The Ultimate Fighter Season 8 Episode 2

The Ultimate Fighter 8- Episode 2 Re-Cap
Team Noguiera vs. Team Mir

The last 16 fighters will fight tonight to see who gets into the house this season. Last weeks standouts were Krzysztof Soszynski, Jules Bruchez, Junie Browning, Dave Kaplan and Phillipe Nover.

Lightweight Fight- Wesley Murch (3-2) vs. John Polakowski (2-1)

Murch quotes Winston Churchill before the fight in his pre-fight interview. He’s from England and he’s “carrying the pride of a nation on his shoulders.” Polakowski kind of reminds me of someone who should be in a Judd Aptow movie.

R1- They go right after each other at the beginning. Murch gets a take down and looks like he opened up a cut on Polakowski. Murch went for a heel hook but Polakowski got out and ended up on top of Murch. Mir and Big Nog both shout out instructions to the fighters during this fight. They are back on their feet. Polakowski hits a knee. Murch takes his back and Polakowski spits out his mouthpiece. Polakowski turns over and he’s in Murch’s guard. Murch has trouble getting up at the end of the round and looks to have hurt his leg. Not a great first round but it was competitive and pretty even.

R2- Murch limps out to start the round and then hits a knee and then falls down and the ref stops the fight. Polakowski confirms my Judd Aptow comment by running around the ring like a lunatic. Mir calls him a “goof ball.”

Light Heavyweight Fight- Shane Primm (1-0) vs. Sean O’Connell (1-1)

R1- Primm has a noticeable height advantage and quickly grabs a Muy Thai clinch and hits a couple of knees but I don’t think they really connected. O’Connell goes for a take down and gets it. Primm goes for an arm bar but O’Connell slips out of it. Primm gets side control but losses it quickly. Primm is hitting some light knees and then goes for a kimura and then to side control. Primm has really good positioning throughout this fight but doesn’t seem to have the killer instinct. Primm takes his back and get the choke and O’Connell taps out. Good showing for Primm as he looked good in terms of positioning but needs to do a better job of utilizing the positions he’s in.

Lightweight Fight- Ido Pariente (13-4) vs. Efrain Escudero (10-0)

Pariente is from Israel. Escudero is 10-0. We will see if this is a legit 10-0.

R1- Escudero gets a take down but gives up his position. Escudero gets another take down, this time he’s in the center of the cage. Escudero takes his back and gets a headlock and then turns it into a choke and Pariente taps out.

Light Heavyweight Fight- Ryan Lopez (4-3) vs. Tom Lawlor (4-1-1)

Lopez is a bounty hunter and Lawlor seems to have the attitude of a pro wrestler.

R1- Lawlor gets a quick take down. Lawlor quickly takes his back but also gets some warnings about striking to the back of the head but Lopez taps out quickly. Lawlor just dominated that fight.

Lightweight Fight- Roli Delgado vs. George Roop

R1- Mir says that these are two of the tallest 155 pounders he’s seen. Dana says it’s the “Battle of the Bean Poles.” Only highlights are shown of this fight. Delgado gets Roop in a guillotine and Mir shouts instructions to Roop and Roop listens and gets out of the hold. George won by decision.

Light Heavyweight Fight- Kyle Kingsbury vs. Ryan Bader

R1- Bader is jacked up. Bader showed strong wrestling and won with an arm triangle. He looked pretty good but only highlights were shown.

Lightweight Fight- Charles Diaz vs. Shane Nelson

R1- Mir said that Diaz was all talk and that Shane overwhelmed him. Only highlights were shown. Looked like Shane won by decision.

Light Heavyweight Fight- Eliot Marshall (5-1) vs. Karn Grigoryan (5-0)

R1- Karn throws some shots early and then stuffs a take down and takes Marshall’s guard. Marshall went for a triangle but couldn’t get it locked in on Karn. Marshall swept him over and mounted Karn and Karn gave up his back. Karn rolled over and was in Marshall’s guard. Marshall went for a triangle again but Karn slipped out again. Good first round as both guys were very active on the mat.

R2- Marshall starts out the round winning the standing game by hitting some strikes. Karn comes back with some of his own. Marshall gets a take down and is in side control.

R3- Marshall took Karn’s back after some good jiu jitsu and then got the mount and delivered some shots buts Karn rolled him over and took Marshall’s guard. Karn got cut badly and started to bleed all over Marshall and the ref stood them back up.

This was a close fight. Both guys looked good at times but neither guy seemed to have the killer instinct. Mir told Marshall that he won but Karn won by Split Decision. Mir wasn’t real happy with the decision. Dana told him that he thought he won the fight.

Antwain Britt broke his hand and is going home since it will take too long for it to heal. I’m thinking that they will give this spot to Marshall. And that’s what they do.


Light Heavyweight Rankings:
1. Krzysztof Soszynski
2. Tom Lawlor
3. Ryan Bader
4. Jules Bruchez
5. Karn Grigoryan
6. Eliot Marshall
7. Shane Primm
8. Vinny Magalhaes


Lightweight Rankings:
1. Junie Browning
2. Efrain Escudero
3. Dave Kaplan
4. Phillipe Nover
5. Shane Nelson
6. George Roop
7. Brian McLaughlin
8. John Polakowski