Watch the video RECAP on Spike here: The Aftermath: Coming For Blood
Fighters and coaches recap the Court McGee vs. Nick Ring fight from the last show. Rich Attonito talks about how Nick was trying to catch McGee with kicks but McGee was stronger with boxing. Clayton McKinney says he doesn’t think Ring fought to his potential: “He wasn’t putting together combinations like he does in practice.” The referee announces Ring the winner and McGee comments he was pretty bummed out by the outcome. “I didn’t think I won both rounds, but I can honestly say I won the second round.” As the fighters walk off, Chuck Liddell tells his fighter, “you won that fight.” McGee hopes he can earn a Wild Card spot and come back to fight in the next round. Tito Ortiz says he’s happy with the decision, that his fighter won, but he thinks Ring was holding back in the Octagon.
Ring talks with a doctor and comments that he thinks he has accelerated an existing knee injury during his fight with McGee. He says he can’t push off his leg, and his knee is very wobbly.
Tito announces the last fight: Seth vs. “Caveman” (Joe Henle). Dana White says he thinks this final fight is lopsided. He doesn’t see any other outcome than Seth winning. At the Red Team training session, Baczynski trains hard as Tito barks out orders. Baczynski says he loves his profession, and that he’s “one up on everyone else” since he not only knows what he wants to do in life, but also has the opportunity to do it. Ortiz says “dealing with Seth has been nothing but pleasure.” He thinks Seth has everything it takes to make it. Baczynski feels like he’s been given a second chance by being brought back into the competition and would be “foolish” not to capitalize on the opportunity.
At the house, Attonito talks to Henle about how he trained for seven years to become a professional MMA fighter. Henle talks about his own surreal journey towards becoming a professional fighter. He says “I got into fighting completely by mistake.” He tells the story of going to a gym with a friend and first spotting the wrestling mats – “Hey, I wrestled in high school!” – and then becoming intrigued by jiu jitsu – “Who-hits-who, okay cool, we’ll try that!” Attonito says Henle is a great guy, but he wonders if his head is in the right place, mentally. Attonito says, “You get in that cage, and once it locks up, you don’t got your head together…nothing goods gonna come from it.”
At the gym, Henle spends some time alone in the cage, tracing his gloves along the edges of the fence, and meditating in the center of the Octogan. He says he is a coach and substitute teacher, and he truly cares about the kids he coaches, but right now, “there’s nowhere else I’d rather be, nothing that I would rather be doing.” He talks about his MBA, but says he doesn’t want to be in an office. During Team Liddell training, Henle comments on his upcoming match, says he’s not threatened by the speculated mismatch between him and Seth. Henle says “I’m not cocky, I don’t think I’m the best fighter in the world – I will be, that’s for damn sure!” He says if he wasn’t confident in his skills, he wouldn’t be here. Assistant Coach Howard Davis talks about Henle’s lack of experience. Henle’s only been fighting for 6 months, but in sixth months, he’s come a long way. Liddell says, “You never know.”
At Ortiz training, Ring drops to the ground during sparring. He say,s “My knee gave out on me.” He talks about the three years he spent with knee problems, and says during his last surgery his doctor told him he’d never fight again. Ring says his knee injury has been a problem since he got in the house, but he’s been trying to keep it quiet. Now that his teammates saw him drop for no reason in practice, Ring doesn’t know how he’s going to keep it quiet anymore: “I wouldn’t be surprised if people are talking about it right now.” Tito examines the knee. He says, “There’s a lot of give.” He says he’s torn his ACL before and he recognizes the symptoms. Ring tells Tito he needs to get this sorted out, since his training and fights are both being affected. He says he’s scared and he just wants to get it fixed.
At the Weigh-In, McGee talks about the upcoming fight. He says he fought against Seth to get into the house and says Seth is strong with good hands. “He dropped me and that’s the first time I’ve been dropped.” Henle steps up to weigh in. McGee says Henle is an athletic guy and if Seth doesn’t step up, “Joseph is a big athletic guy and he might submit him.” As Baczynski weighs in, Hammortree comments that Seth has been gifted a second chance and “he’s coming for blood.”
The Red Team trains hard in the Octogan; fighters who lost the first time around work hard to earn the Wild Card. Hammortree says everyone thinks they deserve the Wild Card spot. “I think I deserve it.” Kris McCray says he wants his fight back. Kyacey Uscola also says he wants the Wild Card, wants to smash his way back in the tournament.
The sun rises on Fight Day and Baczynski and Henle both prepare. Baczynski talks about the “hurry up and wait” anxiety of fight day. Henle says he’s got more education than the typical fighter, but just because he has an MBA, doesn’t mean he has less heart than the next guy. He talks about his dedication and how bad he wants this. Baczynski says he just wants to prove he’s the best and will find a way to win. Henle says “I train 4 times a day. I’m coming. For everything.”
Henle enters the Octogan, talks about how the fight is a chess match with his body. Fighters who let too much anger in will make mistakes. Baczynski talks about staying composed and capitalizing on Henle’s mistakes. “There’s no other option when you get in there to leave it all in. I don’t know how to fight any other way.”
The men prepare in the cage and the Tale of the Tape flashes on the screen. Dana announces the rules and wishes the men good luck. The referee starts the fight. Henle and Baczynski tap gloves and get to dancing. Baczynski tries for some unruly kicks and Henle’s able to bring him down. Henle brings Baczynski to the floor but Baczynski gets in position for the beginnings of a triangle choke. Each man strains against the other, both trying to submit his opponent. They break free and Baczynski pulls Henle back down, tries to lock him up. The two men continue to strain and scramble alternately, keeping the fight on the mat. Baczynski and Henle trade upper positions, both trying to secure a submission. Baczynski gets on top and drops some elbows into Henle’s face, continuing enthusiastically to Tito’s ringside encouragement. Henle attempts to escape from the floor, but Baczynski keeps him on the ground, peppering Henle’s face with elbows. The buzzer finally goes off, and Henle is released from the mat.
Tito encourages Baczynski, tells him to believe in himself. Henle’s coaches feed him some encouragement; he looks tired and is cut underneath one eye. The fighters start the round off hard, Henle nailing Baczynski with a strong kick. Henle muscles Baczynski to the floor and jabs him in the face a couple times. Baczynski tries to stand but Henle keeps the fight on the mats, going for a rear choke hold. Henle keeps him down for awhile but Baczynski eventually manages an escape and then quickly outmaneuvers Henle’s attempted armbar. Henle keeps Baczynski on the ground for the better part of the round, but when Baczynski gets up he attacks hard. Henle dodges Baczynski’s attack and Baczynski flies against the cage. The fight is brought back to the floor. Baczynski gets the better position and pounds Henle with heavy hands.
The horn sounds and both men return to their respective corners. Tito tells Baczynski he’s doing an awesome job. Chuck tells Henle he can beat this guy. Henle looks exhausted. It is announced that the fight will go to a third round.
Both men come out hard, Baczynski drives Henle into the fence and brings him to the floor. Baczynski holds Henle to the ground with his body and knocks his fist against Henle’s face. Henle’s coaches urge him to stand up, but Henle can’t release from Baczynski’s grip. Baczynski continues to punch the Henle, who writhes underneath, searching for an escape. Baczynski is relentless, dropping elbows and hitting Henle with heavy hands. Henle has no defense for the better part of the round. He’s finally able to turn his body, but he still can’t get off the mat. Baczynski turns Henle onto his back and lets his fists fly, drilling Henle in the face repeatedly. Henle’s limbs are flailing but he can’t connect. Baczynski is all over Henle, dominates him until the buzzer signifies the end of the fight.
Chuck and Henle are both defeated. Dana says he was surprised with this fight: “I thought Seth was a well rounded – completely better – fighter than Joe was, but, you know, Joe made a fight of it.” Tito recaps the fight, talks about Henle’s takedowns and Seth showing heart by battling out of submissions. Tito says Henle demonstrated his tough cardio by dominating the second round. Chuck says Henle did really well for his experience. Dana says Henle should have won the first round, completely won the second round, but then got gassed in the third round and “got demolished.” Baczynski is announces as the winner. He says he was lucky to get out with the win, and that Henle is a way tougher guy than he thought. Henle says, “Just because I lost, don’t think my heart went away. I want any fight I can get. Hell yeah, I want the Wild Card.”
Later at the gym, Dana assembles the teams to announce the Wild Card fight. He says, “What I want are the two best fighters to fight it out, and the man who wins jumps back into the competition.” Dana congratulates the preliminary winners. He says they wanted to pick two fighters they think have a shot at winning this thing. His first pick is Uscola. He says both coaches think a lot of him and think he has a chance to win the tournament. Uscola says, “The first fight didn’t go my way, but I got another shot…I’m ready to scrap.” Dana announces the second fighter: McCray. McCray says he thinks he does deserve the pick, adding that he left everything in the cage during his first fight and that’s what people want to see.
Dana continues by saying that Rich is injured and out of the competition, so someone else has to move into his slot. Dana says the men shouldn’t ever leave it in the hands of the judges and there’s not a thing he can do about a bad decision…until now. He says he already made his mind up that Court McGee will get Rich’s spot. “I think you should’ve gone to a third round…you fought a great fight, so you’re in, brother.” McGee says he’s grateful for the opportunity and he’ll be ready to finish the next guy. Dana reiterates to the three fighters that they have a chance to win this thing, and not to leave it up to the judges. Henle thinks he should have had the Wild Card. He thinks his fight was better than McCray’s fight against Josh. Hammortree also feels let down in not earning a Wild Card slot. He says his spine injury has healed, but was detrimental towards him earning the spot, and thus he’s disappointed because he wanted it.
