This week on The Ultimate Fighter brought about increased havoc, chaos, and tension, both in the house and at the training center. There were 2 featherweight fights last week, and Team Miller was in control. Would the winning streak continue, or could Team Bisping finally bring some enthusiasm to his side with a victory?
The guys on Team Bisping had been experiencing continued angst, especially Diego Brandao, who was fired up and ready to fight Team Miller’s Steve Siler ASAP. Coach Miller made a guest appearance at the house, bringing a cowboy hat painted with “BEAST” on it for team member Dustin Neace. Team Bisping’s Josh Ferguson, who also wears a similar hat, was not thrilled that Neace now had a similar one. Also, while Mayhem Miller was at the house, he spoke to the fighters and planned out the fights. Miller bypassed Steve Siler, as he was fully aware Siler wanted to fight Diego; he instead decided that Diego needed to cool down from having so much aggression. Miller also found out from Siler that the mole was Johnny Dodson. So without disclosing this to Dodson, Miller decided to use this knowledge to his advantage.
The first training session was held by Team Miller, and Miller decided to play up Siler by making it look like he was fighting next. The coaches weighed Siler and pretended to give him extra attention in front of Dodson, so Dodson assumed Siler was fighting next, and fighting against Team Bisping’s Diego Brandao. In reality, however, Justin the “Beast” would be chosen to fight next, against Team Bisping’s Akira Corassani.
Next up was Team Bisping’s turn with training time, and they were focused on Diego, since Dodson the mole told them he was fighting next against Siler. Diego was very eager, and dying to fight, so this made training more intense. Akira was also fired up at training and ready to fight as well.
Team Bisping’s Josh Ferguson played a prank on Miller’s Dustin Neace by taking Neace’s new hat, but Neace assumed it was Akira that stole it. Neace and Akira had their own private war of words going on, so it was a natural but erroneous assumption by Neace. In response to this, Neace became out of control and obsessed with destroying everything that belonged to Akira, both at the house and at the training center.
When Team Bisping showed up for training, and the fighters discovered their ready room full of Akira’s fight gear strewn and thrown around the entire room, an already fired-up Diego threw a sledge hammer at the wall. Akira was baffled by what happened, and Team Bisping was not thrilled with this prank, as they assumed that Team Miller planned and executed it.
With the hall at the training center full of both teams’ fighters and coaches, Akira and Neace confronted each other with heavy verbal sparring. Before the fight announcement, Neace and Akira continued their words, and Akira exclaimed that he didn’t take the hat. However, the war of words between both fighters continued right until the fight announcement. Team Miller chose Dustin Neace to face Akira Corassani, and all of a sudden Akira stepped up out of the line and pushed Neace, and they both ended up on the ground! Members from both teams, as well as coach Miller, tried to break them up, and Bisping got so pissed off over the pranks and the general atmosphere that he decided to tell Miller to F— off. After things settled down, Miller also announced the next week’s featherweight fight, Diego Brandao vs. Steve Siler.
After the fight announcements, and as usual, the coaches had a verbal exchange. Miller walked away frustrated and took a few moments to explain to Dodson, the mole, that all the ill will being exhibited was the result of his actions.
Team Bisping had another training session which focused on helping Akira defend against Neace’s wrestling and grappling. Team Miller then had training time which focused on Neace. Neace felt good and healthy, and ready for the fight, whether standing or on the ground.
At the weigh-ins, Michael Bisping again didn’t show up. It was no big surprise for the team, and they made up a few excuses for why he was absent. When Bisping and his coaches finally arrived at the training center, the fighters had already weighed in.
Fight day featured Team Miller’s Dustin Neace (22-16-1) vs. Team Bisping’s Akira Corassani (9-3). In Round 1, Akira started off the striking, but soon after Neace followed suit, as both fighters looked to establish range. Both coaches were yelling instructions, and Akira threw a tight combo to shake up Neace, but Neace returned the favor. Neace was slowly setting Akira up to have his back closer to the cage. Neace attempted a takedown, but ended up on his back with, Akira standing over him. Akira then threw some downward kicks before taking control on top of Neace. Both guys were very active on the ground for a few minutes, until Neace managed to get an ankle lock. Akira tapped, but the referee, Herb Dean, did not see the tap, and Team Miller kept yelling, “He tapped!” So Neace made a second attempt at a submission, yet Akira escaped, allowing both guys to quickly rise to their feet. After a few strikes, Neace completed a double-leg takedown, and Akira looked spent. Neace tried to hold him down, but Akira was able to push back, and both fighters scrambled back to their feet just as the bell rang!
Round 2 began with both fighters cautiously striking each other, as Akira got Neace against the fence, and Neace pushed Akira off before they returned to striking in the center of the Octagon. Akira then punched Neace, knocking him to the ground. He then got on top and threw hard strikes, but Neace held tough and defended himself, while Akira threw some punches and even an elbow to Neace while on the ground. Neace was active from the bottom, punching up and kicking up at his opponent. Neace also attempted submissions, but Akira was quite strong, so that didn’t work. The bell rang, and the round ended.
Before the 3rd round or decision announcement was to be made, Akira went over to Neace and Miller’s side of the cage, tapped on Miller and did a pose of dominance. All hell broke loose between Neace and the coaches. Still in the cage, Miller squeezed his water bottle so the water would fly out at Bisping, which initiated verbal sparring between him and Bisping. This led the Executive Director of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, Keith Keiser, to give Akira a verbal warning, and the decision was made to stop the fight.
Akira Corassani won by decision! Team Bisping was quite thrilled, and excited to now have control of the fights.
On next week’s show, the controversy around Akira’s victory despite tapping from submission will be stirred up. And more Featherweights will fight, as Team Bisping’s Diego Brandao and Team Miller’s Steve Siler get their turn to battle in the cage. This is going to get hot! If you miss TUF on SPIKE TV, you can simply catch up with me on MMA Ratings weekly.
