Previously on The Ultimate Fighter:
Michael Bisping dished out discipline to his team. Dodson secretly revealed Mayhem’s fight pick to Team Bisping, but in the end, Johnny Bedford racked up a second win for Mayhem.
Now, Bisping must rally his team and put them on the right track to become… The Ultimate Fighter.
Hit the music!
Tonight’s episode starts with Louis Gaudinot revealing to Bisping that the pick for the next fight with be Stephen Bass against Dennis Bermudez. Team Bisping puts Stephen through heavy paces, and he’s not too happy about it. During training, Bisping gives him a black eye.
There’s clearly trouble a-brewing.
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENT
No Bisping, so Mayhem brings over the striking dummy. Mayhem rips his fellow coach for being a no show and announces the bout.
For Team Mayhem, “Strong Island” also known as Dennis “The Menace” Bermudez. For Team Bisping, Stephen Bass, as expected.
Mayhem likes the match-up of Dennis’ wrestling and heavy hands, and looks forward to dropping the morale on Team Bisping even more.
Stephen says Bisping being a no-show doesn’t impact him at all.
Lots of wrestling practice for Dennis, as they look to use his strength to counter Stephen’s kickboxing. Bermudez talks about being hungry, and wanting to rebound from losing his last two fights before entering the house.
Stephen says Bermudez won’t be able to lay on him for the entire fight. He claims he’s well-rounded and will find Bermudez’s holes, then says the worst thing that could happen in his eyes is being wrestled for 10 boring minutes.
Bermudez promises constant pressure, big throws, no room to breathe at all.
DENNIS BERMUDEZ vs. STEPHEN BASS
Round 1: Bass catches a kick and lands a decent right, but he looks rigid on his feet, a bad sign for a stand-up fighter. Bermudez shoots, Bass stuffs it, and it becomes a clinch on the fence. Bermudez gets a trip and lands in Bass’ guard. Bermudez lands a couple elbows, and Bass looks content to try to tie him up. Bermudez postures up and gives him space, but Bass stays on the ground. He’s up against the fence and fighting from a closed guard, drawing all kinds of angry instruction from Bisping. Bermudez backs out, but Bass stays on the ground. Bermudez moves back in, dropping strikes, and Bass chooses to stay on the ground. Bisping is clearly irritated with his charge. Bermudez lands a couple more solid shots, Bass rolls and gives him his back. Bermudez gets hooks in, flattens him out, and starts raining down shots. Bass keeps rolling, getting back to his back on the canvas, but Bermudez keeps applying pressure. The round ends with Bermudez on his back again, dropping more punches into his face.
Between rounds, Mayhem is pumped; Bisping, not so much. He tells Bass he needs to get back to his feet when he’s on the ground.
Round 2: Bermudez is stalking, landing the first good punch. He buries a knee into Bass’ midsection that drops him to the ground. As Bermudez is spinning out, Bass grabs a leg instead of getting up. Bass gets up momentarily, but Bermudez puts him on the ground again, taking his back, dropping punches. Mayhem tells referee Josh Rosenthal, “That’s not intelligently defending yourself.”
Bermudez has Bass’ back and keeps dropping punches into his head. Bass is exhausted, as Bermudez just starts picking his spots. Mayhem tells Bermudez to choke Bass out instead of trying to pound him out, but Bermudez ends up flattening him out again, lands a bunch of unanswered punches, and gets the stoppage.
Official Result: Dennis Bermudez by TKO
Team Mayhem is all smiles after the fight, but Team Bisping is the exact opposite.
Bass is bruised and beaten in the training room, and Bisping comes in explaining that he lost because he didn’t listen to instruction, pointing to Josh Ferguson’s unnecessary flying knee attempt from the week before as well. He tells them not to act “all Jean Claude Van Damme in there;” listen to what the coaches are saying.
Bass says he’s a terrible listener and he’s disappointed for letting everyone down. Bisping tells him it wasn’t a good enough performance, but learn from it.
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENT
We get another fight, with Team Mayhem still calling the shots.
Dustin Pague steps out, puts on a bright green wig, and he’ll face Louis.
Mayhem likes the match-up a lot because of Dustin’s striking and size advantage. Team Bisping knew the pick was coming thanks to Dodson, and thinks this is where they turn it around.
Team Mayhem is in their training room talking about how Team Bisping knows all the match-ups. Mayhem says he doesn’t care because they keep winning fights.
Pague explains his nickname “Disciple” between cuts of him training. Mayhem calls him a “superstar,” and thinks he has a very good career ahead of him. He likes the height advantage Pague has on Louis.
Bisping explains that Bass wanted to have a word with him, and says he expected to get an apology from his recently defeated featherweight fighter, but that wasn’t the case.
The team assembles in the training room, and Bisping puts Bass on blast, saying he blamed Bisping for him losing. Bass tries to defend himself, Bisping shuts him down, and asks the team if anyone agrees with Bass that Bisping’s methods are too much.
Someone off-camera says, “We’re with you coach,” and Bisping says he’s offended by Bass complaining to him after the fight. Louis says Bass shouldn’t be blaming the coaching staff; he’s the one in the cage.
He thinks his fight with Pague will be a good match-up, and that he’ll be able to take him down. Bisping speaks highly of his #1 pick, and believes this is the fight where they turn things around.
DUSTIN PAGUE vs. LOUIS GAUDINOT
Louis delivers the classic, “I came here for two things — to kick ass and chew bubble gum, and I’m all out of bubble gum” line as he’s shown heading to the cage. Love it!
Round 1: The round starts with both guys looking to establish their striking, each one landing a couple good shots. Louis does a good job of jumping in, getting off, and getting out. Pague lands a couple decent knees, pressing Louis into the fence. Pague scores a trip, and lands another knee as Louis comes back to his feet. Bisping is calling for Louis to take the fight to the floor, but he’s content exchanging. They trade shots, nothing serious, and Pague scores another knee from the clinch. Halfway home, Pague buries a leg kick. Louis is still just throwing hands, and you can hear Bisping wondering why he’s not wrestling. Pague pushes him into the fence, grabs a clinch, and stars working knees and elbows. Louis circles out, Bisping tells him to take Pague down, but he just keeps striking. He finally tries a takedown, but Pague stuffs it, spins him into the cage, and goes back to working knees and elbows. Pague lands with a jumping knee and a right elbow. Louis looks winded as the round comes to an end.
Mayhem tells Pague to use the leg kick and that he’s breaking Louis. Bisping tells his fighter he needs a knockout.
Round 2: Dustin’s first strike is a leg kick. He stiffens Louis with a good hook, and follows him to the ground, ending up in his guard. Louis works his way to his feet and tries to take Pague down, but Pague sprawls well and reverses Louis into the cage. They battle for control and positioning, Pague landing a knee or an elbow here and there. Pague grabs a Thai clinch and busts Louis up with a knee. Blood is pouring out of his nose as he’s on all fours on the ground. Pague follows him to the canvas, takes his back, sinks in a choke, and gets the tap.
Official Result: Dustin Pague by Submission
Louis apologizes to the team in the training room, and he’s emotional about losing, as expected.
Team Mayhem is now 4-0, and Mayhem is loving it.
On the next episode of The Ultimate Fighter:
Mayhem discovers the identity of the mole, and concocts a plan to keep his fight picks from Bisping. One fighter goes on the warpath. At the announcement, teams and coaches collide, and then, rage re-ignites in a post-fight showdown.
Who will prevail, and become… the next Ultimate Fighter?
