Josh Koscheck’s team has lost three fights, so he’s serious now. He brings in American Kickboxing Academy teammate Jon Fitch. Then he makes reference to his team’s lack of balls. Foreshadowing the Axe ad later in the broadcast?

Back at the house, Michael Johnson is doing laundry. Alex Caceres confesses that he put bleach in Nam Phan’s fabric softener. Fortunately, Johnson’s laundry is rescued in time. Johnson’s still pissed.

Team GSP brings in Jean Charles Skarbowsky to teach Muay Thai. GSP warns his team that JCS isn’t like other guys. Not in those words exactly — that’s Michael Jackson’s Thriller. JCS, we’re told, sleeps only three hours a night, then gets drunk and comes into the cage to beat everyone up. Fortunately, no one’s hurt.

Back in the house, Caceres is playing pool and musing to Jeff Lentz, his tournament victim, about his lack of popularity. Lentz suggests that he ease up. Caceres says he has to be who he is, borrowing heavily from Popeye, Edie Brickell and Smash Williams.

Fight selection: GSP sends Spencer Paige, who looked good in a tough prelim, against Phan, the most experienced guy in the field.

Let’s meet Nam! He runs for an hour every day. Other fighters in the house say he’s wearing a path in the grass. To nit-pick, he’s not moving very fast.

Let’s meet Spencer! GSP loves his attitude and his hands, but he concedes he doesn’t want Spencer to be in a “vulnerable position on the ground.”

But first, we find out that Cody McKenzie lags behind when GSP’s team is done so he can trash-talk Koscheck. He actually out-talks Kos. Scary.

Kos brings in Chuck Liddell, who shows up with a nice shiner from his loss to Rich Franklin. The Iceman tells them that if they don’t enjoy training and fighting, don’t do it. But it’s better than a real job. And you’ll miss it if you have to walk away. And it’s so great to walk out to the cage. And it’d be great to fight Tito again. And … wait, what were we talking about?

(To be fair — the guys wanted to hear every word Chuck had to say about his career crossroads. One of many reasons he gets more camera time than Jon Fitch, a supremely talented fighter.)

Koscheck says he’ll leave MMA if GSP kisses him. GSP says in a confessional that he’s angry but isn’t going to take the bait. Instead, he tells Koscheck that they’re going to make a bit of money together. Zing!

Kos then visits the GSP room in the training center and winds up meeting JCS. McKenzie says JCS could kick Kos’ ass. GSP tells the viewing audience he doesn’t need McKenzie talking trash to “protect” him. But the sight of Koscheck looking for a trash-talking exchange with GSP and getting it from one of his fighters instead … that’s quality TV. Bear in mind — I just saw an ad for an Axe “ball-washing” product, so my brain might be mush.

Fight time — Herb Dean is our ref. Paige opens with a kick, and both guys are engaging early. Paige gets a solid leg kick 30 seconds in that drops Phan to a knee. Phan knocks Paige down with a punch. That’s the first 45 seconds. Just offer these guys contracts now.

Phan pursues for a while, but Paige’s southpaw stance might be throwing off Phan’s defense. Phan lands a couple of combos, but Paige’s kicks are finding Phan’s body and leg.

At the 1:40 mark, Phan catches one of those kicks and pulls Paige down. Phan stays on his feet and rains down punches. That would be the “vulnerable position on the ground” GSP didn’t want to see.

With 30 seconds left, Phan gets into side control and works Paige’s arm. Paige is nearly screaming in pain, but he doesn’t tap. He takes deep breaths and makes it through the round. Clearly a 10-9 for Phan, maybe 10-8.5 if you’re a fan of the half-point scoring system.

Early in the second, Paige throws a kick and grimaces, hopping briefly. He’s nursing multiple injuries at this point, but he’s still throwing everything he can at Phan, who’s responding in kind. This is one of the better fights in recent TUF history.

Paige keeps falling when he throws a kick, and Phan finally pounces, punishing Paige until he finally stands. It’s 10:54 ET, so the suspense is pretty much gone — we have no time for a third round and Phan clearly won the first, so Paige needs a knockout to win. He keeps going for it with spinning fists and kicks, but Phan has seen all of this before. Paige’s Hail Mary shots aren’t landing. Phan’s crisp punches are.

We get a recap before the decision, and Paige tells us his shins were hurt when his kicks caught Phan’s elbow. And he broke his right hand.

The decision goes to … Spencer Paige! No, no — Nam wins. Koscheck gloats. Koscheck’s team pounds the wall between the dressing rooms.

Next week, Koscheck shows up at the house to help his team rub it in a bit more. If you’re sick of such things, good news — we’ve got two fights in one episode.