It’s A Two-fer!!!

When we last saw our potential Contenders, Michael Stewart had just KOed his friend Ebo Elder after Elder was dominating their fight and Elder was taken off in an ambulance. He’ll be OK, I’m sure. If he wasn’t, they would’ve told us.

Michael returns to the loft where the other fighters were talking about the previous results and Ebo getting hurt and he discusses his friendship with Ebo. He also mentions his family and how he feels badly about what happened. He didn’t want to take him out like that.

Tommy comes in, introduces Michael’s wife Amy, and quickly shuffles the blue team off to another room where they will get their reward. The guys are gonna get some bling!!! There is a display of several jewelry pieces made with yellow diamonds and they are told they can each pick 2 items.

Later on, we head off to see what is happening with the remaining 4 fighters. Freddy’s wife doesn’t want him to have to fight Steve and tells him on the phone to decide whats best for himself. He visits his family and has dinner with them. Nick visits his family and tells us about being a dad. Jeff discusses his chicken pox last season and talks about his second chance at the tournament, and Steve tells us about formerly holding a title belt and how he had to forfeit it because he didn’t make weight.

Now, since the blue team has the right to choose the next pair of fighters, they effectively have the say in the final two pairings because once one match up is chosen, the last two remaining fighters will have been decided. Despite what we are led to believe previously, Freddy will indeed fight Steve and Jeff will be paired with Nick. Jeff and Nick get ready in their locker rooms. Jeff has his dad and girlfriend come there and Nick gets to see his family as well.

Now on to the first of two fights! In round 1, Jeff looks not up to par and Nick dominates. Round 2 sees more of the same. In round 3, Jeff finally wakes up and takes control over Nick. Jeff gets a cut over his left eye, but Nick is raring to go! Round 4 has lots of combinations landed and Jeff has several more that Nick. The final round, where it seems that we are all evened up at this point (from what we saw of the fight), will be the decider. Nick is totally in control here and he also suffers a cut, but… by unanimous decision… Nick is the winner! They didn’t tell us the scores, so I am led to believe, it wasn’t as close as we saw in the edited version.

After the fight, Jeff slams the door of his locker room. He’s disappointed in himself and feels he dropped the ball. He feels like a quitter, especially given what happened last year, but that was really out of his control. The doctor disqualified him for illness. He hangs his gloves and leaves the gym.

On to fight number 2! In the locker rooms, we get the usual preparations. Freddy tells us it’s been 4 years since he fought and Steve visits with his wife. Steve also tells us now we’ree going to get to see why nobody else picked him to fight in the first round. During round 1 of the fight, Freddy comes out furiously swinging, he even gets Steve against the ropes, but Steve get him against the ropes as well and lands a few uppercuts, still that round was likely Freddy’s. In round 2, Steve is punching like crazy! Freddy takes everything he can give and keeps going. I’d call this round for Steve. Round 3 and round 4 are too close to call because both of the fighters were wailing on each other the whole time! …or at least form what we are shown they were. Round 5 starts out with more of the same, but Steve gets a little swagger in his step in between shots and begins prancing around the ring as if he’s just toying with Freddy at this point. Again the fight is won by unanimous decision in favor of Steve, but again we aren’t given the scores! Maybe it wasn’t as close as we thought either. Editing can make a fight look much closer and more exciting than it actually is. *shrug* Steve certainly looked like he’s going to be the guy to beat in this tournament!

Freddy returns to his locker room. His kids are crying. He tells them many encouraging things and keeps his chin up reminding them it isn’t the end, it’s just a new beginning. He hangs his gloves and leaves the gym.

Next week: We are down to the Elite 8 and there are no more teams. It’s every man for himself! The guys who’ve had the privilege of making it this far will be brought out and get to buy new suits. Plus, we’ll see the first pairing of the second round, which has Steve Forbes up against Nick Acevedo.

Slice & Dice Sigpic Chop Shop 2005