With Melvin Guillard no longer on the show the stage was set for another fighter to step forward and show they were the next great personality in the house. Episode #4 began by depicting Joe Stevenson as slacking off with his training and drinking, all in an attempt to liven things up. Like Melvin previously, Joe would be called out but would the outcome be any different then Melvin’s fate?

Jorge Gurgel, Marcus Davis and Anthony Torres were seen forming a secret alliance, whereby the strategy was to concentrate on fighting everyone on the other teams first and then look at fighting each other, but only after their opponents had been eliminated from the show. Also, it looked as though the house was turning into a game of spy vs. spy as Jorge was later seen speaking with Joe and revealing who on their teams wanted to fight someone on the opposing team, believing this information would help lead those two being the final two welterweight fighters left on the show.

This week’s Team Challenge featured the welterweights in a game called ’Hang man’. Three fighters from each team were selected to compete in an attempt to be the last man hanging. There was no striking allowed, however you could wrap you legs around an opponent to try and bring him down. Team Franklin was declared the winner and given they had just won their first challenge as well as the last fight (Brad Imes), they definitely had momentum on their side.

Team Franklin was now in a position to pick their opponent for the first time and being the oldest person on team, Marcus Davis was given the opportunity to fight first (per his request). He was strongly leaning towards fighting Joe Stevenson and this prompted Dana to question the logic of this season’s fighters. The trend thus far has been tough guy vs. tough guy, whereby Dana felt Team Franklin’s strongest link should attack Team Hughes’ weakest link. By continually having each teams best fighters square off, there’s a good chance both fighters are going to end up at the hospital, as was evident in the first fight of the season when Josh fought Melvin. In that fight Melvin ended up with a broken hand, Josh ended up with a broken arm, thus win or lose both fighters would have left the show because of their injuries.

Nonetheless, to Dana’s dismay he made the announcement the second welterweight fight of the season would be Marcus Davis vs. Joe Stevenson. This would be a fight were the best boxer takes on the best takedown guy in the house. Marcus was a former New England Gold Gloves champion, so Joe’s strategy wouldn’t be to stand and strike with him, but rather take Marcus down and GnP. The unfortunate part about having the best striker in the house fight the best wrestler in the house so early was that one of these guys will go home, and they’ll be unable to help train other fighters on their teams who might need some help in one of those areas.

Prior to the fight Matt Hughes took the opportunity to get under Jorge Gurgel’s skin and questions his heart. Matt had had heard all along that Jorge would be the first fighter from Team Franklin to fight when they could control their own fate and pick an opponent, but when Marcus was announced as Team Franklin’s representative Hughes said Jorge was just all talk. This no doubt got into Jorge’s head as you could see a difference in him after Hughes began razzing him.

The fight between Joe and Marcus began with a long feeling out process, with Marcus throwing a few jabs to keep Joe at a safe distance from shooting in. However, Joe finally timed it where he shot in for a single leg takedown, picked up Marcus and slammed him to the mat, ala his coach. Joe quickly moved to get side control and was able to tie up both his arms, one with his legs and the other with his right arm. Joe’s left arm was free, which he used to land a number of vicious elbows into the side of Marcus’ head. Once Joe knew he had both of his opponents arms pinned down were he couldn’t use them to block, he started landing elbows with a piston like motion, and it was only a matter of time before Marcus tapped out.

Next Week – Team Hughes suffers an injury, Matt and Jorge continue their verbal battle and 2 heavyweights square off in the UFC Octagon.