411’s Ultimate Fighter: Redemption Report 6.14.17

The Ultimate Fighter 25: Episode NINE
INTRODUCTION: Current UFC Bantamweight Champion Cody Garbrandt will be coaching opposite former champion T.J. Dillashaw. Both of them are former training partners. The twenty-fifth season (American version) of the series, the producers have opted to bring back previous participants from the previous seasons; the cast will consist of welterweights that have all competed on The Ultimate Fighter on previous seasons; this includes former participants and winners of the show, as well as one current UFC fighter. The winner gets $250,000 (no mention of a contract). Judging by the opening video package, some of these good brothers have had rough times post TUF. LAST WEEK, Hayder Hassan defeated Joe Stevenson in the wildcard fight, while Tom Gallicchio defeated Justin Edwards in the first quarterfinal fight. THIS WEEK, a prank war heats up between the teams. The coaches take the fighters out for a night on the town. Then, teammates face off in the second quarterfinal fight as Dhiego Lima – (12-5 MMA, 1-0 TUF) battles Gilbert Smith – (12-6 MMA, 1-0 TUF).

– Lima and Smith are both team Dillashaw, and face off today. Dillashaw will work with them, but not specifically coach as hands on as he has. He will drill basic strengths and weaknesses, and let the fight play out. Both fighters are cool with this, especially when a lot of coaches completely bail out here and opt to stay away. They have come to a happy medium.

– Since Team Garbrandt are a bunch of losers, they arrive at the gym and vandalize all of the Dillashaw posters. Garbrandt thinks he’s hilarious, commenting on “Dillashaw’s titties” and still calling him a snake. Dillashaw arrives and laughs it off, and feels it’s not original, but is humorous.

– Garbrandt arrives with a party buss to take the guys to a hibachi steakhouse. Lots of drinking, drunk fighters on the stripper pole but Gilbert Smith didn’t want any of this shit, they of course mock him, but Smith is just focused on his fight and was looking for some good hibachi. Smith bails and decides to go to the bathroom, and runs in place to get in a workout. He isn’t here to party, drink and act stupid. He’s focused and they of course make fun of him; he will celebrate when he has something to celebrate about.

– Dillashaw hands out “Team Snake” shirts to his team, because he’s over the snake insult and figured he’d embrace it. This transitions to Lima training, and Dillashaw says he’s very easy to coach and is extremely eager to learn. They talk some strategy, Dillashaw feels that Smith leaves his head out there on takedowns and thinks that Lima can use a counter left to take advantage of that. Dillashaw will watch the fight from the bleachers, and will do no coaching during the fight; he’s only there to prepare them and to show no favorites.

– Weigh-ins: Lima (171), Smith (171).

– Dana says this is Smith’s last chance as his age is catching up to him. Smith says it took him three years to get back here, and it would likely take him twice as long to get back if he loses; he’d too old to go back to regional fighting.

– Fight day, and both do their final mental preparation before leaving the house and then head to the gym for warm ups.

Dhiego Lima – (12-5 MMA, 1-0 TUF) vs. Gilbert Smith – (12-6 MMA, 1-0 TUF): ROUND ONE: Lima has a 5-inch height advantage and a 1-inch reach advantage. The experience is basically even, but Smith looks huge in the cage compared to Lima. Slow start, we get some leg kicks as both look for distance. Lima lands a good body kick, but Smith backs him off with a nice combo. Smith has good snap on his strikes early, they trade body kicks and Smith works Lima to the cage. Smith then drags him down, looking to work his wrestling advantage. Lima wall walks, gets to his feet but Smith is on his back. Smith keeps the body lock, and looks to pull him back down but Lima switches position and drags Smith down, and has a hook in. he looks for a choke, controls the wrist and lays in some strikes. Smith gets to his feet with Lima on his back, but Smith escapes and hits a nice trip. Lima is on his ass and Smith has his legs trapped, looking to keep him grounded and lays in some effective lefts. Lima gets to his feet, flashes a kick, which is checked and the round ends. Close round, but Smith likely took it due to top control. SCORECARD: Smith 10-9

ROUND TWO: Second round now, they circle and trade. Smith chases a bit with strikes, but Lima clips him with a left when Smith looked to shoot, just like Dillashaw mentioned. They work along the cage; Lima makes Smith miss with some wild strikes, but starts to land body shots. They trade, Smith shoots and Lima fights him off with elbows, but Smith tries to take the back to stop that. They trade strikes center cage again, Smith mixes in some leg kicks and body shots and shoots for a single leg and gets it, but Lima quickly transitions to the back and then lays in knees along the cage. Lima starts to land on the feet as they work to the cage in the final minute. Smith is starting to slow and miss his strikes now, Lima working his distance better here and the round ends. SCORECARD: 19-19

ROUND THREE: Final round now, Lima works some leg kicks to try and keep the distance established in round two. Lima starts to land body shots, backing off Smith. They both land jabs, but Smith is flat footed and very tired here. Lima backs him off, shoots and lands in mount. He lays in rights, takes the back and Smith rolls, and gets into guard. Smith lands body shots as Lima locks in a triangle; Smith tries to posture up but falls to his knees. The triangle is looser now, and Smith is out and working from guard again. Lima transitions for a kimura, but Smith is out of that as we enter the final 30-seconds. They get to the feet and trade and the fight ends with a flurry from both. SCORECARD: Lima 29-28 OFFICIAL RESULT: Dhiego Lima via unanimous decision

– Dillashaw feels it was the right decision and that they had a great fight. Smith is devastated and breaks down in the cage. He doesn’t feel he has the passion anymore and will retire. Smith gives a speech and praises the coaches, and says he just wanted to focus on this fight; he couldn’t go out in a better way. He’s proud of the career he had and of his effort today.

– NEXT WEEK: More drama between the coaches, and then two fights; Jesse Taylor – (30-15 MMA, 1-0 TUF) vs. Hayder Hassan – (6-3 MMA, 1-1 TUF) & James Krause – (23-7 MMA, 1-0 TUF) vs. Ramsey Nijem – (9-6 MMA, 1-0 TUF); but an injury causes an issue with the semifinals…

Team Garbrandt
* Hayder Hassan – (6-3 MMA, 1-1 TUF) (got to return for the wild card fight)
* Justin Edwards – (9-5 MMA, 1-1 TUF)
* Julian Lane – (11-6 MMA, 0-1 TUF)
* Johnny Nunes – (6-1 MMA, 0-1 TUF)
* Mehdi Baghdad – (11-5 MMA, 0-1 TUF)
* Eddie Gordon – (8-4 MMA, 0-1 TUF)
* Seth Baczynski – (20-14 MMA, 0-1 TUF)
* Hector Urbina – (17-10 MMA, dismissed due to missing weight)

Team Dillashaw
* Tom Gallicchio – (19-9 MMA, 2-0 TUF)
* Ramsey Nijem – (9-6 MMA, 1-0 TUF)
* Dhiego Lima – (12-5 MMA, 2-0 TUF)
* James Krause – (23-7 MMA, 1-0 TUF)
* Jesse Taylor – (30-15 MMA, 1-0 TUF)
* Gilbert Smith – (12-6 MMA, 1-1 TUF)
* Joe Stevenson – (33-16 MMA, 0-2 TUF) (got to return for the wild card fight)

– End scene.

– Thanks for reading.

“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”