TUF 7 Episode Re-cap

With coaches Quinton Jackson and Forrest Griffin, the show features 32 -- not the usual 16 -- cast members. Only middleweight fighters compete on this season, dubbed "The Ultimate Fighter: Team Rampage vs. Team Forrest."

The show opens with a larger-than-normal group of fighters looking around the "TUF" gym and realizing something's up.

Dana White then enters the gym and confirms their suspicions.

"What I get tired of every season -- the thing that drives me f***ing crazy -- are the pussies and the posers who come on this show because they think they want to be fighters," White said. "They get here, and the f***ing cameras bother them, they get nervous, and they don't want to fight."

"It makes me sick to my stomach because I think of all the guys who wanted to be there and wanted that opportunity."

After a barrage of additional f-bombs and a new variant of the do-you-want-to-be-a-f***ing-fighter speech, White informs everyone that weigh-ins will take place in 24 hours and that everyone will be fighting in 48 hours. Jackson and Griffin are then told that the evaluations will take place during the bouts and that assistant coaches will corner each potential cast member during the flurry of fights.

The mass hysteria of 32 guys trying to make weight (while coming to terms with their upcoming fights and the chance of instantly being sent home) takes over the gym.

"Bunch of naked dudes," Griffin laughs. "Fantastic."

The fighters soon occupy every square inch of the gym to spar and stretch and work out to prepare for the bouts. White looks like the Grinch with an evil smile as he sits ringside, waiting for the carnage.

And just nine minutes into the episode, we jump into our first elimination bout.

Prince Mclean (4-5) vs. Mike Dolce (4-4)

Mclean is a Cincinanti fighter who trains with Jorge Gurgel. With five straight losses, he needs an impressive showing. Dolce, meanwhile, is a New Jersey fighter who finds pleasure in the fact that so many other guys are stressing about the fights. He seems thrilled to get in the cage.

Coach Jackson offers some words of encouragement as the fight begins: "Don't go home."

We are then introduced to a fairly annoying aspect of the fights: sporadic commentary from Griffin, Jackson and White. The fighters primarily drop in with corny jokes. White, meanwhile, shares his expert fight knowledge and explains to the world-class fighters what they're seeing and what's actually happening. Lucky them.

Anyway, the fight is underway, and a wild and sloppy exchange starts off things. Dolce controls the pace from the opening bell, though, and eventually drops his opponent with some stiff shots to the face, forcing the TKO stoppage.

Mclean tries to contain his emotions but understandingly takes the loss hard. Jackson's impressed with Dolce's performance but make its a point to tell everyone ringside that the guy doesn't smell that good and that it may have had something to do with the knockout. Everyone uncomfortably laughs.

Cale Yarbrough (0-0) vs. John Clarke (6-2)

Yarbrough, 21, calls himself the youngest fighter with the least experience. He's buddies with Griffin, who says his opponent -- a big wrestler -- is a bad match-up. Clarke, who had to cut 17 pounds to make weight, says this is his last hurrah in trying to become a professional fighter.

The coaches are unimpressed early on as the fighters fight from a big distance and attempt half-hearted takedowns. During a scramble on the ground, Clarke grabs an arm and nearly secures a kimura but instead takes his opponent's back. Yarbrough rolls into Clarke's full guard and then nearly secures an armbar. Yarbrough gets back to his feet, and as a gassed Clarke tries to get back to his feet, he's continually tagged with kicks and punches. Yarbrough earns the TKO victory.

Steve Byrnes (6-1) vs. Amir Sadollah (0-0)

After a 5-0 amateur record, the Virginia-based Sadollah faces a pro in Byrnes, a one-time UFC fighter. This would appear to be a pretty major mismatch.

Sadollah, a kickboxer, opens things with some straight kicks before Byrnes closes the distance and scores the takedown. Sadollah keeps his opponent tied up initially and then reverses the position. Byrnes grabs an arm and secures the armbar, but Sadollah escapes. Byrnes reclaimns the position but eats a series of elbows and punches before the round ends.

Both guys are bloodied and tired for the second round. Byrnes gets the early takedown, but Sadollah again escapes and then blasts his opponent with knees and punches. He then takes a top position and continues an assault of elbows before securing a fight-ending armbar.

The editors had to show highlights for the next four fights.

C.B. Dollaway (6-0) def. David Baggett (4-2) with a poweful display of leg kicks, elbows, and ground and pound. The assault leaves the coaches and White impressed.

Dante Rivera (10-2) def. John Wood (6-3) by scoring a takedown and then drags his opponent to his own corner, where he stops the fight with a kimura.

Nick Klein (3-0) def. David Mewborn (4-0), one of Griffin' friends and former training partners, with a takedown, ground and pound, and an arm-triangle choke.

Paul Bradley (5-0) def. Reggie Orr (5-5-1) but is criticized by White and the coaches for lay-and-praying his way to a unanimous-decision victory.

After those four condensed fights, we go back to a full-length feature.

Jeremy May (6-5) vs. Dave Roberts (4-5)

Roberts is the best friend and former wrestling teammate of Jackson, so he gets special treatment before the fight. Roberts, who fought way back at UFC 20, calls this the most important fight of his life. May, a Californian, notices the tutoring session but laughs it off when Jackson tells him to quit spying on them.

The fight's underway, and no one really connects on anything before May lets his hands fly and batters Roberts all over the cage. He somehow survives, but after trying to take the fight to the ground, Roberts gets caught in a fight-ending armbar. Jackson's devestated. May's on cloud nine and rubs some salt in Jackson's wounds when he walks by. You have to feel bad for Roberts, but May made everyone take notice.

Until next week.