‘TUF 20’ Recap: Episode 8
The season’s preliminary round wraps up tonight with a match between former teammates Bec Rawlings and Tecia Torres.
Rawlings, Rose Namajunas, Angela Magana and Angela Hill discuss how they should go about asking Torres and Heather Clark to move out of the bedroom that all they share. Their rationale is that since Torres is no longer a member of Team Melendez, she should move in with members of Team Pettis, whom she is closer to already. Emily Kagan voluntarily speaks to Clark, in an effort to mediate the move.
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Opening up about her past, Rawlings discusses an abusive relationship with her ex-boyfriend. She admits to staying around far too long, and it upsets her that she allowed her children to see the things she was put through.
The cast lets loose at a pool party while watching UFC on Fox 12.
The self-proclaimed “Skrapettes” leave the gathering early, being
that Rawlings has a bit of weight to cut prior to her bout with
Torres.
Kagan speaks to Torres about potentially changing rooms, but Torres becomes defensive and refuses to change. As is to be expected, this upsets those asking for the room switch to happen.
Anthony Pettis feels that if Torres had been a member of his team from the beginning, she would have won her first fight and been much better off at this point in the season.
Rawlings take offense to the fact that Clark is helping Torres cut weight. Clark explains that she is doing it to return the favor as Torres was really the only person who helped her with the cut prior to Clark’s bout against Jessica Penne.
Both ladies hit the strawweight mark of 115 pounds with ease.
Torres opens the fight on the outside, using push kicks and an aggressive jab to keep Rawlings at a safe distance. Rawlings explodes inside and lands some shots, mainly an uppercut from within the clinch. Torres comes back with a nice punching flurry, a jab and a right hook. Both women explode with shots, each landing, but Rawlings seems to get the worst of it and she loses balance. They reset, and Torres smells blood in the water and pushes the pace again. They come together and land right hands. Rawlings pushes Torres against the cage and lands three right hands. Torres circles out and goes back to keeping the separation. Left-right combination from Rawlings scores, Torres shoots for a takedown but only manages to press Rawlings against the cage. The Australian punches her way off of the cage, but takes some knees to the gut as the round ends.
Rawlings comes out in the second frame stalking Torres, landing two big shots before successfully tripping Torres for a takedown. Surprisingly, Rawlings lets Torres stand up and begins using the jab to set up the right hand. This time, when Rawlings comes inside, she eats a counter right hook from Torres that seems to take out her equilibrium. Torres follows up with pressure against the cage. Rawlings retaliates with knees, then little punches to the hunched Torres. Rawlings explodes off the cage again, landing a combination. Torres tries for a takedown, fails, Rawlings takes her back and looks for a takedown, but lets go after eating a knee. Torres grabs a leg, looking for a takedown, but begins eating elbows to the temple for her efforts. She takes Rawlings down in the final 20 seconds, throwing punches as the round expires.
After two close rounds, there is a decision, which comes as a surprise to those in attendance. In the end, Torres gets the nod.
The first quarterfinal fight of the season will be Felice Herrig against Randa Markos. The second bout will feature Aisling Daly and Jessica Penne. The third quarterfinal will be Carla Esparza taking on Tecia Torres, and the fourth quarterfinal will pit Rose Namajunas against Joanne Calderwood.
In addition to Herrig versus Markos, episode nine will feature the always entertaining coaches’ challenge between Pettis and Gilbert Melendez.
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