The Contender, Episode 6: Stabs and Jabs

Previously:

• Peter returned to the gym after being voted back into the game following Jeff’s disqualification.
• The West won the challenge, an urban obstacle course, earning the right to decide who would fight.
• Miguel called out Peter, feeling he would be an easy mark after having his confidence shaken
• The winner by unanimous decision: Peter Manfredo!

As always, we begin immediately following the previous week’s fight. “This was the best win I’ve ever gotten,” Peter tells us, doubtlessly glad to have rebounded from his earlier defeat by Alfonso. Sly has some praise for Peter as well, but it’s Peter who thanks Sly for inspiring him—why does Sly seem so surprised? “You are the real Rocky, man!” Sly tells him.

Deprived of victory for the first time, the West is dumbstruck at this unwelcome turn of events. “The West is devastated,” says Jesse. “We are in shock.” Jesse opines that there are three fights left, and none of them are a sure thing for the West.

That brings us to a post-fight discussion back at the loft, where Team West outlines the plan for the next fight. Anthony wants to fight, and the consensus from both teams is that he’s going to be fighting Jimmy from the East. Jimmy tells the camera that the East is going to sweep the rest of the first round so that the teams will be even at four fighters apiece going forward.

“I’m just glad we finally won one!” Brent tells Alfonso. Alfonso is also glad that Peter won, telling Brent that he respects Peter ever since they fought each other the first week, and that he is looking forward to a rematch.

Peter returns to the loft and is greeted warmly by both sides. “Watch out for me in the future,” Peter says with renewed confidence. Ishe asks what Peter’s wife told him when she came over to his corner of the ring during the fight. Peter responds that she straightened him out, while Alfonso joking illustrates his version by pretending to slap Peter around a little bit.

Ishe is impressed by how Peter rebounded from his loss, telling us that it might be a sign of greatness.

With that, Peter takes his leave to return to his wife and daughter for the evening. Anthony shares with the group that he thinks Peter will be more difficult than ever to beat now. Brent shares his own comeback story, telling his fellow contenders that just nine months prior, he had spent 50 days in jail for a DUI. He was abusing alcohol and drugs, was unemployed, and nearly divorced his wife. But he has made a complete 180, which he credits to an “outstanding” relationship with Jesus. As the conversation turns toward spirituality, Ishe seems interested, while Anthony seems less so.

Peter arrives home with a kiss for his wife. He thinks they should order a pizza to celebrate, at which she chuckles. What follows is a touching moment between Peter and wife Yamilka, my favorite part of which is when Peter says “From little Providence, Rhode Island, we are—over here in Hollywood winning fights!” It’s clear that these two are really in love with each other, and I’m glad they included this in the show.

The next morning, it’s training time once more. The contenders who have not yet fought seem to be training extra hard for their impending bouts. Sugar Ray climbs into the ring to spar with Brent a bit, and tells us that having not boxed since 1997, it’s taking him a while to readjust to getting repeatedly punched in the face! Sugar thinks that Brent has good hand speed and might be a tiger in the ring.

Meanwhile, Tommy the trainer asks Peter who he thinks will fight next, and Peter informs him, as well as those of us viewing at home, that the final three fights have already been arranged and agreed to by both sides. They will all be evenly matched fights: Jimmy will fight Anthony, Juan will fight Tarick (don’t ask me how these two match up), and Joey will fight Brent.

Working on a heavy bag, Anthony tells us he will be fighting Jimmy because that’s what his team decided for him. He seems a little bitter about his lack of choice in the matter. Jimmy trains with Tommy, who offers pointers on how Jimmy can adjust his fighting style to help him against Anthony. Anthony confesses to the camera that tall, lanky guys like Jimmy tend to be problematic for him in the ring, and that he plans to go against his team’s decision and fight someone else. “To hell with the team,” he says. “I’m gonna surprise everyone with the choice that I make.”

Next, Sugar Ray presents Peter with his golden gloves—his key to the second round. Peter hopes that having his blue banner up on the wall of fame will inspire his teammates. For their first-ever reward, the East team will be going to see a taping of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Ishe is worried that once the East sees what the rewards are like, they will never want to lose again!

Unfortunately, the East team gets treated to what I would say is easily the lamest reward yet. Previous rewards have seen the West team going on shopping sprees, playing poker with a world champ, and dining in style at a rooftop restaurant. While watching The Tonight Show and meeting Jay Leno is exciting, and the guys are having a great time, it just doesn’t seem to hold a candle to the other rewards, in my opinion.

At home in the loft, Team West is bored out of their minds. Jesse says that he would love to do anything outside, even mow his lawn. Apparently, the guys are confined to the loft while the other team lives it up. Anthony comments that he won’t have anyone at the fight to root him on, as his kids are staying with their grandmother. Jesse (consistently the most entertaining man on the show) volunteers to sit in his family’s seats! Anthony assures his teammates that he will have “Jimmy Lange’s head on a platter” when he wins the fight. Now, I have no qualms with Anthony wanting to determine his own match-up, but I think he would be better served to just keep his mouth shut and let everyone believe what they want for as long as possible. Anthony tells us that he’s picking the guy best suited for him so he can take care of his kids: Brent Cooper. Still, he continues to talk to Jesse and Joey about how he plans to beat up on Jimmy in the ring.

Back at NBC Studios, the men of Team East get to meet Jay after the taping of the show. Jimmy hopes to revisit the set one day as a guest on the show. After a photo op and some gladhanding, the guys head back to the gym. Peter is glad that he was able to provide such a good time for his friends.

Fast forward to 5:42 a.m. the next day. Anthony calls home to talk to his kids, Derek and Brittany, before their first day of school. This is the first time in 11 years he won’t be there to take pictures with his kids at the bus stop. “Everybody can be a father,” Anthony tells us, “but not everyone can be a dad.” Anthony slips into a bit of a Minnesota accent as he wishes his kids well. Even though he knows that his kids are being taken care of, he still misses them, and is quite broken up over hearing them say that they miss him, too.

As Team West prepares for the weekly challenge, Anthony tells his teammates that he wants to win so he has the psychological benefit of being able to call Jimmy out, rather than being the one called out. Anthony may very well find himself in China by the end of this episode if he keeps digging like this!

This week our challenge takes place at Sepulveda Dam. I’m not sure what it’s supposed to be damming, as there’s no water in sight. To win, three members of each team will have to collect 90 medicine balls arranged on the ground and stuff them into a bag. They must then haul the bag up to the top of the damn using a rope and pulley, where the fourth team member will unclip the bag, empty the balls into the back of a truck, reattach the bag, and lower it back down to be refilled. The first team to get all 90 balls in the truck and unfurl their banner will win, earning the right to decide who will fight this week (though if you haven’t figured out who’s going toe to toe this week yet, you haven’t been paying attention).

With the teams at 7-4, someone from the West who has already won will have to participate, and that someone will be Jesse. Joey is atop the dam for the West, and Jimmy is up top for the East. Jimmy muses that while the East is sick of losing challenges, the outcome doesn’t really matter, as the fights have already been determined. Anthony, on the other hand, knows that his ability to pick the fight he wants rests on a West Coast victory in this challenge.