The Ultimate Fighter 8 Episode 3 Recap
CAUTION: SPOILERS INCLUDED
Last week on The Ultimate Fighter 8 “Team Nogueira vs. Team Mir” the opening round of the lightweight and light heavyweight tournaments concluded as the thirty-two fighters was reduced to a cast of sixteen. The remaining fighters include lightweights Junie Browning, Efrain Escudero, David Kaplan, Brian McLaughlin, Shane Nelson, Phillipe Nover, John Polakowski, and George Roop and light heavyweights Ryan Bader, Jules Bruchez, Karn Grigoryan, Tom Lawlor, Vinicius Magalhaes, Eliot Marshall, Shane Primm, and Krzysztof Soszynski.
We’re teased that Brian and Karn may be too injured to continue in the competition but jump to the sixteen fighters who’ve advanced arriving at The Ultimate Fighter house and the alcohol is immediately flowing. At the house some of the fighters talk about their backgrounds, including Junie Browning, who discloses that he grew up poor in a small trailer and had a poor family life filled with fights.
Brian McLaughlin and Karn Grigoryan have both undergone CT scans which reveal small fractures in their noses. Brian says he’ll be “really f****** pissed” if he’s dismissed because of the small fracture, though the same fate awaits both Brian and Karn. Both fighters, unsurprisingly, want to stay in the house but Dana White reveals that the NSAC has suspended both for 180 days and they are out of the competition.
Kyle Kingsbury, who was defeated by Ryan Bader in the opening round of the competition, is brought back to replace Karn but the 155-pound replacement has already been flown home and isn’t yet revealed.
The team picks are up next with the missing fighter going to the team who picks last. A coin is flipped and Team Mir will pick the first fighter while Team Nogueira will select the first matchup. With the first pick Team Mir selects Krzysztof Soszynski while Ryan Bader goes to Team Nogueira with their first selection.
Here’s a rundown of the selections:
TEAM MIR
- 205: Krzysztof Soszynski
- 205: Vinicius Magalhaes
- 205: Eliot Marshall
- 205: Tom Lawlor
- 155: Junie Browning
- 155: Shane Nelson
- 155: David Kaplan
- 155: George Roop
TEAM NOGUEIRA
- 205: Ryan Bader
- 205: Shane Primm
- 205: Kyle Kingsbury
- 205: Jules Bruchez
- 155:Phillipe Nover
- 155: Efrain Escudero
- 155: John Polakowski
- “Mystery 155-pounder”
Light heavyweights will meet in the first bout with Team Nogueira having control over the matchup.
Following a Team Mir training session Junie Browning gets wasted and some serious psychological issues emerge as he cycles through happiness, anger, and depression throughout the evening. Krzysztof says he’ll be the “Chris Leben” of the season and that he has some serious demons.
At the house the fighters are at a table guessing which lightweight will be welcomed back when Roli Delgado, who lost to George Roop in the opening round, walks through the doors and rejoins the competition.
Back at the gym following a training session the first fight is announced and it’s Ryan Bader vs. Tom Lawlor.
After more training, a Krzysztof-led prank, and successful weigh-ins we’re on to the fight.
It’s a wrestler vs. wrestler matchup as Team Nogueira’s Ryan Bader takes on Team Mir’s Tom Lawlor.
RYAN BADER (Team Nogueira) VS. TOM LAWLOR (Team Mir)
ROUND 1 – The fighters touch gloves and we’re underway. Both fighters throwing punches early then Bader secures an early takedown. Bader works punches from the top from half guard but Lawlor eventually works back to his feet. After a brief period on their feet Bader gets another takedown. From half guard Bader controls the fight but neither fighter is able to land much. Bader stands up out of Lawlor’s guard and connects with a right hand that knocks Lawlor out cold.
Ryan Bader def. Tom Lawlor via KO – Round 1
With the Ryan Bader’s win advancing him to the light heavyweight semifinals, here’s how the teams now stand:
TEAM MIR
- 205: Krzysztof Soszynski
- 205: Vinicius Magalhaes
- 205: Eliot Marshall
- 155: Junie Browning
- 155: Shane Nelson
- 155: David Kaplan
- 155: George Roop
- 205: Tom Lawlor (0-1)
TEAM NOGUEIRA
- 205: Ryan Bader (1-0)
- 205: Shane Primm
- 205: Kyle Kingsbury
- 205: Jules Bruchez
- 155:Phillipe Nover
- 155: Efrain Escudero
- 155: John Polakowski
- 155: Roli Delgado
On the next episode of The Ultimate Fighter a night of drinking gets out of control, Shane Nelson tries to bait Efrain Escudero into a fight, and Junie Browning gets violent again forcing Dana to step in.
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Crazy season already. That boy needs to keep away from the booze. Its to bad that the ufc encourages all the drinking. I understand the drama helps with the ratings, but I would rather see them focus more on the training than the partying. Makes the sport look bad, imo.
Come on Team Mir…
The way they ended the episode kind of ruined it for next week. I would like to actually watch the show without knowing what’s going to happen.
The UFC website doesn’t have last night’s show on the TV schedule. My cable had CSI or something scheduled for that time. This seems like a helluva coincidence so I don’t think it was. Does anyone know why this happened? It just seems strange.
Anybody else think that Junie is a complete ass?
Why do they provide these guys with as much alcohol as they do? It seems to me they want them to screw up for the sake of viewership, let the fights bring people in. Also I am so tired of hearing how these fighters have had such a bad childhood, who cares, I don’t.
i already hate junie i hope he gets knocked off…but i really like team nog..it really seems like they really are a family….if i got on there thats the team i would like to be on…plus i love Al stinkie team nog’s standup coach……..the ko last night was pretty sweet to it was like a sledgehammer hit tom…definitly goona be a good season….officialy rooting for Ryan “Darth” Bader and any one else on team nog
and John Polakowski for the lw winner
I like Bader too. I think it will be Bader vs. Sosynski in the finals. I am not too sure on the lightweights just yet, I want to see a couple of fights before I give my Malcom Dome on those guys.
Gunslinger,
When can we expect to see your debut?
I loved the old man as well.
I don’t mind the alcohol one bit. 1. It does make the show more interesting. 2. If they’re testing the guys’ physical and mental strength… part of that mental strength is knowing how to control yourself (how many TUF winners got out of control wasted?). 3. What ELSE are they supposed to do??
They’re all adults… if they can’t control the drinking while on the show that’s their problem. I’ll just sit back and enjoy watching it.
HEY RYAN IM WITH YOU. PERSONALLY I THOUGHT LAST SEASON WAS BORING. THEY DIDN’T SHOW ENOUGH OF THE HOUSE AND I JUST DON’T FEEL LIKE I KNEW THE FIGHTERS VERY WELL. SHOWING THE HOUSE IS ALOT MORE INTERESTING
HEY YZFOXRACING, ALL CAPS MEANS YOU’RE YELLING…
On another note, I can see how people would argue that they should not have all that alcohol available, but I agree with Ryan that they’re testing to see how mentally prepared these guys are for the big time. They may have all that it takes inside the cage, but if they’re off the deep end outside of the cage, and can’t stay out of trouble, it creates a negative PR situation for the UFC. That’s why Jesse got booted from the final fight last season.
Gunslinger,
Are you picking John P. to win because he’s the hugger?
see i liked junie he was my lightweight fav to win untill he was actually in the house. once i saw how he acted all boozed up i knew his stint on the show was to b short lived. wat a tool u can party and act like a drunk chick afta u win the show.
i think that kid’s got the talent but he’s gonna learn the hard way that no one is bigger than the sport. depending on how next week goes i might be willing to guess that we’ll see junie browning as the co main event with JT Money in elite xc…. or just in some parking lot event. btw, did anyone else feel like they were watchin rocky last nite with nog’s team?
lol @2girls2cups. Yeah, his boxing coach did remind me of Mickey. I enjoyed watching him though.
i was just on ufc.com and junie browning has a blog on the site. isnt that usually for one of the finalest. matt serra i believe did one for season 4 and amir did one last season so i might hafta take back my “his stint on the show will b short lived”
JUSTIN GET OVER THE CAPS MAN… EVERYONE KNOWS ITS ME LOL
It’s also harder to read.
But we all thought it was the Twilight Zone when he didn’t use them. Welcome back YZ.
HAHA SEE WHAT I MEAN JUSTIN. THATS MY SIGNATURE THANKS DBIZ… “IM BACKKKKKKKKKKKK”
well, if that’s the case I’ll leave it alone….but it still bugs me.
There seems to be one or two idiots every year, they should get rid of the dickheads quickly so we can get on with the show.
I will enjoy seeing the”BAMBAM” looking tool get kicked off, he can go find Jesse to party with.
“BAMBAM” HA HA HA THATS GREAT…
@KRIS OR ANYONE- WHEN WILL THEY REAIR THE EPISODE… I MISSED IT
YZ,
Saturday at 6. At least that what it says on the UFC website.
COOL THANKS T$$$$
@ roger, it isnt always the finalists… I believe Dan Kramer had one last season.
HUERTAROGER HUERTA, THE BLOGS ARE JUST RANDOM OF WHO WANTS TO DO THEM BECAUSE LUKE ZACHRICH HAD ONE LAST SEASON AND I WAS ROOTING FOR HIM BUT HE DIDNT COME CLOSE….i DONT KNOW IF ID EVER GO ON THIS SHOW OR NOT…THERE IS AN ARTICLE ON SHERDOG THAT HAS DEFINITLY OPENED MY EYES A LITTLE BIT..BUT I THINK I MIGHT TRY OUT SOME TIME MAYBE AFTER A COUPLE PRO FIGHTS, ONCE I GET THERE
i dont remember lukes on the ufc website but now that uve mentioned it i do remember kramers. so allow me to rephrase that. i dont think that theyd give him a blog on the ufc website if he got kicked off. that said if junie doesnt get kicked off for being a dumbass hes my pick to win at lw and ill go wit darth bader for the lhw
and gunslinger wat article? could u post a link?
@huertarogerhuerta
http://sherdog.com/news/articles/tuf-problems-tuf-solutions-14608
Great article, and I totally agree with the writer that the only way to get the show back on track is to give a better contract to the winner.
The article was absolutely correct.
thanks bw for posting that now everyone knows what im talking about….totally agree timcat
gunslinger u should come out to ben moody “the end has come” from the punisher soundtrack
i think i posted that in the wrong thing sry i just woke up
good article. thanks for posting the link. i agree completely that UFC has an oppurtunity right now to completely make or break the competition because the one chink in the UFC’s armor always seems to be the pay. enough guys take off to affliction or somewhere else, and guess what… people start payin more attention and possibly follow those fighters… and affliction starts making a profit… and more fighters jump from ufc.. and on and on. it’s all hypothetical domino’s, but right now, ufc can squash that possibility if they start dishin out a little more cash to guys or like the article said, give them different ways to make money. bonuses for win streaks is brilliant.