TUF Nations Episode 5 Recap: Can Team Canada Rebound from First Loss?

The Ultimate Fighter Nations: Team Canada vs. Team Australia continued Wednesday evening on Fox Sports 1, showcasing a welterweight matchup between Canada's Matthew Desroches and Australia's "Filthy" Rich Walsh. 

While the Canadians held a 3-1 lead going in to this bout, the man who many considered to be their top middleweight, Nordine Taleb, was eliminated by Team Australia's Tyler Manawaroa in the previous episode.

This gave Australia some momentum heading in to episode five, and this was reflected by the Aussie team's rejuvenated demeanor. They joked around, they made a foghorn at the house and they showcased a confidence and swagger not seen since the series' onset. 

Conversely, Team Canada appeared reserved and reflective, still in a bit of shock over Taleb's loss. Making matters worse, middleweight Sheldon Westcott tweaked his knee in training, creating a somber atmosphere around the entire team. 

Would this carry in to the cage? 

Fight Recap

There's no sense in glorifying this fight: It was an absolute snoozefest. 

Walsh pinned Desroches against the cage for the majority of the fight's 10 minutes, failing to take the fight to the mat but succeeding in controlling the pace and maintaining advantageous positioning. 

He effectively neutralized Desroches' striking game, and he kept the fight at close quarters, grappling his way to a unanimous decision victory. 

Team Australia continues to ride the wave of momentum gained from Manawaroa's win and, as one Aussie put it, they "got [their] swagger back." 

After falling in a 0-3 hole early, Team Australia is now just one win away from netting this series up at three wins apiece. 

Fight Announcement

After Walsh's win, Team Australia set next week's matchup, and Team Canada's injured cast member got called to the plate. 

Wescott will face Dan Kelly in a middleweight showdown. 

Tune in next Wednesday at 10 p.m. to see if Team Australia can complete a three-fight winning streak of its own.