TUF 11: Is Dodgeball the New Ultimate Fighting?

It's hard not to feel down on Team Punishment as Tito's crew find themselves down 4-1 with an impending coach resignation coming down the pipeline. Worse yet, it is starting to appear that Ortiz has a mutiny on his hands as Kyacey Uscola --a fighter whose career record is 18-15-- begins to question Tito's strategy for the fighters. Essentially, Uscola believes that Tito is overtraining the fighters who are quickly tiring in fights they should win handily. The Kris McCray loss is simply the latest example. Of course every member of Team Punishment says that everything is peachy Tito still holds a pow-wow to make sure the team is still on the same page. Kyacey is upset with being verbally called out in a team function but he forgets that the best way to build commrodiry is through verbal abuse. At least, that's what my fraternity taught me...
 
Chuck Liddell returns from his second mysterious trip just in time to  congratulate Josh Bryant of Team Liddell Hackleman before heading to the coaches' challenge. This year the coaches will battle it out in a best of three dodgeball sereis. Each coach picks three members of their team to engage is some good ole fashion elementray school bullying, I mean dodgeball. Team Liddell jumps out to a quick two games to none lead over Team Punishment. In the final game serendipity strikes as Liddell and Ortiz are the last one's left. The two trade balls (haha, balls) until Chuck manages to tag Tito who forgot the five D's of dodgeball (that's dodge, duck, dip, dive and dodge!). That's make it 5-1 for Team Liddell plus the Iceman gets a cool $10,000 for showing Tito whose the bigger kid on the playground.

Back at the gym Chuck picks Court McGee to fight Nick Ring of Team Punishment. During the weigh-in Ring feels that McGee "disrespected" him so he responds with a "oh, no you didn't".

Nick Ring was Tito Ortiz's number one pick though Team Liddell Hackleman isn't worried. Coach Hackleman even says that he would match McGee up with anyone, even Godzilla.

Too bad McGee is fighting Mothra (Mothra beats Godzilla, right?).

Court may look like an Amish fighter (it's the beard) but in fact he's the Amish version of a Mark Renton. For those not familiar with Trainspotting that means McGee was a big drug user. Court tells his teammates about his drug experimentation days that would have put Breaking Bad to shame. At one point McGee jumped up to heroine and promptly overdosed. But now McGee is a reformed and ready to go into the cage and beat people up for a living -- ah, redemption!

Before the fight there is one last piece of drama. James Hammortree, the fighter with the best last name in Ultimate Fighter history, goes down with a back injury. It looks pretty scary as Hammortree moans in pain and complains of a burning sensation down his legs. James is taken to the hospital as a precaution and while nothing is broken it looks like his chances of grabbing the wild card are all but over. Ortiz comments that it appears Kris McCray will most likely get the spot instead.

But it's on to the fight!

Court McGee secures a quck takedown but fails to mount much offense. Instead he sits in Ring's guard until the referee stands them up. Once back on their feet Nick begins throwing multiple kicks and in the latter part of the round secures a takedown and takes McGee's back.

Court rebounds in the second round as he stuffs Ring's few takedown attempts. McGee begins to push forward throwing combinations and it appears that Ring is on his heels for the whole round though he responds with lone kicks and jabs. The horn sounds and it appears we may get another three round figt though Chuck is extremely confident that McGee won even jawing with Jamie Yager about the scoring.

The judges render their decision 20-18, 20-18, 19-19 -- a majority decision for Ring.

Liddell is livid and Dana is baffled at the scoring in the second round. While Ring celarly won the first round --he landed more effective blows and secured superior position from his takedown when compared to McGee's earlier takedown-- the second round is where things become a bit more dicey. McGee did begin to push the pace and throw combinations but it appeared that Ring was able to deflect most of the punches, which may have looked feeble to the cage side judges.

Still, it was a very close fight and Tito can't feel very confident about his #1 pick heading into the quarter finals .

Next week is the final preliminary fight as Joe Henle of Team Liddell will fight Seth Baczynski.