Episode three opens with your typical recap of last week’s action that set up the imminent fight between Team Sonnen’s Urijah Hall and Team Jones’ Adam Cella.
Both teams go back to their respective locker rooms as the fighters and coaches discuss Luke Barnatt’s knockout of Gilbert Smith and the upcoming bout between Hall and Cella.
Back at the house Kevin Casey tells opposing team member Bubba McDaniel that calling him out after the last fight made him look weak because Casey cannot fight until his eye heals.
Sitting around the campfire Urijah Hall is corrected by Josh Samman which frustrates the Jamaican fighter who insists he will call him out next. Hall continues to explain that coming to America from a foreign country he was subject to a lot of ridicule as a youth and martial arts was his escape.
In a Team Sonnen training session, Chael explains that Hall is the hardest working and most physically skilled fighter in the series but the mental game is his biggest hurdle. This is proven when he gets submitted by Casey and gets annoyed and sits on the sideline.
Cella speaks on having an education to fall back on if the fighting business doesn’t pay off which he considers a major advantage over his teammates who are all or nothing on this series. Back in the gym Jones is working with his team on their ground-and-pound.
Sonnen speaks with Hall about his self-doubt and overcoming it. Being someone who has dealt with public mental battles Sonnen comforted him with his story and him overcoming it.
Keith Kizer of the Nevada State Athletic Commission is on hand for weigh-ins and both make it without issue.
Jones came over to the house with his dog to cook up a storm and get to know his fighters outside of the gym. Sitting around the campfire, the fighters share why they want to win this series and Jones tells them they’re family now.
Urijah Hall vs. Adam Cella
Round 1:
Steve Mazzagatti is the third man in the cage as Cella is the aggressor with Hall countering his shots. Cella pushes forward but eats a knee to the face for his troubles. In a thai clinch in the centre of the cage Hall fires with a pair of knees that forces the break. Cella throws a leg kick and gets taken down, the Ring of Combat mainstay sits on top in guard and lands strikes. Returned to the feet Hall front-kicks the unbeaten fighter and floors him momentarily. Cella remains the aggressor but again a leg kick haunts him as he falls to the floor, barely escaping a wild haymaker. Head kick from Hall as he evades a spinning-back-fist. The Finney’s HIT Squad fighter charges Hall with a pair of punches as a firefight ensues. Cella misses with a spinning-back-fist and charges with a string of punches. With seconds left on the clock Hall throws a spinning-heel-kick for a clean knockout.
The mood goes from overwhelming excitement to sombre in a matter of seconds as Hall apologizes to his fallen comrade. The crowd applauds as he is able to sit back up but clearly is still seeing stars as he gets to his feet.
Mazzagatti comes in to tell the boys that Cella is going to the hospital to get checked out but they don’t expect long term damage.
Fight announcement time, Sonnen remains in charge and pits Kevin Casey from his team against Collin Hart, a move that doesn’t impress McDaniel.
