Mitrione Vs. Madsen Matchup Among Four Other Stellar TUF 10 Quarterfinal Bouts

With Matt Mitrione’s victory over Scott Junk, Team Rashad is now up 7-0 over Team Rampage and on the verge of going 8-0 with the first clean sweep in TUF history. Next week, Team Rashad’s Mike Wessel will challenge the lone Team Rampage member, Marcus Jones.

After the fight, Dana White will announce the four quarterfinal fights.

Let’s take a look at how White and the coaches will likely set up the second round brackets.

Jon Madsen vs. Matt Mitrione

As evident in the previous episode, Madsen and Mitrione do not see eye-to-eye. In fact, to put it simply, they hate each other with a passion. Matching these two up in the quarterfinal round is a brilliant idea that will surely produce a ton of fireworks.

Madsen may not be as big as the 6’3" 270-pound Mitrione, but the H.I.T squad member’s overwhelming wrestling base makes him a huge threat to any fighter in this competition. If Mitrione is able to keep the fight on the feet, though, he would be able to exploit Madsen’s poor stand-up game and possibly knock him out with a straight left.

That being said, Mitrione does not possess the grappling ability, or the cardiovascular endurance, to handle an explosive wrestler such as Madsen.

Madsen wins this fight by unanimous decision.

Roy Nelson vs. Marcus Jones/Mike Wessel

“Big Country” wants easy fights on his road to the finale, but unfortunately for him there aren’t any easy fights left. Next week, the final preliminary bout will take place between Wessel and Jones, and the winner of that fight would match up well against Nelson in the quarterfinal round.

Jones is an explosive, powerful athlete with a much underrated ground game.

However, his injuries and cardio problems could be his downfall in this competition. If he does manage to defeat Wessel, the former NFL first-round draft pick will not walk out of the Octagon unscathed.

Wessel has been overlooked throughout the whole season and this is a big, big mistake as Wessel should be recognized as one of the toughest guys in the house. He’s a hard-nosed competitor with explosive striking and he absolutely has all the skills in the world to make Team Rashad 8-0 in this competition.

Either way, Nelson would beat both guys to make it through to the semifinals.

Brendan Schaub vs. Justin Wren

Matching these two prospects up against each other so soon may not be the best approach, but it certainly would make for an excellent fight for the quarterfinals.

Depending on whom you ask both Wren and Schaub are the best fighters in the house and have the most potential to become top contenders in the UFC.

Stylistically speaking, it’s a very interesting matchup.

Schaub is a golden-gloves boxer and, as evident in his anaconda choke submission victory over Demico Rogers, he’s also a deadly threat on the ground as well.

Meanwhile, Wren is an excellent Greco-roman wrestler with a slick submission game to boot so really this fight could go either way. Schaub could keep it standing and pick Wren apart on the feet, or Wren could keep him pressed up against the cage in the Greco-clinch and zap his will.

It’s a tough fight to predict, but Schaub should be able to hold his own on the feet and on the ground en’ route to a decision victory. 

Darrill Schoonover vs. James McSweeney  

Another interesting “grudge match” would be a bout between the 10-0 Shark Fight champ Schoonover and the devastating British kick-boxer McSweeney. While their rivalry isn’t even close to being as heated as Mitrione/Madsen, a Spike.com video featuring an altercation between the two is reason to believe they do not like each other very much.

Schoonover is a well-rounded fighter with crisp striking, good wrestling, and a well-versed jiu-jitsu game. McSweeney on the other-hand is a world-class kick-boxer with devastating leg kicks and a questionable gas-tank.

Schoonover has more tools in his tool-box than the British striker and should be able to finish a gassed McSweeney with a submission in the second round.

B/R TUF 10 Fantasy Game Standings:

Matt Randall: 12 points
Jon Madsen
James McSweeney
Roy Nelson
Brendan Schaub
Justin Wren
Darrill Schoonover

Flying Knee: 10 points
Jon Madsen
James McSweeney
Roy Nelson
Justin Wren
Darrill Schoonover

Aoife O’Connor: 10 points
James McSweeney
Roy Nelson
Brendan Schaub
Justin Wren
Darrill Schoonover

Peta Waller: 10 points
James McSweeney
Roy Nelson
Brendan Schaub
Justin Wren
Darrill Schoonover

Alysha Diaz: 10 points
James McSweeney
Roy Nelson
Brendan Schaub
Justin Wren
Darrill Schoonover

Melanie Wray: 10 points
James McSweeney
Roy Nelson
Brendan Schaub
Justin Wren
Darrill Schoonover

Cameron Mumford: 10 points
James McSweeney
Roy Nelson
Brendan Schaub
Justin Wren
Darrill Schoonover

Lynn Donegan: 10 points
James McSweeney
Roy Nelson
Brendan Schaub
Justin Wren
Darrill Schoonover

Sinaed Marie O’Hara: 10 points
James McSweeney
Roy Nelson
Brendan Schaub
Justin Wren
Darrill Schoonover

E. Spencer Kyte: 10 points
James McSweeney
Roy Nelson
Brendan Schaub
Justin Wren
Darrill Schoonover

Jessy Morris: 10 points
James McSweeney
Roy Nelson
Brendan Schaub
Justin Wren
Darrill Schoonover

Ken Foss: 10 points
Jon Madsen
Roy Nelson
Brendan Schaub
Justin Wren
Darrill Schoonover

Mitch Ciccarelli: eight points
Jon Madsen
Roy Nelson
Brendan Scaub
Darrill Schoonover

The Truth Turcott: two points
Justin Wren

Stoker Mac: two points
Justin Wren