TUF Season 9 Episode 8 Re-Cap

The Ultimate Fighter Season 9 Episode 8

Last week we saw Ross Pearson (UK) defeat Richie Whitson (USA). Team UK is up 4 wins to 2 going into Episode 7. Four fighters remain that have not fought since they’ve been in the house. Welterweights Jason Pierce (USA) and David Faulkner (UK) and Lightweights Jason Dent (US) and Jeff Lawson (UK).

Jason Pierce has a staph infection on his leg. Hendo takes his guys outdoors to switch things up by playing Ultimate Frisbee. During the first segment we also learn that David Faulkner has an issue with keeping his mouthpiece in during his fights. The rest of Team USA continues to dislike Jason Pierce due to his negative attitude.

Dan Henderson picks Jason Dent versus Jeff Lawson. He picked this fight so he could give Pierce a little bit longer for his leg to heal up. Henderson calls Dent “tough to coach”. Apparently he is resistant to change and gets upset when he is yelled at and shuts down.

A couple of the UK guys done lucha masks and wrestle in the house. Just seems like the UK guys are having a lot more fun and actually get along with each other. One guys suplexes the other guy off the diving board into the pool.

Dana meets with Jason Pierce. Dana says that the doctor thinks Jason will be able to fight but Dana says he likes to talk to the fighters to see if they really want to fight. When Jason talks to Dana he definitely isn’t looking like he wants to fight to me.

“There is no fucking way this kid wants to fight”- Dana White
“If he really wanted to fight he should have said so. No matter what was going on with my leg I would have sold it, I would have fought”- Dan Henderson

Lightweight Fight- Jason Dent (USA) (18-9) vs. Jeff Lawson (UK) (13-2)

R1- Jeff shot in after about a minute and a half but Jason held him off and took his back. Jeff then quickly went for a toe hold but instead ended up in Jason’s guard and landed some Ground and Pound. Jeff picked him up and slammed him back down. Jeff passed guard and mounted with about a minute left in the round but didn’t really do anything with it and Jason worked him back to full guard. Jason actually punched his way out of guard at the end of the round. Lawson won this round as he really controlled the first round. Dent showed some life at the end of the fight and he’s far from out of this but he can’t end up on the ground again and needs to be much more aggressive on his feet.

R2- Dent stuffed a take down early and got some shots in on Lawson. Lawson clearly wants this fight on the ground and dives in and goes for a leg lock but can’t get it locked in. Lawson looks really tired. Dent stuffs another take down and gets a choke and taps out Lawson. Lawson just gassed and Dent did a good job of taking advantage of it. US draws closer as they now trail only 4 to 3.

Winner: Jason Dent by Submission (Choke) R2

“Lawson gassed out and was tired and Dent never went after it. Yes, he ends up getting the finish…he chokes him out. But far, far, far from impressive”- Dana White

Dana calls Pierce and Henderson back in to have another conversation with them and he says that after talking to Pierce he’s not going to let him fight. Dana tells Pierce that he won’t be fighting.

“If Pierce had come to me and said ‘I’m not blowing this opportunity, I want this fight, please don’t take this fight away from me’ I would never take the fight away from him. But the way I saw it the kid wanted nothing to do with the fight”- Dana White

“You want to know my true and honest opinion. He showed up here and realized that he wasn’t a fighter. You either have it or you don’t, and I don’t think Jason Pierce has it.”– Dana White

“Honestly, I think he was better off not fighter. Because he would have lost that fight.”- Dan Henderson

Remaining Fighters:

Lightweight Fighters:
UK- Andre Winner (defeated Gary Kelly, Santino Defranco)
UK- Ross Pearson (defeated A.J. Wenn, Richie Whitson)
US- Cameron Dollar (defeated Hayden, Martin Stapleton)
US- Jason Dent (defeated Rob Browning, Jeff Lawson)

Welterweight Fighters:
UK- James Wilks (defeated Che Mills)
UK- Nick Osipczak (defeated Tommy Maguire, Mark Miller)
UK- David Faulkner (defeated James Bateman)
US- Damarques Johnson (defeated Ray Elbe, Dean Amasinger)
US- Jason Pierce (defeated Berger)

My revised favorites are:
Lightweight: Ross Pearson (UK)
Welterweight: Damarques Johnson (USA) and David Faulkner (UK)

Eliminated:
Mark Miller defeated by Nick Osipczak (Episode 4)
Santino Defranco defeated by Andre Winner (Episode 5)
Dean Amasinger defeated by Damarques Johnson (Episode 5)
Martin Stapleton defeated by Cameron Dollar (Episode 6)
Frank Lester defeated by James Wilks (Episode 6)
Richie Whitson defeated by Ross Pearson (Episode 7)
Jeff Lawson defeated by Jason Dent (Episode 8)