Dana and BJ Incident on TUF5 Debut Episode SPOILER

Noob · #1 (**permalink**) 03-21-2007, 01:25 PM

Article I found:

Tiff Between Dana White and B.J. Penn on The Ultimate Fighter 5 Debut Episode

Posted by UFC Junkie on March 21, 2007 at 11:03 am ET
If you don’t want any sort of information regarding the debut episode of The Ultimate Fighter 5, you should probably skip over this post.
I won’t tell you who — if anybody — wins the first fight of the show, but I am going to pass along some information from Wrestling Observer regarding the division of teams, UFC President Dana White, and coaches B.J. Penn and Jens Pulver.
So, you’ve been warned.
This is your final chance to look away. Cool?
OK, here we go.
Wrestling Observer’s Mike Coughlin called the episode, quite simply, “fantastic.”
Now, I watch the UFC pay-per-views and Spike TV events for hardcore fighting action. But like any slob of an American, I enjoy trash television. The Ultimate Fighter has usually satisfied both requirements, and it looks like the upcoming fifth season will have all the immature humor I’ve come to expect.
And we get a nice big dose in the first episode.
From Coughlin’s Wrestling Observer report:

BJ Penn seemed to go out of his way to make Dana White’s life difficult as he and Pulver chose teams. After a coin-flip, Pulver had the option of choosing a fighter first, or choosing to play matchmaker first. “Lil’ Evil” opted for the latter. Penn then asked all the fighters to raise their hand if they not only wanted to be on his team, but definitely didn’t want to be with Pulver. 10 of the 16 fighters indicated they preferred the Hawaiian jiu-jitsu black belt. It not only put Jens on the defensive, it also forced him into a corner where he would have to swallow his pride because some of the better fighters wanted Penn. If Pulver wanted a competitive team, he would have to pick guys that didn’t pick him. BJ literally laughs as he tells the camera that he enjoyed putting the fighters in a position where they rejected Pulver. It’s clear Penn wanted to rile up Pulver and he did just that.
“I think he was trying to get everybody to raise their hand to make me look like a dumbass,” said Pulver. “He was trying to make them slap me in the face. I was upset because this ain’t about BJ Penn. This ain’t the f**king BJ Penn show.”
Pulver wasn’t the only person fed up with Penn at the fighter selection ceremony. Dana White informed BJ that he was only allowed one pick, but Penn, and even Pulver agreed, was saying that they should just have all the guys who raised their hand stand on one side and do teams that way.
“Whoa, what the f**k is going on here,” White said.
A back and forth verbal battle ensued with White continually telling Penn that he only had one pick. Penn would say, “Leave it up to the fighters,” to which White would reply, “One guy. You get one pick.”
“This is like f**king anarchy here,” said White. “One pick, you get one pick!”

Why do I have absolutely no problem picturing Penn as this season’s instigator? It seems as though he’ll have no problem pushing people’s buttons, especially Dana’s.
In any manner, The Ultimate Fighter 4 fell flat when it came to outside-the-Octagon antics, but it sounds like the upcoming season will have plenty. To read Coughlin’s full report, including some interesting information about 6-foot-4 155-pound cast member Corey Hill, go to WrestlingObserver.com.
The Ultimate Fighter 5, which features 16 lightweight (155-pound) fighters, debuts on April 5 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. It’ll be preceded by UFC Fight Night 9, which features a main event of TUF veterans Joe Stevenson vs. Melvin Guillard.

NixHex · #2 (**permalink**) 03-21-2007, 01:32 PM

I knew Penn would be a hassle when I seen him selected on the show. I bet some of those fighters that preferred him at first are going to dislike him as the season goes one. Penn is quick to admit he is better than everybody at everything, he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and doesn't respect anybody from what i've seen. That will rub a lot of people the wrong way, but I may be wrong, they could become his roadies.

Rockx · #3 (**permalink**) 03-21-2007, 01:38 PM

Haha I think it is hilarious, BJ Penn is a gamer. I don't see what is so wrong with it? It wasn't like he was calling Pulver names or racial slurs like Hughes did on the show.

Dana White should be licking BJ's balls...because BJ is the one bringing ratings back to the TUF show.

It is the BJ Penn show!

NixHex · #4 (**permalink**) 03-21-2007, 01:41 PM

You don't think BJ will start to wear on his fighters? What racial slurs did Hughes use btw? Wasn't he coaching against Franklin?

jlruthven84 · #5 (**permalink**) 03-21-2007, 01:47 PM

This season is going to be hilarious. BJ knows full well that he wasn't going to get his way on that, he just wanted to rile everyone up...and Pulver mad is funny as hell.

Looking forward to this.

Rockx · #6 (**permalink**) 03-21-2007, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by g'nightXX

You don't think BJ will start to wear on his fighters? What racial slurs did Hughes use btw? Wasn't he coaching against Franklin?

I believe Matt said to Din Thomas "I can see those big lips moving over there"
He also put down GSP multiple times...but I didn't see Dana saying shit then.

Anyways BJ is a tough customer, and will be the best coach that TUF will ever have IMO.

Ubermensch · #7 (**permalink**) 03-21-2007, 01:52 PM

I think it is funny. They put together two guys that hate each other, and then BJ hates Dana also, what do you expect will happen? Do you expect BJ to be Mr. Nice guy all the time? Plus it looks like Dana made a stupid rule in letting who ever won the Coin flip pick all the match ups for the whole TUF season. Really unfair advantage and if you are a competitor like BJ of course you are going to even the score. I would.

BigBanda · #8 (**permalink**) 03-21-2007, 01:54 PM

Hughes is just a ball buster that likes making cracks. The guy isn't a terrible person or racist... some ppl are just taking it way overboard.

Anyways this season of TUF I am looking forward to. I think Penn stirring shit up and causing tension between Pulver and himself as well as Dana will make it all the more interesting.

NixHex · #9 (**permalink**) 03-21-2007, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rockx

I believe Matt said to Din Thomas "I can see those big lips moving over there"
He also put down GSP multiple times...but I didn't see Dana saying shit then.

Anyways BJ is a tough customer, and will be the best coach that TUF will ever have IMO.

I thought Din Thomas was on the Comeback Season, and they didn't have a coach for that. And Hughes puts down everybody (which is why I don't like him as much as I used to) but I don't remember him using any racial slurs. BJ is definitely a badass, and knows everything there is to know about MMA but I just think his personality will wear on his fighters like Shamrock when he coached. I'm not saying his training is going to be ANYTHING like Shamrock's at all, just that those "better than you" personalities wear on people over time.

Noob · #10 (**permalink**) 03-21-2007, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigBanda

Hughes is just a ball buster that likes making cracks. The guy isn't a terrible person or racist... some ppl are just taking it way overboard.

I wouldn't go so far as to say he's a terrible person, but he's certainly said a few things in the past that make you wonder if he doesn't carry some measure of prejudice. He's not a terrible person, but he can be a bit of a dick and I think that is what people are reacting to.