Welcome to the official MMASucka report for episode 3 of The Ultimate Fighter: Faber vs. Cruz.
We are treated to a recap of last week’s fight, with Cruz’s James Vick KO’ing Faber’s Daron Cruickshank with a knee. Cruz selects Justin Lawrence and throws it to Faber to pick his best guy. After no one volunteered, Faber decrees it will be BJJ practitioner Cristiano Marcello. And heeeeeeere we go!
Apropos of nothing, I am LOVING “Higher Ground” as the new TUF theme song.
We open with Team Cruz laughing about no one on Faber’s team wanting to step up. Cruz holds Faber responsible, while Faber tells his crew to keep their heads up and he’s happy to send in one of his best guys.
Faber’s team is now saying they all wanted to fight, but respected their coach enough to let him make the decision. That’s one way of looking at it.
Team Cruz’s Chris Tickle is wearing a gas mask. I’m not sure why. He says it’s for laughs. OK. His next zinger is to take Faber’s parking sign. OH IT’S ON.
We learn about Justin Lawrence, whose dad ran a gym and he claims to have been wrestling since the third grade and has 150 amateur fights. He puts a lot of stock in his striking.
Cruz is confident in Lawrence and thinks taking out Marcello will be like removing one of Team Faber’s legs.
Tickle is late to spar, comes on the mat with his earring in, then claims he has diarrhea and has to leave. Cruz is trying to remain patient with him, but doesn’t appear to be happy.Tickle is insulted at the notion he isn’t giving 100%. Self-awareness is not one of his gifts.
Commercials~! Direct TV advises me not to sell my hair to a wig shop. Sound reasoning.
We’re back and it’s time to learn about Cristiano Marcello. He breathes and eats jiu-jitsu. He received his black belt from Royler Gracie in 1999. Faber advises him to keep cutting off the cage so he can land big punches and brings up Marcello’s Chute Boxe background. Marcello claims he likes Justin, and it will be an “old school vs new school” battle.
Marcello is working extensively on his stand-up, his trainers believe that Lawrence’s focus on Marcello’s takedowns will leave him open for power strikes.
Faber is thoroughly unimpressed with the parking sign prank. The retaliation is putting tape on Cruz’s pic in the gym, giving him a widow’s peak and unibrow.
Tickle is getting heated at Team Faber, particularly John Cofer, for imitating his wide walk. He throws some insults and then wide-walks away.
More commercials~! These commercials for “Justified” make me realize how much I miss American cable. I love Canada, but our cable is absolutely bush league compared to our friends to the south.
We get a shot of the fighters warming up ahead of their LIVE fight.
Back to training as we see Lawrence plugging away. Cruz said he picked the match-up to challenge Lawrence, even though the match-up wasn’t really his call.
Cruz and his coaches are drilling hard with Lawrence, working against Marcello’s takedowns and submissions.
Cruz takes the desecration of his picture in stride, retaliating by putting a thong on Faber’s “bum chin” in his pic. Cruz gives a hearty Count laugh to celebrate.
Cruz and Faber get a bit yippy at each other about Cruz’s team running late in the gym. Faber says he doesn’t like Cruz because Cruz “chose him as an enemy”. Seems like as good a reason as any.
Faber is working with Marcello on his striking. Looks like both guys are preparing for the opposite type of fight. Faber keeps reminding Marcello to keep his chin down.
Even more commercials~! Despite the high production value of these spots, I have absolutely no interest in joining the marines.
Jon Anik reminds us that we are getting closer to the LIVE fight as we see more warm-up footage.
We’re back to the house as Lawrence is trying to remain calm with mixed results. Marcello is thinking of his wife and kids for strength and motivation.
Both fighters weigh in at 156 and we’re ready to go. Marcello has a really wide-eyed staredown face, It’s kind of creepy.
Jon Anik takes us back to live locker room footage. Cruz reminds his crew that it’s not a game. Faber is working with Marcello on following Lawrence’s striking patterns.
And we’re back to commercials~! Miller Lite reminds me that while Canadian cable may be inferior, our beer is FAR superior to our American counterparts.
Justin Lawrence vs. Cristiano Marcello
The two start the feeling out process before Lawrence lands a right. Neither particularly quick to engage. Lawrence is throwing a few kicks but not landing. Lawrence with a leg kick. Marcello moves in but Lawrence dances away. The cycle repeats as Lawrence wants none of Marcello’s “mad rush” striking. Lawrence puts Marcello off balance with a push kick. Lawrence lands one over the top. Lawrence with a left. Marcello fires off a couple of kicks. The round ends and I’m thinking Marcello’s got to get this to the floor in the second frame.
Round two begins and Lawrence is looking more fluid with his strikes now. Marcello grabs a body lock and pushes Lawrence into the fence but can’t get him to the mat. Marcello falls to the mat and tries to draw Lawrence in, but Lawrence isn’t buying. Lawrence with a picture-perfect jab. Lawrence starting to box him up as Marcello hits the mat again. Lawrence is letting it go and Marcello doesn’t have an answer for him. Holy mackinaw! Lawrence EXPLODES with a left hand and knocks Marcello into the next episode.That’s an upset in my book as I had Marcello as one of the favourites to take the whole thing.
Winner: Justin Lawrence by KO (punch) at 3:16 of Round 2.
We go to the fight pick. Will Cruz make a full pick or go full alpha on Faber again? This time he makes a full pick and goes for Miles Jury vs Team Faber’s first pick Al Iaquinta.
Now you’re caught up, tune in next week!
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