Tuf 2 Debuts Strong
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TUF 2 Debuts Strong By Loretta Hunt The Ultimate Fighter has become the ultimate platform for mixed martial arts in the United States. Garnering mixed pre-show reviews from high-profile media outlets such as The New York Times, last night’s season two premiere drew approximately 2.1 million viewers — an 85 % increase from programming in that slot a year ago, according to Spike TV reps. TUF 2 also saw gains from January 17th’s TUF 1 season premiere with a 67% increase (2.5/643,000) in the Men 18-34 demographic and a 38% increase (2.1/1,067,000) in Men 18-49. The show was rated #1 in its cable time slot for both demographics. |
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Telligman Speaks on Sylvia KO; Plans to Compete Again By Loretta Hunt Despite getting knocked out by former heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia with a vicious high left kick to his temple in the last second of the first round of Saturday night’s UFC 54 competition in Las Vegas, UFC 54 competitor Tra Telligman was back home in Texas and in good spirits Monday — and he plans to fight again. Unconscious for moments on the Octagon canvas while medical technicians attended to him, Telligman snored while an oxygen mask was administered and he was strapped to a gurney. The 40-year-old fighter and 5-Time UFC veteran awoke as the gurney lifted from the canvas, but was asked to remain still as he was carried from the arena on his back. At a local Las Vegas hospital, Lion’s Den teammate Guy Mezger had the delicate task of explaining to Telligman what had happened, a situation the fighter says turned out to be a little humorous in the end. "He said ‘you got kicked in the head,’" Telligman told FCF, "and I asked who kicked me and he said Tim Sylvia. I said, ‘I was fighting Tim Sylvia? Tim Sylvia kicked me in the head?’" Unaware that his 6’8" opponent had the kicking power, an incredulous Telligman made Mezger swear to him he wasn’t messing around. Following a cleared CAT scan, Telligman was released and back at his hotel a couple of hours following the fight, where he treated himself to some gambling.
On the 4:59 fight, which saw Sylvia land numerous combinations on the 4-2 pro boxer with little landed in return, Telligman was notably disappointed. "In all honesty, we really expected to win that fight and I was doing some things really wrong. My guys picked up on it and couldn’t wait to get me back to the corner to make the adjustments because my timing was off. I was going for the one punch thing, trying to go for the knockout, instead of setting him up and doing what I was supposed to be doing. I was just so hyped up for the fight. I apologize to my fans." A black belt in karate (American jiu-jitsu/Tae Kwon Do-based), Telligman says he’s slated to compete next in Chuck Norris’ World Combat League, a national-level Sport Karate promotion set to launch in the coming months. |
