Another season of “The Ultimate Fighter” comes to an end this week,and tonight’s episode features two semifinal bouts to decide whichlightweights will meet at Friday’s live finale in Las Vegas.
As the show begins, Team USA coach Urijah Fabertries to pump up his last remaining fighter, JulianErosa, who prevailed over AbnerLloveras in a hard-fought, three-round quarterfinal match lastweek. Meanwhile, in the Team Europe locker room, ConorMcGregor is fuming over what he perceives to be “gift”decisions. The Irishman believes Erosa’s luck will run out when hetangles with McGregor training partner ArtemLobov.
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“He’s gotten lucky two times,” says McGregor. “Now, he’s about tohit a brick wall.”
Before that can happen, however, two of McGregor’s charges willhave to face off in an all-Europe semifinal, as “Polish Zombie”MarcinWrzosek is set to face England’s Saul Rogers.McGregor stresses that “it’s not weird” during training, since thefighters are not true teammates and both came on the show to fightfor themselves. Nonetheless, Rogers is shown expressing someambivalence to assistant coach Sergey Pikulskiy.
“I want to beat him,” Rogers says, “but then, he’s my friend aswell.”
Ultimately, both men seem fine with throwing down and sharing adrink after the bout. Wrzosek says that Rogers is one of the bestall-around fighters on the season and calls the matchup a “reallybig test.” Soon enough, the lightweights are inside the Octagon andready to roll.
Veteran referee “Big” John McCarthy oversees the first semifinal,which is scheduled for three rounds rather than thetwo-plus-overtime layout of previous bouts. Rogers gets off to astrong start, landing hard punches in combination as he slidesforward on Wrzosek in the opening minute. The gym is eerily silentagain, with neither side cheering as Rogers shoots in and takesdown Wrzosek near the fence. Wrzosek takes a knee and tries tostand, but Rogers pulls him away from the fence and plants him backon the mat.
Halfway through the round, Wrzosek moves to stand again and “TheHangman” briefly hunts for a guillotine choke. Wrzosek keeps hisneck clear and finally stands with just over two minutes left inthe opening frame. Both men go headhunting with big single punches,but neither scores with anything clean. Rogers catches hold of akick to score another takedown, then holds Wrzosek in a frontheadlock from north-south position. Rogers spins and takes theback, but Wrzosek scrambles up and eats a knee from the Englishmanas time runs out.
Rogers continues to find a home for his right hand at the start ofround two, though the punches aren’t landing as nicely as they didin the first. Wrzosek pulls up short on a couple punches of hisown, then gets floored with another takedown. Rogers moves straightto the back this time, sinking in one hook as Wrzosek kneels nearthe fence. Referee McCarthy warns Rogers to mind the back of thehead as he tries to wrap left hands around the Polish fighter’sface.
Wrzosek’s right foot becomes trapped between the cage and mat atthe base of the fence, and Rogers politely relents for a moment toallow his opponent to pull the foot free. As soon as actionresumes, however, Rogers secures back-mount and pulls Wrzosek awayfrom the fence to lock up a rear-naked choke. Wrzosek taps out soonafter, making Saul Rogersthe first finalist of “TUF 22.”
Now, it’s Team USA’s turn to prepare their last man standing forbattle. Coach Faber shows up at the final training session flankedby UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo andNova Uniao leader AndrePederneiras, much to the delight of the American squad. Aldoexplains that he and Faber have become good friends since theyfought in 2010 for the World Extreme Cagefighting championship.
“Being here training with him is a learning process,” says Aldo.“Urijah always has something to teach me, and I always havesomething to teach him.”
Aldo runs through a few guard drills before the onetime soccerhopeful starts up a makeshift futbol game with the fighters,kicking a basketball around the gym. Team Europe is having no suchfun, as Lobov is squarely focused on collecting a third consecutivestoppage to reach the “TUF” finale.
“I’m gonna go for a hat trick,” Lobov proclaims. “I’m not sure ifthat’s ever been done on ‘The Ultimate Fighter,’ and if it has,then I just want to repeat that, ‘cause this is what pays.Knockouts pay.”
On fight day, McGregor walks into the gym to find Aldo seated onthe opposing team’s bleachers.
“I didn’t think I’d see you again!” McGregor exclaims, drawing agrin from the champion.
The fighters enter the cage for another scheduled three-rounder,this one to be officiated by referee Herb Dean.Lobov backs up Erosa with a right hook and a leg kick, then keepson the pressure, moving “Juicy J” around the perimeter of the cage.Lobov has his left hand cocked, just looking for an opening, and hefinds one about a minute into the bout. Erosa leans in to throw aright hand to the body and gets countered with a Lobov left hook tothe temple. Erosa’s legs buckle and Lobov wastes no time poundinghim out with three or four more hard left hands, forcing refereeDean to rescue the dazed American.
After the bout, Lobov and Rogers pose inside the cage as a previewfor their finale matchup. Then, the ominous music comes in and amessage in white text fills a black screen.
“After the competition, Saul Rogerswas removed from the finale card due to a legal issue,” it reads.“The UFC was forced to choose a replacement.”
UFC President Dana White explains that “Saul lied on his visaapplication” and has subsequently encountered trouble re-enteringthe U.S. Instead, UFC has chosen to bring back jiu-jitsu aceRyanHall, who was eliminated by Rogers in a majority decisionearlier in the season. Hall explains that he was in Ireland theweek before he got the call, working to improve his striking withnone other than Lobov.
So, there it is. Artem Lobovand Ryan Hallwill meet in the makeshift “TUF 22” final this Friday, Dec. 11, atThe Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.
