TUF 19: Team Edgar vs. Team Penn Week 4 Notes: First Finish of the Season

The fourth episode of The Ultimate Fighter: Team Edgar vs. Team Penn featured the second middleweight match-up between Team Penn’s Tim Williams and Team Edgar’s Dhiego Lima.

Team Edgar Tired of Losing

Two fights into the season, it’s been all Team Penn. And Team Edgar is growing tired of losing.

“Losing sucks. Two-in-a-row. Not what we planned,” said coach Frankie Edgar. “I don’t like to get beat at anything. I wouldn’t say we’re being out-coached, but they’re winning these match-ups.”

“Going 0 and 2, we’re frustrated,” said Team Edgar middleweight Eddie Gordon. “Especially a couple of those fights slipped through our fingertips. We know every fighter in this house is tough, and that’s why we push so hard in practice. So we can get control in the Red Team’s court.”

The Fight: Dhiego Lima vs. Tim Williams

Williams appeared on the seventeenth season of The Ultimate Fighter, but was defeated by Dylan Andrews to get into the fighter house.  He didn’t want his second chance at the UFC to end like his first.

Williams pressed forward from the moment the opening bell rang.  When the opportunity arose, he closed the distance and took Lima down.  Lima spent nearly four minutes on his back unable to get to his feet while Williams controlled the position and landed punches and elbows.  Williams mounted Lima and took his back.  The first round was dominated by Williams.

Lima adjusted his strategy and moved laterally in the second round.  Williams secured an early takedown, but this time Lima was able to get to his feet.  He began to land power shots as Williams’ pace slowed. At one point, Williams caught his mouthpiece as it flew out of his mouth from a left hand by Lima.  They slugged it out through the middle portion of the frame.  Williams worked to get the fight to the ground, but Lima sprawled.  Lima quickly transitioned around to Williams’ back while locking in a rear naked choke.  Williams was forced to tap out, and Team Edgar got their first win of the season.

“Being in a bad position, especially in the first round like that, you have to stay calm.  You can’t lose your head.  If I head lost my head there, he would have choked me out,” said Lima about the first round of the fight.  ”I completely lost the first.  All I had in my head was I’ve gotta finish.”

“I hung in there and got the finish,” added Lima.  ”A nice little bonus money.  Always great to get a finish.  So I’m really excited.”

“I was two minutes from winning.  I feel bad.  I let myself down,” said Williams following the loss.  ”I wanted to win The Ultimate Fighter.  Now I’m back where I was before I got on.  I lost.  I didn’t even make it to the semifinals.  I feel terrible.”

Fight Announcement

Team Edgar gained matchmaking control with Lima’s win.  Coach Edgar selected Corey Anderson to represent his team in the next light heavyweight match-up.  He’ll face Team Penn’s Josh Clark.