Sherdog.com's Guide to TUF 7
Scott Holmes Apr 17, 2008
The fight-to-get-on-the-show experiment is now over, and it's time
to find out who will be on Forrest Griffin (Pictures) and Quinton Jackson (Pictures)'s respective teams.
"No freebies, no gimmies," says Mike Dolce (Pictures) of the fighters who have made their way into the TUF house.
Other contestants agree that they weren't given a pass onto the
show, and you can't count anyone out.
"All that I ask of you guys is to continue to fight the way you fought yesterday," Dana White tells the fighters, who have gathered for the picking of teams. Rampage wins the coin flip. He chooses to pick first, but that allows Forrest Griffin (Pictures) to get to pick the first matchup.
One by one each fighter gets picked. Jackson makes an interesting selection, taking Jeremy May (Pictures), who beat his boy, David Roberts. The only real hiccup in the process is that once the teams are chosen, Rampage has to deal with the nasty red blotches on the neck of former Iowa Hawkeye wrestler Paul Bradley.
"We might have to quarantine his ass," says Jackson, half joking.
Dana brings in a dermatologist to look at Bradley's problem area, and the doctor determines that it is probably a form of herpes (not that kind) that is brought on by stress, like a canker sore.
"Do you like running? Good, cause if you'd said no, it'd still be too bad," Jackson tells Bradley, whose blotches are said to be contagious.
Jackson argues that due to the "cooties" on Bradley's neck, his hands will improve by working with coach Juanito Ibarra one-on-one. But before Bradley can get much better, White pulls him and Jackson aside.
Dana crushes Bradley with the news that he will have to leave the show due to the threat that he could have another outbreak later. Thanks to the contagiousness, White says that he can't keep him legally or morally, and Bradley is stuck crying and has to roll out. Bradley says he dropped everything for the opportunity, and White seems genuinely upset at letting him go.
Back to the action, Jackson and Ibarra get right to work training their boys.
"Like you're in prison, and he's trying to get your booty," explains Jackson while showing a technique.
Later, Griffin introduces Cameron Diffley as his assistant coach for jiu-jitsu, Mark Beecher for striking and Gray Maynard (Pictures) for wrestling.
"There will be absolutely no clapping," Griffin says, jokingly chastising his fighters for treating him like a celeb coach after practice ends.
Jackson visits the TUF house that night to spend some time with the fellas.
"I think I'm probably one of the coolest people on planet earth," he tells the camera. "I'm nonchalant. I can get along with anybody. I could be friends with anybody. Guy, girl, dog, alien -- if they don't try to eat me, I can be friends with them."
Since Griffin gets to pick the first fight matchup, he chooses Jackson fighter "Mike Latte," his term for Mike Dolce (Pictures), who will face Jesse Taylor (Pictures). Taylor admits that he looks like a little version of "Big" John McCarthy, only prettier. Griffin affectionately calls Taylor a "meathead" and seems happy with the guy, saying he doesn't even need to coach the kid.
Dolce is an interesting guy. He says he was a "municipal tax assessor" in his home state of New Jersey and explains that he moved from the Jersey shore to the opposite end of the country to join Team Quest in Oregon.
White brings in Rampage to pick a replacement for Paul Bradley, and Patrick Schultz is the pick. White doesn't think Schultz is the best choice but admits that he won't argue with Rampage's coaches.
Time for the fight. Dolce gets ready for his bout by meditating in the pool, and even though he just fought four days earlier, he claims he's good to go. Taylor is on the same page, saying he can't wait to fight again.
Dolce starts off by stuffing a shot, but Taylor works his way around Dolce's back until he can get his hooks in. Taylor tries for the choke, but Dolce fends him off by scrambling out, only to find himself back in the same bad spot. Taylor isn't able to nail the choke. Dolce flips over into his opponent's guard and begins peppering him with short elbows and body shots.
Taylor then gets back up and on top of Dolce, working him over until he can flatten him out for another choke attempt. Again, Dolce is too wily. Taylor spends the final 30 seconds of the round pounding on Dolce while in a loose guard.
In the second round, Dolce comes out swinging. Taylor wisely ducks under and takes him down. Then Taylor easily passes Dolce's guard and mounts him, and Dolce is forced to cover up while Taylor swings away. After giving up his back, Dolce is out-muscled with a rear-naked choke that he finally can't fend off.
The "Taxman" doesn't collect, and Taylor celebrates his win by puking in his corner. Team Griffin gets off to a good start with their first win.
"No freebies, no gimmies," says Mike Dolce (Pictures) of the fighters who have made their way into the TUF house.
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"All that I ask of you guys is to continue to fight the way you fought yesterday," Dana White tells the fighters, who have gathered for the picking of teams. Rampage wins the coin flip. He chooses to pick first, but that allows Forrest Griffin (Pictures) to get to pick the first matchup.
Rampage decides right away to take C.B. Dollaway, a relative newbie
with a pretty nasty fighting disposition. Forrest decides to take
Tim Credeur first.
One by one each fighter gets picked. Jackson makes an interesting selection, taking Jeremy May (Pictures), who beat his boy, David Roberts. The only real hiccup in the process is that once the teams are chosen, Rampage has to deal with the nasty red blotches on the neck of former Iowa Hawkeye wrestler Paul Bradley.
"We might have to quarantine his ass," says Jackson, half joking.
Dana brings in a dermatologist to look at Bradley's problem area, and the doctor determines that it is probably a form of herpes (not that kind) that is brought on by stress, like a canker sore.
"Do you like running? Good, cause if you'd said no, it'd still be too bad," Jackson tells Bradley, whose blotches are said to be contagious.
Jackson argues that due to the "cooties" on Bradley's neck, his hands will improve by working with coach Juanito Ibarra one-on-one. But before Bradley can get much better, White pulls him and Jackson aside.
Dana crushes Bradley with the news that he will have to leave the show due to the threat that he could have another outbreak later. Thanks to the contagiousness, White says that he can't keep him legally or morally, and Bradley is stuck crying and has to roll out. Bradley says he dropped everything for the opportunity, and White seems genuinely upset at letting him go.
Back to the action, Jackson and Ibarra get right to work training their boys.
"Like you're in prison, and he's trying to get your booty," explains Jackson while showing a technique.
Later, Griffin introduces Cameron Diffley as his assistant coach for jiu-jitsu, Mark Beecher for striking and Gray Maynard (Pictures) for wrestling.
"There will be absolutely no clapping," Griffin says, jokingly chastising his fighters for treating him like a celeb coach after practice ends.
Jackson visits the TUF house that night to spend some time with the fellas.
"I think I'm probably one of the coolest people on planet earth," he tells the camera. "I'm nonchalant. I can get along with anybody. I could be friends with anybody. Guy, girl, dog, alien -- if they don't try to eat me, I can be friends with them."
Since Griffin gets to pick the first fight matchup, he chooses Jackson fighter "Mike Latte," his term for Mike Dolce (Pictures), who will face Jesse Taylor (Pictures). Taylor admits that he looks like a little version of "Big" John McCarthy, only prettier. Griffin affectionately calls Taylor a "meathead" and seems happy with the guy, saying he doesn't even need to coach the kid.
Dolce is an interesting guy. He says he was a "municipal tax assessor" in his home state of New Jersey and explains that he moved from the Jersey shore to the opposite end of the country to join Team Quest in Oregon.
White brings in Rampage to pick a replacement for Paul Bradley, and Patrick Schultz is the pick. White doesn't think Schultz is the best choice but admits that he won't argue with Rampage's coaches.
Time for the fight. Dolce gets ready for his bout by meditating in the pool, and even though he just fought four days earlier, he claims he's good to go. Taylor is on the same page, saying he can't wait to fight again.
Dolce starts off by stuffing a shot, but Taylor works his way around Dolce's back until he can get his hooks in. Taylor tries for the choke, but Dolce fends him off by scrambling out, only to find himself back in the same bad spot. Taylor isn't able to nail the choke. Dolce flips over into his opponent's guard and begins peppering him with short elbows and body shots.
Taylor then gets back up and on top of Dolce, working him over until he can flatten him out for another choke attempt. Again, Dolce is too wily. Taylor spends the final 30 seconds of the round pounding on Dolce while in a loose guard.
In the second round, Dolce comes out swinging. Taylor wisely ducks under and takes him down. Then Taylor easily passes Dolce's guard and mounts him, and Dolce is forced to cover up while Taylor swings away. After giving up his back, Dolce is out-muscled with a rear-naked choke that he finally can't fend off.
The "Taxman" doesn't collect, and Taylor celebrates his win by puking in his corner. Team Griffin gets off to a good start with their first win.
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