TUF 16 Coach’s Blog: Ron Frazier Says Colton Smith Earned 10-8 Round and Victory

Team Nelson coach Ron Frazier talks about last week’s episode and he says there was no doubt that Colton Smith earned a 10-8 round and victory.

Episode 6, Has more chaos in the house all surrounding Matt Secor surprise. Matt and Team Nelsons Michael Hill have rising tension between the two. At some point we can only hope some of these flare ups in the house end up in bouts in the cage.

On to the guys selected to fight Team Carwin’s Fast Eddy Ellis vs. Team Nelson’s Colton Smith. I was mildly surprised by this pick. I knew Team Carwin thought that Eddy could out grapple Colton. I knew about Eddy’s grappling he won the world USA’s Grappling trails held at Xtreme Coutures in 2011. Also throughout his career had been a pretty good grappler, I cornered Eddy to get in the house and thought he was well rounded. Nothing great but he was not going to give you anything. You were going to have to earn it.

Colton is one of the few fighters I knew before he got into the house. I help train a good friend of his Willie Floyd III, Willie brought Colton by The House Of RYU Athletic Center in Las Vegas. Just so happens it was grappling day. Colton man handled some decent grapplers’ who were a lot bigger than him. I knew this fight was sort of strength on strength. We thought Colton was a bigger, stronger less experience version of Eddy. But we were no less confident youth would be served.

On a side noted these two guys are probably the most respected fighters in the house. For Eddy’s no nonsense approach. For Colton’s similar approach which probably derives from his military background. Though Colton’s one of the younger guys in the house he has seen more than most.

R1: We wanted Colton to cover his take down attempts with strikes to make the set ups easier. We knew the left hook right hand combo was open against Eddy. Colton landed that combo a few times early even rocked eddy. took Eddy down was control of the fight. Then bam Colton gets dropped by a big right hand badly hurt scrambles for a take down, get taken down elbowed huge gash above his eye. Get back to his feet and in a clinch get dropped. But Colton shows his resolve push Eddy against the fence land a few knees starts to regain his sense as the round ends.

R2: Colton was told he needed this round to pull the fight even. Eddy was probably told to look to finish he foe. Colton come out circling, finds an opportunity to get the take down and does. Eddy is slick on the ground so Colton was careful to control Eddy Than throw elbows that open up cuts under and above both of Eddy’s eyes. Swelling also start to set in around those same spots. Anytime Eddy tried to move Colton had an answer. With over 4 minutes ticked off the clock and Colton controlling Eddy and doing damage with Elbows they are stood up, To the Surprise of everyone. Colton put the finishing touches on his big round with an overhand right that hurts Eddy badly as time was ticking down to Zero. A flying knee by Colton and the round was over.

Not sure what the judges had seen and was preparing for a 3rd Stanza. That’s it they said the fight was over. I told Roy Colton had won cause that was a 10-8 round. Really did not see much controversy. Colton was on top controlling the fight doing a lot of damage to Eddy’s face then rocked him badly towards the end of the round. Was probably right on the margin of a 10-8 rd. Differently more deserved that the one given out the week before.

Team Nelson back in control. For all the BS said about the training methods, Team Nelson is right in the competition.