The Ultimate Fighter 17 Episode 9 Recap: Wild Card Settled and Quarterfinal Matches Revealed

It was revealed in last week’s episode that Team Jones’ Bubba McDaniel would face Team Sonnen’s Kevin Casey in the wild card match to determine who gets a second chance at the competition.

McDaniel called out Casey earlier in the season.  He wanted to face Casey in the preliminary round.  He ended up taking on Kelvin Gastelum instead, and lost by submission while Casey was defeated by Collin Hart.

“I do feel more pressure to win this fight.  I’m not going to lie.  I feel a pretty good bit of pressure because I did come into the house as one of the top guys, and I did go out and got beat,” said McDaniel.

“This win means everything to me.  I don’t want to go home a loser a second time,” said Casey.  “Bubba called me out at the beginning of the show and now it’s on.  May the best man win.”

Bubba McDaniel vs. Kevin Casey

The opening round was a grappling contest.  Casey quickly pulled guard and got the fight to the ground.  He stood and powered McDaniel to the canvas.  He passed McDaniel’s guard three times.  McDaniel worked his way back to his feet only to be taken down again.  Casey was in complete control.

The second round would be different.  McDaniel landed a leg kick to start the round and Casey quickly clinched.  McDaniel landed punches and knees to the body before Casey pulled guard.  McDaniel battered Casey to the body and head with punches and elbows for the duration of the round.  Casey was slow to get back to his feet when the round ended.

Nevada State Athletic Commission Executive Director Keith Kizer notified the fighters that there would be a third round, but Casey couldn’t continue.  He quit on his stool between rounds.

McDaniel asked, “Does that count as a finish?”  UC president Dana White replied, “Yeah, we’ll give it to you.”  McDaniel gained $5,000 and a rebirth back into the competition.

“I felt great in the first round and about mid-second round I felt my body starting to go down.  In 2010, I had a similar situation where I had kidney failure during a fight, so it kind of happened to me again,” said Casey after the loss.

Casey was taken by ambulance to the hospital for observation.

“I’m back in it.  I won my fight and I felt good about it,” said McDaniel.  “I looked at his face before we stood up.  They were telling me, ‘get ready for a third round.’  I said, ‘He ain’t getting off the stool.’  That’s the coolest thing that I’ve ever had happen in a fight.  I beat a dude and took his will where he didn’t want to come out and fight no more.  It feels great.”

Coaches Jon Jones and Chael Sonnen were called to a room with Dana White to deliberate the quarterfinal match ups.  Each fighter was called in and asked who they wanted to face.

McDaniel was the first fighter called in.  McDaniel said he’d like to face either Jimmy Quinlan or Luke Barnatt.  Quinlan requested to fight McDaniel.

Dylan Andrews asked to fight Barnatt.  Barnatt asked for McDaniel or Andrews.  Kelvin Gastelum said he’d like to face Collin Hart.  Hart asked for a bout with Uriah Hall.  Hall didn’t hesitate in asking to fight Josh Samman.  Samman requested to face Quinlan.

The coaches told White the matches they wanted to make.

The fighters were gathered to announce the quarterfinal matches.

The first quarterfinal bout announced was Collin Hart vs. Kelvin Gastelum.  Andrews will face Barnatt in the quarterfinals.  Both fights will be featured in next week’s episode.

The next bout announced was Samman vs. Quinlan.  The final quarterfinal match will be between Uriah Hall and Bubba McDaniel.