The Ultimate Fighter: US vs UK - Episode Seven Recap

By Thomas Gerbasi

CAUTION: SPOILERS INCLUDED – After going 1-1 last week, the team from the United Kingdom retains a slim one fight lead on The Ultimate Fighter: US vs UK. Will the Brits break the competition open with another victory this week, or has the United States team finally decided that enough is enough?

Well, UK coach Michael Bisping feels that momentum is squarely on his team’s side, and he’s not shy about letting everyone know about it.

“It feels great to be in the lead again,” said Bisping. “I’m a very competitive guy and not winning doesn’t sit nicely with me.”

The UK controls the pick for this week’s bout, and it looks like welterweights David Faulkner (UK) and Jason Pierce (US) will lock horns in the final 170-pound bout of the quarterfinal round. Bisping believes he’s got another winner in his Wolfslair teammate.

“Dave’s got the skills to win the whole season,” said Bisping.

Meanwhile, back in the house, the focus is on the US’ Richie Whitson, who has a bacterial infection on his mouth. Since the sore is infectious, Pierce goes on a Lysol run through the house to make sure everything has been disinfected.

In the gym though, Pierce is not as energetic, and hurting his ankle doesn’t help matters. As for the training methods of US coach Dan Henderson and his staff, Pierce isn’t happy, which is a cause for concern.

“I don’t know what’s going on in Jason’s head sometimes,” said Henderson, and assistant coach Cyrille Diabate agrees.

“He’s a very negative guy,” said Diabate of Pierce. Even back in the house, some members of the US discuss Pierce, leading Jason Dent to call the room where the fighters gathered to talk, ‘The Bash Room.’

Things aren’t exactly rosy in the gym for Team UK either, as a drill where the fighters hit a tire with a sledgehammer goes awry as Faulkner hits himself in the shin with the hammer, leading to an infection.

But before this week’s fight is announced, it’s time for the Coaches’ Challenge. This season, Bisping and Henderson will compete in a tennis match for $10,000 for themselves, and $1,500 for each member of their team. This one is no contest, as Henderson sails to a relatively easy victory and the $10k.

After everything that’s gone on with Faulkner and Pierce, it’s no surprise that this week’s fight is a lightweight bout, with Whitson (whose skin condition has cleared up) taking on Ross Pearson.

Pearson is another Team UK favorite, and he takes control of the bout against Whitson early. But it’s after Pearson is docked a point by referee Herb Dean for an illegal knee to a downed opponent that he really picks up the pace, eventually sinking in an armbar that forces a tap out by Whitson late in the first round.

After Pearson’s victory, Team UK goes up by two, 4-2. Here’s how the teams look…

TEAM USA
WELTERWEIGHTS
Mark Miller – eliminated on episode four by Nick Osipczak
Jason Pierce
Damarques Johnson 1-0
Frank Lester – eliminated on episode six by James Wilks

LIGHTWEIGHTS
Richie Whitson – eliminated on episode seven by Ross Pearson
Santino DeFranco– eliminated on episode five by Andre Winner
Cameron Dollar 1-0
Jason Dent

TEAM UK
WELTERWEIGHTS
David Faulkner
Dean Amasinger – eliminated on episode five by Damarques Johnson
Nick Osipczak 1-0
James Wilks 1-0

LIGHTWEIGHTS
Ross Pearson 1-0
Martin Stapleton – eliminated on episode six by Cameron Dollar
Jeff Lawson
Andre Winner 1-0

For weekly recaps of The Ultimate Fighter, as well as fighter profiles and a blog from UK coach Michael Bisping, stay tuned to UFC.com.