Welterweight fighter Roman Mitichyan
The shows starts with former welterweight champ Matt Hughes and current champ Matt Serra picking their teams.
Serra takes Joe Scarola, George Sotiropolous, Matt Arroyo, John Kolosci, Ben Saunders, Roman Mitichyan, Troy Mandalowiz and Richie Hightower.
Hughes picks Dan Barrera, Mac Danzig, Tommy Speer, Billy Miles, Jared Rollins, Dorian Price, Blake Bowman and Paul Georgieff.
Right off the bat, we find out that Roman Mitichyan hurt his arm in the evaluation process for the show. He then goes to the doctor to get it X-rayed. Although I really feel for Mitichyan, I have to admit, his visit at the doctor's was hilarious:
The doctor tells him his elbow is broken and he says, "I'm going into depression right now." The doctor then says Mitchyan will not be able to fight.
And that sets Mitichyan off:
"I don't know what's wrong with you. I'm here to fight. You're making me laugh now. You're a comedian ... I'm not trying to be an a------, I swear. Seriously, I'm like really a nice guy, but don't push my buttons. Now you're pushing my buttons now ... What are you gonna do, you gonna put on the paper, 'do not fight'? And then I'm gonna tear that up and then I'm gonna fight."
The doctor tells him again that his elbow is fractured and he yells, "I don't want to hear you! You said the same thing like over 120 times already!"
He kicks a trash can, and then as he's leaving, he looks at some degrees on the wall and says: "I believe in your diplomas, doctor. I know you're a wise guy."
Out in the parking lot, Mitichyan says, "Everybody's trying to calm me down. Calm down! Calm down! No! I'm not calm, man. ... This 5-foot-4 guy is telling me not to fight. Doctor is out of his f------ mind."
So Dana White, UFC President, sends Mitichyan packing, and brings in Jon Koppenhaver to replace him.
After some training footage, it's time for Serra and Hughes to set up the first fight. Serra got to pick the first fighter, which was Scarola, and so Hughes gets to pick the first fight. He decided to put one of his fighters, Mac Danzig, in the cage with Scarola, ironically enough.
Hughes said his strategy was that he was goingt o send hsi tough guys to take out Serra's toughest guys, right from the start.
'I'm gonna go right after his heart right from the beginning," he said.
Serra tells Scarola, "You gotta make a f------ example of this guy ... Man, I don't care if you get scratched up, cut, whatever. hey, they put Humpty Dumpty back together again, all right?"
Underlying all this, of course, the title shot between Serra and Hughes.
Danzig, who we learn is a vegetarian, says about the fight, "Anything can happen. I can slip on a banana peel and get hit with an overhand right, but I don't think that's gonna happen."
With the firts round nearly over, Danzig sinks in a triangle choke on Scarola, who taps out.
Next week, "Hughes begins to turn his team into a war machine" the preview says, while Scarola (I thought he was eliminated???) "hits rock bottom."
Yeah, the hospital visit was funny. I did feel bad for the guy though, didn't even get a chance to see what he was all about.
I was also excited to see Mac Danzig on this season. He is a former King of the Cage Lightweight champ and had a pretty good run too. Was a fan of him then and rooting for him to win the season.
Hey Ryan -- Good to hear from you. Looks like Mitichyan is an actor/stunt man. he has his own Web site. Danzig looks strong and I too wouldn't be surprised if he went all the way. I'm staying tuned for the psychological wafare that Matt Hughes wages.