With Michael Bisbing’s Team UK holding a 4-2 lead in the record books this season, the final lightweight match-up was a chance for Team USA to remain competitive.
Prior to the fight Lawson pointed out to his teammates that in his amateur and professional fights, 21 of his victories came via arm bar and he fully intends to make Dent tap this way.
Dent meanwhile, frustrated Team US coach Dan Henderson by not listening to Henderson and the other coaches in training sessions.
Fight Results Lawson vs. Dent
After a somewhat tentative start and several missed takedowns, Lawson got Dent to the mat and maintained full ground control. He went for the arm bar and a knee bar, but was unable to finish.
Despite an early warning by referee Herb Dean, Dent continued to punch Lawson in the back of the head though no further warnings were issued and no points were deducted.
As the fighters came out for the second round it was clear that Lawson had expended all his energy in the first round. Dent had not faired much better however, and failed to take advantage of his opponent’s obvious fatigue.
The two grappled on the ground with Dent earning the tap-out victory via Anaconda Choke at 2:20 in the second round. A win that UFC president Dana White called “far far far from impressive.”
Jason Pierce’s Fight Status
A visit to the doctor detected that Jason Pierce’s foot injury had developed into a staph infection. During a training session he told assistant coach Heath Sims the doctor cautioned him that training would weaken his immune system. Sims explained that all competitors fight with injuries while Pierce said, “I haven’t.”
Though medically cleared to get in the octagon Pierce maintained he felt too weak to fight; an attitude that surprised White during a meeting. Pierce asserted that he was mentally ready to fight, but White assumed the opposite, saying “This kid does not want to fight.”
Henderson felt Pierce should have should have expressed more desire to White and once again noted that Pierce’s negative attitude was holding him back. In the end White benched Pierce from the fight and later said, “He showed up here and realized he wasn’t a fighter. Either you have it or you don’t, and I don’t think Jason Pierce has it.”
This left the question of who would face Dave Faulkner in next week’s welterweight bought. Though heavily favoured to win the tournament, Faulkner was having problems with spitting out his mouthpiece during practice due to his gag reflex. Bisbing warned him to sort the problem out or risk losing a fight after having points deducted during a match.
Wrestling Match in TUF House
Team UK got up to some good-natured shenanigans this week with Lawson, Faulkner and Dean Amasinger deciding to put on some luchador gear and hold a wrestling match in the Ultimate Fighter house. Using a broom, beer cans and various other “foreign objects” the three tussled about WWE-style as the action spilled into the back yard. The match ended with Faulkner giving Amasinger a back-flip off the diving board, into the pool.
