Comments on: TUF 6: Episode 6 Thoughts/Recap

By: Poustman

Poustman — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 20:06:10 +0000

Coming into the show I was predisposed to think more highly of Hughes than Serra due to their reputations as fighters: Hughes one of the greatest welterweights, Serra a good fighter but not in the same ‘hall of fame’ league (so far.) Well, as coaches I’ve been of the opposite mind, with Hughes seeming to be a truly wretched coach and Serra a surprisingly good one. (Remember when Serra ran Shoni’s corner in the comeback season? He was good there, too.)

Having your own coaching school means zero: Hughes’ name is big enough that he’d have one simply by putting his name up on a billboard– and more power to him, nothing wrong with that. But this show he has done a terrible job of a) motivating b) preparing c) enriching, the guys on his team. The occasional insights into the problem when he is alone are followed up by him stumbling over his massive ego when with the team. Example again in this episode, in the cameo confessional or whatever he says, ‘Maybe the problem is me’, then immediately gets in front of his team and berates *them*. I don’t blame Hughes for having a big ego in the UFC context– he’s a great fighter and has been a great champion– but coaching is a different game. You don’t motivate most people by kicking their a**es, nor do you prepare them by beating the tar out of them. As for enriching, his biggest contribution seems to be nearly inaudible guidance from the corner, then shaking his head in disgust when it isn’t followed.

Serra & his ass’t are *always* easily audible in every fight. Their directions are clear, encouraging, positive. Hughes is almost never heard by the mics that we viewers hear, and when he is it is generally in a disgusted tone that implicitly saps the will of the fighter. An experienced pro like Mac can handle that, but these guys who are just beginners (relatively speaking) need much more constant patter, which Serra gives very well.

If Mac wins it will be in spite of Hughes, not because of him. If George wins, Serra & his coaches will have been a valuable support and enrichment to George. Both fighters are saying as much already.

I’d be surprised if Hughes didn’t win in the upcoming bout with Serra, but coaching-wise Serra is clearly better, by a very long margin. He’s no Queen Esther , and hasn’t brought in any witch doctors, but he knows how to coach.

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By: screwface

screwface — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 20:02:46 +0000

j-roc seemed like a deer stuck in headlights. if he is good we certainly didnt get a chance to see it. george was def comfortable in the cage and made quick work of j-roc. props to george. next weeks coming attractions make warmachine seem super nervous. hope he doesnt go out like j-roc

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By: Nuge

Nuge — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 14:31:39 +0000

on the subject of the fight itself, george definitely looked like he was way more comfortable out there while jared seemed nervous and gun-shy. they have identical reaches, but watching the fight you’d swear george had a 5″ reach advantage. jared wasn’t even close to landing his punches and the only significant blows he landed were a few a leg kicks. jared did however show a brief flash of brilliance for the 10-15 seconds that they clinched and were on the ground. if jared had tried to clinch with george and go for more takedowns he still might not have won, but he would’ve made a better showing out there.

matt hughes and his other coaches need to stop beating up and causing injuries to the people who are about to fight. he bitches about his fighters not giving 100%, but going too hard in training and injuring them is not going to help that cause.

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By: screwface

screwface — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 00:09:11 +0000

on paper, hughes def has the better team, i swore he was gonna run thru every fight.
serra has his team acting like a team, and brought in his good guys to prepare fighters for thier fights. if anything serra picked a bunch of reg guys and within a month made them all better fighters and you can see it in his fighters eyes the level of appreciation they have for him. hughes and his guys have done absoulutley nothing to prepare his guys except to create an atmosphere of disgust which by no means helps fighters morale. hughes did his homework and picked better fighters and thought he could sit back and let thier natural skills win fights, but best laid plans of mice and men yadda yadda. this season may have a weaker cast then past seasons, but i can honestly say serra has impressed me. month or not hes the better coach and if war machine loses so be it as serra got stuck with him anyway. hughes has always been an arrogant **** and maybe this will humble him into a better person…..maybe. yes danzig will prolly win it all but hey who didnt see that coming. although no1 thought billy miles would lose either, stranger things have happened.

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By: john

john — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 23:58:21 +0000

Don’t count George out for winning the show.
He’s got experience in Japan and fought many times quality opponents in Australia.
He was also at this year’s ADCC (losing to Marcelo Garcia).

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By: paddiosf

paddiosf — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 23:28:59 +0000

Accomando brings up a Good Point….Mac Danzig is going to win and he’s on Hughes Team, so Hughes will get the last laugh when it’s said and Done….If Danzig losses somehow I’ll be really surprised……

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By: Adam Morgan

Adam Morgan — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 23:24:23 +0000

“I don’t suck up to or respect any of the monkeys writing this shit any more than I respect the rest of you MMA dorks posting here like me.”

Ooooh, oooh, eee, eee, ah, ah, ah!

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By: el feo

el feo — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 22:42:58 +0000

and on another note, how awesome of a name is “mac danzig”?

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By: el feo

el feo — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 22:36:35 +0000

no matter what mac danzig does, or what happens in the title fight, matt “ha ha i got the team i wanted” hughes will never live down 7-1. Or 6-2…but i’m picking the former.

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By: Accomando

Accomando — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 22:22:05 +0000

“…And is the talent level not terrible this year?…”

You are dead on here, it bleeping terrible.

My question is, ya, Serra goes 7-1 or whatever, but if Mac Danzig wins, doesn’t that mean “team” Hughes won??

This isn’t a team sport, expecially since you have to eventually fight the guy on your “team”, and anyway, they have known eachother for less than a month.

George is right one in that case. These losers need to get woke up at 10 fucking 30, are you kidding me??? Hillarious, in his Australian accent, how George said, “want me to make you breakfast too?”

When you think about it, no matter what happens, Hughes won it all on the first episode by triggering Matt Serra’s best man to ruin his life. Now him and Serra don’t even speak, that cuts deep.

Hughes will get the last laugh as well.

Danzig will win it all, and Serra already lost his best freind and eventually, will lose his belt as well at the hands of Hughes.

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