Thirty-two contestants showed up this season, but only 16 were allowed in the TUF house. This week we are down to the final four.
Once again it seems to have shaken out that way.
It's time for the customary "coaches' challenge" that comes near the end of every season. The challenge consists of pitting the two coaches against each other in a game of skill. In the past, it's been something silly like ping-pong or bowling. This time it's basketball, keeping "freestyle rap night" just a dream for some of us.
"I haven't shot a ball in at least two years," says Forrest Griffin (Pictures), worried that he's too rusty.
While Griffin hopes to reclaim his high school glory, Quinton Jackson (Pictures) figures he won't be getting the 10 Gs.
"I'm an ass kicker. I can't play basketball. I kick ass," says Rampage, admitting he's no Hot Sauce.
The fighters on the winning coach's team also get to split 10 grand, and Dana White thinks it would be good to up the ante, offering to double the fighter winnings if Jackson can hit one three-pointer.
Of course when it shouldn't happen, it happens. Jackson drains the long ball, and the fellas go nuts. Dana then pulls out the usual brick of green and white, and the game is afoot. Jackson struggles to match the shots Griffin is making with ease.
Griffin decides to end the charade with some stank and finishes off Jackson with a one-handed dunk that surprises everyone in the gym. While Griffin and his boys cheer, Jackson is deadpan: "He's still going to have to see me in the Octagon in July."
"He looked like Larry Bird, in his prime," says a frustrated Gerald Harris (Pictures) of the mean stroke Griffin had going.
"He was dead f---ing serious about playing basketball," White says.
The first semifinal matchup is between roommates and best friends Tim Credeur and Jesse Taylor (Pictures). Credeur is a jiu-jitsu fighter who had considered giving up MMA, and Taylor is another young bruising wrestler that's been unleashed on the world.
As the two prepare to fight, Taylor begins to morph into a persona he calls "J.T. Money." It would be fair to say that Taylor is a space case.
"It's sort of like you are in a real-life cartoon with Jesse," Credeur says with a laugh.
"I really am J.T. Money. In thoughts, in prayer and steed I come," says Taylor as the top half of a dollar sign gets shaved into the back of his head. While Taylor spouts out nonsensical claims, his housemates love the new do.
"It's the universal symbol for droopy balls," jokes Patrick Schultz, getting Taylor on the defensive.
After the haircut and the appropriate teasing, the drinking begins.
"I'm just having beers and a couple of shots," slurs Taylor to Credeur, who watches in disbelief as Taylor slams drink after drink.
"It went from ‘The Ultimate Fighter' house to ‘Animal House' in little to no time at all," explains Credeur of the evening.
"Coco the Monkey" is what Amir Sadollah calls Taylor, who lives up to the moniker by jumping off the pool table, dancing like Ed Grimley and going Cloverfield by ransacking the house.
Remember last week when Taylor urinated in his board shorts? Let's make it two weeks in a row since Coco the Monkey is not potty trained. Once again Taylor lets it fly in his shorts and relieves himself all over the indoor carpet while Credeur laughs to tears.
"Then he snored like a freight train," says Credeur after finally getting Coco to bed.
Later, Credeur and Taylor are still training together, and Credeur even gives Taylor advice on how to avoid getting caught in simple chokes. Both have reasons to keep fighting the good fight. Credeur says he almost retired six months before the show's taping but that his wife kept him going. Taylor has a young son at home that he's fighting for.
The fact that Coco has a kid is kind of scary, but it's not as scary as facing the monkey in the cage. Taylor talks about imposing his will in all of his fights, and sure enough he doesn't hesitate to put Credeur on his back immediately to start their fight.
Credeur's guard is useless as Taylor pounds on him with elbows and hammerfists. Credeur opens his guard and puts a credible armbar attempt together, but Taylor stacks and squirms his way out before stepping up the power behind his shots.
Credeur's face, ears and neck are all beet red at the end of round one. A minute into round two it looks as if more crimson could come as Taylor pounds away inside Credeur's guard.
Credeur's corner begs for him to open his closed guard. When he obeys, he is able to sweep Taylor and immediately mount him. After Taylor gives up his back, Griffin calmly tells him to "do what you do." Obviously Griffin knows Taylor is very hard to contain.
Sure enough Taylor sneaks out from under Credeur and goes back into hammering mode, dishing out some more rough treatment.
In the third round, Credeur finally decides to get offensive by using the butterfly guard to elevate Taylor and keep him from getting shots off. Credeur slips out again and looks for an omaplata, but Taylor deftly places a knee on Credeur's chest to stop the crank. Credeur tries all he can, but Taylor is just too strong, muscling his way out of any sub attempt and earning a unanimous decision.
Taylor has made his way into the finals.
Taylor and Credeur both shed tears following their fight, but things can't get too mushy when vomiting is involved.
"I had eggs," says Taylor as he drags the puke bucket back to the center of the Octagon while he gets his hand raised.
Taylor is glad to be moving on, but he acknowledges that he still has one more fight to go. He explains how good another win would be, calling it "icing on the ice cream." Then, after a pause: "I don't know if I said that right."
Next week is the second semifinal, pitting C.B. Dollaway against Amir Sadollah.