The TUF 27 TUFtermath
It’s time for episode three of The Ultimate Fighter Season 27! This week, Team Cormier lightweight Luis “Violent Bob Ross” Pena will take on Jose Martinez Jr. of Team Miocic. Teammates would clash under the nose of coach Stipe Miocic, while Daniel Cormier’s coaching temper came briefly to the fore once again.
The Big Three
#1) Big Frontin’ – Dulani Perry was not getting on the good side of Jose Martinez in this week’s episode. Perry attempted to deride his teammate while in the team van, getting into an argument over how much money he claims to have compared to Martinez’ lack. Perry’s a regional MMA fighter. Nobody believes he’s got the money he claims, and that’s turning the entire cast against him.
#2) Violent Bob Ross – Luis Pena talked about his origins, from being born in Italy and adopted by an American couple to the obvious roots of his nickname. It’s definitely one of he more unique stories for an Ultimate Fighter castmember.
#3) Do Not Break Focus – While working with coach Daniel Cormier on a movement and striking drill, Luis Pena made a comment about the quality of the equipment putting him at risk of injuring his wrist when reaching out or punching. The drill at the time was focusing on pivoting and kicking, and Cormier did not appreciate the interruption. After
The Stock Report
Stock up – Luis Pena. While his defense isn’t at the same level as his offense, Luis “Violent Bob Ross” Pena was able to put on an overall impressive showing. The pace he was able to keep over ten minutes should serve him well in the future. He showed himself to be coachable, and his ability to finish with strikes will develop with his timing and accuracy.
The Fight
The first round between Luis Pena and Jose Martinez was contested almost entirely on the feet. Less than 30 seconds were spent on the ground between the two fighters. The only takedown attempts were quickly negated with quick scrambles the moment anything other than feet were against the mat. Martinez looked to try and gain control early on, his power and compact frame would start to lose effectiveness over time. This allowed Luis Pena to became more active and step on the gas pedal. The lengthy Pena was able to land multiple, video game-like combinations, but was unable to finish with them. Still, after one round, I had it scored for “Violent Bob Ross.”
Round two again saw Luis Pena battering Jose Martinez with a varied striking attack. While Jose Martinez was able to land, and do so with power, he wasn’t able to do it enough to make any significant impact on the fight. I must note that Pena’s defense did not match up to his offense, and that could cost him against a fighter closer to his own stature. Even saying that, I gave the second round to Violent Bob Ross” too, as did the judges, making Luis Pena the third Team Cormier member to advance in as many episodes.
Next week, Team Cormier retains control, with Coach DC matching featherweight Bryce Mitchell against Team Miocic’s Joe Cucienello in hopes of keeping the streak alive. Luis pena also faces an injury scare! Keep it locked to MMASucka.com for the next TUFtermath!