411's The Ultimate Fighter 14 Report 09.21.11: Episode 1

Posted by Mark Radulich on 09.21.2011

The Ultimate Fighter 14 season 14 kicked off tonight with the elimination round providing some exciting moments, and Mayhem Miller and Michael Bisping debuting as coaches! Check out 411’s complete Ultimate Fighter 14 report for all the details!

The Ultimate Fighter 14: Team Bisping vs. Team Miller
Episode 1

Sneak Peek: Ultimate Fighter - Team Bisping vs. Team Miller
Get More: Watch The Ultimate Fighter TUF 14 Dana White Michael Bisping Jason "Mayhem" Miller Josh Ferguson BJ Ferguson Casey Dyer featherweights bantamweights

Meet the Cast:

Coaches

TEAM MILLER

Jason Miller
Ryan Parsons
Danny Perez
Kamarudeen Usman
Melchor Menor

TEAM BISPING

Michael Bisping
Kingsley Carter
Enzo Esposito
Tiki Ghosn
Brady Fink

Fighters

Bantamweights

John Albert
Johnny Bedford
Carson Beebe
Roland Delorme
T.J. Dillashaw
John Dodson
Casey Dyer
B.J. Ferguson
Josh Ferguson
Louis Gaudinot
Matt Jaggers
Tateki Matsuda
Paul McVeigh
Brandon Merkt
Dustin Pague
Orville Smith

Featherweights

Stephen Bass
Dennis Bermudez
Diego Brandao
Marcus Brimage
Bryan Caraway
Josh Clopton
Hamid Akira Corassani
Karsten Lenjoint
Eric Marriott
Micah Miller
Dustin Neace
Jesse Newell
Brian Pearman
Jimmie Rivera
Steven Siler
Bryson Wailehua-Hansen

FADE IN: Vegas baby! Dana White stands alone in the cage when all 32 fighters come marching in. White tells them to soak it in. He adds that all the fights to enter the house will take place right here at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino. He states that if they don't win their fights they won't even see the inside the UFC training center. Also, for the first time ever the fans (you and me kid) will vote on the best KO, submission and fight of the season. The winner of those titles will receive a bonus of 25K at the finale on December 3rd. Next White introduces the coaches, Michael Bisping and Mayhem Miller along with a brief narration of their respective resumes.

We cut to the locker room where various fighters prep for their fights and proclaim for the camera that this is there time to shine. One item of note is that two of the bantamweight fighters are also brothers, which makes for a bit of intrigue.

The bantamweights will kick things off…

Josh Ferguson VS Casey Dyer

Round 1: Ferguson jabs, jabs, jabs and finally left hooks Dyer into oblivion. A few moments of ground and pound before Herb Dean stops it. Josh Ferguson is first to enter the house.

Winner: Josh Ferguson

Featherweights will now take to the cage.

Diego Brandao VS Jesse Newell

Round 1: Brandao opens with a kick. Newell returns with a series of punches and kicks and down goes Brandao. He recovers and kicks at Newell. Newell attempts a takedown but Brandao takes him down. Newell recovers and gets back to his feet. Brandao smashes him with a straight right and Newell goes flat. Brandao finishes the fight with a diving elbow a la Dan Henderson (according to Mayhem).

Winner: Diego Brandao

John Dodson VS Brandon Merkt

Round 1: Both men have some difficulty finding their range. Dodson starts landing some low kicks now. Dodson with a kick to the face. Dodson continues to kick Merkt and back him up. Double jab from Dodson. Merkt is not offering up any offense. Dodson moves in for the kill ending the fight with a shot to the body and some ground and pound.

Winner: John Dodson

White, Mayhem and Bisping all agree this is a group of talented and entertaining folks.

Dennis Bermudez was nearly dinged as the father of the child that actually wasn't his. Now he's focused and ready to fight!

COMMERCIAL

Dennis Bermudez VS Jimmie Rivera

Round 1: Rivera hammers Bermudez with hard right hands. Rivera attempts a takedown but settles for some dirty boxing against the cage. He lays off they retake the center. Bermudez clinches and drive Rivera into the fence. Rivera reverses and backs away. Rivera with a combination that drops Bermudez. He follows him to the ground but Bermudez stands up. Rivera takes him down again. Rivera tries to make something happen on the ground. Bermudez tries to stand again but Rivera stays with him down he goes again. Rivera has Bermudez' back. Bermudez stands up and Rivera goes for a ride. Rivera gives up the hold and they resume boxing. Rivera shoots for a takedown. Rivera takes his back. Rivera's coaches are screaming at Rivera to hit Bermudez because he isn't defending his face. The round ends with Rivera attempting a rear naked choke.

Rivera 10-9

Mayhem is already scuching Bisping.

Round 2: Bermudez takes advantage of Rivera's fatigue and scores a takedown. Rivera is flat on his belly and Bermudez is teeing off on his face. Bermudez steals this one!

Winner: Dennis Bermudez

Now it's time for the other brother.

BJ Ferguson VS Roland Delorme

Round 1: BJ lands a hard punch right on Delorme's chin. Delorme grabs a front face lock. Delorme uses it to take BJ down. BJ reverses and gets top position. BJ shoots for a takedown but drives Delorme against the fence. Delorme tries for a kimura, BJ rolls through but can't get away from Delorme. Delorme locks in a triangle. No brother vs brother this season.

Winner: Roland Delorme

COMMERCIAL

Before the last break Brimage bragged that he was going all the way and we would see him on the banners above some day.

Marcus Brimage VS Bryson Wailehua-Hansen

Round 1: Brimage opens up with a combination of punches. Brimage lands a kick but Bryson catches it and drives him against the fence. He swings him around and gets the takedown. Bryson has his head and leg wrapped up as Brimage tries to escape. Bryson works from full guard. Bryson takes Brimage's back. Bryson works for a rear naked choke. Brimage smacks Bryson and flips over into full guard. Brimage stands up, knee's Bryson and punches him at will. Bryson circles away and collects himself. Brimage stalks him and continues the punishment. Brimage ties Bryson up against the fence. Brimage is lighting Bryson up with knees and punches. Bryson is still standing but barely.

Brimage 10-9

Round 2: Brimage continues to display is striking skills. Brimage lands an elbow that makes Bryson all cross-eyed. A few more punches and Brimage makes good on his promise.

Winner: Marcus Brimage

And speaking of brothers, next up is the younger of the fighting Beebe's.

COMMERCIAL

Carson Beebe VS Johnny Bedford

Round 1: They immediately tie up and Bedford gets the better of them by getting the takedown. Beebe doesn't stay down for long as he's up and pressing Bedford against the fence. Another takedown attempt but both are back up and striking. Bedford clinches and pushes Beebe against the fence. Beebe breaks away. They trade strikes and Beebe gets caught shooting in for a takedown. Bedford presses Beebe against the fence. Beebe locks Bedford up and tries for a guillotine. Bedford escapes and they stand. Bedford tries for a takedown but Beebe sprawls and defends. Bedford lands a clean uppercut. Beebe tries to defend but Bedford is smashing him. Beebe circles away. Bedford drops Beebe with a shot to the top of his head and finishes him off with a kick and then finally a guillotine.

Winner: Johnny Bedford

The first Japanese contestant on The Ultimate Fighter is up next.

COMMERCIAL

Dustin Pague VS Tateki Matsuda

Round 1: Matsuda starts off with a great display of his Muay Thai skills. Pague looks to counter strike. Matsuda with a head kick. Pague lands a nasty spinning back fist. Pague takes Matsuda's back and pulls him down. Matsuda spins around and is now in Pague's guard. Matsuda lands an elbow. Pague stands up with Masuda hanging from his leg. Horn blows and we're off to the next round.

Matsuda 10-9

Round 2: Matsuda opens with a pair of kicks. Matsuda clinches and takes Pague down from the back. Matsuda has side control. Pague stands elbow's Matsuda. Pague clocks Matsuda directly in the chin. Pague dives on Matsuda and works from his guard. Pague stands up and is kicked repeatedly by Matsuda. Pague goes right back to guard. Pague passes to half guard and continues to work over Matsuda. He ends the round firmly in control.

Pague 10-9

This appears to be the end, no sudden victory for these two competitors.

Winner by Majority Decision Dustin Pague (19-19, 20-18, 20-18)

Bisping tells us that he knows McVeigh from the British MMA scene. He cheers him on. McVeigh vows to knock Gaudinot's green hair and beard off. We shall see.

COMMERCIAL

Paul McVeigh VS Louis Gaudinot

Round 1: The rest of the fights are broken down into highlights Apparently, according to Bisping it was back and forth affair.

Round 2: This round is all Gaudinot. Lots of punches, knees and takedowns. And for the first time tonight we go to round 3.

Round 3: Gaudinot nearly kills McVeigh with a spinning elbow. However, Gaudinot is finished turning McVeigh's face into pudding.

Winner: Louis Gaudinot

Eric Marriott VS Bryan Caraway

Round 1: Caraway dominates round 1 with submission attempts.

Round 2: Not so impressive for Caraway this time but he does win the match.

Winner: Bryan Caraway by Unanimous Decision.

Josh Clopton VS Dustin Neace

So the story here is that in both rounds Clopton started off in control but by the end he'd be steamrolled by Neace, who goes on to win by unanimous decision.

Winner: Dustin Neace

However, White and Bisping both thought that Clopton won.

Team Alpha Male competitor TJ Dillashaw is up next.

COMMERCIAL

Matt Jaggers VS TJ Dillashaw

Round 1: Dillashaw lands the first punch. Jaggers returns with a series of punches and kicks. Dillashaw lands a thigh kick. Jaggers shoots and gets the takedown but Dillashaw bounces back up. Dillashaw throws and overhand right that hammers Jaggers. Straight right from Jaggers stuns Dillashaw. Dillashaw gets the takedown. Dillashaw ground and pounds from half guard. Dillashaw smashes Jaggers with hammerfists, punches and elbows. Jaggers escapes and stands up. Dillashaw lands another clean right hand. Jaggers lands a punch but is immediately taken down. Dillashaw has full mount. Jaggers defends and Dillashaw stands up. Dillashaw KO's Jaggers on the ground in the ta-da nick of time.

Winner: TJ Dillashaw

Former WEC fighter Micah Miller is up next.

COMMERCIAL

Steven Siler VS Micah Miller

More highlights Despite White writing Siler off for not appearing enthusiastic, he ends up submitting the alleged most dangerous man in this competition in the third round. Siler wins by guillotine and Mayhem offers his boss and heaping helping of crow.

Winner: Steven Siler

John Albert VS Orville Smith

Bisping tells us that Albert comes out swinging. However, Smith ends up taking him down and despite his corner telling to stand up, he rear-naked chokes Orville Smith in the first round.

Winner: John Albert

Stephen Bass VS Karsten Lenjoint

White tells us that it's a back and forth war in the first round. Lenjoint is exhausted in the second round. Bass ends up submitting Lenjoint by triangle.

Winner: Stephen Bass

Next up is a competitor who if nothing else has the coolest name in the history of TUF contestants, Akira Corassani.

COMMERCIAL

Brian Pearman VS Akira Corassani

Round 1: They exchange punches and kicks. Akira pushes Pearman against the fence. Pearman chases Akira down with a series of punches, which ends with Akira against the fence. Pearman takes Akira down. Pearman may have a Darce choke. Pearman gives it up and both men stand. Akira attempts a standing triangle. Pearman escapes and shoots for a single leg. Akira is busted open. Akira with a knee in the body. Pearman lands an uppercut. Akira jabs to the body. Akira lands a spinning back fist. Pearman closes the distance and clinches. Akira breaks away and hammers Pearman again. Akira keeps up the pressure until he finally KO's Pearman.

Winner: Akira Corassani

8 KO's, 5 submissions and 3 decisions total. Clearly White is impressed.

White tells them that these were some of the best fights in TUF history. He ends the show by assuring them that if they continue to fight like they did today, many of them will become superstars.

And so ends the season premier of The Ultimate Fighter 14: Team Bisping Vs Team Miller.

NEXT WEEK ON TUF: The season highlights feature pranks, horsing around, threats, naked men running around the house and a pair of jackasses…there's also a donkey…get it?! See what I did there? Nevermind…

Until the next episode, be well be safe and behave!

For your convenience, here are the teams as they stand now (color coded for easy reading):

TEAM MILLER

TEAM BISPING

KEY: Fighters with name crossed out have been eliminated from the competition.