Team McGregor is down 0-6 on The Ultimate Fighter 31, and at risk of being shut out for the year with the final opening-round fights quickly approaching. The latest sees Jason Knight facing off with Landon Quinones.
We’re recapping every episode of TUF 31 this season — turn back now if you’re looking to stay spoiler-free.
Fishing for monster catfish and hunting gators are among Jason Knight’s hobbies. “The city life is just not for me.” In his day job, the UFC veteran is a welder, making sure his bills are paid, “but that is such a boring life.” He’d clearly rather be fighting full time.
Knight admits that after winning three post-fight bonuses, he began partying and “living it up.” That translated into his fighting career going downhill. “It’s time to make the best of it. I didn’t make the best of it the last time I was here, so this time I will.”
Coach Chandler quickly downplays last week’s shoving match with McGregor, and turns the focus back on Knight, who he believes is a bad match-up for anyone on the show.
“I want the clean sweep, which I fully intend to do,” Chandler says at one point. “I can’t wait to win all these fights.” Moments later, Knight suffers a nasty cut off a head butt in training. Knight visits the doc, who uses Durabond to close up the cut rather than sutures. Chandler, meanwhile, suggests Knight play some mind games and make sure his opponent sees the cut.
However, Cody Gibson from Team Chandler also turns out to be injured — it’s a knee injury, and requires an MRI. Turns out he has a grade 2 MCL tear. Chandler appears to downplay this, saying “the word tear and word sprain are used interchangeably.” Gibson says he plans to fight on.
Quinones discusses his game plan with striking coach Owen Roddy. Calf kicks are going to be a big part of that game plan.
“What makes me dangerous is my mentality, my composure under the chaos,” says Quinones. “I’m going to finesse him, frustrate him, and finish him,” the rookie added.
Quinones reveals that he had a tumultuous upbringing, with his mother making multiple suicide attempts, including one when he was 14 that saw him have to intervene. He fell into drugs, and had trouble socializing, too often expressing himself through aggression.
Weigh-in day arrives. No issues at the scales. Dana White says he expects the fight to be a dog fight.
Then it’s on to the fight, and it doesn’t last long. Coach McGregor, as he has been all season, is in attendance, decked out in a suit, but not cornering. He’s still the loudest voice in the arena when Quinones connects. “Beautiful shot!” Quinones gets an early takedown, but Knight is very busy off his back. Quinones gets caught in a triangle, and it’s over in a flash. McGregor is coming dangerously close to being shut out on the season. 0-7 now, and one fight to go.
“Landon has and had a lot more to show. It’s such a cruel game at times,” McGregor commiserates after the fight. Conor then asks Dana White what happens if his team loses every single fight in the opening round of The Ultimate Fighter 31. Even Dana isn’t entirely sure. It’s clear the losses are now getting to McGregor, though he still tries to boost his guys up.
On to the next (and last, for McGregor?) one.
