411’s The Ultimate Fighter 24: Team Benavidez vs. Team Cejudo Report 10.05.16

The Ultimate Fighter 24: Episode Six
The Ultimate Fighter 24: Team Benavidez vs. Team Cejudo is a flyweight spectacular. The coaches are top flyweights, the 16 competitors are top flyweight champions from outside of the UFC, and the winner will receive a title shot against Demetrious Johnson, and a Harley Davidson motorcycle of their choosing, and the six-figure UFC contract. Basically, Demetrious Johnson is a very bad man and has cleaned shit out. LAST WEEK, #7. Ronaldo Candido de Oliveira (Shooto South America, 6-0 MMA) defeated #10. Jaime Alvarez (Absolute Fighting Championship, 6-1 MMA) via RD1 submission. This week’s fight is #6. Matt Schnell (Legacy FC, 10-2 MMA) vs. #11. Matt Rizzo (Ring of Combat, 9-2 MMA).

– We start at the house this week, as Dana hypes up this week’s fight (#6. Matt Schnell (Legacy FC, 10-2 MMA) vs. #11. Matt Rizzo (Ring of Combat, 9-2 MMA)) as the guys sit around admiring the title belts on the wall. Dana does his weekly thing were he discusses one of the fighters, show some highlights, and then tries to convince you that they would be a “good and fun match up” for Demetrious Johnson.

– Next up is some training footage with Matt Schnell and Team Cejudo. Schnell knows that it’s not a great match up and prefers to keep fights on the feet, but Rizzo is great on the ground. They drill a lot of takedown defense. Team Joseph Benavidez has the afternoon off and he takes his team paddle boarding.

– Dana tries to convince us about Rizzo’s skills, we see highlights of his fights and some training footage. Benavidez wants Rizzo to make his opponent pay when he throws kicks, to take away Schnell’s distance and to use his advantage on the ground. Rizzo is working with Eric Shelton, because he has fast hands and he feels it will prepare him for Schnell.

– Back at the house, Schnell discusses his rough upbringing and the fact that he fought all the time. We get home video of Schnell, who trains at ATT. He live at the gym, literally lives at the gym, and says he lives a minimalist lifestyle. His girlfriend lives in St. Louis, and they have been together for four years. He values the relationships he’s made through the martial arts. His dream is to settle down with his girlfriend, she’s his everything.

– We get home video of Schnell. He and his fiancée live with his parents. He says it is tough, but it helps him financially. If he didn’t do it, he couldn’t train. He wants to win the show and fight in December, which will falloff his fiancée’s birthday. He works full time and trains, and is lucky that his family and fiancée have his back. He trains out of revolution Academy, a small gym that he hopes to put on the map by being on the show. He’s here to put on a show and to show the world who he is.

– WEIGH-INS: Rizzo weighs in at 125, while Schnell weighs in at 125.5. Dana White and the fighters discuss the fight. Shockingly, Schnell’s teammates think he will win, while Rizzo’s teammates think he will win.

– FIGHT DAY: Both fighters eat and get ready at the house before going to the gym for the fight. Basically, we get the usual pre-fight discussion and warm-ups at the house and at the gym.

#6. Matt Schnell (Legacy FC, 10-2 MMA) vs. #11. Matt Rizzo (Ring of Combat, 9-2 MMA): ROUND ONE: Schnell has a 2.5-inch reach advantage. Both came out aggressively striking, Rizzo catches a kick and works for a takedown. They went to the cage, with Schnell fighting off the takedown for a bit and then tried for a guillotine. They continued to work along the cage, Rizzo dropped down and got the takedown but Schnell was working for the guillotine once again. Schnell didn’t have it deep but kept trying for it, Rizzo escaped and worked from guard. Schnell did a good job of getting off the bottom, he got guard and stayed on the ground too long. He finally went back to the feet, Rizzo desperately went for takedowns but Schnell did a great job of fighting them off. Both men connected to the body, Schnell is working his distance well and not allowing Rizzo to grapple and get him to the mat. Schnell went for the guillotine again and took himself to the ground, allowing Rizzo to fight from guard. Schnell actually started to fish for a triangle, Rizzo struggled and kept it from getting tight and the round ended. SCORE CARD: 10-9 Schnell

ROUND TWO: Schnell actually was the one taking it to the ground, and Rizzo did very little when they got there. Both men landed early, with Schnell working some leg kicks and controlling distance early. Schnell stuffed a takedown and worked form Rizzo’s guard. Rizzo had to fight hard, but got a sweep and worked in the guard. He didn’t do all that much, he’s down round and his offense lacks urgency. Schnell again went for a triangle, and Rizzo tapped.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Matt Schnell via RD2 submission

– Team Cejudo is now up 4-3.

– Rizzo is upset with himself for making too many mistakes. He said that Schnell knew his gameplan and fought a great fight.

– Next week’s fight is #3. Tim Elliott (Titan FC, 16-6 MMA) vs. #14. Charlie Alaniz (Hex Fight Series Australia, 6-1 MMA).

– We get a video preview for next week, and we get a coach’s challenge.

Team Joseph Benavidez
#5. Hiromasa Ogikubo (Shooto (Japan) 15-3 MMA, 1-0 TUF)
#15. Eric Shelton (Caged Aggression Iowa, 10-2 MMA, 1-0 TUF)
#7. Ronaldo Candido de Oliveira (Shooto South America, 6-0 MMA, 1-0 TUF)
#3. Tim Elliott (Titan FC, 16-6 MMA)
#11. Matt Rizzo (Ring of Combat, 9-2 MMA, 0-1 TUF)
#4. Damacio Page (Legacy FC, 19-10 MMA, 0-1 TUF)
#8. Terrence Mitchell (Alaska FC, 11-2 MMA, 0-1 TUF)
#16. Brandon Moreno (World Fighting Federation, 11-3 MMA, 0-1 TUF)

Team Henry Cejudo
#1.Alexandre Pantoja (Resurrection Fighting Alliance, 16-2 MMA, 1-0 TUF)
#9. Kai Kara-France (Bragging Rights Australia, 12-5-1nc MMA, 1-0 TUF)
#13. Adam Antolin (Tachi Palace Fights, 11-3 MMA, 1-0 TUF)
#6. Matt Schnell (Legacy FC, 9-2 MMA, 1-0 TUF)
#14. Charlie Alaniz (Hex Fight Series Australia, 6-1 MMA)
#10. Jaime Alvarez (Absolute Fighting Championship, 6-1 MMA, 0-1 TUF)
#2. Yoni Sherbatov (XFFC Canada, 5-0-1 MMA, 0-1 TUF)
#12. Nkazimulo Zulu (EFC Africa, 7-2 MMA, 0-1 TUF)