UFC TUF 21 episode 5 recap: Marcelo Alfaya battles Jason Jackson

UFC TUF 21 episode 5 recap: Marcelo Alfaya battles Jason Jackson

By Steve Juon, Wrestling Observer

Quick update: American Top Team has cut the lead to 100-50 after Hayder Hassan knocked off Andrews Nakahara last week in the first round. Glenn Robinson: “Nothing changes. We lost a fight. So now our job is to avenge Naka’s loss.”

Marcelo Alfaya from ATT says he’s living a dream just being in the TUF house, but he wants to fight. His teammates joke that if they win the six figure contract, they can afford to pay THE TAXES on the mansion they’re in for one year.

At the Blackzilians’ gym they’ve chosen Jason Jackson to have the next fight. Rashad Evans says this show is a microcosm of your life, how sometimes you’ll get the call to fight again two weeks later after a big win. Robinson: “He really loves that feeling of adversity. He begged to go to the opponent’s gym because he wanted the feeling of being booed.” Tyrone Spong: “F#%! strategy – who wants to win?”

Jackson talks about hailing from Jamaica. “I was lost as a person and as a fighter. Blackzilians, they took me under their wing. Everybody is like family. The life I’ve chosen is to take care of my son. My mom is struggling every day and I want that to stop. If you underestimate me I’ll come at you like a shark – pull you down and drown you.”

ATT is debating about who to pick next, and they either want Nate Coy or Marcelo Alfaya to go next. Alfaya suspected he would be next because he’s already in a sauna suit trying to get the weight off, and says he knew there was a chance as far back as Monday. He talks about his family back in South Brazil. “I believe in God, if he wins I win and if I lose he loses.”

15 minutes into the show and it’s time for the weigh-in. Jackson is 170.5. Alfaya is 170 even and he screams in joy on the scale. He puts his shades on, then takes them off for the staredown with Jackson. The two coaches line up behind their men. Dana White says Alfaya has great jiu-jitsu and Jackson has great stand-up plus a reach advantage.

Marcelo Alfaya (American Top Team) vs. Jason Jackson (Blackzilians)

The fight gets underway at 10:34. Alfaya is in the blue trunks, Jackson is in the black. Neither man gives up an inch for the first thirty seconds, staying right in the center and feleing out the range. The ref calls time at 45 seconds because Alfaya’s mouthpiece comes out and he gets a verbal warning. Alfaya goes for a takedown at 2:10 but Jackson winds up on top. They both get up quickly. He goes for it again but can’t keep Jackson down. Jackson does a foot stomp and they break at 2:38. Alfaya keeps going for the takedowns over and over again but all he’s really doing is sticking Jackson to the fence and not letting him do much but block the takedowns. If it weren’t for ATT buzzing in the background it would be a boring round. Nobody knows who won it.

R2 is underway at 10:44. Alfaya gets off a couple of good shots and Jackson backs up briefly. Alfaya is slowly pushing him toward to outer circle. Jackson is getting through with his jab on the counter strikes though and Alfaya’s face is turning red. Scoring is going to be all about what you’re looking for as a judge. Alfaya is controlling the Octagon, but Jackson is doing more damage. Again it’s the crowd that’s making this. A Las Vegas crowd would be much less invested and excited about it. Either way with ten minutes left in the show there’s less than a 50/50 chance of a sudden victory round.

One judge has it 19-19 and the other two have it 20-18 for Jason Jackson. The Blackzilians regain control and go up 150-50. Dana White: “That was not the fight I was expecting. That was a huge disappointment.”

That’s all for TUF this week!