The Flog!

The Ultimate Fighter Season 11 TUF11 Episode 5 had Ortiz picking the fighters, since his team member, Jamie Yager, won the last fight. He chose Kris McCray from his own team to fight Josh Bryant from Liddell‘s. McCray had an undefeated record of 9-0 as an amateur and 5-0 as a professional. Bryant also was undefeated at 10-0 going into this fight.

Liddell said Bryant was a tough, great fighter, although one of the housemates said Bryant was not the fighting type. One of Liddell’s coaches told Bryant to punch and feint. Although Bryant has a longer reach than McCray, as with most of Liddell’s team, he is shorter than Ortiz’s team member. Once again Liddell would miss the actual bout due to conflicting schedules.

This match-up seemed even during round 1, with both men attempting take downs. McCray was more efficient and successful at the take downs than Bryant, although when Bryant managed the TD, he tried a rear naked choke ( hadaka jime) on McCray.

The men switched positions and stood up, leaning against the fence and each other and did nothing for about half a minute. They were totally gassed. During the break, both corners were trying to get their guys to breathe.

In round two, the men were once again leaning against each other. Bryant got a take down, trapped McCray’s arm between his legs and attempted a Kimura (ude garami).

When standing again, Bryant swung wide shots and had a huge take down, totally controlling McCray.

McCray stood up and got his own TD by swinging Bryant’s body around and ended in Bryant’s guard. Bryant applied elbows from the bottom.

Round three had the men leaning against each other again. Bryant tried a TD with a leg pick and then threw a couple of strikes. McCray threw a knee and then tried the leg pick himself. After the referee split them up, Bryant threw some punches and McCray sort of fell. Bryant had side control and then was on McCray’s back, trying a rear naked again, but very slowly, enabling McCray to move the hand away.

Unanimous decision in Bryant’s favour. This time around, Ortiz did not rip doors off hinges. His only comments were regarding McCray’s cardio. During the training sessions, Ortiz had the men working extremely hard and he felt there was nothing else he could have done to make McCray’s cardio any better.

The Ultimate Fighter Season 11 TUF11 is on Spike on Wednesdays at 10:00 p.m. EST.

ayjay

May 5, 2010

The Ultimate Fighter Season 11 TUF11 Episode 3 had at least one surprise: Chris Camozzi was sent home, having sustained a slight fracture of the jaw during his elimination fight. Dana White was pre-empting a broken jaw by Camozzi’s elimination. Tito Ortiz was then given the opportunity to pick a guy from the eliminated men to come back. He chose Seth Baczynski.

This episode’s fight was between Brad Tavares (Liddell‘s team) and James Hammortree (Ortiz’s team).Yager felt that Tavares was going to win by knock out, while Nick Ring guessed that Hammortree would win by TKO in the second round.

Hammortree, nicknamed “The Sledge”, has a record for the fastest KO in Florida – five seconds. Ortiz was looking for a take down by Hammortree and ground and pound. One of Liddell’s coaches said that Tavares will be “a force to be reckoned with in the UFC”.

Hammortree was the bigger of the two men, two inches taller with a two inch reach advantage. His record was 5 and 1 coming into this fight, whereas Tavares’s record was 4 and 0.

Round one began with a failed take down attempt by Hammortree, Tavares threw his opponent with harai goshiand ended up on Hammortree’s back. He then tried a rear naked choke which failed. Hammortree flipped over and was in Tavares’s half guard.

Tavares used the fence to get up, after which Hammortree tried a take down ending on the bottom again with Tavares on his back. Ortiz kept yelling for Hammortree to get “up, up, up”. Hammortree again managed to get in Tavares’s half guard and then side, but there was a huge gap between their bodies and Tavares was up.

Round two had Hammortree rushing Tavares to the fence. Tavares pushed Hammortree and ended in Hammortree’s guard. Tavares applied a knee to Hammortree’s face. While on the ground Tavares was on his knees with Hammortree on his back. He used the fence to stand up, but Hammortree took him down. While on the bottom, Tavares tried a Kimura (ude garami) for some time. At the bell, Hammortree was in Tavares’s guard and butterfly guard.

The Sudden Victory round began with Tavares’s striking. Hammortree attempted a take down which was stuffed and then Tavares rolled into Hammortree’s half guard. Hammortree applied elbows and achieved full mount. Tavares immediately rolled over and was in control.

While bent over, Hammortree tried a take down; Tavares was holding Hammortree’s arm trying ude garami sporadically.

Unanimous decision in Tavares’s favour.

My thoughts: If Hammortree were a striker (witness his record in Florida), why was he trying so hard to defeat Tavares on the ground? Hammortree was jumping from one technique and position to another very quickly, not giving himself the opportunity to establish control.

Tavares deserved the win. His techniques were solid and competent.

Click here to go to TUF11 Episodes 1 & 2.

Click here to go to TUF11 Ep. 4.

ayjay

April 20, 2010