This week on “The Ultimate Fighter,” we begin with U.S. welterweight Jason Pierce lamenting over the shape that his foot in.
Pierce’s opponent, David Faulkner, is dealing with his own issues. While his coach Michael Bisping runs him through all the possible scenarios for his fight, Faulkner can’t keep his mouthpiece in.
“It’s just something being in me mouth when I get exhausted or I’m active and moving. If anything’s on my face or in me mouth, I’ve got to get rid of it,” says Faulkner of his involuntary gag reflex.
Bisping is understandably concerned since it’s the type of thing that might cost Faulkner a point or worse down the road.
While Pierce and Faulkner worry, coach Dan Henderson is out playing Frisbee with his team. For real. Hendo treats the boys to a game of Ultimate Frisbee, which is ostensibly a game with football rules and scoring, except with a Frisbee. Henderson’s team enjoys a break from the mats and appreciates the outdoor cardio.
Pierce brings back word from his doctor’s visits and befuddles his teammates with his woe-is-me demeanor from this temporary and pretty common setback that beleaguers plenty of fighters.
“I don’t like negative energy,” says Henderson. “For me, and I know the guys probably don’t like it either. It would just be better for everybody if he could just cheer up a little bit and showed a little bit of enthusiasm. He’s the one who asked to be here and it’s a huge opportunity for him. Ultimately, it’s going to have to come from him.”
Pierce isn’t the only fighter on Team U.S.A. that’s been getting complaints. Lightweight Jason Dent is preparing to face U.K.’s Jeff Lawson, making it time we hear what his team is saying about him.
“I like Dent, but he’s out of his mind,” laughs Santino Defranco. “He’s really anxious about being here.”
Dent defends his cause.
“There’s something not right about having to live in the same house with 16 other guys,” he says.
“Part of me thinks that Dent is going to see himself on TV and be like, ‘I definitely didn’t make the best of that situation, like I didn’t even try to learn anything as far as getting along with people’,” says Damarques Johnson. “It’s going to be uncomfortable, it’s going to be awkward, but you make the best of it.”
Henderson’s comments also show that Dent’s loner attitude extends from the house into the training center.
“Dent is surprisingly technical,” says Henderson, but adds, “Dent is just Dent. He’s one of those guys that’s more resistant to change.”
Henderson explains that Dent doesn’t want to work on his weaknesses and he’s worried that it might cost him come game time.
“I have never had anybody that just shuts down when they are mad at you yelling at ‘em,” says Hendo.
On the other hand, Lawson has gone from the quiet guy on Team U.K. to yukking it up with the best of them. Ross Pearson claims that their time in the TUF house would have been intolerable without him.
Lawson is an open book, and even gives away his strategy for Dent, blow by blow.
”I’m going to come at him with four or five punches. Straight at him, bang-bang-bang-bang-bang and then he’s gonna make a mistake. And I’ll throw him really, really hard. Then I’ll just fall into an armbar,” says Lawson. “I’m a ginger for God sake. Everyone underestimates a ginger don’t they?”
Any yanks reading this will want to know that in British parlance, a “ginger” is someone with red hair. Unless they are misbehaved stepchildren, most American’s don’t seem to mind redheads and as such, Dent keeps hair color out of the equation.
“Jeff, I like ya, but I’m still going to have to kick your ass. I’ll get better at trash talking later,” says Dent, smiling to the camera.
Lawson isn’t quite able to pull off his game plan at the start. After he and Dent exchange a few kicks, Lawson ends up on the ground with Dent, right where the Brit wants to be. Lawson throws a good elbow or two, Dent covers up well and shrugs off anything decent that Lawson might have hit him with. Lawson does manage to mount Dent, but nothing comes of it. Lawson clearly wins the round.
Dent’s strategy of just weathering the quiet storm pays off. Lawson enters the second round completely exhausted. Lawson makes a quick Hail Mary effort to bull-rush Dent and take him down, but to no avail. Lawson then tries to scissor-leg Dent to the ground and gets him down. Lawson scoots in and Dent falls on top of him, but Lawson can’t finish his kneebar attempt. Soon Lawson is back on his feet, with his hands resting on his knees. Dent stays cautious, but is baited into a very heavy knee. It’s a solid stroke but it doesn’t dent Dent.
With Lawson on his hands and knees, Dent finishes his opponent off by rolling him onto his back with an anaconda choke. Lawson taps midway through the second round.
Dent wins, but doesn’t wow UFC President Dana White, who says his performance is “far, far, far from being impressive.”
In the final moments, White meets with the melancholy Pierce regarding the infection in his leg. Pierce’s overall listlessness and lack of enthusiasm leaves White wondering whether or not Pierce should continue.
“There is no f---ing way he wants to fight,” says an annoyed White.
White brings Pierce and coach Henderson back in for a chat. White informs Pierce that he doesn’t think he should go on and pulls his card. Pierce gets choked up, but White and Henderson are convinced it’s the right move.
Pierce had been adamant during one of his one-on-one camera interviews that he would never quit.
“I’m not taking myself out of any fights,” he says.
Technically, he didn’t, but the writing is now on the wall.
“You want to know my true and honest opinion? He showed up here and realized he wasn’t a fighter. You have it or you don’t and I don’t think Jason Pierce has it,” says White.
Henderson agrees.
“He was better off not fighting, because he would have lost that fight,” says the U.S. coach.