TUF Update

Here’s a newsflash - The Ultimate Fighter isn’t about the fighting, it’s about the fighters. Wednesday night’s episode didn’t even come through with the second fight which has been promised for each show and yet it was one of the more entertaining episodes of the season.

Much of the show focused on American Jason Pierce and Team UK’s Dave Faulkner who were or are supposed to meet in a welterweight clash. There seemed to be a game of “who can bail out of this fight first?” going on and my money is on Pierce. The American complained of an injured ankle, didn’t like the training regimen, walked out of a sparring session and generally alienated himself from the rest of his teammates. “I’m not here to make friends”, said Pierce (have you ever noticed that the least popular people always say that?). When fellow fighter Richie Whitson came down with a case of Impetigo, Pierce said “I will not hesitate to put a stake through your heart”. I’ve done some quick research and it seems the treatment for Impetigo is actually quite different from the action taken to prevent vampire attacks, but Pierce may not have known that.

Faulkner, for his part, merely hit himself in the leg with a sledge hammer while aiming for a six foot wide tractor tire and who among us hasn’t done that? The injury of course became infected and Faulkner would be wise to stay away from Pierce and/or his stake. So, there was no fight for Pierce and Faulkner and I’m not sure when or if this might take place.

There was a Coaches’ Challenge Wednesday night; a tennis match between Dan Henderson and Michael Bisping. Henderson carried the huge advantage as it appeared he had held a tennis racquet two or three times in his life and Bisping looked like someone unsure which end of the racquet to hold. Slam dunk victory for Team USA in this one.

During a birthday party for Whitson, Cameron Dollar-ever the side-show-cried uncontrollably after a few too many drinks and said “I wish I had a better relationship with my parents”. The tragedy in the story is that Dollar was receiving comfort and presumably advice from Frank Lester, the only person on the show who seems more troubled than himself. I don’t see this one ending well.

The night’s lone fight were lightweights Whitson pitted against Team UK’s Ross Pearson. Whitson has obviously missed the memo about MMA fighters requiring tattoos and lost in Round 1 when Pearson caught him in an arm bar. I’ve got to believe it was the Impetigo.