TUF 7's C.B. Dollaway's Blog - Fight Forum - MMA - UFC - Boxing - K1

T-Bone · 04-03-2008, 02:24 PM

I figured he'd make it pretty far but now that he has a blog...a la Danzig...

??

"TUF7" Blog: C.B. Dollaway discusses episode No. 1 - MMAjunkie.com

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Imagine putting your training, girlfriend, everything on hold because you were able to pursue your dream.

For a select few and me, we got that chance -- or so we thought.

When I was told I was selected for "The Ultimate Fighter 7," I was told the basics, which included: don't tell anyone, be here by this date, and be ready to go. There were no caveats, but also as I think back, there were not a lot of "welcome aboard" or "glad to have you" comments being made either. It would of stood out, but my trainers and of course my family were telling me congrats and all and filling my head with positive thoughts.

When they called for my sizes, I felt as if it was a real event that was just around the corner. My trainers had me get close to weight (what a blessing that turned out to be) and train as if I had a fight coming up right around the corner.

When we arrived in Las Vegas at the UFC Training Center, it was a pot of mixed emotions for all "16" of us. We were taking in the place and sizing each other up. It kind of reminded me of weigh-ins at a wrestling tournament -- except you know they are all your opponents and yet potential teammates at the same time.

For me I was torn with wanting to see exactly who I was going to fight and figuring out how was I going to smash him. I was also looking around and trying to really appreciate all the greats that had been here before me. This show has built some of the biggest stars and shown some of MMA's weakest links at the same time. As confident as I was, I must admit I was humbled by the venue.

We were all waiting, essentially not trying to show too much or too little. Imagine, if you would, about 16 or so 2-year-old male dogs in a park full of treats and fire hydrants. That would sum up the mood. We were all waiting for the next treat (which in my mind was meeting Dana White) when that door opened, and it was a group of eight more fighters. It felt like the air was sucked out of the building.

You always hear about editing and how the producers can make things appear differently from what is really going on. However, I think the first episode -- and for sure that very moment -- was captured as true reality. We were as confident as can be that we were on our paths to making our dreams come true. Then, bam! Another eight guys walk through the door.

At that moment I knew this season was going to be different, very different.

Dana then came in, and he laid it down: we were fighting to get on the show. He wanted to cut right to it and figure out who really wanted to be in that house.

My jaw hit the floor. I was hoping the 16 fighters in the second group were the alternates.

So there I was among 31 other guys that wanted my spot. I immediately went into competition mode. I wanted to be alone and away from all of these guys. At that moment I hated every single one of them, and I did not want to watch them fight, train or breathe. I was near weight thanks to my amazing trainers, so I found a corner of the gym and began getting ready to destroy whoever or whatever was going to stand between me and what I put my life on hold for. We were given 48 hours to lose the weight and be fight-ready.

I was unaware as to who was who and what the order of the fights were, so I was actually seeing a lot of the fights for the first time on TV with you guys. I think it was easy to see early on that Dana knows what he is doing and that some of the guys that lost looked like they did not want to be on the show.

For me, watching these fights live would have been almost as exhausting as fighting in them. I also think that Dana, Rampage and Forrest make for great ringside commentary, and it was refreshing to see them be very honest even when speaking about each of their fighters or friends. They were brutally honest. I thought John Clarke put on a good showing and that his loss can be attributed to cutting too much weight in too short of a period of time.

Watching these fights on TV, I finally got to understand why the guys going into the house were so anti-Jeremy May. He was gloating and acting as if he had just won a six-figure contract when in reality he wasn't even a cast member until that very moment -- and there were still many guys that were not going to make it. I wish I could tell you that Jeremy's idiocy was confined to episode one, but I would be lying.

Watching myself -- well, as I said -- I was ready. My training camp at Arizona Combat Sports has had people on the show before. They were very clear with me that the show and the pressures of being on it were much harder than as seen on TV, so I trained accordingly. My management company gets me paid monthly and even advanced me money to make sure the only thing I had to be worried about was being fight-ready. You heard Dana say it about me and it's true: I am "f***ing good," and I'm only getting better.

While they showed you "highlights" of my fight during the episode, that is exactly how it went: quick and painful. I wanted my next fight right then. I did not care how fresh my opponent would have been. If it came down to two guys who still needed to fight, then I wanted both of them. No one was going to stand between those crappy living conditions and me. I want to be on the greatest stage in the entire fight game, "the octagon."

My goal for you fans of "TUF" is to give you some behind-the-scenes things that the editors don't show, tell you about some of the drama in the house and at the gym, and how it all unfolded. I will give my opinions of how I saw the show and what I felt was really going on.

This is going to be a great show. Dana and the entire crew kept us hungry and ready and on our toes the whole time. It was clear they were looking for the next best fighter, and all 32 of us thought we had what it would take. Within the first week, 16 dreams ended quicker than they began.

If you have questions about the show, you can reach me at MySpace, available at MySpace.com - CB Dollaway AKA THE DOBERMAN - 24 - Male - Tempe, Arizona - www.myspace.com/subsmooth1. I will attempt to answer what I can.

Stay tuned to an amazing season ahead. Yes, some posers made it on the show – but so, too, did some really amazing fighters. Together you will see some of the most exciting fights and an amazing display of man drama. See who goes and who stays next, and then let the real fun begin.

I can assure you one thing: with having to earn your way into the house, once you're in, you're fighting that much harder to keep your place.

I'll see you next week!

T-Bone · 04-10-2008, 12:52 PM

His blog for Episode 2 is pretty long...

"TUF7" Blog: C.B. Dollaway discusses episode No. 2 - MMAjunkie.com

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Welcome back to my blog for episode two of "The Ultimate Fighter: Team Rampage vs. Team Forrest."

To help you follow my column, I think it is important that you know Spike TV is showing the fights out of order. Although my figh was shown last week, all of the fights took place in one day, and I was actually the second-to-last fight, and Cale Yarbrough was the last fight. So again, this episode was my first time seeing a lot of these fights.

I had heard about them, and obviously, I was aware of who won or loss, but during this long day, I kept to myself in my own little corner of the gym. The pressure I speak of was real. While there were a limited amount of spectators, the entire venue and what it represents is very overwhelming. You are in front of the best promoter in all of MMA, Dana White, and not one -- but two -- of the best 205-pound fighters in the world evaluating and judging if your good enough to be on their team and in the UFC. I am pretty sure every fighter in the building had the "UFC jitters," and win or lose, you never get another first opportunity to show these important evaluators what you are made of.

The losers of fights that did not need medical care stayed around the whole day interacting and being a part of the event. Some of them made a lasting impression, and others I could not remember until I saw them fight tonight or on last week's episode. That being said, I think you are going to hear the names of some of the guys that lost again. Some of these guys just need more training or another shot since some of the fights could have really gone either way.

My favorite losing fighter was "Mississippi" Jeremiah Riggs. He showed tremendous heart, and his words matched his fighting style. He lacks training and nothing else. A lot of talented guys could go far if they had an ounce of Riggs' heart. If I remember correctly, he was a former Army Ranger and an all-around tough SOB.

At the midway point of this long day, I was worn out mentally and physically. Emotions are all over the place from fighters elated that they won and back to acknowledging they haven't really won anything. As a matter of fact, we had only accomplished what we had previously thought we already accomplished, which was getting on the show. Aside from that, we still had a long road ahead of us, and who knew what the twists and turns ahead would be.

With a few fights left before mine, I knew I did not want to go home to face my family and friends and explain to them I was not really on "The Ultimate Fighter" but instead was "invited" to fight to tryout and lost.

The show tonight was great, mostly because I was not on it! Seriously, it is very difficult to watch yourself speak or interact with other people. Fighting on camera is one thing, but dealing with people, the camera and the pressure of the opportunity seem to draw out the strange in all of us.

Matthew Riddle's KO of Dan Simmler was brutal to see. I remember when it happened. At first, I thought someone was laughing. Or maybe since it is "TUF," a man-cry was not out of the question. Before the KO, the ref looked like he was backing away as that blow landed, and by the time he made it to the fighters, Riddle landed at least three more solid blows. Hearing a man groan in pain after a brutal KO makes you worried. I am sure this wasn't Simmler's first time getting his clock cleaned; it was obvious that he was seriously injured.

Then we have Riddle, who had nothing but smiles. He would go on to become nicknamed "Smiley," and a more true nickname could not be found. I really enjoyed my time with him, and I think you will come to appreciate what he is all about. Riddle and Simmler had crossed paths in the BJJ arena prior to this, and I do not think there were a lot of positive feelings between them. If you missed this KO, you do not need to wait to catch the rerun as it would be impossible to include Matthew Riddle in the "TUF7" series without including one of the many times he retells the story of his KO over Simmler. It wouldn't surprise me if Riddle is calling the Newsday writer who did that big story on Simmler during the tryouts. I'm sure Riddle is walking him through the reasons Simmler is not on the show.

Anyway, let's jump into the next fight they showed. Pat Schultz came out aggressive and I thought he was going to finish and finish fast. Luke Zachrich showed a lot of heart and hung in there to pull out a nice victory by rear-naked choke. Pat showed that you can lose like a man and walk out with your head high.

Tim Credeur was one of the better-known contestants. A few other fighters and I knew of him and his potential. He did exactly what we all expected and dominated his guy, Erik Charles. I will tell you that Tim is more than just a black belt in BJJ and is a real threat to win it all.

Gerald Harris was a big surprise to me. I had not seen much of him, but his style is hard and fast. I was surprised his opponent, Mike Marrello, lasted as long as he did. To me, Harris was one of the guys that could also win this show. A lot of credit should be given to his opponent for hanging in on a tough fight and never giving up.

I had seen Jesse Taylor fight before just like I had seen my opponent fight before. Jesse fought my teammate and fellow "TUF" alumnus Jesse Forbes and was defeated by arm bar. This fight showed us that Jesse was a real threat. He put on a clinic and had very accurate ground and pound. When Forbes beat him, it was Forbes that put on the clinic that night. Tonight would be different and honestly, I am starting to see why Dana made us fight to get in. Mentally, we all pretty much know where each other stands. No more waiting till the semis to see what everyone's abilities really are.

For those of you without a DVR, Jesse's mouthpiece said "Money," and his new nickname he was trying to push was "J.T. Money." Unfortunately for Jesse, we saw fit that he had a different nickname. You will have to stay tuned to see how much he hates it! I can tell you he won't be getting a new mouthpiece with the new nickname, but it fits him to a T!

Mike Dolce, Harris, Creduer and Taylor were my ones to watch. They all showed a ton of skill and aggression that will make for a terrific match-up for me if and when we meet up. During my life of competition, I do not get nervous. I mentally fight my opponent in my head. I can visualize how the fight may go. These four guys all had something that kept them, in my mind, more than others. They stood out. As you will see, this is MMA, and any fighter can be a threat. At any given moment, fights and outcomes can change and often do.

T-Bone · 04-10-2008, 12:53 PM

continued...

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At this point in the show, we are still living out of our duffel bags in the hotel, and we are ready to get in the house. The service is very VIP, but I know the 16 winners are ready to get the show on the road. In my mind, we would have already had one of the 16 eliminated by now if we wouldn't have had to fight to get on the house. We had our cell phones, clothing and basically every personal item taken from us. We were given a ton of UFC and TapouT gear to wear (no, we all don't shop at the same store) and were essentially sequestered like jurors on a big trial. We wanted to get in the house, we wanted to know who our coaches were going to be, and we wanted to begin moving toward the finale.

We also had about 13 or so of the fighters that lost and were going home, and of course, the producers were dealing with what they were going to tell people. It was a group of happy guys and a group of guys that just had their dreams of being an ultimate fighter squashed and would be home quicker than any of us could have imagined.

I was not sure if my fight was long enough to really show Dana or either coach what I had to offer. For me, Rampage was more my fighting style. He is a wrestler that likes to slam his opponents and goes for the KO in every fight. Is that what I needed? My MMA career is short, but in that time, I have been known more for my striking than my wrestling. This is in large part due to my trainers from Arizona Combat Sports. Todd and Trevor Lally are great strikers, and they have taught me so much. Not having to lay on people to get wins is what makes me a happy fighter.

Then, I was thinking that Forrest may be better for me. He has great stand up and great takedown defense. His fight with Tito Ortiz showed how well rounded he is, and the TUF Finale with Forrest and Bonnar was one of the best fights I have seen in years. I do not know much about their coaching abilities but for sure, Forrest has an edge with his "TUF" experience.

I had to tell myself to calm down and let things happen. My job is to give 110 percent in the octagon when called upon. In six to eight weeks, these coaches won't be able to make that much of an impact. I needed to gather my tools, my senses and my thoughts and understand that the only thing I could control was how hard I fought. The rest was out of my hands. I have trained my whole life for this moment. The only thing I could control was my performance.

I know some of the crazy antics from the show may make us look like we were not serious about the opportunity or unaware of the lasting impression these antics will leave. I will say the producers do a good job creating an atmosphere where anything is possible. We will test that "anything is possible" theory many times through out the series.

What we now know is that 16 hungry fighters will enter the house next week. All of us have earned this spot. All of us are on the show because we want to be there. We have some great fighters in the house. Nobody wants to go home, and I am excited to be one of them.

This past weekend, I went to XCC 6, where my teammate Ryan "Darth" Bader was headlining the main event. He showed his dominance by winning in 47 seconds of the first round. It was my first post-TUF public appearance. Ryan and I are roommates and former teammates for the Arizona State University wrestling team. He was one of the big stars on the ASU team, and he and I entered into MMA together. Our management team works with corporate sponsors and was able to get SOYO.com and MTX Audio to financially support us, which allows us to fight full time. So essentially, we have been lucky enough to be full-time fighters from the start of our MMA careers.

That fight reminded me of the 31 "TUF" castmates that made the ultimate sacrifice to pursue the dream of one day fighting for the UFC. I know a lot of the guys like "Mowhawk" and others who sold a lot of their possessions to be a part of this opportunity. I am thankful for the easy road we have been given by our management company. You always here the grass is greener on the other side. For my teammates and me, we have a pretty nice lawn with a monthly lawn care service, and I think I owe LG Sports Marketing, MTX and SOYO.com a big thank you for helping me reach this important milestone in my career.

My website should be up soon. In the meantime keep hitting me up on Myspace. Now that we are moving into the house, the real fun begins. So stay tuned, and I will talk to you next week.

T-Bone · 04-17-2008, 10:05 AM

Here's the blog from episode 3...

Team Rampage blog: C.B. Dollaway on episode No. 3 of "TUF7" - MMAjunkie.com

T-Bone · 04-24-2008, 09:31 AM

Episode 4...

Team Rampage blog: C.B. Dollaway on episode No. 4 of "TUF7" - MMAjunkie.com

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The second round begins, and everyone knows the fight is close, and each team is sure they were about to win and regain or keep control of the picks.

At this point it is so loud that you could not hear yourself think. If you have ever seen the scenes in the movies where the stock traders are on the floor of the stock exchange yelling buy, sell or hold -- well, it was just like that. Everyone was yelling some sort of advice, and it was clear the two fighters could not hear a word.

I know it sounded pretty loud watching it on my TV...imagine what it's like outside the cage. No wonder the fighters can't "listen" to the coaches.

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The fights continue to get better, and the drama in the house goes to another level as the losers cope with having a run at becoming "The Ultimate Fighter" being over and the access to excess that the show allows.

That's good to hear!

T-Bone · 05-05-2008, 08:43 AM

Episode 5...

TUF7 Blog: C.B. Dollaway on episode No. 5 - MMA - Yahoo! Sports

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Next week you are going to see two great fights. Will Jeremy get what he has coming to him, or will Matt’s emotions make him blow his energy and lose this fight? You do not want to miss it. That’s for sure.

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We are all pretty excited because we are getting close to the Anderson Silva vs. Dan Henderson fight—and our first TV time in about three weeks. We needed the break, and it gave us all a lot to talk about that wasn’t about who is fighting next and against whom. It was a much-needed mental break for us all.

CounterPuncher · 05-05-2008, 11:15 AM

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Originally Posted by T-Bone

I figured he'd make it pretty far but now that he has a blog...a la Danzig...

??

I was thinking that too, except now Luke Zachrich,Matt Brown, and Mike Dolce all have blogs after each episode.

T-Bone · 05-05-2008, 11:46 AM

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Originally Posted by CounterPuncher

I was thinking that too, except now Luke Zachrich,Matt Brown, and Mike Dolce all have blogs after each episode.

hah, yeah you're right...I have seen some other ones pop up.

wannabes