‘TUF: Brazil 3’ Recap: Episode 6
As this week’s episode begins, both teams have assembled in the gym for the selection of the fourth fight, a heavyweight bout. There’s just one problem: the guy meant to be doing the selecting, coach Wanderlei Silva, hasn’t shown up.
Rival coach Chael Sonnen and his assistant, Hortencia Marcari, stir the pot in his absence by calling for a forfeit, but Silva arrives eventually, throwing on his jersey and microphone as he walks in.
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Silva quickly matches the fight, sending his No. 3 pick, Richardson “Rick Monstro” Moreira, up against Team Sonnen’s last-chosen heavyweight, Job Kleber Melo. Melo looks to have a few inches on Moreira, but Silva explains that this is the fight he wanted from the start, calling his fighter “explosive” while naming Sonnen’s man as “the weakest heavyweight.”
During the pick, Sonnen makes an aside to Marcari that Silva
“smells drunk,” but “The Axe Murderer” explains that his tardiness
was due to a combination of a doctor’s appointment and traffic.
“I don’t even drink,” Silva says. “He lies and spreads rumors. People at home may believe these rumors without knowing the true facts.”
Sonnen isn’t buying it, but the matter seems to pass without incident as both teams get to training. During a particularly rough round of grappling, Team Silva assistant coach Isabel Salgado asks Silva if he thinks the fighters are being too rough. Moments later, Jollyson Francino Sosatleta’s head collides with Moreira’s knee as they work on the ground, opening a deep cut on Sosatleta’s left brow. The cut requires stitches, and Silva asks his squad not to comment on the injury back at the house, so as not to give Team Sonnen unnecessary information.
Meanwhile, Sonnen’s boxing coach Clayton Hires is working on some striking fundamentals, teaching his Brazilian pupils to throw hard, straight punches. Afterward, it’s time to work on what Warlley Alves calls “Sonnen’s annoying wrestling style.” The team ends their session with a hands-in shout of “Bad Guys!”
The fighters next engage in an in-gym teamwork challenge called “The Writing Machine,” which requires each team to sit around a pen suspended with eight straps over a piece of paper. Each fighter holds a strap, and the first team who maneuvers the pen to legibly write “TUF Brasil” will win. Team Sonnen comes up with their first victory of the season, leading the fighters to hoist their coach into the air. As a result, Team Silva will be locked into one room of the fighters’ house while Team Sonnen enjoys a pajama party with the “TUF Brazil” Octagon girls.
“All night long,” says Marcari. “So you can bond!”
The girls take a shine to eliminated middleweight Joilton Santos, who they dub “Mr. Charisma.” Santos extends an olive branch to Team Silva by bringing the imprisoned team some pizza and soda, as well as treating them to a little dance. But the ladies are confused as to why the only single guy at the party, Alves, is separating himself from the fun, instead choosing to shoot pool by himself.
“I really dig girls. They’re my weakness,” Alves says. “I prefer to keep a distance before I make a mistake.”
The next morning, there’s beef between Team Silva fighters Antonio “Cara de Sapato” Carlos and Paulo “Borrachinha” Costa. The pair prepared together before entering the “TUF” house, and Carlos is irked because he’s heard that Costa bragged about beating him in training. Carlos says that Costa was a nice guy who is “becoming a jerk,” but Costa doesn’t want to hear it.
“You’re the only guy I knew before this,” Borrachinha tells his training partner. “We’re friends. Quit it. Don’t play that game.”
The statement only enrages Carlos, who finishes the exchange shouting at Costa.
Back in the gym, Team Silva gets a visit from jiu-jitsu world champion Gabi Garcia, who works with the fighters on takedowns, chokes and armbars.
Before the official weigh-in can get started, there’s an altercation between the coaches. Silva initiates the confrontation by pounding his fist and saying “soon” before spitting in Sonnen’s direction.
“Oh, I wish,” says Sonnen. “How do you feel when you say crazy things like that to me when I’ve been challenging you for years? Do you ever feel weird about that?”
When Sonnen’s request for a more cordial relationship falls on deaf ears, he continues needling Silva about picking a date for their fight until Silva decides he wants to do it now, in the gym. After Silva slaps at his hands, Sonnen gives the Brazilian a push in the chest and then puts up his dukes. Sonnen ducks under a right hook from Silva and double-legs him to the ground, where Silva throws elbows from his back and Sonnen punches from on top as both teams try to separate the coaches.
Sonnen exits the altercation with a small cut on his forehead, while Silva pulls off his jersey, looking for round two. After the dust settles, it becomes clear that the damage to Sonnen’s face was not done by Silva. It was Silva’s assistant coach, K-1 veteran Andre “Dida” Amado, who hit Sonnen with a couple cheap punches during the melee, and who walked away holding a green jersey as a trophy.
When the heavyweights finally hit the scales, Moreira weighs 223.3 pounds, while Melo checks in at 250.6. Now, it’s time for the episode’s second fight -- a real one this time.
Moreira gets inside with a right hand and drags Melo to the ground, where “Rick Monstro” sets up in side control on the right. Melo reclaims half guard and works to defend the mount as Moreira slowly works to advance his position. Ninety seconds in, Moreira takes full mount and forces Melo to turn over during a flurry of punches. Moreira rolls to guard and takes Melo’s left arm with him, stretching out the limb to force a quick submission via armbar.
Team Silva keeps their perfect record intact, moving to 4-0 and retaining the fight selection for next week’s middleweight contest.
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