‘TUF 28’ Recap: Episode 11

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For the third episode in a row, we start off with the Maurice Greene show.

Unlike the last two, this week he’s training for his semifinal against Juan Francisco Espino Dieppa. Preparing for a grappling-heavy gameplay from Espino, Greene’s coaches urge him to not rush anything and over-extend himself. More than anything, his coach Kelvin Gastelum wants him to stay patient. As a multiple-time Glory kickboxing veteran, Greene’s confidence is with his striking. Greene himself is only concerned with Espino’s grappling, but he believes he can keep the fight standing and score a knockout.

Back at the “TUF” house, something is rotten in the state of Team Whittaker. Several of Robert Whittaker’s fighters feel they are not getting anything out of the training sessions. Earlier in the season, Leah Letson lamented how lackluster she felt the training was, and a few of her teammates now echo those sentiments.

The team goes into the next training session planning on going through the motions and then training separately, and Whittaker and his coaches take issue with that. Whittaker gets real with his team for a moment, saying that if they can’t learn anything from any of their team’s training, they might be in the wrong sport. Fully aware that these fighters are all professionals, he allows them to train separately as long as they stay out of the way of the actual training sessions. The fighters do just that, and have their own separate training session where they spar and go a lot harder than Whittaker normally allows. A few fighters even remark that their separate session was the best of the season so far.

At the “TUF” house, the teams watch UFC 227 together, but sadly not everything went smoothly. While wanting to watch a promo from UFC 229 on the broadcast, an unfortunate shouting match between Marciea Allen and Greene blows up out of nowhere about control of the remote. This causes Greene to leave the building and smoke a cigarette, and a few of his assistant coaches come out and catch him in the act. Concerned for his well-being, his coaches are surprised about his smoking habit and lightly chide him on it.

Over at Team Whittaker, the team prepare Espino for his bout. Teammate Anderson “Braddock” Silva competed against Greene in Glory kickboxing, beating him by a decision, and he trains with Espino to give him a better look at the kind of offense he’ll be facing. They encourage him to apply pressure and not let Greene get the distance to put that striking to work.

It’s time for Ultimate Fighting Championship President Dana White’s favorite part of every “TUF” season: the Coaches’ Challenge! This season, the coaches are asked to run a 5k, and they are forced to do so in brutal 106 degree weather at the UNLV track. The winning coach will receive $10,000, their fighters $1,500, and the coach also earns a medal. Going into the contest, Whittaker was ready for everything and was not concerned about a distance run, while Gastelum was not looking forward to it.

Sporting some fashionable short shorts, Whittaker immediately starts the race off ahead and never lets up. With ease, Whittaker runs the required laps, and even laps Gastelum in the process to win the contest. Unlike many previous TUF challenges in the past where it came down to the last goal or golf shot or swing or basket, this was never close. Gastelum even had to pull off to the side towards the end of the run to get sick, but his team stuck with him and finished the run by his side. With the win, Whittaker earned the cash stack and the medal, energizing his team going into the last heavyweight semifinal.

At the final heavyweight weigh-ins on the show, Espino hit the scales at 257.5 pounds, with his opponent Greene coming in at 251. Each are a few pounds lighter than their respective fights a few weeks prior (Espino 260, Greene 253). After some standard pre-fight talk and warm-ups, it’s time to wrap up this heavyweight tournament.

Tale of the Tape

Team Gastelum: Greene is 6’7” 251 pounds, has an 82” reach and a record of 5-2.
Team Whittaker: Espino is 6’4” 257.5 pounds, has an 82” reach and a record of 8-1.

Referee Herb Dean is the third man inside the Octagon, and the action begins. They meet in the center of the cage feinting and faking, but neither engages for the first 30 seconds. Out of nowhere, Espino launches a huge right hand from downtown that lands flush and immediately gives Greene newborn deer legs. He follows up with a big uppercut to send Greene crashing to the canvas, where he dives in to drop some fierce ground-and-pound. After briefly escaping, Espino drags him back down and hops straight into side control. In full control, Espino takes the crucifix position, and attempts a keylock submission before bailing on it to take full mount. As Espino rains down hard punches, Greene turns to give up his back, and Espino flattens him out and sinks in the rear-naked choke. Seconds later, Greene taps, and the fight is over in less than two minutes.

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Full of emotion, Espino celebrates and takes solace in taking out a man who he perceived had been bullying him for a month. He surprised everyone, including both coaches, by outstriking Greene. Espino, a powerful wrestler, stopped six of his eight opponents in his pro career with five by submission, so he felt no one should be surprised by his jiu-jitsu game.

The “TUF 28” heavyweight finals are now set, with Team Gastelum’s Justin Frazier facing off against Team Whittaker’s Juan Francisco Espino Dieppa at the “TUF 28” Finale on Nov. 30.

Tune in next week for the last episode of the season, featuring the final featherweight matchup between Team Whittaker’s Leah Letson against Team Gastelum’s Macy Chiasson.