The Ultimate Fighter
has come and gone for another week. Bubba McDaniel vs. Kelvin Gastelum was on
tap for the fight this week. McDaniel entered as one of the most experienced on
the cast, and Gastelum was on the opposite end of the spectrum.
This is the good, the bad, and the ugly from this week’s
episode:
The Good:
- UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Ronda Rousey
made a call to Kelvin Gastelum, who was a self-confessed fan of the most
dominant woman in MMA. She told him if he won his upcoming fight she would
venture to the training center and assist the team. It was a nice, genuine
gesture from Rousey. It also made Gastelum turn into a schoolboy. - Too many times The Ultimate Fighter has suffered from forced heated exchanges between
coaches. Jon Jones and Chael Sonnen have a more civil relationship on the show.
They were discussing the McDaniel’s skills and Sonnen’s team’s reactions to
facing him. It was nice to see something real between coaches. - Sonnen once again came to his team with a quality
motivational speech. It was about emotions and actions. If you get a chance to
catch a repeat of the episode on Fuel, I suggest sticking around for Sonnen’s
speeches. - Mickey Rourke came to the training center to
talk to the fighters. We only got to hear snippets from the actor/ex-boxer, but
no doubt his life experiences gave the fighters a glimpse into what it is like to
overcome.
The Bad:
- Randomly, they decided to air a typical Sonnen
pro wrestling-esque promo. It was forced and tired. - Josh Samman talked to his coaches. Previously,
he pushed for an early fight, and when he was not given that chance he was
outspoken in his dislike for the decision. Now, he is lobbying for a later
fight date because he says he is not 100%. He continues to come off poorly in
the editing room.
The Ugly:
- The fighters played some charades and Gilbert Smith was without the majority of his clothes again. It really is not difficult
to throw on some sweatpants and a shirt when playing games with cast mates. - From the Rousey call at the beginning to the
constant talking head interviews the show foreshadowed the upset all along. It
was poor editing. It took the suspense away from the finish. - Bubba McDaniel’s attempted throw in the second
round cost him position, and ultimately the fight. It was a very poor attempt
and looked amateurish. He could have stuck to what he knows best, but mistakes
happen. Unfortunately, it looked terrible and it put him in a tough position. Ugly
all the way around.
Next week: Team Jones’ Josh Samman will have to fight sooner
than he wants as Team Sonnen selected him to go against their pick, Tor Troeng.
What did you think of this week’s fight? Click the stars to let us know:
Rate additional fights from TUF 17 by clicking here.
