411’s Ultimate Fighter 26: Alvarez vs. Gaethje Report 10.04.17

The Ultimate Fighter 26: Alvarez vs. Gaethje – EPISODE SIX (PREDATOR)
INTRODUCTION: The Ultimate Fighter 26 will see 16 women’s flyweights descend on the Las Vegas desert in hopes of becoming the first female 125-pound champion in UFC history (and of course they get a contract). Coaches Eddie Alvarez and Justin Gaethje put the contestants through a grueling tryout prior to selecting their teams. LAST WEEK, #12. Sijara Eubanks (2-2) defeated #5. Maia Stevenson (6-4). THIS WEEK Eddie Alvarez pulls out all the stops to give his team a competitive advantage. A fighter struggles with an old injury. Then, #2 Barb Honchak (10-2) faces #15. Gillian Robertson (3-2).

– We start off with Team Alvarez training. Alvarez brought in his personal strength and conditioning coach to work with his team. Lauren Murphy is concerned about over training, which she believes is a real thing. Honchak talks about being regarded as the top 125-pound fighter at one point. Dana puts over her skills, and says she started late, but found success as the INVICTA champion. She’s 37 and the oldest fighter in the house, Dana says she deserves the shot at the title. Honchak says she was banged up before her time off, she needed the time off and feels healthier than she was at 35. She considered life after fighting, but she had to take this chance.

– Time for team Gaethje training, and Gillian Robertson is the youngest fighter in the house, fighting the oldest. Dana feels she’s a great prospect, going 9-1 as an amateur who specializes in BJJ. Gaethje has been watching her fights, and tells her she needs to stay out of a striking battle. He needs to make her a more complete fighter. They want to keep her back off the cage and the mat. Gaethje feels she’s the best grappler here.

– Melinda Fabian is feeling sad, and is having issues believing in herself. She’s also dealing with a pre-existing leg injury, making training difficult. She heads to the new UFC performance institute to get it worked on. She gets massage therapy and cupping therapy to help. Alvarez is concerned about the injury.

– Back at the house, the ladies hang out and talk. We get some home video of Honchak. She has a master’s degree in ecological genetics. She used to work as a lab tech at a university and would still be doing that if she wasn’t fighting. She and her husband live on a boat and he’s her biggest supporter. She has a dog battling cancer, and he may not be alive when she returns from the show. She got into MMA late, and took her first fight with only 6-months of BJJ training.

– At the house again, we get some talking, and Robertson talking about being socially awkward, but also being a different person when she trains. She’s not sure how she got into MMA. It started on a whim and snowballed from there. She started kickboxing and got into BJJ and fell in love with it. She lives with her parents and brother, and loves animals.

– We see Honchak’s final fight prep, Alvarez says Honchak has everything and won’t try to change her but will try to teach her some new things if he can. He thinks Honchak will finish the fight. Honchak trusts Alvarez, and feels confident. Robertson is the first in her path, and she hopes to knock her out quickly, that’s a perfect world scenario.

– WEIGH-INS: Robertson (125), Honchak (125); Robertson looks softer than Honchak, who looks absolutely shredded. Not that it necessarily means anything, just an observation.

– FIGHT DAY: Honchak talks about the pressure of fighting, while Robertson writes her dreams of winning down before getting her hair done up into braids. The ladies go through the usual fight prep and warm ups.

#2 Barb Honchak (10-2) faces #15. Gillian Robertson (3-2): ROUND ONE: Honchak has the experience edge, but hasn’t fought in two years. Robertson is 15-years younger and 2-inches taller. Their reach is identical. Honchak comes out quickly, working leg kicks and some strikes. Honchak rushes Robertson to the cage, but the quickly work back center cage. Robertson presses the action along the cage; they separate and trade kicks and knees. Honchak looks to bully Robertson a bit, looking for the takedown, which she gets after landing some good strikes. Honchak works from guard, keeping things tight and landing some short elbows. Robertson fishes for an arm bar from the bottom, Honchak plays defense and hits another short elbow. Robertson rolls and pulls Honchak back to full guard. Honchak dominates top position, landing good strikes and starts to look for mount. Robertson has good defense from her back, but Honchak is putting it on her with the ground and pound as the round ends. SCORECARD: Honchak 10-9

ROUND TWO: Honchak dominated, but she may have punched herself out. Round two begins and starts with the leg kicks again. Robertson shoots, gets stuffed and Honchak rolls her and works from half guard. Honchak lays in the strikes once again, she mixes in elbows and looks to take side control. Robertson with a good scramble to get back to her feet, but Honchak takes her back down and gets mount. She starts to rain down with rights and elbows and the ref waves it off.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Barb Honchak via RD2 stoppage

– Even after two-years off, Honchak dominated as she should have.

– It’s all-even after 6-fights.

– NEXT WEEK: #10. Rachael Ostovich (3-3) faces #7. Melinda Fabian (4-3-1). Dana makes a special visit to the house.

Team Alvarez
* #2 Barb Honchak (10-2, 1-0 TUF)
* #3. Lauren Murphy (9-3, 0-1 TUF)
* #4. DeAnna Bennett (8-3, 1-0 TUF)
* #7. Melinda Fabian (4-3-1)
* #9. Christina Marks (8-8)
* #11. Ariel Beck (4-4, 0-1 TUF)
* #12. Sijara Eubanks (2-2, 1-0 TUF)
* #16. Shana Dobson (2-1 MMA, 0-1 TUF)

Team Gaethje
* #1. Roxanne Modafferi (21-13 MMA, 1-0 TUF)
* #5. Maia Stevenson (6-4, 1-0 TUF)
* #6. Montana Stewart (7-4, 1-0 TUF)
* #8. Emily Whitmire (2-1)
* #10. Rachael Ostovich (3-3)
* #13. Karine Gevorgyan (3-2, 0-1 TUF)
* #14. Nicco Montano (3-2, 1-0 TUF)
* #15. Gillian Robertson (3-2, 0-1 TUF)

– End scene.

– Thanks for reading.

“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”