Kellie
05-22-2009, 08:44 AM
The Ultimate Fighter 9 Recap: US vs. UK
Airing May 20th, 2009
Report by F4Wonline.com
We're continuing the slow build for the USA's Jason Pierce vs. David Faulkner of Team UK fight. It had better be awesome. Jason Pierce's leg ailments continue, as now in addition to a busted up foot he has contracted staph in his leg. It's opened up a pretty decent sized hole on his right calf. Pierce feels this is a big disadvantage as he prepares to take on whom he calls "the UKs best fighter". Normally I fall under the "it happens" banner when guys get infected, but this is like the fourth fighter to contract an infection already this season. The close quarters can't help, but a lot of team houses outside of the show are packed to the gills and don't have this level of outbreaks. They need to start scrubbing everything. This also plays off an earlier storyline of Pierce being paranoid of catching Richie Whitson's skin infection earlier in the season.
In the UK training session we find out that Dave Faulkner has an awful gag reflex and can't keep his mouth guard in. A secret pleasure of watching British boxing is how they call mouthguards "gumshields", how delightfully quaint. We get lots of gumshield talk between Faulkner and Coach Bisping. That could very well cost him a point if it happens multiple times in a fight,. Especially if Herb Dean is officiating since he is very quick to take points, even though that particular foul is really only called in boxing while stalling to get up from knockdowns. And then Bisping makes the exact same point I've just typed, the one about Faulkner potentially losing points, I like Bisping.
Team USA plays some Ultimate Frisbee for some fun cardio fun. Pierces' staph infection is still heavy on his mind as it's very sensitive and preventing him from working out. The Team USA coaches and teammates all express frustration at Pierce's awful attitude but he reiterates he'd have to be completely incapacitated not to fight.
At the fight Selection Team USA selects their own Jason Dent to fight the UK's Jeff Lawson. MORE BUILD TIME FOR PIERCE/FAULKNER. Bisping really likes Lawson's grappling game, his excellent takedowns and feels that Lawson is very tough and resilient, Bisping thinks Lawson will submit Dent after taking him down.
Dent talks about being really uncomfortable in the house, teammates Santino DeFranco and Damarques Johnson agree that Dent is a fidgety weirdo who has hasn't really reached out to anyone. Hendo calls Dent "surprisingly technical", which I think is a compliment. Henderson thinks Dent is stuck in his style and doesn't want to work on his weaknesses, which is pretty evident from watching Dent fight. Striking coach Cyrille Diabate gets on Dent about brawling while sparring standup, Dent isn't very well-versed on the outside at all currently. The point Henderson makes is an excellent one and might explain why Dent has become almost a gatekeeper, against weaker opposition Dent is just able to overwhelm them and finish in the same ways over and over. However against better competition he isn't able to impose his gameplan at all and his weaknesses get picked apart.
The York Foundation had better watch out as Dean Amasinger, Lawson, and Faulkner are taking over as THE three man team on the pro wrestling landscape with strongstyle, workrate intensive action.....actually they hit each other with pillows in the backyard while wearing lucha masks, do some clotheslines, and then Faulkner suplexes Amasinger into the pool off the diving board.
Lawson talks up his grappling background in judo, Lawson thinks he can use that grappling prowess win this fight like he's won his others, walk in, throw some strikes, judo throw, armbar, win, dramatically wipe hands clean. With eight of his twelve pro wins coming by armbar, and another two by kneebar he just may be able to. Dent is adept at working for position and submissions from on top, but not nearly as active when taken down.
Dent will also want this fight at close-quarters. Neither man has decent standup, Dent is very passive on the outside and Lawson is just....not good. Dent is dynamic in the clinch and throws hard knees to the body. Dent doesn't have the best takedowns and has more relied on overwhelming opponents to end up on top rather than using technique. Where Dent really shines is once he does end up on top, Dent throws hard, relentless elbows and uses those to break down opponents position and then grab an arm to fall back into an armbar or a triangle choke. His elbow onslaught has forced opponents to give up limbs in attempts to guard themselves.
Lightweight Quarterfinal #4
Jeff Lawson (12-2) vs. Jason Dent (18-9)
Round One
Lawsons hands are very low and wide, he misses a wild head kick early. Lawson tries to pick off one of Dents legs for a takedown but Dent is able to turn Lawson and push back to distance. Dent is passive at range here like always, Lawson again walks in and looks to sweep one of Dents legs, Dent is able to keep Lawsons back in front of him like the last attempt, and the two fall backwards with Dent on the bottom but having Lawson's back. Lawson sits up and uses his arms to both free his body by unlocking Dents hooks and also to set up a kneebar. Lawson switches to a toehold, then stands, turns and drops into side control having used the leg lock to free himself from a poor position. Dent is able to regain full guard. Lawson grabs double wristcontrol on Dent and stands up, he lets go of Dents hands and now has full posture and completely free hands. Dent doesn't move his head at all from the raining down punches but none of the shots were especially hard. Dent starts throwing elbows from bottom, a lot are straying directly to the back of Lawsons head and referee Herb Dean is correct in warning Dent twice about them. Lawson lands two or three decent elbows but is making no attempts to pass guard. Lawson again stands in Dents guard and grabs both of Dents wrists. This again succeeds as Lawson has both hands free and gets free shots on a still not moving Dent. Nothing hard landed yet from Lawson though. Dent switches to one butterfly hook, now looking to stand up, but he does so without grabbing an underhook on Lawsons left arm, Lawson then has enough freedom to lift his leg up over the butterfly hook, and then passes his right leg right through Dents to end up in full mount. Lawson lands a few blows, Dent bucks and is able to shrimp back to half-guard and then back to full. Dent is almost able to kick away Lawson using butterfly hooks but the round pretty much ends with Lawson on top, Dent does get free as the horn sounds.
Easy Lawson round 10-9. Lawson showed a surprising lack of position control as Dent was able to regain guard with no resistance a few times. Other than that it was all Lawson on top, landing a few strikes. Dent is so active when he's on top and in the clinch it's strange to think it's the same guy when you see him on his back or at a distance not doing much of anything. Of course, that could very well be smart strategy, if you're too active in an area you're weak in then it's going to cost you the fight. Exactly why it was smart of Thales Leites to keep trying to do what he was good at, rather than serving his chin on a platter to Anderson Silva.
Round Two
Lawson looks the more tired of the two and his hands are still way down. Dent comes out aggressively, he's still not throwing much but he's walking Lawson down. Lawson this time shoots a double leg attempt with no setup. Dent is able to sprawl, dig an underhook, and the two end up clinched on the cage. Dent lands two short right hands in the clinch, and then a counter jab when the two separate. Lawson looks really tired and shoots for another double leg. Dent sprawls Lawson out flat on his belly and is landing punches to the side of his head, he looks to be digging for an Anaconda choke, it's tough to tell if he is looking to slide his arm under Lawsons, or if he might look for a power guillotine instead. Whichever he was looking for he gives up on, disengages and stands back up, although Dent does catch an upkick while doing so. Lawson completely drops his hands while throwing a leg kick, it just looks like a matter of time before he gets clocked. WAIT! Lawson baseball slides in for a leglock attempt, awesome,that's an Imanari-esque move there. Dent looks to have the attempt blocked as he is posturing up and putting all his weight on the attacked leg. Lawson switches and grabs the other leg though, and is able to lock his legs around Dents right leg now, and turn Dent over onto his stomach. Dent uses his hands to break Lawsons grasp and roll onto his back, disengage and stand up.
Lawson is leaning to the side with his hands on his knees, just asking to get kicked in the head. Dent is trying to hit the stationary target but can't put the punches together. Lawson throws a hilarious flying knee that almost catches Dent squarely. Another Lawson doubleleg attempt is stuffed and Dent is warned for the third time for hitting Lawson on the back of the head. Dent starts digging for the same choke and this time is able to lace his left arm underneath Lawsons and his right under Lawsons throat. Dent gator rolls putting Lawson on his back and forcing him to tap out to the Anaconda choke at 2:21 of Round Two.
Winner: Jason Dent by Anaconda Choke
Lawson was too gassed to offer up an defense by the finish, Dent could have really picked his choice of an Anaconda, Guillotine, or Brabo choke to finish from that position.
It wasn't the most impressive showing from Dent as he still really wasn't able to take advantage of a gassed Lawson until Lawson handed him his neck with slumped arms.
Dana agrees with me, I like Dana now. Bisping and Lawson chalk Lawson's gassing up to his being unable to train for the first nine days of the show due to having bronchitis.
After two whole shows of build to Pierce vs. Faulkner the show ends with Dana telling Jason Pierce that he won't be able to fight. Both Henderson and Dana feel that Pierce didn't really want to fight and was using his malady as a crutch. Henderson also feels that Pierce would have lost the fight against Faulkner and it's better to give someone else the chance.
Airing May 20th, 2009
Report by F4Wonline.com
We're continuing the slow build for the USA's Jason Pierce vs. David Faulkner of Team UK fight. It had better be awesome. Jason Pierce's leg ailments continue, as now in addition to a busted up foot he has contracted staph in his leg. It's opened up a pretty decent sized hole on his right calf. Pierce feels this is a big disadvantage as he prepares to take on whom he calls "the UKs best fighter". Normally I fall under the "it happens" banner when guys get infected, but this is like the fourth fighter to contract an infection already this season. The close quarters can't help, but a lot of team houses outside of the show are packed to the gills and don't have this level of outbreaks. They need to start scrubbing everything. This also plays off an earlier storyline of Pierce being paranoid of catching Richie Whitson's skin infection earlier in the season.
In the UK training session we find out that Dave Faulkner has an awful gag reflex and can't keep his mouth guard in. A secret pleasure of watching British boxing is how they call mouthguards "gumshields", how delightfully quaint. We get lots of gumshield talk between Faulkner and Coach Bisping. That could very well cost him a point if it happens multiple times in a fight,. Especially if Herb Dean is officiating since he is very quick to take points, even though that particular foul is really only called in boxing while stalling to get up from knockdowns. And then Bisping makes the exact same point I've just typed, the one about Faulkner potentially losing points, I like Bisping.
Team USA plays some Ultimate Frisbee for some fun cardio fun. Pierces' staph infection is still heavy on his mind as it's very sensitive and preventing him from working out. The Team USA coaches and teammates all express frustration at Pierce's awful attitude but he reiterates he'd have to be completely incapacitated not to fight.
At the fight Selection Team USA selects their own Jason Dent to fight the UK's Jeff Lawson. MORE BUILD TIME FOR PIERCE/FAULKNER. Bisping really likes Lawson's grappling game, his excellent takedowns and feels that Lawson is very tough and resilient, Bisping thinks Lawson will submit Dent after taking him down.
Dent talks about being really uncomfortable in the house, teammates Santino DeFranco and Damarques Johnson agree that Dent is a fidgety weirdo who has hasn't really reached out to anyone. Hendo calls Dent "surprisingly technical", which I think is a compliment. Henderson thinks Dent is stuck in his style and doesn't want to work on his weaknesses, which is pretty evident from watching Dent fight. Striking coach Cyrille Diabate gets on Dent about brawling while sparring standup, Dent isn't very well-versed on the outside at all currently. The point Henderson makes is an excellent one and might explain why Dent has become almost a gatekeeper, against weaker opposition Dent is just able to overwhelm them and finish in the same ways over and over. However against better competition he isn't able to impose his gameplan at all and his weaknesses get picked apart.
The York Foundation had better watch out as Dean Amasinger, Lawson, and Faulkner are taking over as THE three man team on the pro wrestling landscape with strongstyle, workrate intensive action.....actually they hit each other with pillows in the backyard while wearing lucha masks, do some clotheslines, and then Faulkner suplexes Amasinger into the pool off the diving board.
Lawson talks up his grappling background in judo, Lawson thinks he can use that grappling prowess win this fight like he's won his others, walk in, throw some strikes, judo throw, armbar, win, dramatically wipe hands clean. With eight of his twelve pro wins coming by armbar, and another two by kneebar he just may be able to. Dent is adept at working for position and submissions from on top, but not nearly as active when taken down.
Dent will also want this fight at close-quarters. Neither man has decent standup, Dent is very passive on the outside and Lawson is just....not good. Dent is dynamic in the clinch and throws hard knees to the body. Dent doesn't have the best takedowns and has more relied on overwhelming opponents to end up on top rather than using technique. Where Dent really shines is once he does end up on top, Dent throws hard, relentless elbows and uses those to break down opponents position and then grab an arm to fall back into an armbar or a triangle choke. His elbow onslaught has forced opponents to give up limbs in attempts to guard themselves.
Lightweight Quarterfinal #4
Jeff Lawson (12-2) vs. Jason Dent (18-9)
Round One
Lawsons hands are very low and wide, he misses a wild head kick early. Lawson tries to pick off one of Dents legs for a takedown but Dent is able to turn Lawson and push back to distance. Dent is passive at range here like always, Lawson again walks in and looks to sweep one of Dents legs, Dent is able to keep Lawsons back in front of him like the last attempt, and the two fall backwards with Dent on the bottom but having Lawson's back. Lawson sits up and uses his arms to both free his body by unlocking Dents hooks and also to set up a kneebar. Lawson switches to a toehold, then stands, turns and drops into side control having used the leg lock to free himself from a poor position. Dent is able to regain full guard. Lawson grabs double wristcontrol on Dent and stands up, he lets go of Dents hands and now has full posture and completely free hands. Dent doesn't move his head at all from the raining down punches but none of the shots were especially hard. Dent starts throwing elbows from bottom, a lot are straying directly to the back of Lawsons head and referee Herb Dean is correct in warning Dent twice about them. Lawson lands two or three decent elbows but is making no attempts to pass guard. Lawson again stands in Dents guard and grabs both of Dents wrists. This again succeeds as Lawson has both hands free and gets free shots on a still not moving Dent. Nothing hard landed yet from Lawson though. Dent switches to one butterfly hook, now looking to stand up, but he does so without grabbing an underhook on Lawsons left arm, Lawson then has enough freedom to lift his leg up over the butterfly hook, and then passes his right leg right through Dents to end up in full mount. Lawson lands a few blows, Dent bucks and is able to shrimp back to half-guard and then back to full. Dent is almost able to kick away Lawson using butterfly hooks but the round pretty much ends with Lawson on top, Dent does get free as the horn sounds.
Easy Lawson round 10-9. Lawson showed a surprising lack of position control as Dent was able to regain guard with no resistance a few times. Other than that it was all Lawson on top, landing a few strikes. Dent is so active when he's on top and in the clinch it's strange to think it's the same guy when you see him on his back or at a distance not doing much of anything. Of course, that could very well be smart strategy, if you're too active in an area you're weak in then it's going to cost you the fight. Exactly why it was smart of Thales Leites to keep trying to do what he was good at, rather than serving his chin on a platter to Anderson Silva.
Round Two
Lawson looks the more tired of the two and his hands are still way down. Dent comes out aggressively, he's still not throwing much but he's walking Lawson down. Lawson this time shoots a double leg attempt with no setup. Dent is able to sprawl, dig an underhook, and the two end up clinched on the cage. Dent lands two short right hands in the clinch, and then a counter jab when the two separate. Lawson looks really tired and shoots for another double leg. Dent sprawls Lawson out flat on his belly and is landing punches to the side of his head, he looks to be digging for an Anaconda choke, it's tough to tell if he is looking to slide his arm under Lawsons, or if he might look for a power guillotine instead. Whichever he was looking for he gives up on, disengages and stands back up, although Dent does catch an upkick while doing so. Lawson completely drops his hands while throwing a leg kick, it just looks like a matter of time before he gets clocked. WAIT! Lawson baseball slides in for a leglock attempt, awesome,that's an Imanari-esque move there. Dent looks to have the attempt blocked as he is posturing up and putting all his weight on the attacked leg. Lawson switches and grabs the other leg though, and is able to lock his legs around Dents right leg now, and turn Dent over onto his stomach. Dent uses his hands to break Lawsons grasp and roll onto his back, disengage and stand up.
Lawson is leaning to the side with his hands on his knees, just asking to get kicked in the head. Dent is trying to hit the stationary target but can't put the punches together. Lawson throws a hilarious flying knee that almost catches Dent squarely. Another Lawson doubleleg attempt is stuffed and Dent is warned for the third time for hitting Lawson on the back of the head. Dent starts digging for the same choke and this time is able to lace his left arm underneath Lawsons and his right under Lawsons throat. Dent gator rolls putting Lawson on his back and forcing him to tap out to the Anaconda choke at 2:21 of Round Two.
Winner: Jason Dent by Anaconda Choke
Lawson was too gassed to offer up an defense by the finish, Dent could have really picked his choice of an Anaconda, Guillotine, or Brabo choke to finish from that position.
It wasn't the most impressive showing from Dent as he still really wasn't able to take advantage of a gassed Lawson until Lawson handed him his neck with slumped arms.
Dana agrees with me, I like Dana now. Bisping and Lawson chalk Lawson's gassing up to his being unable to train for the first nine days of the show due to having bronchitis.
After two whole shows of build to Pierce vs. Faulkner the show ends with Dana telling Jason Pierce that he won't be able to fight. Both Henderson and Dana feel that Pierce didn't really want to fight and was using his malady as a crutch. Henderson also feels that Pierce would have lost the fight against Faulkner and it's better to give someone else the chance.