The Ultimate Fighter
TUF 21 REPORT 6/10: Penick's thoughts on eighth episode of "ATT vs. Blackzilians" season
Jun 10, 2015 - 10:35:19 PM TUF 21 REPORT 6/10: Penick's thoughts on eighth episode of "ATT vs. Blackzilians" season

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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

We continue on tonight with what's been a one-sided season of The Ultimate Fighter, as the Blackzilians last week won their sixth of seven fights against American Top Team, bringing the overall score to 200-50 in their favor. This week brings the final 50 point fight, and though ATT can still win that portion of the competition with a sweep of the 100 point fights, it'll be a very tough task to accomplish. Time for another weekly rundown of the FS1 broadcast.

-The Blackzilians are enjoying yet another victory, but Rashad Evans says they're not satisfied yet. They waste no time in picking their next fighter, with Glenn Robinson announcing in the locker room after Vicente Luque's win that Felipe Portela will be up next.

-Portela came into the U.S. from Brazil and has been in the country for over seven years. He talked about the difficulty of being away from home, but he has his wife in the country with him.

-American Top Team is somber while the Blackzilians celebrate at the house. Nathan Coy thinks it's a little classless for them to celebrate as if it's all over, but thinks the competition is far from over. Kamaru Usman thinks they've got a lot more confidence after taking out one of the veteran guys on the ATT team with one of their younger, more unsung competitors.

Carrington Banks quote: "I think with them, they want to catch us with their matchups, and we don't care which one of them we get."

Tyrone Spong to the team: "Keep snatching their souls one by one. Forget the points, just keep winning."

-ATT decides to go back to the man who got the job done for them last time, Hayder Hassan. They admit it's a desperation move, but he looked good last time out and didn't take any damage, so if it's going to happen for them, he might be the man to get it done to keep them alive.

-Dana White nearly has a heart attack expressing how ATT's back is against the cage and they need to go with the biggest and baddest that they have on the team.

-Hassan says he's told the coaches he's ready and willing to take every fight here. He's had the most realistic confidence on the ATT team thus far, and it's been clear with how everyone else on the team has been performing that he's working at a different level than his teammates right now. He's the bright spot on what has been a very negative season thus far for that ATT team.

-Hassan to the Blackzilians: "Greatness is coming. I'm the greatness, and I'm coming for every one of you guys... Put me in the cage, I'm gonna knock every one of you out."

-As they prep for the weigh-ins, with Hassan's teammates talking him up a bit, Hassan says in the back that it's the last time they go to "this f***hole gym."

-Odd moment from the weigh-in, as Portela doesn't initially step forward when called. They show highlights of the two of them competing (from last October in Titan FC), with Hassan scoring a knockout. He knocked him down with a right hand, then landed two hammerfists to the back of his head as Portela turtled up and the ref stepped in. They exchanged words in the staredown.

-We get Dana as the talking head chiming in with the same information we've been getting about the matchup. He hasn't really been adding much to this season.

-Hassan thinks Portela's been readying for him since they knew they'd both be on the show. Hassan feels wholly confident in himself, and thinks he's going to bust the confidence of the Blackzilians team with this fight.

Portela quote on Hassan: "He beat me. It's in the past. We're living in the present now."

-ATT looks over video of that fight, and Hassan believes he's going to be even better this time around.

Hassan quote on Portela: "I will break him, I will fold him, then pack him away and send him home."

-Portela's coaches and teammates think he's ready to avenge the loss he suffered last year. Portela says he's going to put in his best and get the victory.

-Hassan knows all eyes are on him in this one, and he knows the pressure he's under, but feels ready to deal with it. Time for final thoughts from both fighters and their teammates before the fight, with some quick final strategy talk in the locker room. Portela thinks he's going to give Hassan his worst fight ever, and whether he finishes him or not he expects to "beat his ass."

FIGHT: FELIPE PORTELA VS. HAYDER HASSAN

ROUND ONE: Portela scored an immediate takedown, but Hassan quickly walked up on the cage. Portela had his back standing and threw a knee that got around to the front and hit him in the cup. The ref was right there but didn't stop it, simply saying to "watch the low blow." Hassan got himself turned into Portela and got separation. He popped him back with a jab after missing a couple of punches. He landed a few more jabs and held off a takedown attempt. Portela shot in again for a single leg. He briefly completed it, but again Hassan got to his feet. Hassan stuffed a takedown with a blatant fence grab. He came back ahead and they traded punches. Portela landed a kick from the outside. Hassan got in a jab and kept walking him down. Hassan loaded up some punches but missed his target. Portela landed a hard inside leg kick. Hassan came forward with a combo that was mostly blocked. Portela kept throwing out kicks. Hassan walked him down and got in a solid body punch. Hassan landed a left hand after eating a kick. Portela shot in again but got stuffed. He landed a knee to the body. Hassan continued to move ahead as the aggressor, shoving Portela aside when he shot in. He landed a couple of strikes and Portela tried to goad him ahead. Portela landed a couple of leg kicks. Hassan got in several big strikes at the cage in combination, but Portela took them all. Portela got inside with a leg kick. Hassan got in another short combo before the horn. Probably Hassan's round.

ROUND TWO: Portela threw out a bunch of things as Hassan tried to close the distance. Hassan connected on a few strikes and kept Portela backed up on the cage. He popped him with a few jabs. Portela connected on a hard right hand of his own. They traded leg kicks. Hassan pressed forward and got in a few strikes. He landed an inside leg kick and avoided a counter. Both seemed to tire a bit as the action slowed down. They both missed winging right hands. Hassan got in a short combo and backed out. Portela came up bleeding above the left eye. Hassan kept up the pace. Portela landed a right hand, but Hassan came back ahead with a few in a row. Hassan got in another combination. Hassan again got in a combination. Portela pressed in with a few strikes, but got hit. He was exhausted. He landed a solid right hand, but Hassan came right back with five punches. Portela tried to press in, but ate another strike. Portela shot in late and scored a takedown, but got in only one strike as Hassan got to his feet. Probably would give that to Hassan as well, but there's time on the show to fit in a third round here...

-They come back with both guys in the corner, but there will be no third round. Both sides seem to think they've won, but it's going to decision and Hassan's taking it.

WINNER: Hassan via majority decision (20-18, 19-19, 20-18)

-There really shouldn't be any question on that; Portela was not nearly active enough, his takedowns didn't lead to any sustained offense, and Hassan continued to land a number of strikes for every one thrown by Portela. I don't think a third round was warranted, because I really don't think Portela did enough to win either round.

-Recap time with thoughts from Robinson and Lambert, with Robinson thinking it should have gone to a third, and he thinks the first round was Portela's, and thinks the ref should have taken a point for Hassan holding the cage. There's an argument for that, to be fair, but it's grasping at straws because Portela just simply didn't do enough.

-More moaning from the Blackzilians about that cage grab and the judges decision; Robinson tried to paint it as the big guys against the little guys and they had to resort to cage-grabbing to beat them. This after Portela straight up admits he was a little afraid because of getting knocked out last time against Hassan. Excuses, excuses on that one. No controversy on that decision.

TEAM SCORE (WEEK 8)

ATT: 100
Blackzilians: 200


-That's all for tonight, we'll be back next week for episode nine!