TUF 19 Episode 8 Recap: Gordon Decisions King
The Ultimate Fighter 19 episode #8 aired last night, and this week the focus was on the middleweight quarter final bout between Eddie Gordon and Mike King. Also featured in the episode was the a bit of drama surrounding who should do the dishes, but it fizzled out rather quickly. King declares he wants to stand and bang with Gordon, but the opinion of his team is that wrestling is the best option.
The coaches then took part in a kayak race, which B.J. Penn wins comfortably. ‘The Prodigy’ bagged $10K for the win and each of his team come away with $1500 for his efforts. On to the fourth middleweight quarter final:
Round One starts with some good jabs by Gordon, and a nice left hook in response to King’s low kicks. Gordon seems to be mixing it up well with shots to the body and head, King attempts a flying knee that misses the target. Now Gordon is pushing the action against the fence, King now pushes Gordon and lands some strikes from the clinch. They trade more strikes as they break and the round ends. 10-9 Gordon.
Round two starts and King looks more urgent, putting a good jab out there. A nice kick to the body and Gordon winces. King shoots but it gets stuffed, and then lands a gnarly ball bag shot. They break for a moment, and then engage again. Now it is King who gets poked in the eye, and says he can’t see. Could be over here, no they continue. More takedown attempts by King as his team spurs him on, but he is eating some strikes. Gordon holds on to an attempted guillotine choke as the buzzer goes. Close but probably a 10-9 for King.
Round three starts with both men looking rather gassed out. They exchange sloppily in the striking, looking for one big shot at a time, another eye poke halts the action momentarily. Herb Dean gives King a telling off, Gordon stuffs the TD as they resume, and lands a nice reversal. Back to the feet and Gordon with a nifty left hook, now a takedown. King gets up but eats a hard knee as the round finishes, and that’s a 10-9 for Gordon in my book.
The judges agree and Gordon takes home the decision, moving on to the semi-finals. Team Edgar now has the 4-3 lead, but there are no choices to make as the remaining Matt Van Buren will face Chris Fields in the 205-pound quarter final by default. The show will air next Wednesday on Fox Sports 1 at 10 PM ET.
