TUF 12: Episode Two Recap

The TUF 12 coaches pick their teams, and we get our first fight of the season.

LAST WEEK: Twenty-eight lightweights arrived in Vegas for their chance to deal with Josh Koscheck for six weeks. Oh, and the chance for UFC glory as well. Georges St. Pierre says it’s the perfect scenario because he’s the ultimate good guy while Koscheck is the ultimate bad boy.

At least I think that’s what he said. I don’t want to be that guy, but subtitles wouldn’t hurt us at all this season.

In the end, fourteen of the fighters make it into the house, and the 12th season of the Ultimate Fighter officially gets under way.

EPISODE 1202: “WELL PLAYED”

The fighters arrive at the house. Bruce Leeroy is still wearing his yellow Bruce Lee outfit. I hope he wears nothing but that same outfit throughout the whole season. The Ultimate Fighter house has received a nice upgrade, looking much classier than it has in the past. The fighters are understandably overwhelmed despite probably seeing this house on television for several years now.

Heavy’s own Jonathan Brookins says that Bruce Leroy and Jeff Lentz are the two biggest characters in the house. Yes. One of them is wearing a full-body yellow leotard while the other has bright red hair and says he’ll never tap out to a submission hold. Lentz also notes that it’s easier to pull your arm out of a hold when it’s broken. He actually said this. He’s also smoking a cigarette and takes “four, five, six or seven shots.” I foresee bad things in the future for this young man.

Bruce Leeroy wows the house with some blues harp. He proceeds to tell the assembled fighters that he killed an alligator with his bare hands and wrestled a deer once, but it got away. This guy is already my favorite fighter on the show.

The next morning, it’s time to head to the gym for team selection. Team Koscheck is already assembled and discussing fighter rankings. Koscheck has Michael Johnson ranked as the top guy.

Greg Jackson tells Team GSP they should pick the first fighter instead of the first fight. GSP unveils a bit of treachery by writing his fighter rankings in giant letters and then holding his card so Koscheck can see his rankings. He wants Koscheck to pick guys based off his list so he can get the guys he wants. That dastardly Georges. Koscheck appears ready to take the bait.

TEAM PICKS

Koscheck chooses to take the first fighter, so GSP gets the first fight selection.

Koscheck does indeed take the bait, selecting Marc Stevens first. GSP takes Michael Johnson.

The coaches make the rest of their selections. Dale Sayers is the final pick, which bums him out, but he’s ready to prove everybody wrong.

GSP does an awesome rendition of the Full Metal Jacket speech. This needs to be seen to be believed. He says he’s going to act more as a training partner than a coach because he believes he’ll be more useful that way. He introduces his coaches, all of whom appear to have majored in philosophy in college.

Team Koscheck hits the gym for a training session. Koscheck says he has the edge over St. Pierre because he’s been here before. He believes in mindless training, which is directly opposite from the methods St. Pierre employs. Koscheck introduces his coaches, which includes American Kickboxing head Bob Cook and Daniel Cormier. The funny thing? They actually name Cormier on screen, which is strange considering Jake Shields was the odd man out last season. Koscheck says he’s definitely the heel this season. Yes, he is.

GSP gets to pick the first fight. He chooses Bruce Leroy from his team to take on Jeff Lentz. GSP says Leroy wanted the fight, so he gave it to him. Dana White says he doesn’t agree with coaches allowing his fighters to pick the fight, but then again, he’s a control freak and GSP isn’t. Koscheck says it’s a great fight for his team.

Bruce Leeroy and Sayers conduct some training in the backyard of the house. Lentz observes the entire process and says he has a lot of techniques, but none of them are any good. GSP says that any fighter who is motivated to fight another is always dangerous.

Jeff Lentz introduces himself. He noticed a hitch in Leeroy’s game yesterday where he taps his foot every time he’s going to engage, so he plans on taking advantage of that. Koscheck says Lentz has the perfect opportunity to come out and put on a show. Lentz says his game plan is to hurt Bruce so bad that he wants to go home tomorrow.

Koscheck mocks Lentz for smoking cigarettes, but says his training went well.

Back at the house, Bruce Leeroy is sporting a sweet formal Chinese gi. This guy is one of the best characters to ever appear on the show.

Lentz is outside at night, smoking a cigarette and doing some shadow-boxing. He says this is the first fight where his parents won’t be there for him.