The Ultimate Fighter 11: Team Liddell vs. Team Ortiz - Episode 5: “If it Breathes, it Bleeds” Recap

Recap of Episode 5 of the TUF 11 fight between Kris McCray & Josh Bryant

Following the events that transpired this week at the Jameson-Ortiz household, this season of the Ultimate Fighter will now be watched with judging eyes as each and every action of Tito Ortiz will be analyzed by viewers to decide whether the former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion is capable of assaulting his girlfriend and babies’ momma, Jenna Jameson.

The fighters recap the Yager vs Blancard fight, and mention that Blanchard had an ankle injury coming into the fight and may have reinjured it mid-fight.

As the fighters run down who could potentially get the wild card spot, it is revealed that Clayton McKinney’s shoulder injury will keep him out for a couple of months, thereby taking his name out of the pot. The census among the fighters appears to be that out of them all, Hammortree is the most worthy of a wild card spot.

Tito finally has fight selection and gets to play Joe Silva tonight. From his team, he selects Kris McCray to take on Team Liddell’s Josh Bryant. Unlike Joe Silva, Tito isn’t trying to make a competitive fight, and believes that his fighter Kris McCray holds a significant advantage over Team Liddell’s Josh Bryant.

John Hackleman gives an awkward speech, and basically says if you don’t give it your all in the Octagon, you will regret it forever. If you do give it your all, even if you lose, you will never look back with regrets.

Josh Bryant is 29 years old fighting out of Tulsa, Oklahoma. He tells how his mom and dad got divorced when he was young and that after his mom got remarried, he moved out. He believes the trials he went through when he was younger made him grow up faster. He holds a record of 10-0, although counting the preliminary fight to get onto the show he’s 11-0.

Bryant impresses Liddell with his weight cutting ability, able to maintain a “jolly” demeanor while enduring the suffering of weight cutting.

Kris McCray was 9-0 as an amateur, and is 5-0 as a pro, with his last 3 fights ending within 39 seconds. While many people assume from his appearance that he’s Puerto Rican, he isn’t and then he speaks in another language, which I can’t identify because I only took Spnaish in elementary school, and says, “It’s great when you take a fighter and break him.”

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Tito says, “We punish ourselves so we can punish our opponents.”

Kyacey “The Thief” doesn’t agree with Tito’s philosophy, and believes that Ortiz is overtraining the fighters and when the time comes for them to step inside the Octagon they won’t be at their best.

It turns out that Clayton separated his labrum, and got the surgery done. Some of the coaches believe that he isn’t as hurt as he claims, but Nick Ring thinks that his injury is legit and not something most fighters can train through.

The fighters weigh-in, and Dana gives us his opinion. On Bryant he says, “This kid has knockout power in both hands, and, he’s a great wrestler.”

The fighters think that Kris has the ability to take Josh down or put him out on the feet.

Chuck, due to prior arrangements (naked shoe commercials), will have to miss this fight as well, but Pit trainer John Hackleman will be there to watch over the fighters.

Tito comes over to Clayton and apologizes for talking trash, saying he thought Clayton was milking the injury and had spoken poo about him, and that he apologizes to him for that. Seems like a good guy this Tito Ortiz…

The fighters get in the vans and travel to the gym to get ready for the fight.

Chuck gives Bryant a phone call in the locker room to offer Bryant some support. A nice gesture by the Iceman.

Kris says they call him the Savage for many reasons and then doesn’t give any. He says he’s not afraid of anything except God and his father, although he’s no longer afraid of his father because they’ve developed a relationship over the years. As for God, he still fears “him”.

Bryant comes to the cage first, saying he’s out to prove a point, that he’s 11-0 for a reason. Sounds a bit insecure to me. I predict a defeat

McCray says don’t change the channel, don’t get no popcorn, he’s going to be in and out before you know it.

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Kris McCray vs. Josh Bryant

McCray vs Bryant - Round 1

They touch gloves. Yager tells McCray to “do work son!” McCray delivers some good knees from the clinch but gets caught with a nice uppercut.

They exchange punches and then clinch again, this time against the cage.

McCray gets Bryant down and then secures back mount. Bryant escapes through the backdoor and gets up to his feet.

They continue clinching, vying for position and exchanging punches and knees. McCray delivers a delicious knee from the cinch and pushes Bryant up against the cage.

McCray keeps trying for a takedown, but can’t get it. Bryant goes for a double leg and nails it. He gets McCray’s back and tries for a rear naked choke, but McCray escapes and scrambles to his feet.

The stay clinched, resting and catching their breath for the remainder of the round.

I score the round 10-9 for McCray.

Hackleman tells Bryant that the round was really close and he needs to let his hands go.

 

McCray vs Bryant - Round 2

We get an Arianny booty shot and the round begins.

The fighters are exhausted, plodding around the mat with their hands low. Bryant lands some bombs on McCray that shake his skull, but not his knees.

McCray is extremely tired and Bryant capitalizes with some nice punches.

Bryant takes McCray down and lands some elbows. McCray gets back to his feet and gets bopped again with some nice hooks by Bryant.

Bryant takes McCray down again, but can’t do anything with the position

McCray gets back up and takes Bryant down. He throws some weak punches with nothing on them hoping to score points.

Tito yells for Kris to show him how much he wants it!

McCray keeps pounding away, and even though his punches have nothing on them, they are scoring points.

The round ends.

McCray was completely exhausted from the beginning of the round and Bryant landed some nice shots that would have dropped most fighters.

I score the round easily for Bryant 10-9.

Everyone waits around for the judges’ decision, expecting it to go to a third and final round.

Finally the announcement comes in, one more round.

 

McCray vs Bryant - Round 3

We got a Chandella Powell booty shot and the Sudden Victory round begins.

McCray looks for a takedown, but doesn’t have much left in the gas tank. Bryant holds him off and presses him against the cage.

McCray looks for a kimura, but can’t get it.

Bryant reaches for a single leg, but can’t get it.

They are in a stalemate against the fence.

They remained clinched for a good minute or two, fighting for position.

Herb Dean separates them with a little over a minute left in the fight. Thus far, the round has been even with neither fighting doing much.

Then, after Dean breaks them apart, Bryant lands chin-shaking hooks to McCray’s face.

Bryant takes McCray down and secures full mount. McCray gives up his back and Bryant goes for a rear naked choke. The round ends.

It was an easy round for Bryant. McCray was completely gassed, and besides being blessed wit a terrific chin, he showed nothing.

I score it 10-9 for Bryant.

The judges agree and Bryant is announced the victor.

Josh Bryant defeats Kris McCray via unanimous deision.

Hackleman thinks Team Punishment underestimated Bryant and that Bryant proved he is the real deal.

Team Liddell celebrates as Team Ortiz mourns in their locker room.

McCray says he’s disappointed with the loss, but he’s not unhappy with the performance.

Tito channels his inner Brock Lesnar and says, “To see these guys lose, I think Chuck has a rabbit’s foot up his ass.” “I will never give up… I ride until I die - on everything I do.”

Next episode, Tito and Chuck play dodge ball, Kyacey blames Tito’s coaching for McCray’s loss, and a severe injury may knock another fighter out of wild card contention. So if you don’t get Spike, can’t find a suitable website that streams it, or just like reading recaps of shows you’ve already watched, check back next Thursday for episode 6’s recapitulation.