Friends and Foes
The winning fighters arrive at the TUF house and make a mad dash to claim their beds for the next 6 weeks. A married male fighter finds himself in the awkward position of having to room with girls. He finally convinces a teammate to switch beds with him. The next morning, one of the fighters picked for the first preliminary fight pays a visit to an orthopedic specialist. The doctor examines him and voices his concern for an injury that could have an impact on the fighter's ability to fight. Training officially begins as both teams have their first sessions with Joanna and Claudia. Right off the bat, the coaches show a stark difference in their approach to the game. Having to share the same gym proves to be challenging and sparks fly when Joanna runs into Claudia outside the locker rooms. The two teams waste no time in shifting focus to the first preliminary fight matchup. As it turns out, the fighters know one another and are actually quite familiar with each other's styles. One of them knows that his striking will be the key to victory while the injured fighter anticipates having to take the fight to the ground. Meanwhile, a female fighter comes down with an illness that prevents her from training effectively. The day of the weigh-in, the animosity between Joanna and Claudia takes center stage as Joanna decides to bring her championship belt to the gym. That night, the ailing female fighter suffers more complications and ends up collapsing at the house. Fight day arrives and the two competitors show tremendous respect for one another prior to their bout. A dynamic battle ensues and the first semi-finalist is revealed. Finally, the winning coach picks the second preliminary fight.
