01 May TUF 15: Episode 8 notes and results

Episode 8- April 27, 2012
Sam Sicilia (10-0, Team Cruz) @SamSiciliaTUF versus Chris Saunders (9-2,Team Faber) @kidisgoodis the fight for this episode. Sicilia was Team Cruz’ 2^nd pick, 3^rd overall in the draft while Chris Saunders was Team Faber’s 8^th pick, 16^th overall.
Vinc Pichel and the rest of Team Cruz are shown celebrating Pichel’s victory in their lock room. Pichel submitted John Cofer (Team Faber) last episode.
John Cofer is emotional after his loss but says: “I know I’ll be back.”
Sam Sicilia (Team Cruz) is shown training for his fight. Dominick Cruz says Sicilia throws very hard punches and he is excited for this fight.
Ronda Rousey comes to the training centre with Dominick Cruz to help his team train. Rousey is an Olympic bronze medalist in Judo and the Strikeforce MMA 135 lbs. women’s champion. Rousey teaches Team Cruz some Judo techniques. Rousey says she feels “blessed and lucky” to be the first female coach invited to The Ultimate Fighter. Team Cruz is thoroughly impressed with Rousey and she is impressed with them.
Urijah Faber and his coaches and Dominick Cruz with his coaches go to the Ultimate Fighter house to watch UFC 145 with the fighters. Ronda Rousey goes to the house but everyone seems intimidated to speak to her. Jeremy Larsen (Team Cruz) figures they’ve been secluded in the house for so long they’ve forgotten how to act around women.
Chris Saunders is shown training and is excited to spar with his coach Urijah Faber. Saunders was born in Long Beach, California but moved to Montreal, Quebec before moving back to California for school.
Sam Sicilia (Team Cruz) says he fought 11 times last year. Dominick Cruz says he was impressed by Sicilia’s win over Eric Beach to enter the house.  Cruz says it’s going to be a tough fight for Sicilia. Cruz wants Sicilia to put pressure on Saunders and use his wrestling.
Urijah Faber and his coaches empty Team Cruz’ locker room and fill it with exercise equipment. Faber and his coaches get into their underwear and have an intense workout in Team Cruz’ locker room. The workout leaves the room hot and smelly according to Cruz. Faber said he wanted to “violate” their lock room.
Sam Sicilia (10-0, Team Cruz) @SamSiciliaTUF versus Chris Saunders (9-2,Team Faber) @kidisgood (TUF 15 light-weight tournament)
Round 1- Sicilia lands an overhand right hand and clinches Saunders against the fence. Sicilia and Saunders exchange knees to the body and continue to clinch against the cage. Sicilia lands some punches as the fighters separate but Saunders lands a momentary takedown. Sicilia quickly gets to his feet and clinches Saunders against the cage. Sicilia lands a trip but Saunders gets right back to his feet and lands knees to the body as he clinches Sicilia against the cage. Saunders lands a solid leg kick and a head kick that drops Sicilia. Sam Sicilia pops back to his feet and the fighters clinch against the cage. Saunders lands big knees and punches but Sicilia fires back. Sicilia lands good punches but Saunders clinches up and lands knees to the body. Sicilia looks for a takedown but eats a solid elbow as they continue to clinch against the cage. The fighters separate, and Sicilia lends a huge right hand that drops Saunders. Saunders gets back to his feet but eats another punch from Sicilia as the round comes to an end. I would score Round 1 for Sam Sicilia: 10-9
Round 2- Saunders and Sicilia exchange punches in the first 30 seconds. Sicilia lands a good punching combination and a knee before clinching Saunders against the fence. Sicilia lands heavy punches that bloody the nose of his opponent. Chris Saunders lands a big takedown but Sicilia reverses the position and gets to his feet to land heavy strikes. Sicilia looks for a takedown but Saunders reverses the position and winds up on top of his opponent. Saunders tries to take his back but Sicilia escapes and gets to his feet. Sicilia lands a huge left hook that drops Saunders. Sicilia attempts a guillotine but Saunders pops his head out and lands in Sicilia’s guard. Saunders works some punches from the guard but is swept and they get back to their feet. Sicilia lands another left hook and knee to the face and takes deep breathes in the final 30 seconds. Saunders lands a couple light punches as the fight comes to a close. I would score Round 2 for Sam Sicilia: 10-9
Chris Saunders def. Sam Sicilia via split-decision (no scores given)
Chris Saunders is happy he won the fight. Sicilia says he lost a close decision to a tough guy.
Andy Ogle (8-1,Team Faber) @thelittleaxe will fight Mike Rio (8-1,Team Cruz) @mikeriommanext week to determine the eighth and final quarter-finalist next week. Ogle was Team Faber’s 7^th pick, 14^th overall in the draft while Mike Rio was Team Cruz’ 4^th pick, 7^th overall.
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Quick week-by-week results
Week 1- March 9, 2012 Results
Joe Proctor def. Jordan Rinaldi via submission (guillotine) at 2:08 in Round 1
Cristiano Marcello def. Jared Carlstens via submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:43 in Round 1
Sam Sicilia def Eric Beach via KO (punch) at 0:08 in Round 1
Chris Tickle def. Austin Lyons via KO (punch) at 0:24 in Round 1
Andy Ogle def. Brendan Weafer via unanimous decision (10-9, 10-9, 10-9)
Vinc Pichel def. Cody Pfister via technical submission (rear-naked choke) at 3:39 in Round 1
John Cofer def. Mark Glover via unanimous decision (10-9, 10-9, 10-9)
Chris Saunders def. Chase Hackett via unanimous decision (10-9, 10-9, 10-9)
James Vick def. Dakota Cochrane via split-decision (10-9, 10-9, 9-10)
Michael Chiesa def. Jonathan Vistante via submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:05 in Round 1
Mike Rio def. Ali Maclean via submission (rear-naked choke) at 3:32 in Round 1
Justin Lawrence def. James Krause via TKO (punches) at 1:25 in Round 1
Daron Cruickshank def. Drew Dober via unanimous decision (10-9, 10-9, 10-9)
Jeremy Larsen def. Jeff Smith via unanimous decision (10-9, 10-9, 10-9)
Al Iaquinta def. Jon Tuck via unanimous decision (10-9, 10-9, 10-9)
Myles Jury def. Akbarh Arreola via unanimous decision (10-9, 10-9, 10-9)
Week 2- March 16, 2012- James Vick (@JamesVickMMA) def. Daron Cruickshank via KO (knee) at 2:16 in Round 1
Week 3- March 23, 2012 – Justin Lawrence (@AmericanKiddMMA) def. Cristiano Marcello via KO (punch) at 3:16 in Round 2
Week 4- March 30, 2012- Al Iaquinta (@AlIaquinta) def. Myles Jury via split decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29)
Week 5- April 6, 2012- Michael Chiesa (@MikeMav22) def. Jeremy Larsen via unanimous decision
Week 6- April 13, 2012- Joe Proctor (@joeproctor) def. Chris Tickle via submission (rear-naked choke) at 0:18 in Round 1
Week 7- April 20, 2012- Vinc Pichel (@fromhellpichel) def. John Cofer via submission (arm-triangle choke) at 4:16 in Round 3
Week 8- April 27, 2012- Chris Saunders (@kidisgood) def. Sam Sicilia via split-decision (no scores given)
Quarter-finalists: James Vick (Team Cruz), Justin Lawrence (Team Cruz), Al Iaquinta (Team Faber), Michael Chiesa (Team Faber), Joe Proctor (Team Faber), Vinc Pichel (Team Cruz), Chris Saunders (Team Faber), TBD.
Teams
Team Cruz: Justin Lawrence (3-0) 1^st pick, 1^st overall, Sam Sicilia (10-0) 2^nd pick, 3^rd overall, Myles Jury (9-0) 3^rd pick, 5^th overall, Mike Rio (8-1) 4^th pick, 7^th overall, James Vick (4-0) 5^th pick, 9^th overall, Vinc Pichel (7-0) 6^th pick, 11^th overall, Chris Tickle (7-4) 7^th pick, 11^th overall, Jeremy Larsen (8-2) 8^th pick, 15^th overall.
Team Faber: Al Iaquinta (5-1-1) 1^st pick, 2^nd overall, Cristiano Marcello (12-3) 2^nd pick, 4^th overall, Daron Cruickshank (10-2) 3^rd pick, 6^th overall, Joe Proctor (7-1) 4^th pick, 8^th overall, Michael Chiesa (7-0) 5^th pick, 10^th overall, John Cofer (7-1) 6^th pick, 12^th overall, Andy Ogle (8-1) 7^th pick, 14^th overall, Chris Saunders (9-2) 8^th pick, 16^th overall.
Click here for notes and results from Episode 7