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Mallory's Recap of The Ultimate Fighter 5 - Episode 4
By Mallory Mahling
Apr 27, 2007, 14:37

Last week Nate Diaz had won his preliminary fight with Robert Emerson, which Dana White said had been the best fight ever on TUF.  Andy Wang observed that Emerson had grown in stature even if he hadn’t won the match.  Rob had won B.J. Penn’s respect, too.  B.J. said that his team may be down three fights, but it wasn't over ‘til it was over.

At Team Pulver's training session, Pulver noted that Wayne Weems was falling behind. Manny attributed it to the fact that he is just learning.  Jens spent extra time on Weems during training and said he didn't want to break Weem's morale, but he wasn't there to baby him.  Weems said no matter how tough it got, he wasn’t going to quit; he’d come there to be the best.  Actually, he seemed to be trying to convince himself.

At Team Penn's training session, Fat Gabe was strategizing to get a fight with Weems to get himself to the next level. Penn thought that was amusing. The other members of Team Penn confronted Fat Gabe about his wanting to take the easy way out. 

At Team Pulver’s training session, Brandon Melendez explained he had an injury and was babying it. His foot hurt, but Jens, who has worked through plenty of bumps and bruises, wasn’t especially sympathetic. He asked Jens for the next fight, but since Melendez was also having weight issues, Jens wanted him to show that he wanted to be there.

Later Melendez was told to his cut weight to within five pounds of 155.  Melendez complained about the sauna, but did as he was told.

Back at the TUF House, Fat Gabe complained that Marlon Sims was a total bullsh*t artist. Guess it takes one to know one. Nonetheless, Sims was boasting of his many street fights against multiple opponents, which he claimed were all true.  I could swear his nose grew a little bit while he was telling his tall tales. (If Sims loses his preliminary fight, he's going to feel pretty stupid.)

It was time for this week's fight announcement--Brandon Melendez of Team Penn against Andy Wang of Team Penn.

Gabe had an opinion about Andy Wang. Gabe always has an opinion.

Born in Taiwain, Wang came to America as a child; he said MMA allows him the chance to show the spirit of an Asian-American. Wang said he wants to earn his respect inside a cage.

At the weigh-in, Pulver was pleased to see that Melendez had lost the excess weight.  With the weigh-in no longer an obstacle, Melendez returned to the TUF House and resumed eating anything and everything.

At the UFC Training Center, Pulver's team walked in to find Matt Hughes mopping the floor. He'd been asked to come by Jens Pulver to freshen up his team's training regimen. Hughes was in his nice-guy mode, and Brandon appreciated the help he'd gotten from Hughes

At the house, Wang looked at a family picture and talked about how much his late grandfather had contributed to his love for martial arts.

Brandon, a family man, spoke of his wife and kids.

Fight time, and B.J. gave Andy specific instructions to take Brandon down to the mat.  Instead, they stood and traded, with Wang throwing the occasional kick. Andy lost his mouth guard and the fight stopped briefly, which gave them both time to regroup. Brandon threw a good knee just as the round ended. The action had remaining standing the entire round.

B.J. told Brandon to take Wang down in the next round.  He had been warned by Fat Gabe (who had cornered one of Wang’s fights) that Andy doesn’t take direction well from the corner and wants to brawl. 

Round two started and they stayed on their feet throwing punches. B.J. was in the corner screaming at Andy to take him down. Never happened, though.

Big John McCarthy announced that Melendez had won by judges' decision, which was no surprise since he had dominated both rounds.

Dana mentioned how hard B.J. had been trying to give Andy directions, but he wouldn't f’n listen to him.

In the aftermath of the fight, Wang, who had described himself as a warrior, burst into tears and sobbed uncontrollably.  Big gulping sobs.  A few tears are one thing, but this guy was a bawl baby—and still referring to himself as a warrior.  (Of the Ultimate variety????)

B.J. pretty much washed his hands of Wang, and it was hard to blame him.  Wang had promised B.J. he would follow directions, and then Andy had gone into business for himself once the match started.

Next week : Noah pisses off assistant coach Tony and pays dearly for it.  And—ta da—Fat Gabe will be fighting Corey.  However, after knowing for several weeks that he was 22 pounds overweight, Gabe is still 22 pounds overweight, and scenes were shown of Gabe trying to sweat it off.  This is going to be good.  Heehee.

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Still in the Running

Team Penn:

Gray Maynard

Matt Wiman

Gabe Ruediger

Joe Lauzon

Team Pulver:

Corey Hill

Nate Diaz

Brandon Melendez

Brandon Sims

Manuel Gamburyan

Cole Miller

Brian Geraghty

Wayne Weems