This is the debut edition of Zak Jensen's blog on the tenth season of The Ultimate Fighter for MMATorch.com. Jensen is one of 16 heavyweights competing on this season of the show, which airs on Spike TV every Wednesday starting September 16th. Check back weekly for his thoughts on every episode throughout the season, heading to the finale on December 5th in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Hello, my name is Zak Jensen and I will be MMATorch.com's TUF 10 blogger for the season which starts this Wednesday, September 16th, on Spike. I will be blogging each week and also answering fan questions from the just aired episode. This pre-episode one blog is to introduce myself to you, the fans and to let you know my thoughts of what went on before all the action started. I've got some questions that were presented to me this week to get started:
It's known that no one had to fight to get into the house this season; when you realized that would be the case, were you initially relieved or were you simply prepared either way coming into the UFC gym?
I was prepared either way to fight the first day or second day if we had to weigh in when we got to the UFC Training Center. I think everyone including myself thought we were going to be fighting to get into the house, it being the past practice of the show. When I arrived and walked through the door into the training center I was in awe. It was extremely surreal. A million things were racing through my mind. One of which is "Oh my god I am on The Ultimate Fighter." I know it sounds lame but I was awe struck at the journey I was about to embark on.
We've seen in the eight minute preview of the first episode that they had you guys do a workout in front of the coaches before they picked teams, who was running your workout (if you remember) and did it matter to you which team you ended up on?
Dana told us to break up into two groups of eight. Each group would train for an hour with each head coach and his assistants. I was in the group that was with Rampage and his coaching staff first. Which consisted of Rampage, Tiki Ghosn, Tom Blackledge, Junior Perez, and Hector "Sick Dog" Rameriez. I was in the group of four that sparred first and Tiki was taking notes and running who went with who and when we switch in and out of the ring. The group of four that I was with during Rampage's training segment was Jon Madsen, Scott Junk, Myself and Marcus Jones. After about a half hour we switched to wrestling and grappling which was in the Octagon. Junior and Hector were running that phase and Rampage was walking around and watching everyone very carefully. After we were done with the first hour both groups switched to go through another round with the opposing coach. Rashad had Greg Jackson, Mike Van Arsdale, and Trevor Wittman. We did some combination exchanges in the Octagon and then hit the bags for awhile they were looking for technique during those parts and we finished with 2 min of wrestling and then 2 min of ground where each person was in guard for a round and then switch positions for the last round. The session with Rashad and his coaching staff was shorter than the session with Ramapge at least it was for the group I was in.
I did not care who was my coach, each are former world champions, each had great coaching staffs where if the head coach couldn't help you their coaching staff could. Having two former world champions as possible coaches is only a win, win situation in my book.
What were your first impressions of the house when you got in there for the first time?
It looked familiar because it was the same house that was used for Season 8 and Season 9. It was also strange knowing that this is where I would be for the next six weeks. After I walked in the door it was a race to get rooms. It was a beautiful house, and if you have to be locked in a place with no phones and no TV that is the place to do it.
What was your first meeting with Dana White like? (if it happened early on)
My first impression was as him as a peace keeper between Rampage and Rashad. Dana had to come out before we even started to calm them down. He is a very a matter of fact kind of person is what I got from my first meeting with him.
What was the feeling among the guys in the UFC gym that you were talking to as everyone was coming in and waiting to find out what was going on?
Everyone was friendly and was talking to everyone else we were all in a new and strange environment. Everyone was also counting and coming up with fifteen people; only fifteen people meant two things: one, we did not have to fight to get into the house, and two, there was a surprise waiting for us, who the sixteenth person was.
What was your initial reaction to Kimbo walking in the door?
I was thinking "really, Kimbo fricken Slice, here we go, the Kimbo show." Those were my first thoughts. My second thoughts were that I was not scared of him or worried about having to possibly fight him. Being a wrestler I would just take him down if I fought him. I really do not think anyone was worried, I think most of us were saying, "Come on really, you have to be kidding."
I look forward to blogging through out the season and answering fan questions about each episode. Check back every week and see my thoughts and personal insight on the previous episode. Remember to watch every Wednesday on Spike, it will be the best season yet.
Thank you
-Zak Jensen
After tomorrow night's debut episode, if you've got a question for Zak, email it to TUF10TorchBlog@gmail.com. Zak will choose a few questions each week with which to respond.
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