TUF Live: Who got picked and who was the first to advance
Tonight’s first “real” episode of The Ultimate Fighter: Live and the first look of the shows new “live” structure. The first week of the show saw the fighters split into teams, a fighter get some bad news and the first fighter earns a spot in the quarterfinal round.
Faber wins the coin toss and elects to pick the first fight, give Cruz the first overall pick from the fighters.
Team Cruz – (1) Justin Lawrence, (3) Sam Sicilia, (5) Myles Jury, (7) Mike Rio, (9) James Vick, (11) Vinc Pichel, (13) Chris Tickle, (15) Jeremy Larsen
Team Faber – (2) Al Iaquinta, (4) Cristiano Marcello, (6) Daron Cruickshank, (8) Joe Proctor, (10) Michael Chiesa, (12) John Cofer, (14) Andy Ogle, (16) Chris Saunders
- First Fight: Daron Cruickshank (Team Faber) vs. James Vick (Team Cruz)
It’s Team Faber’s 3rd pick against the 5th pick from Team Cruz. Both are standup fighters but Faber made the pick thinking that Cruickshank had the advantage in both the striking and experience.
One fighter gets some sad news…….
At Sundays practice Michael Chiesa got called away from training to take a phone call from his mother. Chiesa is given the bad news that his father, who had been fighting a form of cancer (AML) had passed away the night before. Chiesa explained that prior to the show; he and his dad discussed this and he made him promise that if things took a turn for the worse he wouldn’t leave the house. Back at home Chiesa trains with Sam Sicilia and when he gets back to the house he pulls him aside to tell him the unfortunate news and talk with a friend.
Dana White informs Chiesa that he can fly home to do what he needs to do with his family and then fly back to the house the next day.
Fight Time……
Round one: Cruickshank opens looking very confident as he throws several legs kicks from the outside of the much taller Vick. As Vick looks to be throwing a right leg kick, Cruickshank ducks in for maybe a double leg, sending his chin right into the knee of Vick that ends the fight.
James Vick defeats Daron Cruickshank by 1st rd. KO (2:16)
Team Cruz now has control of the fight picks and Cruz picks Justin Lawrence from his team but then tells Faber that he can pick anyone from his team to face his fighter. Possibly in a bit of shock Faber asks his team if anyone wants to fight Lawrence but no one volunteers. Faber then turns to Cruz and tells him to make the pick, which ends up being Cristiano Marcello.
Justin Lawrence (Team Cruz) vs. Cristiano Marcello (Team Faber)
Category: Exclusive, Featured, MMA, UFC, Ultimate Fighter
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