A Closer Look at "The Comeback"
Part Two: The Middleweights
By Peter Parsons
With the power of television, SpikeTV's "The Ultimate Fighter" reality series has brought with it legions of new fans. In many cases, fighters of the first three seasons of "The Ultimate Fighter" are more recognizable than most established UFC pay-per-view veterans.
TUF 4 aims to give a few of those pay-per-view vets their shot at this notoriety, with eight middleweight's vying for the public's attention.
Patrick "The Predator" Cote
Pro Record: 8-3, UFC Record: 0-3
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Don't let the 26-year-old Cote's 0-3 UFC record fool you. He has been in some tough battles in the Octagon early in his MMA career, including his UFC debut in UFC 50'a main event against Tito Ortiz in October 2004. Cote was set to fight light heavyweight Marvin Eastman in a preliminary fight on the UFC 50 card, but stepped up on short notice to fight Ortiz when co-headliner Guy Mezger had to drop out of the main event due to health concerns. Cote showed his toughness, defending well underneath the ground-and-pound assault of Ortiz. Cote demonstrated his power, rocking Ortiz with a right hand in the first round. Quebec native Cote went the distance with Tito losing a unanimous decision.
Cote dropped down to the middleweight division for his next fight in the UFC against fellow Canadian Joe Doerksen at UFC 52, in April 2005. Cote lost by rear-naked choke at 2:35 of the third round in a back and fourth battle that saw the French Canadian come very close to stopping Doerksen on its feet.
Cote's next bout was at August 2005's Ultimate Fight Night 1 where he faced TUF 1 standout Chris Leben. Cote lost a split decision in a fight in which he showed he could take a punch as well as dish them out.
"The Predator" has gone 2-0 since his last appearance in the UFC octagon. In February of this year, Cote defeated UFC veteran Bill Mahood in the King of the Cage promotion. Then in March, Cote defeated Jason MacDonald by rear-naked choke in the fifth round to win the Maximum Fighting Championship Middleweight title.
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Edwin "Babyface" Dewees
Pro Record: 34-9, UFC Record: 0-2
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At only 23, Dewees has had over 40 pro fights. Dewees has fought mainly in his home state of Arizona in the Rage in the Cage promotion where he began his MMA career at the young age of 17.
Dewees made his UFC debut in September 2003's UFC 44, losing by first round TKO to future middleweight champ Rich Franklin. After the Franklin fight, Dewees took over a year off from fighting MMA.
Dewees returned to MMA in 2005, going 3-0 before making his next UFC appearance against Chris Leben in October 2005, at Ultimate Fight Night 2. Dewees lost by armbar submission at 3:26 of the second round.
Dewees is known for his jiu-jitsu skills, having won the large majority of his fights by way of submission.
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Travis Lutter
Pro Record: 8-3, UFC record: 1-2
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Lutter made his UFC debut in October 2004 at UFC 50 against Marvin Eastman in a light heavyweight bout. Lutter took the fight on short notice replacing the aforementioned Cote, who stepped up to fight Tito Ortiz in the main event of UFC 50. Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Lutter knocked out the kickboxer Eastman at 33 seconds of the second round.
He returned to the Octagon at UFC 52 in April 2005, losing by guillotine choke to Olympic silver medallist and top middleweight contender Matt Lindland. Lutter's next UFC appearance was a unanimous decision loss to Trevor Prangley at UFC 54 in August 2005.
This 33-year-old Texas native got back to his winning ways in 2006, winning his last two fights by first round submission.
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"Chainsaw" Charles McCarthy
Pro Record: 9-4, UFC Record: 0-1
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In Charles McCarthy's lone UFC fight, he was on the receiving end of a David Loiseau highlight reel spinning back kick. Florida native McCarthy lost to Loiseau by TKO at 2:10 of the second round at UFC 53 in June 2005.
McCarthy has gone 1-1 since losing to Loiseau and hasn't fought since September 2005. The 25-year-old American Top Team rep is known as a submission specialist with nine out of his nine wins coming by way of submission.
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Gideon "The Gladiator" Ray
Pro Record: 13-4-1, UFC Record: 0-2
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Ray made his UFC debut in February 2005 at UFC 51 against David Loiseau. Ray lost by doctor's stoppage due to a cut at the end of the first round as a result of a Loiseau elbow.
Ray would return to the UFC in August of last year at Ultimate Fight Night 1 against TUF 1 veteran Mike Swick. Ray lost in just 22 seconds of the first round by TKO.
Since the Swick fight, "The Gladiator" has gone 4-1, losing his last fight against Jason MacDonald at the Extreme Cage Combat event in April of this year.
Illinois native Ray is trained by UFC Legend Keith "The Giant Killer" Hackney.
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Jorge "El Conquistador" Rivera
Pro Record: 13-5, UFC Record: 2-3
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Rivera made his UFC debut in September 2003 versus David Loiseau. The fight took place mainly in the clinch where Rivera slugged out a unanimous decision victory despite being cut on the head by Loiseau's razor sharp elbows.
Rivera returned in January 2004 at UFC 46 to take on Britain's Lee Murray. Rivera, who usually prefers to keep the fight standing, uncharacteristically took the British striker to the ground. Rivera lost by triangle armbar.
Rivera returned to the UFC in October 2004 at UFC 50 versus Rich Franklin in what was the future champ Franklin's middleweight (185lbs) debut. In a hard fought battle, Rivera lost by armbar at 4:28 of the third round.
Before returning to the UFC in October 2005, Rivera went 3-1 in England's Cage Rage promotion, with the only loss coming to top middleweight contender Anderson Silva. Rivera defeated veteran Dennis Hallman by unanimous decision at UFC 55.
At Ultimate Fight Night 3 in January, Rivera returned to fight Chris Leben, losing by TKO in the first round. Rivera has only fought once since Leben, defeating Timothy Williams in his home state of Massachusetts in April.
Rivera has notable victories outside the UFC against TUF 4 housemate Travis Lutter and TUF 3 fighter Solomon Hutcherson. Interestingly, Rivera also holds an amateur victory over current UFC Heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia back in October of 1999.
At 34, "El Conquistador" is proud of his Puerto Rican heritage. This Massachusetts native is a construction worker known to work as hard inside as he does outside of the cage.
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Pete "Drago" Sell
Pro Record: 7-1, UFC Record: 1-1
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Sell made his UFC debut in February 2005 at UFC 51 against fellow New Yorker Phil Baroni. Coming into the fight as a late replacement for Robbie Lawler, "Drago" defeated "The New York Bad Ass" by guillotine choke at 4:19 of the third round.
Sell returned at Ultimate Fight Night 1 in August 2005, losing by TKO to TUF 1 alumnus Nate Quarry at the 42-second mark of the first round. Many fans feel that Sell's lone defeat at the hands of Quarry was a quick stoppage, as Sell appeared to be defending himself when referee Cecil Peoples stopped the fight.
27-year-old Sell will be a housemate of his trainer, welterweight Matt Serra on TUF 4.
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Scott Smith
Pro Record: 10-2, UFC Record: 0-1
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Smith lost his lone UFC fight by rear-naked choke to former middleweight title contender David Terrell at UFC 59 in April. The fight didn't come without controversy. According to both fighters, the referee asked the pair to break from a clinch against the cage, then told them to resume. Before Smith knew what hit him, Terrell threw him down to the mat. Smith looked to the referee to complain; meanwhile Terrell took advantage, securing the rear-naked choke at 3:08 of the first round.
27-year-old California native Smith has spent less time in the UFC Octagon then any other fighter of TUF 4. However, Smith is no stranger to top MMA competition. "Hands of Steel" holds back-to-back KO victories over TUF 3 veteran Tait Fletcher and UFC veteran Justin Levens in the World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) promotion, where he became one of its stars.
Smith had fought most of his career at light heavyweight before dropping down to middleweight for his fight with Terrell. A consummate family man, Smith is an ironworker.
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"The Ultimate Fighter" season four debuts Thursday, August 17 on Spike TV (Check local listings for airtime.)
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