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411’s Ultimate Fighter 22: Team McGregor vs. Team Faber Report 9.09.15 – Episode One

September 10, 2015 | Posted by Larry Csonka

WELCOME: Welcome back to 411 and our coverage of the Ultimate Fighter 22: Team McGregor vs. Team Faber. We’re back to the usual format, which means 32 fighters fighting to get into the house of 16 (two teams of 8). Those 16 fighters will then fight in a single elimination tournament to crowd the latest Ultimate Fighter (that includes the old six figure UFC contract and a custom Harley). Urijah Faber will coach Team USA and Conor McGregor will coach team Europe; they will not fight at the end of the season, but will talk a lot of shit like they might. This season will feature lightweight fighters. The 32 fighters competing to get into the house are…

Team Faber (United States)
-Andreas Quintana (8-1)
-Austin Springer (8-0)
-Billy Quarantillo (6-1)
-Brandon Ricetti (7-1)
-Brennan Sevin (7-1)
-Chris Gruetzemacher (12-1)
-Jason Soares (8-0)
-Johnny Nunez (5-1)
-James Jenkins (8-1)
-Jason Gonzalez (9-2)
-Julian Erosa (14-1)
-Mike Flach (7-1)
-Ryan Hall (4-1)
-Thanh Le (4-1)
-Tim Welch (12-5)
-Tom Gallicchio (19-8)

Team McGregor (Europe)
-Artem Lobov (11-10-1-1)
-Abner Lloveras (19-7-1)
-David Teymur (3-1)
-Djamil Chan (19-2)
-Frantz Frank Slioa (4-0)
-Marcin Wrzosek (10-2)
-Martin Delaney (10-1)
-Martin Svensson (14-5)
-Mehdi Baghdad (11-3)
-Mohamed Grabinski (10-1)
-Paulo Boer (10-1-1)
-Sascha Sharma (8-2)
-Saul Rogers (10-1)
-Sean Carter (10-1)
-Thibault Gouti (10-0)
-Vladimir Sikic (10-0)

FIGHT FOR THE RIGHT TO BE A FN FIGHTER
* So now we will have a ton of elimination fights, to get us down to eight fighters per team. I will share some quick thoughts on these entry fights, as they are usually just a lot of clips and the occasional full fight.

* The US fighters talk shit on the European MMA guys, stating that they are light-years ahead of them in terms of skill. The European guys of course feel that they are on the same level because they have always been fighters.

* Dana gives us all of the info I have already discussed, and puts over the coaches big time (Faber as a legend & Conor as a huge new star for the UFC). Conor doesn’t think Faber is on his level, and reminds is that “he smoked” Chad Mendes. Conor says the show would be nothing without him and that Faber is on his way out of the game. There were friends and family in the crowd.

* For all of the guys we get the background on both guys and their path to MMA. Thankfully they have them in different color trunks and constantly have a graphic up so we know who is who. They have failed to do that in some seasons.

* Johnny Nunez (5-1) vs. Ryan Hall (4-1) is up first. Hall tapped Nunez in under a minute with a heel hook.

* David Teymur (3-1) vs. Thibault Gouti (10-0) is next. Faber comes off as very knowledgeable of the competitors, like he did a ton of homework. We got highlights of the first round, which seemed very back and forth. There were a ton of warnings about grabbing the cage near the end. Both guys sounded gassed in round two, Teymur dominated from what we saw. Teymur won via majority decision. Conor put over the aggressiveness and smoothness of the European guys.

* Andreas Quintana (8-1) vs. Thanh Le (4-1) was next for the US. Le worked hard kicks and was more aggressive. He landed a sick wheel kick, but Quintana survived the round. The second round was slower, and then Le dropped Quintana with a right and finished it. Faber, Conor and Dana were all complimentary of his victory.

* Conor and Faber talked some shit, and Conor stated that he would kill him. Faber made fun of Conor’s cantaloupe sized head.

* Artem Lobov (11-10-1-1) vs. Mehdi Baghdad (11-3) is next. Lobov doesn’t fear the Americans, and is part of Conor’s gym. Conor is coaching/cheerleading for Lobov here, supporting his teammate. Good back and forth battle on the feet here, lot of instructions from Conor here. Lobov working some good counter striking, and then they both slipped to the mat but popped back up. Baghdad tried to shoot a few times but failed as the round ended. In the second round, they opened up on each other along the cage and got really wild. Lobov got busted open during the exchange as Baghdad started to find a lot of success and did damage. Baghdad picked up the win via majority decision. It got sloppy at times, but was really entertaining. Dana and Faber feel that it should have went to a third round. Conor consoled Lobov post fight and told him he felt it should have went to a third round.

* Julian Erosa (14-1) vs. Jason Soares (8-0) is our next fight. This went straight to highlights with Conor and Faber discussing the fight. Julian Erosa won via decision.

* Saul Rogers (10-1) vs. Paulo Boer (10-1-1) is the next European fight. This was a straight to highlights, grappling battle. Rogers won via submission in round two..

* Brandon Ricetti (7-1) vs. Billy Quarantillo (6-1) is our next fight. They came out quickly and we went to highlights. Ricetti was working for submissions, and burnt out his legs in round one. Quarantillo got the finish in the second round with ease.

* Frantz Frank Slioa (4-0) vs. Martin Delaney (10-1) is the next European fight. Delaney took center cage early, but then they batted along the cage and worked for takedowns. Lots of good counters here as they continually worked for dominant position. Slioa got the back and the hooks, landed elbows and finally got the choke for the win.

* Conor and Faber talked more shit to each other.

* Jason Gonzalez (9-2) vs. Tim Welch (12-5) is the next US fight. Welch trains with Benson Henderson. They come out and start throwing right away, and then Welch takes it to the ground. Really active groundwork from both, Gonzalez worked for a triangle and threw elbows from the bottom and was rather effective with them. The clipped action ended, and we went to round two. Gonzalez hit a liver kick and then clipped Welch. He took him down and dominated with strikes until it was called.

* Abner Lloveras (19-7-1) vs. Vladimir Sikic (10-0) is our next bout. Lloveras was really aggressive with knees early, and then scored with the takedown. Sikic got warned for grabbing the cage, they had a scramble and it appeared as if Sikic had an issue with his shoulder. The fight continued, as Faber said that he is having shoulder issues. Lloveras picked up the submission victory as Sikic’s shoulder popped out again at the end when he verbally submitted.

* Conor and Faber talked shit again, and Conor invited Faber to fight him for cash straight up since the UFC “won’t feed Faber to him”.

* Mike Flach (7-1) vs. Tom Gallicchio (19-8) is our next US bout. Gallicchio used his wrestling and muscled Flach to the ground. He got the back and finished with the choke in under two-minutes. Gallicchio with quick work there, he won with ease.

* Martin Svensson (14-5) vs. Mohamed Grabinski (10-1) is up next, and it’s all highlights. It went to the second round, back and forth judging by the highlights and the description. It goes to a third round, with Svensson getting the decision victory.

* Djamil Chan (19-2) vs. Marcin Wrzosek (10-2): Straight to highlights, with Faber praising both guys. Faber and Conor both felt that Wrzosek was superior in both talent and execution; Wrzosek won via submission.

* Sascha Sharma (8-2) vs. Sean Carter (10-1): Straight to highlights again, as Dana was not impressed with the first round of action. He wasn’t that impressed with round two either as Sharma picks up the win.

* Austin Springer (8-0) vs. Chris Gruetzemacher (12-1): We actually get regular action here, with Springer putting together some great multi-level combinations. Gruetzemacher battled back and cut Springer, and then got him to the ground. We got clipping, and Gruetzemacher controlled as the round ended. Springer appeared hesitant in round two, almost afraid and then got warned for repeatedly grabbing the cage. Gruetzemacher kept landing knees and using his size advantage and dropped him with a knee as Dane, Conor and Faber felt the fight should be stopped. Springer looked as if he was giving up in there as Gruetzemacher just punished him. The ref finally stopped it and Gruetzemacher got the win. That was an ass beating.

* Brennan Sevin (7-1) vs. James Jenkins (8-1): This is the final qualifying fight. Jenkins got the early takedown, and worked strikes from the guard. Sevin tried to work up kicks, but Jenkins kept control and we clipped ahead to the end of the round with Jenkins on top. It appeared that Jenkins dominated. They traded early in round two, with Jenkins getting the better. They then got wild and started to open up on each other and both found success. Dana, Conor and Faber were enjoying the fight and getting into the fight. There was a lot of censoring of Dana, so you know he loved it. Jenkins started to mark up Sevin a lot as the round went on and it ended with them trading big shots. Jenkins won via decision.

* And the teams are…

Team Faber (United States)
-Billy Quarantillo (6-1)
-Chris Gruetzemacher (12-1)
-James Jenkins (8-1)
-Jason Gonzalez (9-2)
-Julian Erosa (14-1)
-Ryan Hall (4-1)
-Thanh Le (4-1)
-Tom Gallicchio (19-8)

Team McGregor (Europe)
-Abner Lloveras (19-7-1)
-David Teymur (3-1)
-Frantz Frank Slioa (4-0)
-Marcin Wrzosek (10-2)
-Martin Svensson (14-5)
-Mehdi Baghdad (11-3)
-Sascha Sharma (8-2)
-Saul Rogers (10-1)

* Conor and Faber talked more shit and then said that they would have fun. Conor is happy with the team, but has no attachment. He is here for business, and wants to see then rise and wants to give good advice. Faber jokes about the team being like the Bad News Bears, but feels his team will win.

* The teams now meet with Dana and the coaches. Dana thanks the losers and gives them the boot. He says the winners now have to keep fighting. They do the coin flip, and team Faber wins the coin toss and gets to pick the first fight. Conor discusses how big the opportunity is for these guys, and that this is their chance to get to the top. He feels his team is superior. Faber feels he can connect and mentor his fighters, something Conor doesn’t have. Dana loved the fights, and feels that these fights will be wars this season.

* We get clips from the future episodes.

* End scene.

* Thanks for reading.

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“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”