As much as the diehard fight fanatics with Shooto tapes on their shelves and a Pride never dies tee detest it, drama makes this reality series go round. We begin with a recap of the drama of the past few weeks with Colton Smith and Igor Araujo stealing controversial decisions that enraged UFC President Dana White and a bitter war of words between Matt Secor and Michael Hill.
We commence in the locker room with Colton Smith celebrating his victory as Roy Nelson implied a new system to determine who fights. Each of his remaining crew picked a number between 1 and 20 with Dom Waters getting the number and since his coach wouldn’t pick a person for him to fight he opted to pass. Instead, Michael Hill jovially stepped up as he held the nearest number.
At the fight announcement to the surprise of nobody paired up the Matt Secor and Michael Hill to resolve their conflict over chicken, now that’s drama.
Original Ultimate Fighter Forrest Griffin drops in to work with Team Nelson to show off his Gorilla-esque hairy chest and teach the children the fundamentals of boxing.
Michael Hill tells his tale of being an athlete that was given a lot of opportunities that he messed up and now mixed martial arts is giving him his opportunity to make up for that. He continues to explain that he feels he can beat anyone in the house but chose Secor because he was “shit talking” and he wants to shut him up.
We return from break to Matt Secor speaking of his time in the military and how that makes him a better fighter. He also reveals that his brother, who was in the National Guard passed away defending his Country in Iraq.
He continues to speak of his jiu-jitsu accomplishments winning in Pan-American Games in blue and purple and makes it very clear that he wants to take this fight to the floor as quickly as possible and bring it into his wheelhouse.
Back at the house Secor tells the sad tale of his father passing away recently. Being a diabetic he had a sugar attack and passed away alone. Secor speaks of how it left him with a lot of unanswered questions, motivates him and how he’d give up this TUF opportunity to see him one more time.
Fight day pre-fight comment is filled with all those tired fighting clichés that you’ve heard six thousand times, the first handful that spring to mind, that’s probably what they said.
Matt Secor vs. Michael Hill
Round 1:
Secor begins pumping his jab, feinting and avoiding the lead punch from Hill. Hill is rushing in and trying to land a power shot but fast foot work from Secor prevents this. To the surprise of Secor, Hill catches his knee coming in and forces the grappler onto his back. The unbeaten Hill struggles with the offence from the back of Hill before landing some shots and winding up in the guard of Secor. Both exchange pitter-patter shots as Hill lands the bigger shots when given an opportunity. Secor almost sweeps to take top position but Hill is able to keep top position with seconds on the clock before the fight is reset on the feet. Secor rushes forward and changes levels but the clock runs out before he is able to have any effective offence.
10-9 Michael Hill
Round 2:
Hill begins with a wild, looping shot to no avail before Secor shoots for a takedown but Hill avoids and gains side control and looks to elbow but has no success. Hill grabs a neck but Secor is able to push the fight against the cage before returning to the ground in the guard of Hill. Secor fights to get the back of Hill while against the cage so it’s not completely there. Riding on his back Secor fires off with an elbow before seeking the rear-naked-choke but Hill is quick to avoid it. Still with hooks in Secor has his back against the cage as he drops backwards looking to get the choke as he essentially gave up on the idea of the choke and just pitter-patter punched until the clock ran down.
10-9 Matt Secor
Apparently judges don’t completely suck at their jobs this week as we are headed to the third and final stanza.
Round 3:
We open with a stale mate as both battle to see who can do the least before Hill stards unloading with big powerful hooks that miss by a mile before a spinning-back-fist that fails before Secor pulls guard, putting the fight into his wheelhouse. Hill lands a few hammer fists before Secor attempts a triangle that makes Hill back up and return to the feet. Secor secures a takedown and soon passes to half-guard. Hill turns and essentially gives up his back as Secor rides his back with both hooks in with two minutes on the clock. Hill gets wrist control as he struggles to get free but afrer a scramble he winds up with Secor on his back again with both hooks as the clock winds down to zero.
10-9 Matt Secor
The video packages are essentially filled with the UFC figurehead blasting these fighters for a lack of urgency and for putting on an abysmal fight, and it’s hard to argue that.
Remember that part where I said that judges could do their job before? scrap that shit. Michael Hill defeats Matt Secor by Split Decision in what can only be describe as highway robbery.
An enraged Dana White marches backstage and blasts the judges and the Nevada State Athletic Commission with even Roy Nelson questioning the outcome of the fight as it closes with Dana’s “Don’t leave it in the hands of the judges” stenciled across the wall.
Preview for next week shows Dana going to the house to lecture the fighters on “turning it up a notch” as well as the track-and-field coaches challenge. Oh and course “all hell breaks loose” when the fighters break doors, scream, splash bodily fluids into fruit or whatever they do in the house, I’ll be honest I wasn’t watching.
