Elias Theodorou of Mississauga, Ont., is one of eight Canadians competing on TUF Nations. He will be writing weekly blogs for sportsnet.ca to share an inside perspective about what went on inside the gym and house.
TUF Nations: Canada vs. Australia episode 12 recap
Eyeing the Finish Line
We’re coming down to the wire! With only two weeks remaining before the TUF Nations Finale there are plenty of fisticuffs yet to transpire. Last week, we witnessed Tyler and I clash to see who would remain undefeated, as well as for the first spot in the middleweight finale. In a three-round grinder, I controlled, lifted and slammed my Aussie counterpart to a unanimous decision victory. Hurrah! Not only am I fighting to become the first Canadian middleweight Ultimate Fighter, but also for a perfect 10-0 record, as the semifinal fights count on your record. Ten is the basis of the decimal system, and a very powerful number. That’s math, which might as well be science!
Nacho Libre
With the competition and weight watching finished, for me at least, I enjoyed my first love: Food! Immediately after our fight, I raided the fridge, freezer and cupboard to eat everything in sight. I’ve mentioned this in my previous blogs, and we’ve seen it on the show, but you can order just about anything every three days at the house — a big thank you to the shopping ladies! Also, when you emerge victorious, you can place a special order for a victory meal. If production were able to get it, they made sure you celebrated very well. Winner, winner, chicken dinner. Although everything but chicken was ordered — think pizza and nachos.
Fun and Games
With the tournament winding down, we were able to indulge in an increased amount of fun between each bout. Nothing broke the tension and daily grind more than this season’s Coaches’ Challenge, which saw Cote and Noke compete in a Lumber Jack Games, of sorts. We were dropped off at the house of the owner of the beautiful log cabin we called home during the season. Stephan lives in a log mansion, which had more stuffed heads and animal skins in it than most zoos have living creatures. The house itself was plopped directly in the middle of 200 acres of forest and wildlife. It was incredibly beautiful.
PROGRAMMING NOTE: Watch TUF Nations every Wednesday at 10 p.m. EST on Sportsnet 360 and visit sportsnet.ca for weekly recaps and blogs
The Lumber Jack Games were for more than just bragging rights though, as the winner of the best-of-three competition would get $20,000. The Coaches’ Challenge has been a fixture of TUF since the very first season, and was a surreal experience to be a part of. The first event found the two coaches throwing axes at a log target. After a few practice chucks, Cote got the best spot on the target and was declared the winner — celebrating ensued. The next event was a crossbow challenge, with both coaches aiming for an apple 100 feet away. Noke would edge out Cote, landing the flusher shot — boo. The final event was a log-sawing race against the clock for all the marbles. Both Tyler and I lent an “Enola Gay” hand to our coaches. Cote’s technique was much better than his Aussie counterpart’s and he won his first battle against Noke. The next one will take place April 16 in Quebec City at the TUF Nations Finale.
“The Next, Next GSP?”
Now, back to reality, or “As Real As It Gets” in the TUF House with the final welterweight bout set to go down. Mr. Walsh was taking on “The Quebecois Kid” Olivier Aubin-Mercier, who’s also been dubbed “the next GSP” (or “the next, next GSP,” following Rory MacDonald’s previous anointment). This was an exciting matchup. Richard is a very confident striker, who I had the pleasure to train with in Thailand at Tiger Muay Thai following the filming of the show. Richard is a very collected and accurate fighter who never wastes a shot; he also comes out of the gate ready to throw, which was an issue during Olivier’s first fight against Jake. Olivier’s strengths are very obvious being a judo black belt and jiu-jitsu stud. They key to either fighter’s success would be imposing their strengths upon their opponent.
Once the bout started, Rich came out of the blocks fast and strong, landing great, flush shots on Olivier. His punches and kicks were winning him the round. These were a tense few moments for Team Canada, with Olivier unable to find his groove, which allowed his opponent to set the tone and become confident. This changed suddenly, however, as if a switch went off in Olivier’s head. He lunged at Walsh, smothered his opponent against the Octagon and took him down with a beautiful trip. He then furthered his positional control and finally took Walsh’s back, sealing the deal with a tight RNC, earning his spot in the finale.
Canada, Heck Yeah!
With Olivier’s victory, Team Canada members will once again be competing against each other in the welterweight division, this time at the finale. With two undefeated fighters, Chad and Olivier, battling to become the first Canadian Ultimate Fighter. This is a huge opportunity and both Canadians will need to put their friendship on hold to fight as professionals for this coveted title.
Next week, fellow Canadian middleweight Sheldon Westcott will face “the Nega-Spartan,” Vik Grujic for the remaining middleweight spot. If Sheldon is victorious, we’ll witness an all-Canadian sweep and finale! However, if Vik gets the nod, we’ll see a Highlander-type fight to the death between myself and the Aussie for the right to be called “The Spartan.” Only time will tell. See you next week, and for the final time, on The Ultimate Fighter.
Spartan out!
Follow Elias on Twitter @EliasTheodorou