Early bragging rights go to Team Miller with the first win and first prank on Season 14 of “The Ultimate Fighter.”
In Episode 2 of the MMA reality TV show that aired Wednesday, the teams are chosen and featherweight Bryan Caraway scores a win for coach Jason (Mayhem) Miller by choking out Marcus Brimage from Michael Bisping’s team in the second round.
The 145-pound bout pits a striker (Brimage) against a grappler (Caraway).
The five-foot-eight Caraway has four inches on Brimage and an eight-inch height advantage. He also has a significant edge in experience (15-5 vs 3-1).
Brimage never gets a chance to show his striking in the first round. Caraway takes him down in the first minute, spending the rest of the round trying to sink in the choke.
Brimage fights off several takedown attempts in the second but is unable to create the distance needed to use his striking advantage. Eventually he is tripped midway through the round and Caraway secures the choke.
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“I’m very very disappointed in myself,” says Brimage. “I’ve let everyone down. My coach here, my parents back home, all of Alabama.”
Bisping is just as down.
“He lost his discipline and turned it into a brawl,” says the English middleweight.
But UFC president Dana White gives credit to Caraway.
“He fought a great fight against a guy who can knock you out.”
The episode was titled “I Against I,” a reference to Caraway being his own worst enemory thanks to his “nervous nellie” approach to fighting.
The episode also features the first practical joke of the season – Miller’s team fills the Bisping dressing room with tires. Bisping eventually kicks the door in to get inside.
And the bad blood begins to bubble as the Bisping squad comes up with a chant during the Caraway-Brimage weigh-in.
That was adorable,” Miller says sarcastically.
Caraway does not see the humour in the verse.
“They personally attacked me and that’s not cool,” says Caraway.
In selecting teams earlier, Bisping wins the toss and elects to choose the first fighter. That leaves Miller to select the first fight matchup.
Dipping into the bantamweight talent pool, Bisping picks green-haired Louis Gaudinot first while Miller opts for John Dodson.
Bisping rounds out his 135-pound fighters with T.J. Dillashaw, John Albert and Josh Ferguson while Miller chooses Johnny Bedford, Dustin Pague and Winnipeg’s Roli Delorme.
“We tried to pick the guys who had skill sets that were most evenly matched with my coaching staff,” Miller explains.
The first featherweight picked is Diego Brandao. He is joined on the Bisping team by Akira Corassani, Brimage and Stephen Bass
Miller’s 145-pounders are Dennis Bermudez, Caraway, Dustin Neace and Steven Siler.
“This show will change your life,” says White.
This season marks the first to feature the UFC’s two lightest weight classes.
The rival coaches are slated to square off on the live finale on Dec. 3.
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