TUF 10 Episode 3 recap: Roy Nelson Loses, Kimbo Wins

Ow! I think I strained something patting myself on the back. In my Episode Three Preview I predicted a cautious Roy "Big Country" Nelson would allow Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson to survive the first round but eventually catch him on the ground in the second for the victory. And sure enough that's just what happened.

I further predicted (as have others) that despite the loss Kimbo would come out of this positioned for more opportunities in The Ultimate Fighter and/or the UFC. That also certainly seems to be the case, based on UFC president Dana White's interview statements and the show's editorial foreshadowing.

What I couldn't have predicted was that Nelson would somehow find a way to come out a loser despite winning the fight with little difficulty. Nifty trick, that, but he pulled it off.

How this all came about is the result of a tangled formula full of apparent contradictions. White has spent years badmouthing the Internet fighting sensation Slice, whom he derided as "not a mixed martial artist" (Slice admits "I can't even spell jiu-jitsu.") Meanwhile Nelson has the résumé of an experienced MMA standout, with a Gracie black belt, retired heavyweight championship, and a nothing-to-sneeze-at professional record of 13-4.

As Nelson puts it (in typically self-aggrandizing fashion) "We've paid our dues. I've paid my dues a little more than he has..." So just how did Slice turn defeat into opportunity and Nelson turn triumph into a liability? Let's go to the tape...

Since coming on the show Slice has humanized his fierce streetfighter persona by revealing the flesh-and-blood Kevin Ferguson previously obscured beneath the outsize Kimbo beard (no, he didn't shave it off: just allowed viewers to see past it). He's been given plenty of opportunity to continue wooing the public in last night's episode as well.

Nelson by contrast is afforded much less pre-fight airtime. Could be he's just not as interesting a character for the cameras to hang on. Or perhaps there's a conscious decision being made in the editing room to push Kimbo Slice and downplay Big Country. Maybe it's a bit of both.

Slice talks about having time to reflect while at TUF house. "I hope it doesn't make me all nice and mushy," he grumbles jokingly. He also gets deep for the confessional cam, wondering whether "the enemy" has been "the inner me." Has someone been reading self help books? Well, I'm not sure if you are good enough or smart enough, Kimbo, but gosh darn it, people like you!

With all the glimpses of the 'man behind the beard' we get only a little more insight into the 'man behind the belly,' Roy Nelson. The truculent independence that was on display last episode is given a little more context when we learn that Nelson doesn't have a manager and handles his own bookings, sponsorships, etc. "He's just not used to trusting people," we're told. That does a bit to humanize the apparent egomaniac that put me and many others off last week. It would also help explain why no one's giving him better advice on how to manage his image on the show.

There's a cameo appearance by Rashad Evan's training partner, UFC light-heavyweight Keith Jardine, who looks befuddled without an opponent across the Octagon to glare at. Jardine's visit is without apparent purpose but does manage to spark yet another verbal sparring match between the perpetually bickering coaches.

Rashad once again shows himself to be level-headed and situationally aware. He intervenes when last week's lackluster victor, James McSweeney, attempts to stand up for himself after becoming a target of opportunity in Rampage's salvo of insults. Good call. Rampage seems to be angling to get someone to take a poke at him. Had McSweeney been shortsighted enough to oblige he'd get an ass-whupping from Rampage and his walking papers from Dana. And no, I don't have a moment's doubt the light-heavyweight would demolish the heavyweight in short order.

We also get to spend a little time with ginormous former NFL-er Marcus Jones, who if he wasn't trying to jumpstart a career of hurting people in the Octagon would certainly qualify as the cliched "gentle giant." He reveals himself as a (very) passionate gardener and comic book collector who's admittedly oversensitive. But we're led to wonder about his commitment when he's called out by Rampage over an on-again-off-again knee injury. Coming attractions at the end of the episode imply more drama may be forthcoming from Marcus next week as well.

After two episodes we finally get to witness a weigh-in. Nelson edges under the limit at 264 pounds. When Dana comments that he doesn't look like 264, Big Country pulls up his oversized tee to reveal that he is apparently 8 months pregnant with twins. Dana quips "Roy Nelson looks like he just left every buffet in Las Vegas."

Come fight time, anyone unfamiliar with the combatants entering the Octagon might be excused for mistaking Nelson for the underdog. Not only is there nothing athletic about his appearance, he doesn't even give off the barroom badass vibe affected by other big, doughy fighters. Whereas the fearsomely muscled, piratically bearded Kimbo Slice would have a hard time looking like anything but a warrior.

I predicted that Nelson would be cautious going into this fight: he's focused on the big picture and doesn't want a careless injury now that will hamper his chances at winning the show later. I expected a little more aggression from Slice but he too must have been reluctant to make a costly mistake. Both fighters come into round one very tentatively and spend a good amount of time circling, jabbing, and otherwise feeling one another out.

Slice manages some good punches before Nelson's had enough and presses him up against the cage to work for the takedown. But the brawler shows decent balance and is able to frustrate the attempts... for awhile. Eventually Slice goes down, and though he makes a nice escape attempt off the cage he is soon smothered under Nelson's black belt belly in a sort of sloppy crucifix position. Nelson is able to drop punches on his defenseless opponent's head, but they're so ineffectual that referee Herb Dean can't quite decide to call a stoppage before time runs out.

In round two Slice presses the action and gets in some good shots before attempting an ill-advised knee against his advancing opponent. Nelson's mass overbalances Slice and it's back to the bottom of the pigpile and into the gut-assisted crucifix for poor Kimbo. This time Nelson loudly counts out the undefended-yet-unimpressive blows he drops on Slice, giving the ref little option but to stop the fight.

I guess we're supposed to accept that if Nelson could deliver weak punches to a defenseless opponent he could just as well have served up truly fight-ending blows instead. Are we to take this as restraint on his part, then? Laziness? Lack of killer instinct? Caution -- not wanting to needlessly risk injuring his hand or wrist?


Different refs have different tolerances for carnage. Herb Dean, in my experience, generally does a very good job of balancing the responsibility of protecting fighters with the desire to let them fight. He was there next to the fighters, so I don't want to second-guess the decision. But I can't help but wonder if that stoppage was really necessary.

The fighter is required to "intelligently defend himself" -- but can you be said to not be intelligently defending when you're not being hurt? An unimpressed Dana White observed that he lets his little daughter punch him like that when they  play-fight. Might Slice have been more urgently motivated to escape if Nelson's punches had been more than a nuisance? Did he even realize the fight was about to be stopped given that he wasn't absorbing significant damage?

Nelson's miscalculation was in doing the minimum necessary to win. I observed previously his failure to recognize the show as a job interview of sorts. Here he got the W, but he failed to impress anyone, most notably Dana White. His standup was tentative. Takedowns relied on bulk rather than technique. His ground control was sloppy (if effective) and again seemed to rely more on smothering his opponent with his belly than with using technique. And his ground and pound was insipid.

Big Country had a chance to be a hero: the mixed martial artist who upheld the honor of the sport against the barbarian brawler. Instead he phoned in a performance nobody will bother to rewatch. Fans are already eager to see Kimbo Slice fight again. Based on this go-round, there's little to be excited about at the prospect of another Big Country bout. And that's how Roy Nelson snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. In my opinion.

TUF 10 Episode 3 Preview

The Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson vs. Roy "Big Country" Nelson bout airs tomorrow night -- Wednesday, September 30th at 10 pm eastern. If you haven't been bombarded with it to the point of overkill already you can watch the promo video of what's being hyped as "the biggest fight in the history of The Ultimate Fighter!"

Last week I wrote I was rooting for "the guy who's looking at this as an opportunity" (Kimbo) and not "the one who assumes it's something he's already entitled to" (Nelson). This has been interpreted by some as meaning I anticipate a Kimbo victory. Allow me to clarify: uh, no. I'm rooting for Kimbo because I'd like to see him pull off the upset victory... but the fight handicapper in me doesn't expect it.

I'm pulling for Kimbo in large part because I don't like Roy Nelson's attitude. As IFL heavyweight champ he was a big fish in a small pond. Yet instead of coming into The Ultimate Fighter like a guy on a job interview -- which is what it is, Roy -- he's acting like this is merely a tedious formality before his inevitable coronation as TUF 10 champ.

Yeah, many fight watchers have him as the favorite to win the show, and he's sure got the resume. Despite an unimpressive physique Nelson is, as stated before, a heavyweight champ (who twice defended his title). He's earned a Gracie BJJ black belt and has competed in the prestigious Abu Dhabi Combat Club. His two recent losses came at the hands of former champs Andre Arlovski (UFC) and Jeff Monson (ADCC): much more serious competition than anything TUF is likely to deliver.

He's got a right to be proud of his accomplishments... but also cause to show some humility and demonstrate how much he wants his fight career to continue in the UFC. Despite the legitimacy of the opponents, two in a row is a losing streak an aging fighter without a contract should be anxious to snap. He's thirty-three, which is by no means too old to fight but is getting up there in terms of career longevity. He's got a moon face, a beer belly like a long haul trucker, and a dumbass haircut: not exactly a UFC poster boy. In fact, Nelson has quoted UFC's Joe Silva as previously telling him to shed some fat and muscle up if he wanted to fight in the octagon.

Success in the UFC is not all about the fights, it's also about the fans. Fan favorites draw bigger audiences, generate more sponsorship revenue, sell more merchandising, make everybody more money. But Nelson, who was called on the carpet in last week's episode for being "un-coachable," is unapologetic. In interviews he's proud of his independent attitude.

Who knows, maybe his "I Did It My Way" schtick will earn him the affection of blue collar fans with chips on their shoulders and bellies as big as Big Country's own. Personally I think he's coming off like an insufferable egomaniac who will generate fan interest mainly in those hoping to see him get his comeuppance.

Kimbo, meanwhile, though far less experienced than Nelson, is coming into this house as inarguably the most famous of the competitors. Yet his attitude is the opposite of Big Country's: humble, cooperative, hardworking. Fans want to see him fight and win. (Readers have favored Kimbo almost 3 to 1 in last week's poll.)

Unfortunately, they're not likely to get their wish this time around. If Nelson were to come into the fight aggressively I think he could finish Kimbo in the first round. He'll be looking at the big picture, though, anticipating his next fight, and can be expected to play it more cautiously. My prediction is he'll catch Kimbo on the ground in the 2nd for a submission or ref stoppage.

In falling to the most experienced fighter in the house, Kimbo's intrigue will remain largely undiminished. Joe Silva will set him up with a prelim fight at the finale that's more his style. Or if another competitor has to be replaced due to injury or banishment, Kimbo will be at the top of the list.

Will Kimbo vs. Big Country be the "biggest fight in TUF history"? If by biggest you mean "most watched," then yes. The UFC  continues to grow in popularity and Kimbo's Internet notoriety will have even casual fans tuning in for what will almost certainly prove to be TUF's biggest audience yet.

Will it be the best or most notable fight in TUF history? Only for Kimbo haters and those who enjoy watching a fat man lie on top of someone. But that's just my opinion.

TUF 10 Episode 2 recap

Thoughts on watching the 2nd episode of The Ultimate Fighter Season 10...

The show opens with a focus on the season's two marquee contestants: Kimbo Slice on Team Rampage and Roy "Big Country" Nelson on Team Rashad. It's an interesting study in contrasts. Nelson comes in an experienced MMA fighter and former IFL champ, whereas Kimbo of course is notorious for his YouTube videos where he cries at the world to leave Michael Jackson alone. It's a seasoned pro vs. as Dana White puts it "the toughest guy at the BBQ." We all know who'll win that matchup, if it comes to that, right?

But if you forget their histories and look at the two individuals on display here, the assessment changes. Kimbo has come in phenomenal shape -- for a heavyweight he's shredded -- and he continues to work hard. He embraces the opportunity to learn from his coaches, who marvel that he soaks up the lessons "like a sponge." Nelson, on the other hand, looks like, well, the fattest guy at the BBQ (though, admittedly, he did even as IFL champ) and seems to think his experience means he doesn't need to work hard or take coaching. Arrogant "big dog" vs. hardworking underdog. We all know who'll win that matchup, right?

But enough foreshadowing... on with this episode's bout!

Rampage, he ain't too bright. For this episode's matchup he pits lumbering ex-football player Wes Shivers -- whose fighting style might best be described as "being a giant" -- against Rashad's #1 pick, James McSweeney, whose name Rampage can't figure out how to pronounce. "McSweenoo?"

As round 1 opens, McSweeney looks overwhelmed by his opponent's size and spends some time literally running away and cringing until he realizes Wes is susceptible to leg kicks.

Wes may not have absorbed a lot of fight technique but he sure listened when Coach Rampage warned his fighters not to touch gloves with the opposition. That boy keeps leaving McSweeney hanging with his hand extended, even after delivering an inadvertent groin kick.

All right, so generally speaking this blog isn't going to get bogged down in a blow-by-blow account of these fights. You can get that elsewhere, or just watch the fight yourself. Besides, this one isn't at all worth going into detail about. Both fighters show pretty sloppy standup and abysmal stamina, and ultimately McSweeney wins a decision after just 2 rounds. The lack of a 3rd round has thrown some observers for a loop, as Wes Shivers -- though without discernible talent -- spent much of round 1 pushing his smaller opponent around.

That's pretty much all he did, however. He managed a takedown in each round but fumbled with the submission attempts like a teenager trying to get his date's bra unsnapped. He didn't maintain control on the ground for long, nor did he capitalize on the opportunity to damage his opponent. On his feet he used his bulk to push McSweeney against the cage on occasion but failed to control or damage him there as well.

Meanwhile, when he could break away from the giant's embrace, McSweeney delivered one unanswered leg kick after another. It wasn't much of an offense, but the kicks added up on the judges' scorecards as pretty much the only solid points scored throughout the fight, with Shivers getting minimal credit for falling on top of his opponent but failing to get a titty out of the bra. Though both fighters looked pathetically fatigued in round 2, McSweeney sealed the deal with a late round flurry that had Shivers badly rocked.

The 2 round decision for McSweeney leaves this observer wondering: This was Team Rashad's #1 pick?

Wes Shivers didn't make much of a career for himself in the NFL before turning to MMA. Now that it looks like MMA isn't going to work out much better he should try his luck singing country music. His fight game may be shallow, but that's one deep voice. "I'm not sayin' I'm goin' out there to hurt him, but... shit happens." Damn, Wes! Figure out how to make that rhyme and you got yourself a country hit!

Next week's matchup is announced and it's Big Country vs. Kimbo: "the biggest fight in TUF history!!!" Okay, if you say so. I know as an MMA fan I'm not supposed to be rooting for Kimbo to win this: he's a throwback to the inglorious bloodsport DW's worked so hard to get the world to forget. But given the contrasting attitudes on display by the two fighters, I've got to admit I'm more interested in seeing Big Country get the smug wiped off his face than I am in seeing Kimbo fall down through the holes in his game. Kimbo's working hard and trying to learn. Nelson thinks he already knows it all. I'm rooting for the guy who's looking at this as an opportunity, not the one who assumes it's something he's already entitled to.

But that's just my opinion...

TUF 10 Episode 1 recap

Random thoughts on The Ultimate Fighter Season 10 premiere...

Rashad says he doesn't like Rampage, but he says it so mildly, with a half smile on his face, that you're not sure how much he means it or how much it means to him. Rampage, on the other hand, grows visibly more pissed off at his opposite number throughout the episode and seems barely able to contain his urge to slug it out then and there.

Kimbo makes his entrance wearing a Kimbo tee. Classy!

Greg Jackson and Mike Van Arsdale spotted on Team Rashad. Team Rampage has Tiki Ghosn and his crazy beard. Advantage: Rashad.

For a heavyweight Kimbo Slice is shredded, and his standup looks faster than the competition.

The former NFLers in the cast all voice agreement that TUF team tryouts are way harder than NFL training camp. I'm sure it will seem easier when someone's punching you repeatedly in the face, guys. As Goldie would say, "So you want to be an Ultimate Fighter?"

During team selection Rampage makes the first of many poorly thought out decisions. Rashad wins the coin toss and selects the first team member, giving Rampage control over picking the fighters for the first match. Rashad's pick is his training partner, James McSweeney. Rampage knows (or at least has every reason to suspect) Rashad wants his other training partner, Brendan Schaub, for his 2nd pick. But instead of messing with Rashad's head and snapping up his friend -- a promising 6' 6" former NFLer with a 4-0 MMA record -- Rampage wastes his pick on Kimbo, whom he could pretty much count on getting with a later pick as he knows Rashad doesn't want him on his team. Strategery!

Throughout the team selection process Rampage shows a remarkably consistent inability to separate sheer size from ability. Let's see how that works for him...

Marcus Jones has the build of a badass superhero and the cardio of a tubby teenage girl. He needs to log some miles or he's going to gas just walking to the center of the ring to touch gloves.

In the season's first matchup, Abe Wagner displays absolutely no ability to defend Jon Madsen's takedowns and little ability to defend himself from the ground & pound. Accordingly, his head is soon bleeding like an overripe orange in a citrus juicer. This is one of the bloodiest bouts ever: the canvas looks like a crime scene.

Referee Steve Mazzagatti must be related to Wagner. In round 2 he keeps standing them up to give the hapless fighter a chance, but Wagner's unable to capitalize on the repeated gifts and keeps getting dumped and pounded.

That master of strategic thinking  Coach Rampage Jackson's advice to Wagner throughout the fight is literally just to repeat "Abe, get up!" and "Do something!" over and over. And y'know, he's right: Abe should have gotten up and/or done something. Seems so simple in retrospect...

After Team Rashad has racked up its first (of, I'm predicting, many) victories, the EMT tending to the gash on Wagner's head has some good news: "Well, you don't have a fracture." Wagner asks "Are you able to tell that because you can see the bone?" Yeah, the cut is that enormous. He doesn't need an EMT, he needs a team of plastic surgeons, or maybe just a trowel and a tub of joint compound. He's going to be sporting a scar like Harry Potter meets the Frankenstein monster.

Abe Wagner seems like a nice guy and he showed a lot of heart hanging in for that bloody drubbing and coming back for round 2. But with his current skill set he's got no business in the octagon. I'm glad he's got a good job to go back to.

Two last things I noticed: they didn't give fighter weights, not that either of these particular guys was likely to top the 265# limit -- but usually they state the weight anyway. Hmmm. Also, they didn't show a ring doctor checking Wagner during the fight, and that was one of the biggest, bloodiest cuts I've seen. Was there even a doctor in attendance? What's going on at TUF?

Anyway, those are my quick impressions of the premiere episode. Looks to be a fun season, though maybe not so much for Team Rampage. Check back next week for more of TUF 10, IMO.

UFC Fight Night 19 Recap

Once again the UFC put together a great night of action. Though there were 11 fights on the card only four aired, which is what I'll focus on here.
   
Nate "Rock" Quarry vs. "Crazy" Tim Credeur.
Maybe Quarry should change his nickname to "Rock Head": he shrugged off several barrages from Cradeur, including a vicious head kick in the 2nd that would have ended most fights. He did, however, wind up sporting a shiner that looked like an infected vagina. Credeur came in promising fireworks and delivered, though there was one odd moment in the 3rd when he just plain lay down on the canvas without being knocked down or pulling guard. Nonetheless, well-deserved fight-of-the-night bonuses for these two amiable warriors (so amiable, in fact, that they could barely stop their post-fight mutual admiration session to talk to commentator-for-a-night Kenny Florian). Split decision win for Quarry.

Carlos "The Natural Born Killer" Condit vs. Jake Ellenberger

I always liked Condit in the WEC -- where he'd been welterweight champ -- and was looking forward to seeing him rack up his first UFC victory here. He might want to scrutinize his roundhouse technique for the 'tell' that repeatedly enabled Ellenberger to catch hold of it and punch him in the face. He also might want to send a nice thank you note to referee Leon Roberts for not stopping the fight on the numerous occasions Condit rolled into a ball in what appeared to be abject surrender but is apparently just what natural born killers do when hit really good in the nose. Still, credit where it's due, Condit always gathered his wits fairly quickly from within his odd fetal armadillo cocoon defense and moved convincingly to the offense, so the ref clearly made the right decision despite the appearance that the fighter had given up and was waiting to be saved. Many UFC refs, however, would have called a quick stop to the action "for the fighter's protection" the first time it happened. Though he lost the split decision, Ellenberger is a tough, strong fighter and a welcome addition to the welterweight division. He too might want to send a thank you for getting away with an illegal knee to a downed Condit's head in the 1st.The explosive 1st round and rollercoaster reversals-of-fortune throughout might have won FotN honors some other night, but not after the Quarry/Credeur war. Split decision victory for Condit.

Gray "The Bully" Maynard vs. Roger "El Matador" Huerta

Maynard threw some bombs but didn't shoot on Huerta until the final 40 seconds of round 1, which seemed an opportunity missed. In round 3 Huerta somehow endured and eventually escaped from a cringe-inducing kimura that had his arm twisted up behind him at a seemingly impossible angle. Once again tonight a fighter is lucky not to have had the bout ended for his protection -- I've seen refs call a stoppage rather than let a stubborn fighter get a limb broken. Huerta showed incredible heart and/or utter disregard for his future ability to zip his own fly without assistance. I'd predicted a 2nd round stoppage for Maynard, banking on his strong wrestling and Huerta's year+ absence from the octagon to wear him down. If Maynard had gone for the takedown earlier it might have played out that way. Instead we got another great 3-round fight in a night already packed with jaw-dropping action. Split decision victory for Maynard.

Nate Diaz vs. Melvin "The Young Assassin" Guillard

I think Diaz's stated intention to stand and bang with Guillard was revised within the first few seconds of the fight when he rushed in only to get knocked on his ass. Fortunately for Diaz, Guillard showed great reluctance to follow the submission expert to the ground. Guillard displayed crisp striking and Diaz proved he has a Kevlar chin. I'd predicted a 1st round submission victory for Diaz, as historically that's when he gets most of his subs and when Guillard taps. But Guillard's caution got him through the 1st round, until he shot for a takedown in the 2nd and wound up in a fight-ending guillotine. Diaz by tapout due to guillotine choke.

UFC Fight Night 19 Preview

Tomorrow, before MMA fans get to watch Everyone Hates Kimbo -- er, that is, The Ultimate Fighter season 10 premiere -- there's a rip-snortin' UFC Fight Night airing live with Nate Diaz vs. Melvin "The Young Assassin" Guillard headlining over Gray "The Bully" Maynard vs. Roger "El Matador" Huerta.

Diaz vs. Guillard
Despite coming off a two-fight losing streak (to strong opponents: Joe "Daddy" Stevenson at TUF 9 finale, and Clay "The Carpenter" Guida at UFC 94), I'd be inclined to give the edge to Diaz... if not for his stated intention to stand and trade with Guillard, who is probably the most muscled and explosive lightweight in the division, bringing devastating speed and knockout power. If Diaz sets aside the bluster and utilizes his full arsenal, I like his chances: I can see him using his superior reach and skills to frustrate Guillard until taking him down and submitting him. But if Nate -- who hasn't had a TKO in over three years -- is determined to keep the fight standing, I don't see it going so well, despite his durable chin. Still, my expectation is that Diaz will come to his senses and take the victory where he finds it: on the ground. Prediction: Diaz by submission late in the 1st round.

Maynard vs. Huerta
On the other ticket (which really should be the main event except that Dana White seems to be looking to put the disaffected Huerta in his place), UFC up-and-comer Gray Maynard faces one-time golden boy Huerta. Both are impressive fighters and this has the potential to go either way: Huerta struggles against wrestlers while Maynard is susceptible to leg kicks. I see it being harder, however, for El Matador to stay on his feet than for The Bully to endure his opponent's predictable strikes long enough to make a shot. Prediction: Maynard by TKO due to strikes from the top, probably in the 2nd.

TUF 10 Countdown

Season 10 of The Ultimate Fighter kicks off tomorrow night on Spike TV and it seems all anyone wants to talk about is Kimbo, including friends who don't even follow MMA. I've got to say, I'm looking forward to this season on its own non-Kimbo-related merits -- more on that later -- but I'm as interested as the next mixed martial arts fan to see how the notorious street fighter fares. And I'm finding I'm not as dismissive of his prospects as many out there.

IMO, Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson has a few things working in his favor. Experience and financial well-being are the first two, and I'll lump them together here because inexperience and fear of the financial repercussions of failure are, I'd venture to say, the twin pressures most responsible for Octagon jitters; that curious phenomenon where otherwise promising fighters forget their training when they step into the spotlight for the first time. Between his infamous exploits as a back-alley bare-knuckle brawler and his professional bouts in EliteXC, Slice shouldn't have much problem with stage fright. And with his name recognition and lucrative paydays along the way -- including half a mil to stand with Seth Petruzelli for all of 14 seconds -- the prospect of failure on TUF isn't the petrifying my-dream-ends-here bugaboo it is for most contestants. Yeah, the pressure's on to prove he's more than a brawler, but win or lose we haven't heard the last of Kimbo -- and even if we have he'll be living pretty high on the hog. That takes a lot of pressure off!

Another factor worth noting is Kimbo's training with MMA legend Bas Rutten. Sure, they've had a well-publicized falling out since the Petruzelli loss, but Rutten was very complimentary of his pupil before that. Kimbo's received some expert schooling in ground defense that I don't think many give him credit for, because he hasn't yet had to call on it in the octagon. Underestimating your opponent is a dangerous way to go into any fight. Slice has been stereotyped as a two-dimensional brawler because that's what he very famously does well and, naturally, goes to first. Doesn't mean it's all he can do.

All that said, I'm not predicting a Kimbo victory on TUF: hell, I'm not predicting anything yet with so many unknowns. There are some promising fighters among the other contestants, many with significant cage experience and a few who even have to cut to make the 265-pound limit. It will be interesting to see if the season nets Dana White and UFC fans some legit new talent for the heavyweight division. I'll be watching, and I'll be here after each episode to give the breakdown, IMO.