Fight Critic, Mixed Martial Arts Commentary and News

So we finally got to see the first episode of the fifth season of The Ultimate Fighter TV show last night; claimed over and over to be the best season yet. Is it really? I think it is too soon to make that call.

I’m not a huge fan of reality television. Mostly because viewers are not usually seeing reality when they watch the shows. We are seeing things as the producers of the show would like us to see them, courtesy of a lot of film and some very crafty editing. That said, a couple of interesting things did happen.

When the time came for the coaches to pick fighters, BJ busts out with a line that was so appropriately cocky for BJ Penn that I couldn’t help but laugh. BJ said, “If any of you here know for a complete fact that you want to be on my team, and you don’t want nothing to do with Jens Pulver’s team, raise your hand.” Of course, 10 of the 16 fighters raised their hands and left Jens feeling a little lame. I think BJ and Jens dragged out the aftermath of that comment way too long, but that was a genius line from BJ to psych out Jens and his team. The only other interesting development was that Gabe Ruediger was 22+ pounds overweight and gaining.

I’m rarely entertained by the guys when they’re at the house and acting like fools, barking at each other. The fight we got seemed to be quite a mismatch. Cole Miller put Alan Berube in a triangle in the first few minutes of the fight.

A couple of guys that will be interesting to watch this season are Nate Diaz, younger brother of Nick Diaz, and Manny Gambaryan who I think I have seen in Karo Parisyan’s corner over the years.

Here’s hoping we get some good fights alongside the “reality” this season.