Canadian Michael Hill of Team Nelson defeated Team Carwin’s Matt Secor in the most controversial fight of the season on episode seven of The Ultimate Fighter 16.
Roy Nelson originally selected his top pick Dom Waters to fight, but Waters elected to pass the opportunity to one of his teammates.
Hill, of Kelowna, B.C., was chosen instead and he picked his in-house rival Secor, who had falsely accused him of stealing food during last week’s episode.
Watch new episodes of The Ultimate Fighter 16 every Friday night on Sportsnet
In round one, both men started off timid while gauging distance and finding their range. Secor threw an outside leg-kick, but Hill caught it and took his opponent to the ground. Neither man was doing much to inflict damage, but Hill spent the majority of the final three minutes in top position, which was enough to win him the round.
Secor switched to a southpaw stance at the start of round two and shot for a takedown but Hill was able to defend it and get a dominant position for a short time. Secor kept attempting to get Hill to the ground and eventually succeeded against the cage. While on the mat, Secor’s superior jiu-jitsu took over as he nearly locked in a rear-naked choke before Hill escaped. Secor controlled Hill’s back with a body triangle, but Hill was able to nullify any submission attempts by securing wrist control.
After the round, one that Secor dominated, he got up and yelled, “Is he supposed to be tough?” before walking to his corner to prepare for the sudden victory stanza.
The final frame saw Hill start throwing haymakers and he wound up on top of Secor one minute into the round. Like in round one, though, Hill was unable to land anything effective from inside Secor’s guard. Secor was able to get back to his feet and land a quick takedown of his own. He then was able to move into mount and once again quickly take Hill’s back where he finished the round like he did in round two.
As UFC president Dana White walked up to the cage with the judges’ scorecards in his hand he looked angry.
To the surprise of everyone in the gym, Hill was awarded the split decision win.
“The Nevada State Athletic Commission should be embarrassed,” White said after the fight.
This was the sixth consecutive fight on TUF 16 that has gone the distance and the third straight decision that has been marred in controversy.
Both teams are now 3-3 on the season.
Despite the win, Hill — a former Toshido MMA teammate of UFC welterweight star Rory MacDonald — was disappointed in his performance.
“After my fight I felt embarrassed. I felt like I let everybody down, from Dana White, to the producers, my teammates and my country,” the Canadian said after the fight. “I think everyone wanted to see Matt Secor’s mouth shut. I have never ever felt that pressure or jitters before. It was like I forgot everything I’d learned to this day. I just froze.
“It’s the worst feeling ever, to know that that fight would be talked about all season, and once I got out of the house, on TV worldwide. I have so much to improve on. Every fight can’t be pretty but you do what you can to win, and one thing’s for sure I won’t ever give up.”
Secor revealed he broke his right hand during the fight and it hindered his performance.
“I felt mad because of the loss. I was mad because my hand was broken and that I got robbed,” Secor explained. “I wish that my hand didn’t break. When something like that happens in a fight it makes the fight change completely. I was trying to finish but I couldn’t use my right hand at all. The mood on Team Carwin didn’t change after my loss because obviously I won that fight, it was more that everyone was pissed at the judges than anything else.”
Outside of the cage, Secor had pushed the buttons of his peers with his brash behaviour and ability to get under his housemates’ skin, but the episode showed a different side to the losing fighter. Secor, a military veteran opened up about his brother who died in combat and his father who passed away last year, and after the fight Secor was humble even after the controversial loss.
Also, Nelson brought in TUF 1 winner and former UFC light-heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin to help his team.
On the next episode of TUF 16, Nelson chooses the matchup, White visits the TUF house and gives the fighters a pep talk letting them know they need to step it up after six consecutive decisions; Nelson and Shane Carwin compete in a track and field coaches challenge; and all hell breaks loose in the house as Julian Lane loses control and has to be restrained.
