TUF 16 Weekly Recap - Episode 6

The episode begins with the fallout from last week’s fights. Dana walks into Nic Herron-Webb’s locker room to tell him that he thinks he was [expletive]. Roy agrees that Nic was robbed, but offers the old saying “you can’t let it go to the judges.” While Dana is comforting (in his own way), Roy takes the opportunity to criticize Nic’s performance. A few of the Team Nelson members don’t understand why Roy is kicking the guy while he’s down. Julian Lane tells us that he thinks Roy doesn’t understand how to be a coach because he’s still a fighter.

At the house the guys discuss the styles of their respective coaches. The ever open-minded Matt Secor tells us that his coach Shane is, “The most caring dude ever,” and the fact that Roy doesn’t use the same kid gloves in defeat means that he’s only in this for himself. Who knew that guys who fight grown men in a cage for money could be so sensitive?

The shenanigans at the house continue when Julian Lane and Colton Smith steal Team Nelson’s chicken out of the refrigerator and eat it. The justification they give is that, “we were hungry,” and frankly, it's like Les Mis in a McMansion. The great TUF chicken scandal escalates as Matt Secor accuses Michael Hill of the theft and Hill takes offense. This leads to the usual usual frat house-style confrontation:

Party One: Excuse me sir, I find your accusations to be warrantless.

Party Two: Well, I apologize if offense was taken, but I firmly stand behind my statements.

Party One: Do you? Seeing that we have come to an impasse, I believe the only logical conclusion is that we should engage in fisticuffs to determine the winner of our disagreement.

Party Two: To be honest, I find this recourse to perpetuate the classic ad bellum logical fallacy, but I would happily engage in a physical altercation.

I may have taken some liberties with the encounter, but you get the idea.

After a break, it’s time for the fight announcement. Coach Carwin tells us that his fighter Eddy Ellis will take on Team Nelson’s Colton Smith. Carwin believes that Eddy will be able to take Colton down easily and work his ground and pound. Coach Nelson says that Eddy isn’t outstanding at any one skill and that Colton's outstanding wrestling will make the difference.

Back at the the house we hear the Eddy Ellis story. He started competing in MMA when he was 16 years old. When discussing his professional record (17-15-1), he admits that it’s not the best. He says that he took fights for the experience instead of winning. I take that as code for, “I liked the money,” but I could be wrong (but I’m probably not). He also credits his wife for making him a better fighter and I’m sure every married man would agree.

At the Team Carwin training session we run into to UFC vet Eliot Marshall again. This time he’s showing some ground and pound skills which will aid Eddy in his game plan. Eddy doesn’t see this fight ending up on the ground, though. He predicts that he’ll hurt Colton on the feet, stuff his takedowns and further frustrate him until he gets the finish.

Next we hear from Colton Smith. Raised in Iowa, he calls himself a “bad kid” whose mother used sports to keep him out of trouble. He excelled in wrestling and expanded those skills when he joined the Army where he is now a combatives instructor at Fort Hood. He feels that though Ellis has had a lot of wars inside a cage, Smith's military experience gives him the edge because he knows what a real war is like. This is repeated approximately 70 times by Smith and his coaches. During his training sessions, though, he feels uncomfortable with the coaches’ strategy for him. Along with Julian Lane, he decides to just do what he wants and stick to the tactics that have carried him thus far.

Fight Day
After some more bravado from the two competitors, it’s fight day. Round one begins with Colton quickly getting the double underhooks and a takedown. When he tries to open up and deliver some damage, Eddy is able to stand up and escape. After a couple short exchanges, Colton shoots again. He brings Eddy to the mat, but the two are up standing again shortly. As Colton comes forward, he eats a big right cross from Ellis that wobbles him. Eddy puts Colton on his back and soon moves to take his back. Colton defends an armbar attempt, stands up and is bleeding noticeably from his right brow. Another brief exchange and Ellis catches Colton with a crisp standing elbow. Wobbled again, Colton is back on his back and defending. He’s able to stand up and put Eddy against the fence, but with 30 seconds left the round soon ends.

In between rounds, Roy tries to give Colton some directions. He tells him to stop standing and trading with Eddy and go to his single leg takedown. Colton responds with, “Uh, could you say it one more time?”

Round two begins and Colton shoots immediately. He’s able to advance his position and starts dropping some nasty short elbows. He winds up cutting Ellis and continues to smother him. This continues for most of the round until Herb Dean bizarrely stands the two up with about 50 seconds left. There are a couple of exchanges and Colton even manages to daze Eddy, but the round ends with everyone expecting a third.

Everyone that is...except the judges. Dana can’t believe it, but Colton Smith winds up winning a majority decision victory due to two judges scoring the second round 10-8. Back in the locker rooms, Eddy doesn’t want any empty pats on the back and Colton wants some pictures of the cut over his right eye.

The episode ends and we get a preview of next week. What words of wisdom does Forrest Griffin have to share? Why is the next fight the most controversial of the season? Who’s the culprit that steals Roy Nelson’s Cheetos? Find out next week on The Ultimate Fighter!

Team Carwin (3-2)
Sam Alvey (0-1, lost to Joey Rivera by decision in episode 3)
Bristol Marunde (1-0, defeated Julian Lane by decision in episode 4)
Mike Ricci
Neil Magny (1-0, defeated Cameron Diffley by decision in episode 2)
James Chaney
Eddy Ellis (0-1, lost to Colton Smith by majority decision in epsiode 6)
Igor Araujo (1-0, defeated Nic Herron-Webb by majority decision in episode 5)
Matt Secor

Team Nelson (2-3)
Dom Waters
Michael Hill
Cameron Diffley (0-1, lost to Neil Magny by decision in episode 2)
Colton Smith (1-0, defeated Eddy Ellis by majority decision in episode 6)
Jon Manley
Nic Herron-Webb (0-1, lost to Igor Araujo by majority decision in episode 5
Joey Rivera (1-0, defeated Sam Alvey by decision in episode 3)
Julian Lane (0-1, lost to Bristol Marunde by decision in episode 4)

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