Oh how the drama continues between the two coaching staffs in this season. So with that, let’s dive into the excitement of another episode:
TUF Episode 4: Use the force
Following the second loss of Team Rousey, the coaching staff starts to get antsy and won’t let their grudge with Team Tate’s coaching staff go. Things only get worse when UFC vet and guest coach Dennis Hallman arrives. Hallman doesn’t like being eyeballed by Edmond Tarverdyan and when he takes issue with it, things get even more heated.
It gets to the point that all of the coaching staffs get involved and Meisha Tate basically traces the whole incident back to Bryan Caraway‘s twitter comments. Finally Dana White steps in and reminds Ronda Rousey that this whole experience should be about the fighters and not about Rousey and Tate’s grudge match which will be settled at UFC 168.
During Team Tate’s training, upcoming fighter Roxanne Modafferi is taking it slow and Raquel Pennington starts to complain about not being able to go hard. Tate not only agrees but decides to let men and women practice with each other. For some of the men, it isn’t comfortable because they aren’t used to fighting women. However, coaxing from Sarah Moras who worked out with men back home were able to get Cody Bollinger and Louis Fisette going. Practice ends with both sides satisfied.
Back at the house we get to see both fighters’ personalities in full. Modafferi shows why she is called the “Happy Warrior” as she always has a positive attitude, a smile on her face, and is nothing but friendly and encouraging. She also talks about her time teaching English in Japan and proceeds to teach Japanese to Shayna Baszler who recounts how, after a fight with Madafferi, both fighters went around Tokyo together. Jessica Rokoczy then talks about how she likes to keep the house clean and is basically the mother figure of the house. She then recalls her rough childhood and how after the death of her mother boxing essentially helped save her life.
Fight day comes and the first round is dominated by Modafferi’s ground game. However, in the second round Rokoczy dominates on her feet and towards the end of the fight, is able to pull a slam similar to Sarah Kaufman against Modafferi to the point she’s too dazed and Rokoczy successfully gets the win.
Then in an incredible show of sportsmanship between both fighters, Modafferi asks for “Big Sister,” referring to Rokoczy, and the two share a touching moment. Both teams feel Modafferi’s pain, Baszler especially as both are vets who lost in the first round of the show. Back in control Team Rousey chooses to match Team Tate’s Fisette against their fighter David Grant.
What do you think of this season of The Ultimate Fighter? Leave a comment!