The Ultimate Fighter 16 Episode 3 Recap: Tensions Escalate in the House

Tensions in the house continue to escalate in the third episode of The Ultimate Fighter 16: Team Carwin vs. Team Nelson, and one of the favorites gets eliminated.

Coach Shane Carwin gained match making control in last week’s episode with Neil Magny’s win over Cameron Diffley and believes having the ability to dictate who fights when will be a huge advantage moving forward.

“Now that Roy has lost control, we have control and we have to place all of the match ups that we believe we can win,” said Carwin.

Coach Roy Nelson hoped losing matchmaker control will motivate his team.

“Being at the Mercy of Shane being able to pick the next fight, it sucks, but at the same time, I think it might light some fire underneath out guys because now they’re thinking, oh crap, I might have to fight,” commented Nelson.

Tensions in the house continue to escalate with Matt Secor in the middle of most of it.  Team Nelson’s Nic Herron-Webb angered his housemates playing pool and jumping rope in the house late in the evening.

The teams gathered for the next fight announcedment and Coach Carwin picked Team Nelson’s Joey Rivera to take on his first team pick, Sam Alvey.

Heading into the fight, Rivera felt honored to take on Team Carwin’s first pick and stated, “I think it’s a great match up for me.”

For Alvey, the game plan was the same game plan he always employs.

“My game plan is going to stick pretty similar to what a lot of my game plans are,” said Alvey.  “That’s hit him harder and more often than he hits me.”

At the official weigh-ins, Rivera tipped the scales at an even 170 pounds while Alvey had to shed his clothes to make the 171 pound limit.

Joey Rivera vs. Sam Alvey:

Rivera came out fast, throwing right high kicks.  Alvey blocked them but quickly got taken down.  Rivera began to look for submission on the ground.  Twice he applied a guillotine choke but Alvey fought out of them.  Alvey gained top position and poured it on in the closing seconds but the first round clearly went to Rivera.

It was Alvey who worked for the takedown in the opening moments of the second stanza.  Rivera defended the takedown but Alvery landed knees to Rivera’s legs inside the clinch.  When the two were separated, Rivera landed a high kick that was the defining moment of the fight.  He followed by it with a takedown.  Alvey secured a takedown in the closing seconds but it was too much too late.

Alvey felt he won, but noted that he’d have to see the footage to be sure.

The judges scored the fight for Rivera by majority decision.  The scorecards read: 19-19, 20-18, and 20-18.

“I thought I had won the rounds. I’d have to see it.  He threw the head kicks, that I blocked.  He took me down twice.  I got back up and took him down twice.  I let it go to the judges,” said Alvey.  “I’ll bounce back and be better than ever.”

Rivera didn’t say much about his performance.  He instead told us why he fights.

“I came here to devastate the world.  This is for the resolution of my soul.  I love to fight and I fight because I love it,” he said.

With the win, Team Nelson took back match making control and evened the score with each team advancing one fighter to the next round.