Episode No. 6 recap: ‘The Ultimate Fighter 19: Team Edgar vs. Team Penn’

Episode No. 6 of “The Ultimate Fighter: Team Edgar vs. Team Penn” opens with coaches B.J. Penn and Frankie Edgar discussing the upcoming matchup between Team Edgar’s first pick Ian Stephens and Team Penn’s last pick Roger Zapata.

Stephens discusses losing his father at a very early age in life and how that provided motivation to fight in MMA. He says his strategy in the fight will be to fake the takedown and look for the knockout blow.

Zapata says he left his newborn child to join the cast for this season of the reality show. He is struggling with the separation aspect, but is greatly incentivized to provide the best life possible for his daughter.

At the next Team Penn training session, former UFC welterweight champion and Hall of Fame member Matt Hughes joins the team as a guest coach. Hughes, a wrestling specialist, teaches the team several grappling techniques.

Coach Penn states the importance of Zapata earning a victory and regaining momentum for the team after two consecutive defeats.

With training complete, both fighters are prepared for the third middleweight quarterfinal matchup of the season.

TEAM EDGAR’S IAN STEPHENS (4-0) VS. TEAM PENN’S ROGER ZAPATA (5-1)

Round 1 – Referee Steve Mazzagatti oversees the action. Stephens opens with an outside leg kick. Zapata pumps the jab. Stephens with a body kick. Both fighters try to find striking range with their hands. Stephens shoots for a double leg takedown and presses Zapata against the cage. Stephens moves to a body lock and takes the back. Stephens slams Zapata to the ground and takes the back again. Stephens looks for a rear-naked choke but can’t finish. Stephens lands another takedown and Zapata quickly stands up. Stephens gets another takedown and takes the back again. Zapata throws back elbows at Stephens face. Zapata defends the choke well but can’t get Stephens off his back. Zapata finally escapes to his feet as the round comes to an end.

Round 2 – Stephens lands a hard overhand right to start the round and immediately shoots for a takedown. Zapata defends and throws elbows to the head. Stephens keeps pushing for the takedown, gets its and immediately takes the back. Stephens tries to secure an arm-triangle choke and Zapata gives up his back to defend. Stephens punches, tries to lock in a rear-naked choke and can’t finish. Zapata spins out and finally gets back to his feet, but he’s still stuck against the fence. The round ends with Stephens scoring another takedown and taking the back.

Round 3 – Stephens opens with an overhand right and a completed takedown attempt. Stephens briefly takes the back and Zapata spins into top position. Zapata throws punches and elbows as Stephens gets on top. Zapata throws an illegal downward elbow and after being warned for the foul several times over the fight. Referee Mazzagatti takes one point away from Zapata. The action breaks and the doctor checks on Stephens. He’s fine to continue and the fight resumes. Stephens immediately dives for a takedown. Zapata gives up the takedown and fights to get back to his feet. Stephens maintains top position and fires off punches. Stephens takes the back and tries for a rear-naked choke. The round ends with Stephens throwing punches.

Roger Zapata def. Ian Stephens via decision

The gym explodes with confusion and rage over the shocking decision victory for Zapata. UFC President Dana White, along with everyone else in the gym, is perplexed how Zapata won the third round after a point deduction.

White later explains that in the sudden victory round, two judges scored the round a draw while the other scored it 10-8 for Stephens. That makes the fight a majority draw. However, for an inexplicable reason, the commission opted to have the judges select a winner by circling a name on a piece of paper and they chose Zapata.

Somehow the decision stands and Team Penn takes a 3-2 lead in the competition. With control of fight selection, coach Penn elects for his No. 1 light heavyweight pick Anton Berzon to face Team Edgar’s No. 2 pick Patrick Walsh.

Catch new episodes of “The Ultimate Fighter 19: Team Edgar vs. Team Penn” every Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET (7 p.m. PT) on FOX Sports 1. MMAjunkie recaps each episode of the reality series.