Jokes don't win fights. But strategies do. In the sixth episode of the mixed martial arts (MMA) reality show The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) season ten Coach Rampage focused on being funny and entertaining his fighters at the expense of Team Rashad. Coach Rashad, however, chose the high road and delivered his punch line in the octagon through Darrill Schoonover's victory over Zak Jensen.
Schoonover went into the bout against Jensen with a spotless fight record of 10-0 and the full moral and strategic report of his TUF 10 coach, Rashad Evans, in spite of some performance issues during training.
Zak Jensen, on the other hand, had a fight record of seven wins and three losses prior to TUF 10. He did not seem to be too popular with the other fighters on the show. His coach, Rampage Jackson, only showed limited support when Jensen decided to fight Schoonover in spite of the cut he suffered during training shortly before the bout.
Coach Rampage's strategy to mess with Schoonover's head by ridiculing him verbally before the fight almost escalated into a brawl between him and Schoonover, which Evans and Jensen prevented in the last minute. Watch a video excerpt of the verbal abuse by Rampage after the break.
The actual MMA match between Schoonover and Jensen seemed like a deja vu experience of last week's bout between Justin Wren and Wes Sims as Schoonover followed Wren's example and swiftly submited Jensen via triangle choke in round one.
