TUF Brasil 2 - Episode Two Recap

THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER BRASIL 2: SECOND EPISODE DETERMINES FINAL CAST AND SETS TEAMS

•    Yan Cabral, Cleiton “Foguete”, Leo Santos, David Vieira, Juliano Ninja, Viscardi Andrade, and Santiago Ponzinibbio complete the 14 member cast.

•     Team Nogueira and Team Werdum are now set; Minotauro chooses the first fighter, while Werdum has the right to pick the first fight.

•    The next episode begins the tournament to determine the next Ultimate Fighter.  

The 14 official participants for the second season of The Ultimate Fighter Brazil 2 are now set.

After winning their elimination bouts on an episode aired on Sunday, March 24th, by Rede Globo, Yan Cabral, Cleiton 'Foguete", Leo Santos, David Vieira, Juliano Ninja, Viscardi Andrade, and Santiago Ponzinibbio joined Pedro Irie, Márcio Pedra, William Patolino, Marreta, Neilson Gomes, Besouro, and Tiago Alves in a welterweight cast that will move into the TUF house and compete weekly for a contract with the organization and the title of "Ultimate Fighter."
 
The second episode had tense moments. In the very first battle, two friends, Yan Cabral and "Rony" Silva, had to face each other, producing one of the most exciting moments so far. Even coach Rodrigo Minotauro Nogueira had to join in, as he was moved to see one of his pupils, Thiago Jambo, lose to Viscardi Andrade and not go to the next stage of the competition. In the last battle of the episode - one of the most exciting so far - the Argentine Santiago Ponzinibbio consolidated his entry into the house.

With the cast defined, coaches Nogueira and Werdum could finally pick their teams of seven welterweights. After flipping a coin, Werdum won the chance to choose between picking the first fighter or the first fight, opting for the second option. Minotauro then, was the first to select a fighter, getting (in order of choice): Luiz "Besouro", Santiago Ponzinibbio, Neilson Gomes, Leo Santos, David Vieira, William "Patolino" and Cleiton 'Foguete". Werdum chose Pedro Irie, Yan Cabral, Tiago Alves, Viscardi Andrade, Márcio "Pedra," Juliano "Ninja" and Thiago "Marreta".

This season, the house will have fighters from five different states. From Rio de Janeiro there are seven welterweights. São Paulo follows in second with three representatives. Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina and Bahia have one representative each. And Santiago, La Plata, Argentina will also be represented. Beyond the battles and division of teams, the second episode also gave a taste of what's to come, showing clips of jokes that the confined teams are up to. Mattresses in lakes, objects thrown and heated disagreements are some of the things viewers can expect this season.

Results of the second episode of The Ultimate Fighter Brazil 2…

Yan Cabral VS Ronaldo “Rony” Silva
The excitement was high for this battle between friends and teammates. But friendship didn’t prevent Yan and "Rony" Silva from making an exciting battle. After a cordial embrace, the two opened the round with high kicks and punches. Rony tried a standing kimura, but Yan was able to take him down and look for a submission.

First, Yan tried to grab Rony's arm, but that move was defended. Yan continued controlling from above,  while Rony was still defending submission attempts. Yan, still dominant, tried to get the mount but lost position. Eventually though, he locked on a rear naked choke. Three pats by Rony and it was a win by submission for Yan.

Originally from Viscount of Maua, Yan arrives in the house of The Ultimate Fighter Brazil undefeated. He brings 10 wins - all by submission - including one in Saitama Arena in Japan over the global MMA legend Kazushi Sakuraba. Yan, who divides his time between Barcelona and Rio de Janeiro, is 29 years old and is a Nova União athlete

Result: Yan Cabral wins by submission (rear naked choke) in round one

Bruno Dias “Jacaré” VS Cleiton Duarte “Foguete”
Bruno was superior in the first round, taking Foguete to the ground, trying for the mount and then staying on top. Cleiton, despite his good standup - which yielded a beautiful high kick - was dominated on the ground. In the second round, a clearly tired Bruno tried to take down his rival, but was overcome standing, and the tide turned in favor of Foguete. The battle then went to the tiebreaker round, and Bruno, now even more tired, continued to be outdone standing. Jacaré tried to again have the chance to apply his ground game, but, unable to finish, he was declared the loser by the judges

Result: Dias wins over Cleiton 'Foguete" by the judges' split decision after three rounds

Luciano Contini VS Leonardo Santos
The third fight of the night ended prematurely. After some striking, Luciano Contini was cornered against the fence and held his finger, which was eventually dislocated. The referee stopped the clash immediately, and Leo Santos took the win by TKO.

A big name in jiu-jitsu, Leo Santos brings unique experience on the floor to The Ultimate Fighter Brazil. At 15 years old, he became the youngest world champion in the blue belt divsion. He then debuted in MMA in 2002, against Takanori Gomi, but only returned to compete professionally in the sport in 2006, and he has accumulated 11 wins and three victories in his career.

Result: Leonardo Santos wins over Luciano Contini by TKO in the first round.

David Vieira VS Leandro “Buscapé”
After a good first round, Vieira kept things going in the second, keeping his game very versatile on the floor, as he looked for gaps and applied good shots to his opponent's face. In the end, David took the unanimous decision after two rounds.

Also from the world of jiu-jitsu, David Vieira almost didn't participate in The Ultimate Fighter. Divided between a fighting career and his studies, he was persuaded at the last minute. Undefeated with four wins in his MMA career, David arrives with TV experience too: before TUF, he participated in a program about surfing in Multishow.

Result: David Vieira wins by unanimous decision
 
Henrique “Sucuri” VS Juliano “Ninja”
Ninja made it clear from the beginning his intention: to take his opponent down. Right away, he went for a takedown and sought submissions on the ground. Henry escaped and managed to stand, ending the first round on top. However, Ninja was back again looking for more takedowns and submissions. Unable to finish, the second round ended and 
the judges asked for a third round. Ninja returned, knocking over and controlling Sucuri. In addition to seeking the back and a submission, he applied knees and punches to the body and face. Insisting on a submission, Juliano managed to get the back and apply a rear naked choke, forcing his opponent to tap out.

Born in Blumenau, Santa Catarina, Ninja is considered the prototype of the new breed of fighter. A lover of books and new languages, he uses the journalist and fashion consultant Gloria Kalil as an inspiration, and has already taken etiquette lessons. In fighting, his strong point is jiu-jitsu, and Ninja comes with seven wins and three defeats in his professional career.

Result: Juliano Ninja wins by submission (rear naked choke) in round three.

Viscardi Andrade VS Thiago “Jambo” Gonçalves
Jambo joined the fight with special support on his side. Besides his family, he also had coach Rodrigo Minotauro, his master and the man who gave him his black belt. The first round, as coach Werdum pointed out, did not have much action.

In the second round, a punch from Viscardi knocked down Jambo, who was receiving blows on the floor. Jambo recovered and rose, but the bout again when to the mat, with the two swapping positions. Thiago was able to recover and finish the round on top, but it was not enough to change the judges' decision, which gave the victory to Viscardi.

Result: Viscardi Andrade wins by unanimous decision in the second round

Santiago Ponzinibbio VS Thiago Bel
The fight began with plenty of action. After an intense exchange of blows, the two went to the mat. Bel, active on the ground, managed to get up, but again Santiago had a good sequence of blows to knock him down again. Bel again arose, and tried to get a knockdown with a jab at the end of the busy round.

The second round started like the first and, after another exchange of blows, Santiago took his opponent down. Bel rose again and the two exchanged blows standing. Santiago knocked Bel down again, and Bel rose again. Bel resisted as much as he could, but he was clearly shaken. And despite this resistance, Bel was knocked out, and Santiago closed the episode with a victory. "That was the best fight of the night for me," said Werdum.

The resourcefulness of Santiago standing is explained by his past competition in kickboxing. The Argentine has been living in Brazil for four years, and since he was spending time in Florianopolis, he ended up staying. There, he began training jiu-jitsu and overcame financial difficulties and language barriers to adapt and win his place in MMA. Today, he does not think of returning to his country, while defining himself as "good Argentine folk." He arrives with just one loss in his career, against the TUF Brazil 1’s Leonardo "Macarrão".

Result: Santiago Ponzinibbio wins by TKO in the second round.
 
With the fights complete, then it was time for the coaches to pick their seven member teams. After winning the coin flip, Fabricio Werdum chose the right to match the first fight, which appears on the third episode of The Ultimate Fighter Brazil 2.

Minotauro then got the right to choose the first fighter of his team.

"I think our team is very strong, they were those who wanted to win this time and I'm sure the team Werdum will win," said Fabricio Werdum.

Team Nogueira
Luiz “Besouro”
Santiago Ponzinibbio
Neilson Gomes
Leo Santos
David Vieira
William “Patolino”
Cleiton “Foguete”

Team Werdum
Pedro Iriê
Yan Cabral
Tiago Alves
Viscardi Andrade
Márcio “Pedra”
Juliano “Ninja”
Thiago “Marreta”
 
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