Brandon Sene's TUF Blog: TUF 7 Episode 6 in a fighter's shoes
Fight Ticker member Mohawk is none other than TUF 7 contestant Brandon Sene. Sene is blogging here at FightTicker.com during the current season of TUF.
Hello everybody! Well this episode was definitely action packed as you very well saw. Two fights: first up Jeremy May vs. Matt Brown, next in line was Dan Cramer vs. Luke Zachrich.
Let’s start off by taking a look at Matt Brown and Jeremy May. Jeremy had been antagonizing the hell out of Matt and trying to get inside his head, I guess, even though I think it is just how Jeremy is. I had heard so much buzz about this fight, “They are building Matt Brown up too much, so he has to lose” and “I know Matt Brown or well… I don’t but I have this friend who does and he isn’t tough at all -- he definitely is going to lose”! lol Well, I guess you can put all of those theories to rest now. Matt is a great guy and a good fighter -- there is no doubt he is a tough SOB!
Jeremy hadn’t been training at all before this fight -- he literally was sitting around the gym watching us train every day. Claiming it was a knee injury, but 5 minutes later he would be doing some BS that there is no way anybody with an injury could do (balancing on a tire, playing soccer, running, etc.). Everybody was like, "What the hell, is this guy serious or what? Why isn’t he conditioning and training?" What bothered me the most about the situation was Jeremy was just always doing something to cause drama. He always had a snide comment or some little stunt to pull that was just out of line. That sort of thing is fine, but you have to balance it out and be a gamer. It seemed like that was all he was interested in (drama) not fighting and training. In the end it goes to show what that mindset, lack of preparation, and overconfidence will get you.
Matt is the polar opposite of Jeremy -- he is focused, mature, and takes the sport and life very serious. He is the quiet guy that you are just not too sure about you know? Lol
One thing I have to throw in here is Forrest and his coaching. While he may have been sounding a bit amusing with his voice breaking, and his frustration, Forrest and his assistant coaches were coaching the hell out of their fighter, and doing a very good job. Cameron and Mark are great corner guys.
So to wrap this up, we all saw the fight and I think it speaks for itself -- not the most impressive display by Mr. May. Matt handled his business and came out on top and now advances. In the post fight confessionals Jeremy still won't admit he got beat -- in traditional Jeremy May style he said something along the lines of “that would never happen again in a million years” and “that wasn’t me, I am a way better fighter” and most impressively “he got lucky”!!… Yeah, OK. I just have such a hard time respecting that!
Moving on to the next fight -- Dan Cramer vs. Luke Zachrich. This was a classic slug fest and Dan just stood strong longer to come out with the win. Luke and Dan are both very tough guys who wanted this fight bad. They put on an impressive display and show for everybody.
OK. I have to throw this in here. I wish I would have fought either one of these guys, or at least somebody like them so I could have actually had a fight instead of... whatever I had! I am very upset that my fight was not a decisive win or loss. I want to lose because I was beaten by a better fighter, not because some judges said I lost. If you go to Spike TV and watch “Rampage Rampaging” there is a lot of behind the scenes footage from that fight and decision -- it shows Rampage trying to challenge the decision. Or trying to at least find out how it was scored and they can't even answer him!
Dan Cramer is a good guy and a tough kid! He really is surprising -- I remember first seeing him and thinking he doesn’t really fit the profile of a fighter. Dan is a nice guy and like I said looks more like a male model than a fighter! Lol. Soon after we started training it was clear he was a strong fighter.
Luke Zachrich is a great guy too, and a talented fighter as well. He came into the house with an impressive record of 7-1-0. I had watched him fight actually in his only loss to Danny Ruiss awhile back, and despite the loss I was impressed with him.
So anyways props to Dan and Luke -- great fight and definitely a fun one to watch!
Visit Brandon at his MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/sene8541
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Great Blog, and I was so
Great Blog, and I was so glad to see May go down!
EERS_1_Fan
Head of South East Tribe MMAFIA
MMABRAT, CaptnCrunch, and Michael are all going to start training in the devils MMA lol
Great points said on May. He
Great points said on May. He has a lot of growing up to do and needs to mature out of the ring before he is going to become a better fighter in the ring. Those post fight comments where absolutely mind boggling and very immature. How did Matt get lucky? I guess he was lucky that May didn't train hard enough and wasn't conditioned to go even a round. I guess Matt was lucky that May was so gassed that he was caught with a great knee which buckled him and then was caught with one of the best head kicks I have seen. That was awesome. Just a full foot in the face without any attempt at a block. Great ending to a good fight. I didn't really like May before the fight but just like Mohawk, I have no respect for his post fight comments.
I also enjoyed watching Rampage after his team finally got a win. His description of the fight was hilarious. I couldn't understand about 75% of what he was saying but he was just so happy to get that monkey off his back and get a win.
The real Cincy55 - Head of the MMAfia's Canadian Family
what was he talking about?
what was he talking about? jeremy jitsu? he didn't have any jits! great blog mohawk. it's crazy how certain people throw away oppurtunity's and act like jackasses(may)
Underboss MMAfia
Head of the West Coast Family
ULTIMATE CHALLENGE CHAMPION UFC 83
I think he was talking about
I think he was talking about how well he talks a kick to the face. That was some badass jeremy jitsu there.
Actually, he said it was what he calls his style of fighting. Coming up with anything to get the win. I guess it didn't work to well because Matt got lucky.
The real Cincy55 - Head of the MMAfia's Canadian Family
..how can he say matt got
..how can he say matt got lucky? you were dead on with your previous posts cincy. who else saw that lame gullitine he was trying to get with no hooks in? looked like may thought that was gonna seal the deal with that.
but i guess that's as far as his ju jitsu gets...that's why its called jeremy jitsu, it's the jujitsu for "special" fighters
Underboss MMAfia
Head of the West Coast Family
ULTIMATE CHALLENGE CHAMPION UFC 83
What do you know, Jeremy May
What do you know, Jeremy May punched himself out flailing around like a wounded pigeon. He's lucky Matt Brown didn't knock him out even sooner the way he had his chin sticking out and his toothpick arms waving around--Jeremy-jitsu, give me a break.
Anyway, amazing fight from Cramer and Zachrich, probably the best so far this season. Thanks for the run down Mohawk...
Anyone else not that
Anyone else not that impressed by some of these fighters so far? Luke-Dan was a good fight but I don't think either are that good of a fighter. Sadly Bradon was one of the better looking fighters I've seen so far and he's done. Hopefully someone else who hasn't fought yet looks good because I can't see any of these guys so far surviving much in the UFC.
-The Captain
as long as dante rivera
as long as dante rivera doesn't make it to the finals i'm happy.
Underboss MMAfia
Head of the West Coast Family
ULTIMATE CHALLENGE CHAMPION UFC 83
TheCaptain wrote: Anyone
Anyone else not that impressed by some of these fighters so far? Luke-Dan was a good fight but I don't think either are that good of a fighter. Sadly Bradon was one of the better looking fighters I've seen so far and he's done. Hopefully someone else who hasn't fought yet looks good because I can't see any of these guys so far surviving much in the UFC.
-The Captain
Agreed. I haven't seen anyone who can hang with Silva/Henderson/Franklin/Okami/Wandy let alone Filho/Sonnen/Lawler/Kala Hose, etc.
But, I think that's what the show should be about -- finding up-and-coming talent, paying special attention to those who are quick learners and who show athletic skill and are young. I believe Brandon fits the bill to a t.
Agreed FT, the show should
Agreed FT, the show should be about people with potential and determination, not fighters that just think their something special. That’s where we get the Forrest Griffins of the UFC
Rampage said it best when he
Rampage said it best when he said that May only put $2 in the gas tank! All of the fighters looked to get winded much more quickly this episode. Nerves maybe? I dont know... I remember thining that with both May and the second fight, that they started out with a world-class type pace and there would be no way to keep that up. I guess chalk it up to inexperience...
I guess we can add Jeremy
I guess we can add Jeremy May to the list of guys like Noah Inhofer, Tait Fletcher, Kristian Roethaermel, Jeremy Jackson, Gabe Ruediger, Marlon Sims and Joe Scarola...guys who are known more for what they said (or in the case of Fletcher and Roethaermel, saying no to a fight) than their fight.
that's quite a
that's quite a list...
Underboss MMAfia
Head of the West Coast Family
ULTIMATE CHALLENGE CHAMPION UFC 83
Yeah, why bother remembering
Yeah, why bother remembering those guys? They decided to blow their golden opportunities and should pay by forever wallowing in the depths of obscurity and wondering what they might have made of their MMA careers.
Also, when dogging on the level of talent on this season of TUF, you might consider how hard these guys were training every day and how little notice they had before each fight. It's not as if they could train to peak before their fights, cause they never knew until a day before that they were fighting.
I don't think there's a lack of talent, it's just that under the circumstances (esp. w/ the nerves) the fights are bound to look either sloppy (Dan & Luke) or boring and lame (like what Dante did to Brandon). This is because the guys have either exhausted themselves training and/or are a little too well aware of how big an opportunity TUF really is (nerves=lay and pray).
I mean after the way he looked on TUF 2, who would've ever thought Keith Jardine would've beat Chuck Liddell?
i think he's just saying
i think he's just saying there have been better performances by the fighters in previous seasons. and the lack of talent was real evident last season as only 3 guys(i think) are under contract with the UFC...
Underboss MMAfia
Head of the West Coast Family
ULTIMATE CHALLENGE CHAMPION UFC 83
Whether it's lack of talent
Whether it's lack of talent or rather lack of experience remains to be seen. I have to say I'm actually very impressed by both Sene & Riddle so far this season and think that they'll show their true potential once they've gotten a few more fights under their belts.
i'm impressed by them too,
i'm impressed by them too, they both only had 2 fights going into the show, and these fighters usually train with the coaches after the show too and get better
Underboss MMAfia
Head of the West Coast Family
ULTIMATE CHALLENGE CHAMPION UFC 83
Too early to know if it was
Too early to know if it was a lack of talent... I still chalk it up to nerves. The pace May went for Matt Brown with was unsustainable unless your name is Uriah Faber - similarily the same was true for Dan/Luke. That's inexperience/nerves more than anything. Also, excellent points about them not getting a chance to condition thier bodies to 'peak' for the fight...
Luke/Dan reminded me of a war you might see at an amature event between weekend-warrior types. That's my favorite kind, raw, full of talent and lot's of passion. I thought it was a good, entertaining fight - just disappointed they both gassed out.
I'll be honest (I always
I'll be honest (I always am), I wasn't impressed with Jeremy at all. Not in his fight with Matt or in what they showed of his preliminary bout. I was glad Matt kicked him in the head, and I was very impressed with Matt's knockout, though I'm not really sold on the guy (he didn't start the fight as strong as I though he should).
I was impressed with you, Brandon, but I seem to be the only person on here who thinks that Riddle's game is too juvenile to be successful on the big show. He drew a guy who I think is good, but not the best guy in the house, and if he had gotten stuck with one of the better strikers or wrestlers, I think he would have gotten killed. Instead he just got stuck with jiu-jitsu that he couldn't beat and good experience, and the submission took care of him. He could have won that fight, but he fought it like a juvenile, without a serious gameplan, without thinking.
Dan and Luke was a great fight, and I hope that we see both guys around, because even though their skills aren't quite refined yet, they were definitely ready to go to war.
As for Brandon, you had a good fight and dropped one. Best of luck to you, we all lose some, and sometimes it happens earlier than others. Frankly, I think you got a raw deal getting stuck with one of the tougher guys right away, but it happens. I think that Dante is one of the better fighters in the house and you made a mistake going to the ground with him, but it happens.
brandon made a mistake going
brandon made a mistake going to the ground with him? he wanted to stand? i don't see how dante is one of the better fighters? holding someone for 15 minutes isn't what a good fighter does.
Underboss MMAfia
Head of the West Coast Family
ULTIMATE CHALLENGE CHAMPION UFC 83
Brandon had the opportunity
Brandon had the opportunity to pull out of that footlock, get the fight back to his feet where he was comfortable. Maybe he lost sight of that in the heat of the moment, maybe he was frustrated that he got hit pretty hard a few times standing up. Whatever the decision came from, I think it was a bad one.
As for Dante being one of the better fighters, he's 10-2, trains out of Renzo Gracie's camp, has some legit wins and plenty of impressive submission victories. I wasn't talking just about his fight with Brandon. If I was, I'd be more inclined to agree that we've seen better guys in the house, but honestly, Brandon and Dante are the two best fighters I've seen (for the record, I'm putting Tim Creduer third in my power rankings, because I appreciate a good butterfly guard game), and it's too bad they had to fight each other.