TUF 10 Episode 10 Recap: Beach Volleyball edition

The tenth episode of The Ultimate Fighter immediately begins at Team Rashad's training session with Matt Mitrione discussing his health status with Rasahd Evans. There is a back-and-forth about what kind of injury Mitrione actually suffered as Mitrione says he has swelling of the brain. The coaches say that if that was the case he wouldn't be medically cleared to fight.

Back at the house James McSweeney bitches about Mitrione's attitude to the rest of the cast as he is the one who has to fight Matt.

At Team Rampage's training session Rampage immediately asks about Mitrione's status. The training session proceeds to focus on Kimbo Slice preparing to fight James McSweeney just in case Matt can't go. 

After the commercial break it is back to the gym to watch Team Rashad train for their fights. Brendan Schaub will fight Jon Madsen. During a sparring session James McSweeney calls over Rashad to ask a question on Schaub's behalf. Roy Nelson quickly intervenes as Rashad didn't want to play favorites by coaching one fighter more than another fighter.

Kimbo Slice gets a medical checkup from an orthopedic doctor who informs Kimbo that he is missing cartilage at the end of his femur and tibia. The doctor tells Kimbo he can take a cortisone shot or drain the fluid. Kimbo says no to the treatment options and swears that he will fight again.

It is time for the coaches challenge and it is beach volleyball (cue the Top Gun montage sequences). Each coach gets an assistant coach to be their partner. Rampage and Tiki face off against Rashad and Mike van Arsdale

The first game goes to Team Rampage 15-8. Game two goes to Team Rashad 15-10. Game three goes to Team Rashad 15-13. Rashad wins $10,000 and the Team Rashad fighters win $1,500 each.

Of course it ends with Rampage and Rashad start jawing at each other.

That night at the house the cast makes an ice bath for Kimbo Slice to help heal his knee.

Back to the fights.

Rashad helps Jon Madsen during his training session and Brendan takes notice saying that wrestlers stick together.

When we return from commercial break Rashad and Matt have a heart to heart about Mitrione fighting. Matt appears to be breaking under the tension of being on reality television. During a confessional interview Mitrione says that he is ready to be done with the show and wants to go home to his "normal life."

Rasahd decides to take the decision out of Matt's hands and calls Dana White, which means it is time for this season "do you want to be a f@#$ing fighter" speech. 

At the weigh-in Schaub comes in at 239lbs. while Madsen is at 247lbs.

The fight is a classic wrestler vs. striker match-up.

Before the fight James McSweeney uses his patented face slap to pump up Brendan Schaub. To be honest it is kind of scary. 

The fight begins with each fighter feeling one another out. Madsen finally shoots and secures the takedown but is unable to mount an offense from Schaub's half guard and the referee stands them up. Madsen shoots again and after a prolonged clinch battle along the cage Madsen gets the takedown but once again fails to mount any offense. Jon wins the first round due to position.

Round two begins with Brendan taking the center of the cage. Madsen keeps backing up drawing Schaub closer before shooting for a takedown. This time Brendan is able to effectively sprawl. Schaub proceeds to walk Jon down  and then throws a straight right and follows it with another right, which knocks Madsen down. The referee immediately stops the fight.

Brendan Schaub def. Jon Madsen via KO (punch) - Round 2, 1:39.

Rashad seems less than enthused with Brendan's victory commenting that Schaub was holding onto the fence a lot and should have been docked a point. 

At this point the DVR runs out (sorry was watching WEC 44) so no preview for episode 11 but I bet there was a tease for Kimbo Slice coming back.