The following is from TheUltimateFighter.tv, the official website of The Ultimate Fighter 5 on Spike TV:
After yet another loss, this one by Andy Wang to Brandon Melendez, a frustrated BJ Penn likens his team to the Bad News Bears. Assistant coach Tony DeSouza is getting ornery as well, especially when it came to the joking and talking of Noah Thomas during training. Soon, things got heated between the two, with DeSouza getting the best of Thomas during a grappling session.
“I take my mixed martial arts seriously,” said DeSouza.
If that wasn’t enough the Gabe Ruediger Weight Chronicles continue as he is currently at 176 pounds just days before he is about to get called in to fight Team Pulver’s Corey Hill. This pressure doesn’t stop him from taking a huge slice of ice cream cake though.
“If I have to make the weight, I will,” insists Ruediger, who then got down to the business of making 156 pounds for his fight with Hill. It was a torturous process, especially for Ruediger’s teammates, who question the methods `Godzilla’ is using to cut weight. Finally, after hitting 162 pounds with two hours to go before the weigh-in, Ruediger hits the sauna.
It’s in the heated torture chamber that Ruediger hits his wall and then finally breaks after numerous tries to make the weight. An ambulance is called for the dehydrated fighter as Hill and Team Pulver are called back to the house. The fight is off, and no one’s happy with Ruediger.
“There are 500 guys that would kill to be here,” said Thomas, and Ruediger is ostracized by practically the entire house when he returns from the hospital a couple hours later. Especially annoyed are Brian Geraghty and Ruediger’s teammate, Rob Emerson, who is disgusted by the situation.
“I was expecting some backlash, but I got considerably more than I was anticipating,” said Ruediger. “My teammates basically treated me like a pariah.”
One notable exception was Hill, who graciously accepted Ruediger’s apology for not making weight.
The next day, UFC President Dana White is back and he’s not happy.
“Nothing pisses me off more than guys not making weight,” said White. “You know how many people wanted to be here? For months everybody’s known that this show was 155 pounds. You shouldn’t be here if you can’t make 155 pounds.” Then White turned to face Ruediger. “You blew it. You’re outta here. You’re not gonna stay in the house, you’re going home.”
Ruediger left, not to return to The Ultimate Fighter house. In his place, White brought back Emerson, who lost a hard fought decision to Nate Diaz on a previous episode. White also penalized Team Penn for not keeping Ruediger’s weight in check by allowing Team Pulver to pick the next two fights.
The fights – Brian Geraghty vs Joe Lauzon and Corey Hill vs Rob Emerson.
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