Vina meets ‘Wolverine’ in featherweight bout
“The Ultimate Fighter Brazil” was back Sunday night with a broadcast streamed on TUF.tv – the season’s sixth episode. HeavyMMA has a complete episode recap here, including the third fight of the season.
Episode 6 Recap
We start out at the house, with the fighters talking about Vitor Belfort‘s team being up 4-0 – and we get some differing opinions on the classic topic of fighting teammates. Some have no interest in doing it if given the choice; others think it would be an honor.
We head to the TUF Brazil training center for the fight announcement. Belfort tells the fighters that he and opposing coach Wanderlei Silva have decided to do two consecutive featherweight fights, following last week’s bout at 145. He also then compliments the fighters on Team Wanderlei that his fighters have already beaten., including telling Leonardo Macarro he believes he should already be in the UFC. We cut to a confessional with Silva, and he says he’s grown tired of Belfort’s speeches – which we’ve heard from him before.
Marcos Vina from Team Wanderlei and Hugo “Wolverine” Viana from Team Belfort is the fight pick. We get a flashback to Wolverine’s elimination fight, which he won by TKO, a flashback to Vina’s elimination fight, and, of course, confessionals from the fighters talking about their backgrounds and how they got here interspersed with training session footage.
At the official weigh-in session for the fight, Vina is on at 145 pounds. Silva says he expects a good performance and his team’s first victory. Wolverine is also on the mark at 145. The two square off as Silva continues to say he believes it’s time for his team to get a win down 0-4.
Marcos Vina (19-3-1) vs. Hugo “Wolverine” Viana (5-0)
Round 1: Good combo from Wolverine, but Vina clinches and looks to throw knees along the cage. Wolverine looks to answer back and they continue to trade knees and look for position for a minute. They break and Wolverine takes the center of the cage. Vina goes for a high kick and misses, landing on his back as wolverine looks for a way to get inside and avoid Vina’s upkicks. But Mario Yamasaki lets Vina up. Wolverine backs him up with a nice combination. Another good combo from Wolverine. Vina kicks again, and again falls off balance and is on the mat with Wolverine looking for a way to safely get inside. And again Yamasaki stands things back up. Leg kick and a couple good combos from Wolverine that keep Vina at bay. Vina starts to put some offense together in the last 40 seconds, but Wolverine gets an easy takedown in the closing seconds. It’s a pretty clear 10-9 round for Wolverine.
Round 2: Brittney Palmer reminds us its the second round, and we’ve never been happier. Slow start to the round, but 30 seconds in Vina puts together a nice combo. Good outside leg kick from Wolverine. Good knees from Vina as they clinch up – it’s his best output of the fight so far. Wolverine even appears to be in danger. But he survives it and comes forward with some kicks, then clinches up. Vina is the one backing Wolverine up at this point. He gets inside and lands a nice right, but Wolverine answers with a bigger one. Wolverine now starting to put together some bigger offense this round. Good punch-kick combo for Wolverine. As the round comes to a close, Vina lands a good inside right that knocks Wolverine’s mouthpiece out. HeavyMMA has a close round for Vina, meaning a third round. But the judges see it differently.
Result: Hugo Wolverine def. Marcos Vina, unanimous decision
Silva laments the loss, saying he knows Vina is capable of better. Belfort says he wants all eight of his fighters into the semifinals. Belfort’s team celebrates moving to 5-0. Silva and his coaches are frustrated being down 5-0, believing the fighters are not listening to them.
Gaspar and Rony Jason talk about having to fight each other. Silva is upset about it and wishes Gaspar didn’t have to fight a friend he lived with for two years. Belfort says he didn’t know enough background about the friendship.
Lyoto Machida stops by the TUF house. The fighters talk about what they can learn from him, and he talks about the pressure you will always feel as a fighter. The scene is also a good product placement commercial for Bony Acai.