, this is Nevada's plan to get their stagnant construction industry back on track, having workmen replace the doors on The Ultimate Fighter set.
Dana White attempts to gloss over the potential controversy by saying the fight was one sided until that point but if the first two minutes of a fight were all that matter than Phil Baroni would be the best fighter in the UFC.
It's not all good news for Team Liddell though as Rich Attonito is forced to withdraw with a broken hand. No word on who Chuck will replace Rich with but we do get a glimpse of next week's fight as Liddell picks Charles Blanchard to face off against the villain, Jamie Yager. The episode ends right as Yager and Blanchard arrive at the cage.
Thanks for the blue balls Spike. Tune in next week to see if Blanchard can secure sweet retribution against that rapscallion Yager.
