TUF season 7

[Evan]

I though it was a good episode...best opener yet.

Forrest looked huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuge.

[michaelhellfish]

i agree, the second fight with the friend of forrest fighting, was really boring. they never really seemed to accomplish anything.

and i liked rampage as a fighter but was prepared to hate him as a person, i love that guy as a person after that first episode

[LEONARD]

Rampage is the man...

Good stuff last night...I liked the commentary between Rampage, Forrest, and Dana during the fights...

[sa_butta]

I was very pleased, I like that they have to fight to get on. This should really weed out the weakest fighters.

[Evan]

I was very pleased, I like that they have to fight to get on. This should really weed out the weakest fighters.

Yeah..fans want to see training and fighting…nobody except a very small percentage gives a eff about the drama.

[ATRAIN]

Great first episode and yeah I agree Dana weeding out all the pussies by making them fight the first 2 days was a great idea. I can;t wait for next week.

[tlongII]

I agree. Best season opening episode of TUF yet, imo. Rampage and Forrest are both likable guys, unlike some of the coaches in the past.

[dallaskd]

Poor Prince, but come on man, suck back the tears. your making yourself look bad.

[dallaskd]

Evan what was the point of creating a new thread with the exact same title "TUF season 7"

[Evan]

Evan what was the point of creating a new thread with the exact same title "TUF season 7"

That first one was a lot of speculation about the season.

[oligarchy]

Thread whore.. :)

[dallaskd]

agreed. evan needs to be banned.

[Evan]

ah man

Guess I need to find another obscure sports forum that revolves around a sport I don't care much about but still stick around to talk mma in the off topic section.

Maybe a nice golf forum…
:lol

[dallaskd]

:lol

actually i enjoy talking mma on a basketball, football, or like a mavs forum rather than a whole forum devoted to MMA.

[Evan]

So far, this season is tops for me.

[Evan]

:lol

actually i enjoy talking mma on a basketball, football, or like a mavs forum rather than a whole forum devoted to MMA.

I can barely stand MMA forums anymore. I quick scan them for news.

[Evan]

Thoughts anyone?

I'm still enjoying it

[AZLouis]

Two good fights last night.

Rampage finally takes control.

I'm glad that guy got his ass kicked. It's hilarious that he confesses that he's milking the knee thing and then goes out there runs out of gas and gets whipped.

That guy he fought was kind of a let down though. All this he's a bad man talk and he had trouble getting by an out of shape dude.

[sa_butta]

So far so good, Ive been really impressed with the quality this season.

[desflood]

That guy he fought was kind of a let down though. All this he's a bad man talk and he had trouble getting by an out of shape dude.
I didn't think Brown looked bad. He was picking his shots - and the few he landed looked like they landed right where he wanted them too. No doubt, he hits hard.

Granted, I'm biased towards anybody who kicks Jeremy May in the can :lol

[ATRAIN]

I cant wait to see Rampage beat the crap out of Forest.

[DBryant88]

I cant wait to see Rampage beat the crap out of Forest.

what are you talking about forest will surley dominate

[Evan]

I think this is one of their best season and sadly the show is failing badly. I don't care what the show is eventually it has to go away and it’s a shame because its one of the few shows I like…

War battlestar galactica!

[Evan]

Looks like TUF is on its way back........

MMAPayout.com has learned that the 6/4 episode of the Ultimate Fighter on Spike drew a 1.13 rating (1.5 million viewers). The program drew quarter hours of 1.07, 1.16, 1.13, and 1.16. The key demographic numbers were a a 1.65 in M18-34 and a 1.41 in M18-49.

The numbers represent a strong rebound for the series as it saw its highest ratings in M18-34 and M18-49 since week two. The program ranked second on basic cable among M18-49 for its time slot.

[IX_Equilibrium]

Mike Dolce with some very sobering words about TUF.

http://www.mmaweekly.com/absolutenm/templates/dailynews.asp?articleid=6422&zoneid=13

First off, allow me to apologize for not submitting last week’s blog. I love writing this piece and was personally disappointed in not being able to fulfill my weekly commitment to you and to this web site, BUT (there’s always a BUT isn’t there?) I truly have a good reason.

Really!

You see, I’m currently training in the mountains of Big Bear Lake, Calif. with the UFC light heavyweight champion of the world, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. And, as well equipped as Big Bear is for helping athletes prepare for major sporting events, it is poorly equipped for out-of-towners who are accustomed to “fancy” cable television and even fancier high-speed Internet access. I was simply unable to watch the show until this Monday when my good friends at Spike TV were able to rush me out a copy.

Briefly, last week’s episode was pretty much just about the fights, which were comprised of Team Forrest versus Team Forrest in a double feature. Dante Rivera was defeated by Jesse Taylor and Matt Brown was defeated by Amir Sadollah.

For some on Team Rampage, these fights were anti-climactic, as there was not a vested interest in the outcome. But not for me.

I was honored to be asked by both Dante and Matt to corner them for their bouts. I have said this before, but when one of your peers asks you to step into battle with them, there is no higher compliment and thus far, I have cornered every single fight on “The Ultimate Fighter 7,” even when my own “team” was not fighting. This fact makes me very proud.

Moving on to this week’s episode, what can I say?

At the risk of pissing a bunch of people off, I’m going to tell you.

Personally, I knew something was seriously wrong with this production when, as a sequestered, professional athlete in the midst of a major sporting event, I could not obtain a free range chicken breast for almost 48 hours of repeated requests, but a bottle of tequila, a half rack of beer and a funnel could be delivered in twenty minutes at any time of day or night with a single belligerent phone call. All under the guise of trying to determine just who was The Ultimate Fighter…the epitome of professional athletics.

To me The Ultimate Fighter is a term that should be reserved for a gentleman-athlete who stands above his peers, not just in his ability to perform within the confines of competition, but within the confines of civility and life.

Call me an old-fashioned square but, “It is the Ul-ti-mate,” right?

That is a very definite term with no room for flaws, inside the cage or not.

Is Spike TV, The Ultimate Fighter, the UFC or our rapidly growing fan-base really interested in finding the next great representative that can cause the most destruction to a rented home while getting drunk, pissing his pants and sacrificing his dignity?

I don’t think so.

Are they looking for a house full of socially inept, moral delinquents that couldn’t channel their mental energy into anything more meaningful than a wall mural of penises and vaginas?

What was once a ground-breaking format that introduced the world to the most exciting combat sport in history, has slowly degraded into a low-brow compilation of alcohol induced, frat boy antics that could serve to destroy the very concept it was intended to create.

I have an idea.

Take the alcohol out of the house that is supposed to be filled with the next generation of professional athletes. Fine the athletes for any destruction of property or lewd conduct, or better yet, send them home. Force the athletes to treat the set, the production and the sport with the respect it deserves and then see who makes it through.

In essence, turn this into a test of mental and physical fortitude while bringing out the best in each competitor. Do not coerce the worst.

It still baffles me that I could not bring a Bible onto the set with me. Not even for fifteen minutes on a Sunday morning. But, if I wanted, I could consume as much top-shelf alcohol as I wanted, for free, twenty-four hours a day?

As a testament to that option, would you believe that some of the cast members showed up to the fights drunk? Some made it a point to get trashed just to go to the weigh-ins and fight-picks? Would you even believe that some of my fellow cast members showed up to team practices too drunk to participate in any meaningful capacity other than captivating the cameras with their slurred speech and bouts of random uselessness?

Believe it friends, because it happened, often!

Funny as it might have seemed in their minds at that time, I found that type of behavior to be disrespectful. It made a mockery of the UFC and every athlete that has sacrificed so much for an outside chance of making it as a professional mixed martial artist. Privately, each showed remorse for their behavior. Unfortunately, not so much for their own self-respect, but with concern for, “How do you think that will look on TV?”

“Why the heck are these guys even here?” I thought to myself daily.

Though, I didn’t have to think long. Most of these guys were here simply to be on television.

I must have forgotten that. I was just there to become “The Ultimate Fighter.”

[Evan]

well considering the ratings......he's a bit off. TUF is hear for at least 3 more seasons.

[IX_Equilibrium]

Ratings aren't a problem, but don't you find the fact that fighters are showing up drunk to watch the fights a bit disturbing?

[LEONARD]

I don't think TUF will be going anywhere just yet...

but they do need to clean it up...the annual trashing of the house is just stupid...

[Evan]

Ratings aren't a problem, but don't you find the fact that fighters are showing up drunk to watch the fights a bit disturbing?


I don't think TUF will be going anywhere just yet...

but they do need to clean it up...the annual trashing of the house is just stupid...


The UFC has nothing to do with that.

SpikeTV recently paid the UFC about 100 million for fights and TUF. TUF 10 is guaranteed at this point. Spike basically owns TUF so creative control outside of actual live fights is beyond the UFC. The UFC has veto power but their not going to bully Spike for simple things such as alcohol and trashing a house that is a write off.

But do I find it disturbing? No...fighters are insane..you have to be insane to do what they do and thats part of the package. Nice and classy is golf. MMA fighters spending their days learning to tear off arms and ko someone while fighting back a blackout from a knee to the chin. Its just the way it is and I would have it no other way.

[desflood]

We need a vbookie - Who hit the limo?

:lol

[LEONARD]

Jesse go bye-bye...so glad we don't have to watch him struggle to speak and put on boring ass lay and pray fights...

Calling for Amir to upset CB too... :o

[desflood]

Calling for Amir to upset CB too... :o
Buddy, I am praying for that one. God is probably getting a bit ticked off that I keep bugging him for something so inconsequential :nope

The one person I really feel pity for, though, is actually the girl who had Jesse's baby. Now she will forever be known as the broad who slept with that guy who pissed himself twice on national t.v. - on purpose.

[LEONARD]

Damn he's annoying...

He's gone...so glad...

[ATRAIN]

I like CB, but I also like Amir and I think Jesse vs CB would be a good finale with CB winning.

[desflood]

Amir and Forrest - lots of similarities. Not only physical. I started out as a Forrest fan; guess it was fate Amir would grow on me.

[LEONARD]

I like CB, but I also like Amir and I think Jesse vs CB would be a good finale with CB winning.

Jesse won't be in the finale...

Gonna be interesting next week :wow

[desflood]

You sound pretty sure of yourself.

[ATRAIN]

Jesse won't be in the finale...

Gonna be interesting next week :wow



WAIT my DVR cut off the preview for next week..............what did it show?? Anyone have a vid link for the preview?

[LEONARD]

Preview showed Dana reviewing a security camera tape of somebody kicking out the back window from inside a limo...said "he's off the finale and out of the UFC"...it was Jesse...

[ATRAIN]

Preview showed Dana reviewing a security camera tape of somebody kicking out the back window from inside a limo...it was Jesse...


WHAT? They always destroy the house, why would this be any different?

[Evan]

Preview showed Dana reviewing a security camera tape of somebody kicking out the back window from inside a limo...said "he's off the finale and out of the UFC"...it was Jesse...

ruh roh

[Evan]

I figured it was him...they have made him look like such a tool

[desflood]

I have to assume that if Jesse is out, Tim is back in to face the winner of Amir/CB.

[ATRAIN]

I have to assume that if Jesse is out, Tim is back in to face the winner of Amir/CB.

Yeah probably. Was this a random limo? From the video can you tell what exactlly happened?

[desflood]

So many crazy theories floating around out there! Mostly involving Taylor.

1. Jesse got drunk and stupid on the way home.
2. Jeremy May finally pushed Jesse over the edge.
3. This is an old case involving Jesse before the show began taping.
4. Matt Brown, being depressed about not winning the competition, goes back to his druggie/alcoholic/violent ways.
5. CB has Narcissistic Personality Disorder (which seems like a perfectly legitimate diagnosis to me, by the way). He lost to Amir and went into a violent rage.

If all of this craziness is coming out now, only the day after initial airing, imagine the things people will propose over the next week, after they've had some time to truly let their imaginations run wild :wow

[Evan]

So many crazy theories floating around out there! Mostly involving Taylor.

1. Jesse got drunk and stupid on the way home.
2. Jeremy May finally pushed Jesse over the edge.
3. This is an old case involving Jesse before the show began taping.
4. Matt Brown, being depressed about not winning the competition, goes back to his druggie/alcoholic/violent ways.
5. CB has Narcissistic Personality Disorder (which seems like a perfectly legitimate diagnosis to me, by the way). He lost to Amir and went into a violent rage.

If all of this craziness is coming out now, only the day after initial airing, imagine the things people will propose over the next week :wow


hah...I'm temped to get the spoiler

[desflood]

Feel free to share.

[Evan]

Feel free to share.

I'll wait for the show.

[ATRAIN]

hah...I'm temped to get the spoiler

If you do PM me the spoiler :) At least just what happens with that.

[desflood]

Ah, self-denial... it's what's missing in the world.

[dallaskd]

just got caught up on my tivos. :tu

[LEONARD]

WHAT? They always destroy the house, why would this be any different?

Don't know...not sure who's car or where he was going...don't know the whole story behind it yet...

[Evan]

How many people want to know who wins?

[desflood]

Between this thread and the Horses' Pool Party, this is a really interesting day :blah

[Evan]

I emailed someone who should know the finale as long as CB wins...

whoever wants to know say so and I will pm you. I'm too curious now to wait.

[LEONARD]

I'll just say that the next episode will be interesting...and Jesse's departure will impact CB...

[desflood]

If that was indeed CB running out of the limo as so many have speculated, I imagine it would affect CB a lot.

I'd like to know who the finalists are, Evan, if for no other reason than to hold the knowledge over my husband's head for the next week.

Have I told you all that I have a cat named CB? It stands for crybaby. Any link between my cat's name and the fighter's name is purely coincidental. Or is it?

[Evan]

LEONARD answer yer d@mn email or I'm keeping all of "The Office" DVD's....

[Evan]

and I won't post the spoiler in this thread so don't worry, I won't ruin it for anyone.

[LEONARD]

LEONARD answer yer d@mn email or I'm keeping all of "The Office" DVD's....

The last email you sent was more of a statement...didn't know you wanted a reply :lol

[Evan]

The last email you sent was more of a statement...didn't know you wanted a reply :lol

Here is what I sent

"eff it...I'm finding out the TUF 7 spoiler"

Here is your reply

"I texted ******* enough last night to have a good idea what’s going to happen…"

cmon bro!

[ATRAIN]

your talking about a spoiler for next week right with CB's fight? Yeah I wanna know what happens with dana's big "decision"

[djohn14]

I want to know

[Evan]

Ok I just talked to the guy who knows and nobody knows the true final. They are keeping this a huge secret. I am sure their are spoilers out there but you will get 7 different answers.

But next episode is going to be badass. wow!

[dallaskd]

wow and i thought you actually had beat the system there.

[LEONARD]

My prediction is CB vs Amir in the Finale...

[Evan]

My prediction is CB vs Amir in the Finale...

:toast

[Evan]

wow and i thought you actually had beat the system there.

I was certain he would know..

The UFC has a pretty tight lock on information now. How often do you see UFC information leaked anymore? Pretty rare.

[desflood]

My prediction is CB vs Amir in the Finale...
:cheer

[desflood]

Mike Dolce - this guy is money.


Mike Dolce’s Ultimate Fighter 7 Blog: Week 11

After last week’s blog, I received hundreds of messages agreeing with that piece. In contrast, I only received a few dozen messages disagreeing with my opinion of what “The Ultimate Fighter” should really be about.

That ratio is very telling of what the fans of the sport want to see.

They, we, want to see who these guys really are, where they come from, and what pushes them to succeed.

We want to see hard-working athletes, coming from all walks of life, defying the odds, breaking out and making it – very much like Rocky.

The last time I checked, Rocky did a lot better than Porky’s at the box office.

Obviously, I am not a television executive; I am just an 18 to 34-year-old American male who needs to be told what I should want to watch, regardless of what I actually want to watch.

Instead of the above, I was treated to another segment of, “Grown men pee their pants and destroy an expensive home, along with their reputations… on the next ‘Ultimate Fighter!’”

YES!!!

I can’t wait to watch this week!!!

Wait a minute, I actually lived through that night of alcohol-induced debauchery and am here to tell the tale.

As with most terrible decisions, that night all started with one highly intelligent, ultra-dedicated athlete and the bright idea: “Who wants to do shots?”

Thankfully, “The Ultimate Fighter 7” bar is stocked full of all the alcohol any young athlete needs to further his lifelong goal of television infamy.

The shots are lined up, and the bottles get drained.

“Hold on a second, guys,” one of the more astute athletes declares, “There’s something wrong here!”

Surveying the situation, clearer heads will surely prevail.

“We need more BEER, we’re about to run out of BEER!”

“YAY, BEER,” say about a dozen hard training fighters, purely devoted to the sanctity of the sport. One jumps on the internal phone and orders a few cases of highly nutritious yeast and hops, which I hear is the true secret of champions…? :lmao

Hmmm, I’ll have to Google that.

Anyway, a few rounds of shots, a few beers and even a couple bottles of wine to class the place up a bit and we have ourselves a true ratings juggernaut.

That is what we are here for, right? Ratings!

“YAY, RATINGS!”

I mean, the granddaddy of all reality television shows, “Survivor,” relies on copious amounts of alcohol to boost ratings, right?

NO???

What do you mean, NO??? There’s no alcohol on “Survivor?” It’s one of the highest rated reality television shows in history?!

How can that be?

Ok, no alcohol there, but how about “American Idol?” That’s the highest rated television show for the last four years running. Surely, the contestants are wasted through the entire taping acting like total unprofessional court jesters in order to garner such high viewer interest?!

NO???

There’s no alcohol on “American Idol” either? Nobody destroys the set? Not one cast member urinates on himself?

Not even a SPRITZ???

How can this be?!

Are you telling me, good TV can be accomplished without the cast getting totally drunk and making complete asses out of themselves?

Careers and reputations do not need to be sacrificed to the all powerful media research god, Arthur Nielsen, in order to increase ratings?

Wow! Now, that would be groundbreaking television.

But hey, what would an average 18 to 34-year-old American male know about good TV anyway?

[Evan]

90 minute finale tonight

[ATRAIN]

Good finale and pretty good season IMO. I like Amir and CB so don't know who I want to win. Prob Amir.

[desflood]

Good old JT Money - proving once again (and beyond a shadow of a doubt this time) that drunken human dumbassery knows no bounds.

[ATRAIN]

Good old JT Money - proving once again (and beyond a shadow of a doubt this time) that drunken human dumbassery knows no bounds.

Yeah what an idiot he is.

[Evan]

Not to read too much into some TV show but I am sure that dude grew up because of that. He will be back in the UFC for sure..he is very talented…just an idiot. They made him look so effing stupid that entire season.

[ATRAIN]

Not to read too much into some TV show but I am sure that dude grew up because of that. He will be back in the UFC for sure..he is very talented…just an idiot. They made him look so effing stupid that entire season.

Yeah i have no doubt he will be back.

[desflood]

Not to argue semantics, Evan, but I think Jesse made himself look stupid. It's hard to argue that they edited it that way to make him look like a moron when he actually did all of those things. It's probably a safe bet that they edited a lot of what he did and said out.

Amir got Quote of the Episode last night, though: "If you lined up the four guys I fought here -- Steve Byrnes, Gerald Harris, Matt Brown and CB Dollaway -- and said you have six weeks to fight and beat all of them, I would look at you and say, ‘No.'"

[Evan]

Not to argue semantics, Evan, but I think Jesse made himself look stupid. It's hard to argue that they edited it that way to make him look like a moron when he actually did all of those things. It's probably a safe bet that they edited a lot of what he did and said out.

Amir got Quote of the Episode last night, though: "If you lined up the four guys I fought here -- Steve Byrnes, Gerald Harris, Matt Brown and CB Dollaway -- and said you have six weeks to fight and beat all of them, I would look at you and say, ‘No.'"

Very true

[Evan]

From Junkie


Jesse Taylor, "The Ultimate Fighter: Team Rampage vs. Team Forrest" finalist who was kicked out of the competition due to a drunken, post-show Las Vegas rampage, says he has since cut alcohol out of his life.

Taylor discussed the situation in a video interview for SpikeTV.com, and in it, he says that when the show's producers flew him back to Las Vegas, he was told it was for a follow-up interview.

Instead, UFC president Dana White broke the news that Taylor had been kicked out of the UFC and that he would be replaced in a June 21 finale fight with Amir Sadollah.

"After I was called into Vegas to talk with Dana -- first off, when I flew in there, I had no idea," Taylor said. "They told me it was just a follow-up interview. So I showed up there, and it was quite a big shock -- probably one of the most devestating things to happen to me."

After the show had concluded taping, Taylor and a few of his castmates stuck around Las Vegas for an extra night on the town. However, White later received a surveillance video of Taylor kicking out a window of a limousine and, as he said, "terrorizing females guests" at Palace Station Casino, which is operated by UFC owners Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta.

Just prior to the incident, Taylor had earned a ticket to the finale by defeating Nick Rossborough, Mike Dolce, Dante Rivera and Tim Credeur in a six-week span.

"The impression I think that a lot of people might think is that I was so excited that I went crazy," Taylor said. "That's not the case. Most of it just has to do with I just -- when I start drinking sometimes -- I drink a little too much. That's been a downfall for me before."

A sense of celebration soon overcame him.

"I started drinking, started thinking about how good things are and just kept drinking and drinking," he said. "I just spiraled out of control."

Taylor, while admitting that he's since quit drinking, is still hopeful for a second chance in the UFC. During this past Wednesday's season-ending episode, White told Taylor to return home, clean up his life, and then to give him a call. Some viewers have interpreted the comments as White essentially offering Taylor a potential shot of fighting at a future UFC event.

"I was just pretty much out of control," Taylor said. "I'm not going to sit here and make excuses. I just want another chance. We're all human. What I did was crazy and out of control, and the only excuse I have is that I made a horrible mistake. And honestly, drinking is cut out of my life due to this."

After defeating Credeur, C.B. Dollaway took over Taylor's spot in Saturday's finale. However, come Saturday, Taylor won't need any reminders that it could have been him fighting for the "TUF" championship and a lucrative UFC contract.

"I know what I did," Taylor said. "I know how bad I [expletive] up. It's a horrible feeling. I hope no one has to go through what I went through."

[LEONARD]

He pissed himself on the living room carpet...

/end of discussion on his level of intelligence

[Evan]

He pissed himself on the living room carpet...

/end of discussion on his level of intelligence

ummmmmmm

tap the break on being too harsh on people who have done stuff while intoxicated….

[LEONARD]

He PURPOSELY pissed himself...how's that?

[Evan]

He PURPOSELY pissed himself...how's that?

there ya go

[tsb2000]

lol!

I've got a feeling that CB is going to take this; he won't let Amir beat him again. I think everyone will soon see a lot of fighters coming out of Arizona (where CB is from) now that the state legislature has allowed MMA here. There are now several brand new schools here, including a new Lion's Den as well as a Gracie BJJ school. CB is from an older school, Arizona Combat Sports, but many more are opening.

[tlongII]

I think Amir will win more easily this time. He is damn good.

[LEONARD]

I think Amir will win more easily this time. He is damn good.

He's also 0-0 as a pro... (although the UFC has given him a 1-0 record now for some reason)

CB via knee to the forehead...

I like Sadollah...he's funny...he's tough...but he's going to get smoked. CB won't gas this time...

[Evan]

He's also 0-0 as a pro... (although the UFC has given him a 1-0 record now for some reason)

CB via knee to the forehead...

I like Sadollah...he's funny...he's tough...but he's going to get smoked. CB won't gas this time...

I think because it went 3 rounds in the semi?

[Red Hawk #21]

I rewatched Season 7 of TUF for the past 2 days and it was really a great season. I loved Rampage and Forrest as coaches, they both are likeable, funny guys. I was really disappointed in how Jesse (JT) fucked things up for himself, I really liked that kid. I also was very impressed by guys like Matt Riddle, Tim Credeur and Dan Cramer. I loved how Jeremy May talked so much shit about Matt Brown, and ended up getting knocked the fuck out by Brown in the Octagon.

Amir was def a warrior, even though I think he got lucky at times. And I still can't make up my mind about CB Tapping. What do you guys think of that season in hindsight? I really enjoyed it, probably one of my favorite seasons of TUF.