The Ultimate Fighter: Liddell vs. Ortiz Episode 11 Recap (Part 1)

Here we are, it’s the season finale of another installment of “The Ultimate Fighter”, and everything has changed. New coach, new assistant coaches, even the pictures on the wall of the training center have been swapped out, with Ortiz having been replaced by Rich Franklin in every possible way. Hilarious, for some reason. Also, we get to see Franklin’s assistant coaches: Forrest Griffin, Tyson Griffin, and Gray Maynard. Quite a staff for what amounts to less than a week in real-time before the show ends.

Before we get to the fights, though, there are some shenanigans to get through. Namely, silly string and airhorns! There’s a raid on Jamie Yager, Brad Tavares and Kris McCray, who have been night owls throughout the show. I guess Tavares was “pissed” (according to Seth Baczynski), and he doesn’t want anyone to mess with his sleep. “They crossed the line,” he says as he is shown breaking a chess board. Oh…right to the big guns!

Now it’s weigh-in time, and both Court McGee and Brad Tavares make weight without any problem before hitting the obligatory staredown. Joe Henle doesn’t think McGee will finish Tavares, but thinks he will win. Everyone else seems pretty split on what’s going to happen. Dana White can’t even pick a winner, he says…then proceeds to PICK A WINNER by predicting Court McGee to win. FACEPALM.

We get the “friend vs. friend” stuff, with the guys saying that there’s no fear, friends, etc. in the cage. Wait, here’s a new one. “I’m gonna go out there and fight my heart out,” Tavares says. Whoops. False alarm. “This guy’s coming in there to hurt me, so I’m going to hurt him first,” he continues. Yawn. McGee says he’s worked hard and put in a lot of time. “I came here to win this whole show,” he says. These guys must be doing this shit on purpose. Is there a book of pre-fight quotes that they select from? Are they reading from cue cards? Come on!

Here we go, as referee “Honest” Josh Rosenthal starts the fight between McGee and Tavares. The two probe a bit, both trying a couple of quick 1-2s, and McGee comes forwward, eating a stiff shot for his efforts. McGee tries a push kick and moves out of range of a punch before Tavares lands an inside leg kick. McGee rushes forward and misses with a big right before tying Tavares up against the cage. It’s awful quiet without any coaches yelling anything. A throw attempt fails and McGee lands in the half-guard of Tavares. Tavares is able to regain guard before much happens, though.

McGee is not very active on top, and Tavares pushes him away and stands. Tavares lands a jab and comes forward as both men start swinging, neither landing anything of consequence. McGee lands a right hand. Inside leg kick for McGee, who comes forward and gets the clinch against the cage. They fight for underhooks and McGee lands a nice uppercut. Body shots from McGee as Tavares circles and gets away from his opponent. They exchange jabs. Power shots miss for both competitors. Tavares blocks a head kick. McGee lands an uppercut after they break from another clinch session, and they clinch up again. McGee gets a takedown, but Tavares stands. McGee lands a nice right that snaps Tavares’ head back. He works for the takedown as time expires. 10-9 McGee.

Tavares lands a stiff jab to start round two, then another. He needs to keep working that jab. He continues landing jabs, four in total in the first thirty seconds. McGee is starting to get out of the way of the jabs now. McGee with a leg kick, Tavares answers and eats a counter right that lands nicely. McGee shoots in two minutes into the round and Tavares defends, getting an underhook and trying to fend off the takedown. McGee tries to hoist Tavares up and can’t, and Tavares pushes away from the cage and breaks the clinch while missing a hook. Tavares lands a hook and another stiff jab. McGee needs to set up his next shot with some punches. McGee is throwing single shots and Tavares is having no trouble getting out of the way. McGee does throw a nice combo and Tavares answers. Nice left hook by Tavares appears to cut McGee. McGee ducks under a jab and works for a takedown, but Tavares defends. They both land punches on the break. Leg kick for McGee, then another a moment later. McGee catches a body kick and looks for a takedown, but again he’s stuffed. Time expires as Tavares defends the takedown attempt. 10-9 Tavares.

During the UFC 115 promo, the gravelly-voiced UFC Voiceover Guy has proclaimed Chuck Liddell as “the greatest light heavyweight of all-time”. Interesting. Didn’t know that had been settled.

The third round starts with a bang, or rather a squish, as McGee takes a kick in the twig and berries. It ignites the two a bit and there’s a nice exchange in the center with both landing good shots. Tavares hits a jab as McGee lands a leg kick. McGee lunges forward with a hook and misses. He comes forward again and eats an uppercut and hook for his troubles. McGee comes forward with a hook and uppercut but misses. He is throwing his leg kicks really lazily now. Tavares with a jab. The story of the last two rounds has been Tavares landing his jab at will and easily avoiding McGee’s shots. McGee goes for a takedown, but Tavares again defends. McGee abandons it in favor of a punching combo that surprises Tavares. Tavares lands a body kick and left hand. McGee lands a punch and Tavares either slips or is slightly dazed by it- hard to tell. McGee goes for a takedown and lands a nice uppercut to the body. Tavares makes space and lands a vicious knee to the head, though McGee fights through it and presses on.

The two break as a knee from McGee grazes Tavares in the nutties, evening up the groin shot tally. The two slap hands and Rosenthal tells them to fight instead. McGee turns Tavares around with a leg kick after a good jab. Tavares gets out of range of a hook and lands another jab. Then, McGee apparently lands a kick to the boys of Tavares. Rosenthal warns McGee not to do it again, and McGee lands a nice right, then another after the fight resumes. He finally gets a takedown and takes Tavares’ back as he tries to scramble. He’s got a tight rear naked choke, but Tavares doesn’t tap and goes out. Very good fight, and as my brother noted, they both did something Yager didn’t- fought into the third round. Great job for both guys.

After the fight, Tavares is obviously disappointed, even though White gives him his props for the effort. Everyone claps as the result is announced by Rosenthal, and Liddell says McGee will continue to get better and better.

Then, we get some gentlemen from the Marines who are going to show some techniques to the fighters. They do this four-person pushup thingie that I won’t attempt to describe, nor will I attempt to perform. Did I mention that Forrest Griffin looks like a hobo? This is an epic neckbeard we’re talking about here. Then the guys use pugil sticks to beat the crap out of each other, which is fairly amusing. Back at the house, everyone is partying and getting loose, since all but two of them are done fighting, anyway. McCray points out that he was in the Army Reserves and that many members of his family have served in the military. Everyone relays their respect for the Armed Forces, and a couple of Canadian jokes are even dished out at Nick Ring for good measure.

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Tags: Brad Tavares, Chuck Liddell, Court McGee, Forrest Griffin, Rich Franklin, The Ultimate Fighter 11, The Ultimate Fighter Liddell vs Ortiz, Tito Ortiz, UFC