Continuing on through the Team vs. Team battles, the time has come for Greg Jackson to pick the fights. After seeing the disaster that befell Joe Warren’s Rino Sports team last week, the Yoda of MMA will have to be extra careful in picking which of his charges step into the Bellator cage, and which fighters they would choose to take on. Will Team Jackson make the right choices tonight, or will they fall even deeper into the hole?

Bellator Fight Master episode 6 recap

Fight 1: Tim Welch (Team Jackson) vs. Nick Barnes (Team Shamrock)

We start off with Nick “The Phoenix” Barnes saying that he feels sorry for the next person to stand in the cage against him. His coach, Frank Shamrock, praises Barnes’ “fighting mind” and coachability, saying he feels that his young charge will win the day. Tim “The Ginja Ninja” Welch, talks about his well-roundedness, while coach Greg Jackson speaks of his tactical abilities and powerful striking. Both Barnes and Welch are respectful of each-others abilities, with the “Ginja Ninja” choosing the Team Shamrock member because he believes it will be his biggest test. After a respectful meeting and a bro-hug, the number 6 (Welch) and number 9 (Barnes) seeds are set to face off.

While Greg Jackson was unable to tend to his Fight Master team in the lead-up to this fight, he left veteran fighters Joey Villasenor and Damacio Page to take care of the preperations for Tim Welch. Frank Shamrock took issue with that, noting that the coaches have a responsibility to be there for the fighter who chose to train under them. Still, regardless of what the first UFC middleweight champion had to say, Welch appeared to be in good hands with Page and Villasenor. The pair went over “The Ginja Ninja’s” strengths and weaknesses, noting that getting into the clinch or into extended exchanges with Nick Barnes would be poor ideas. Shamrock, though, sat down with his fighter, Barnes, and reviewed footage of Welch, noting that taking a safer, more defensive striking approach would be the key to victory. Barnes was a little unsure of this, as he notes that he prefers to, “Get the job done.”

During the run-up to the fight, Barnes’ teammates ask him about the scars all over his body. He then tells them the story, about how his cousins set him on fire when he was 13 years old, and how that led him to taking on his nickname. This impressed fellow Team Shamrock member Chris Lozano, who praised Nick’s maturity and emotional stability. On the day before the bout, Tim Welch discussed his nervousness, stating that while he feels he should be able to beat “The Phoenix” anywhere the fight may go, he must still worry about his opponent’s explosiveness. Damacio Page did his best to allay “The Ginja Ninja’s” concerns, while Joe Riggs said that the only issue in Welch’s game is his tendency to overthink.

The first round of this fight saw Barnes pumping out a loose jab, while hitting hard outside leg kicks on Welch. “The Ginja Ninja” would eventually try to answer back, lunging in with looping hooks that were evaded or parried by “The Phoenix,” who continued to patiently throw kicks from outside the pocket. A minute into the round, Barnes feinted a low kick, which was enough to throw Tim Welch off, allowing Nick to hit a kick to the body. About 75 seconds into the round, “The Ginja Ninja” was able to connect with an overhand right and a couple of short hooks to follow-up, but a flustered Barnes managed to get out of range before lunging back in with some wild punches and an accidental eyepoke. While the referee tended to Tim Welch, Frank Shamrock made sure to try and calm Nick down from cageside, encouraging his charge to relax. Shamrock’s advice worked, as Barnes calmed down, using head movement to avoid strikes from Welch while landing a couple of punches of his own. At around 1:45 into the round, Welch was staggered coming in by a short hook from Barnes, who pounced on him. Nick was unable to finish, though, as Tim attempted a single leg takedown and effectively used it to get back to his vertical base after “The Phoenix” sprawled out on him. Both men traded body shots before Barnes waded in, got a body lock on a turning Welch, and forced him face-first to the canvas. Barnes got his hooks in, and started fishing for the rear naked choke, peppering in shots to the head as Welch defended. Despite crossing his legs – a major grappling faux pas when you have somebody’s back as it sets up a very painful ankle lock – “The Phoenix” was able to once again rise up in victory, tapping out “The Ginja Ninja” with a rear naked choke.

Barnes showed great sportsmanship after the fight, helping Tim Welch to his feet. Greg Jackson felt that Welch fought a good fight, but got caught off one mistake. Yoda, though, was visibly frustrated with losing, especially to Frank Shamrock. Barnes spoke about how this was the biggest fight of his life to date, and now he’s ready for the next one. Welch, however, did not take it so well. He was in tears, upset at feeling as if he embarrassed himself and let down a lot of people.

Nick “The Phoenix” Barnes def. Tim “The Ginja Ninja” Welch by Submission (Rear Naked Choke, at 3:16 of R1.

Fight 2: Joe Riggs (Team Jackson) vs. Eric Scallan (Team Warren)

The second fight sees the most experienced fighter in the tournament, Joe “Diesel” Riggs, challenging Eric Scallan of Team Warren. Prior to making the challenge, an uncharacteristically angry Greg Jackson told Riggs that he wanted him to “rip their f—ing hearts out” and that he is not “f—ing losing.” Joe Warren, however, was in a far better mood, inspired that his charge, Eric Scallan, could win against the top seeded member of Team Jackson after watching Nick Barnes defeat Tim Welch. At the same time, Scallan says that he embraces his role as the underdog, and that he knows that Joe Riggs breaks mentally. Riggs has his turn to speak, talking about his history, how he started fighting professionally at 17 and even earned himself title shots in the UFC and Strikeforce. Greg Jackson, in talking head mode, then appeared to discuss how he feels the criticisms of Riggs being mentally weak were unfounded, and that he has been stable, “living in conditions that would make anyone kind of crazy,” in the Fight Master house.

After learning that he is the number 1 seed in the Fight Master house from coach Greg Jackson, Joe Riggs was feeling very good. He, much like his teammate Tim Welch did earlier, called his opponent out in a very respectful manner. Immediately we go to the pre-fight hype, with Scallan saying he’s not scared of “Diesel,” and coach Joe Warren mentioning that Riggs’ 60 career fights are too many. The Rino Sports head coach tells his pupil that in order to beat his more experienced opponent, he’ll need to properly use his strikes to set up his single leg takedowns, while Team Warren’s striking coach, Marc Montoya, details the importance of setting the pace. Coach Greg Jackson, however, feels that pressuring Scallan will be Joe’s route to victory, but is concerned about Riggs’ conditioning due to repeating his large, 30 lbs. weight cuts. Part of managing this is done through proper diet, which for “Diesel” means 2 ounces of salmon, an 1 1/2 ounces of berries, 4 spinach leaves, and a spoonful of almond butter as a meal. This leads to mindgames from Scallan, who eats all manner of food in front of his opponent to try and get in his head.

As the fight preparation goes forward, Marc Montoya talks about how he feels people are overlooking Eric Scallan. Scallan then starts questioning Riggs’ heart. “Diesel” talks about his partially self-inflicted hard life, talking about his battles with painkiller addiction and what it’s cost him. He also talks about he and Scallan are both recovering addicts, with Scallan having battled alcoholism, and how it’s allowed them to bond to a degree. Through all this, though, Riggs is able to make weight, and that sets the battle with Scallan in stone.

The first round of the fight saw Scallan decline to touch gloves with Riggs. The Team Warren member struck first, landing an outside leg kick on “Diesel,” but not even getting a reaction out of the veteran. Riggs blocks a head kick 30 seconds in, and starts moving forward, pressuring Scallan before finally letting loose with a couple of punches. With 4 minutes left in the round, this opening lets Scallan push Riggs against the cage and start with the wall’n’stall action. Riggs stays active though, through short punches and knees to the head of his opponent while trying to drive forward, away from the cage wall. At about 1:50 into the round, Rigg is able to catch a double-collar tie, but is hit with body shots from Scallan before he can start throwing knees. “Diesel” is eventually able to regain control, dragging Scallan away from the cage, trading some knees, before finally hitting a beautiful trip takedown with about 3 minutes to go. Riggs on top in side control, but doesn’t really do any damage before Scallan escapes out the back door, ending up on top in the front headlock position. He doesn’t hold it for long, as Riggs gets to his feet and separates. Scallan shoots for the takedown, but Joe Riggs, will have none of it, stuffing the attempt and driving Eric back into the opposite side of the cage. Scallan manages to circle around, pushing the grizzled veteran back into the cage before dropping for another takedown attempt. Riggs is able to keep on his feet, eventually regaining the double collar tie and hitting a knee that sends Eric to the mat with a flash knockdown. Riggs dives in to try and get the finish, but the two end up scrambling with Riggs ending up on top, laying in some ground and pound from Scallan’s guard, and eventually from on top of Scallan’s back through to the end of the round. Round one, unequivocally, goes to Joe “Diesel” Riggs.

Between rounds, Greg Jackson’s demeanor was far brighter, praising Riggs for his “impressive” first five minutes. Warren, however, was not happy, and implored Scallan to go for double underhooks any time that Riggs got the double collar tie. The second stanza got under way with Riggs moving forward, blocking and parrying kicks from Scallan, prompting a desperation single leg shot from the Team Warren member. Riggs sprawled out, landing hammerfists, but was eventually driven back into the cage wall. Eric kept driving forward, trying to turn Riggs and finding little success, even when “Diesel” failed on a harai goshi attempt. “Diesel” got right up to his feet and re-captured the the double collar tie, landing some knees before catching a sloppy takedown and landing in Scallan’s guard up against the cage. Riggs did not waste time, though, going right into the ground and pound while working to pass Scallan’s guard. Joe eventually got around, floating on top of Scallan’s attempts to scramble, retaining dominant position while landing heavy strikes. At about 2 minutes in, Joe took side control and began working for a modified, far-side head and arm choke. Riggs eventually released the hold, opting to try and soften his less-experienced opponent up further. Scallan used this opportunity well, and managed to back to his knees and work for a takedown with about 2:15 left, only to push Riggs up against the cage and eventually get dumped with a counter-takedown. Joe Riggs continued his positional dominance, attempting another, more traditional arm triangle choke, but releasing it when the durable Scallan refused to tap. Riggs eventually took Scallan’s back once more, and by the time Eric was able to escape, the round was over. With that, the judges awarded the unanimous decision to Joe “Diesel” Riggs, 20-18.

Greg Jackson was positively giggly after the fight. Both competitors were good sports, with Riggs complimenting Scallan on his toughness. Scallan was dejected, but handled his loss like a man, feeling like he just wasn’t able to give enough, while Joe Warren was happy with his pupil’s effort but disappointed with the result. Afterwards everything was done, Riggs and Scallan embraced, and talked about their fight to end the episode.

Joe “Diesel” Riggs def. Eric Scallan by Unanimous Decision.

Joe Warren’s team just can’t seem to catch a break, even against a surprisingly down Team Jackson. It’s almost as big of a surprise as how well Frank Shamrock and his team have been doing, currently leading the team standings at 3-1. The only threat to his lead is Team Couture, who have 2 fights left for next week and could potentially get a clean sweep in this round. So, without further ado, here are the updated team standings.

Team Couture (2-0)