Top Cock: Team Peppers vs Team Blackwell (also known as Top Cock: Season 1) is the first ever installment of the reality show presented by the Human Cockfighting League. The series is a landmark co-production between IRM and HvF.
The series was announced on November 5, 2013 during the IRM portion of the TNAid charity stream, and on November 28, 2013, it was announced that the two coaches will be welterweights Stuart Peppers and Wes Blackwell.
This season of Top Cock will feature 14 light heavyweights competing for a 4-figure contract in the Human Cockfighting League. They will each compete in a preliminary round fight, with the winner earning a spot in the house, with the 8th and final spot going to the winner of a "second chance" fight between two of the seven preliminary round losers, as selected by an online poll.
Cast
Coaches
Fighters
- Team Blackwell
- Eamon Grundel (Montreal, QC) - Sewage treatment plant worker
- Erik Helheim (Madison, WI) - Viking (according to application)
- Ken Krueman (Mesa, AZ) - Psychic medium
- Herman Quinn (Wilmington, DE) - Self-defense coach, Host of popular Youtube channel
- Team Peppers
- Dorsey Bunn (Oxford, UK) - Palace guard
- Connor Cairo (Houlton, ME) - College student/Lacrosse player
- Alistair Gobb (Nottingham, UK) - Butler
- Herschel Mossad (St. Petersburg, FL) - Accountant, Krav maga student (beginner) - won the Second Chance Fight
- Fighters eliminated during the preliminary round
- Manny Blevins (Kailua, HI) - "Maui Tie" instructor, Professional fighter (unverified)
- Jason Doofler (La Jolla, CA) - Caddy
- Joseph Gruber (Pittsburgh, PA) - Laser hair removal technician, Shaving fetishist
- Fraser Harris (San Antonio, TX) - Former boxer
- Timon Papadakis (Brooklyn, NY) - Diner owner - lost the Second Chance Fight
- Javier Portobello (Portland, OR) - Veganism advocate
Episodes
- Episode 1 (December 3, 2013)
- The 7 preliminary fights took place:
- Eamon Grundel defeated Timon Papadakis via TKO (punches) in the second round.
- Connor Cairo defeated Javier Portobello via Knockout (right hook) in the first round.
- Alistair Gobb defeated Jason Doofler via decision.
- Ken Krueman defeated Manny Blevins via Knockout (mounted punches) in the first round.
- Erik Helheim defeated Joseph Gruber via decision.
- Herman Quinn defeated Fraser Harris via Knockout (left hook) in the first round.
- Dorsey Bunn defeated Herschel Mossad via Knockout (left hook) in the second round.
- It was announced that the eighth spot in the house would go to the winner of the Second Chance Fight, where the two winners of a fan vote would compete in the next episode.
- The online vote lasted from the conclusion of Top Cock to midnight, Saturday, December 7.
- Episode 2 (December 10, 2013)
- Second Chance Fight: Herschel Mossad defeated Timon Papadakis via TKO (punches) in the third round.
- Team Peppers and Team Blackwell then picked teams. Peppers won the coin toss and opted to choose the first fight. Therefore, Wes Blackwell picked the first fighter.
- Team selection:
Blackwell Peppers Eamon Grundel Connor Cairo Ken Krueman Alistair Gobb Herman Quinn Dorsey Bunn Erik Helheim Herschel Mossad
- Stuart Peppers then selected the first fight, pitting Alistair Gobb vs Ken Krueman, both teams' second overall picks.
- Episode 3 (January 12, 2014)
- Due to audio issues on Wednesday, January 8, Episode 3 was moved to that Sunday, following the airing of HCL 27.
- Instantly, the fighters were drawn to the stripper cage, with Herschel Mossad and Eamon Grundel each taking turns dancing. Easily, the fighters loved being in the cage, as many of them got naked and danced. That's it. They danced. Yeah.
- The house challenge was a Mini-Golf Challenge, with the winner getting a trip to the carnival with one guest of choice. Connor Cairo & Dorsey Bunn tied for 2, and both were taken to the carnival as a prize with no guest.
- Gobb - 5
- Cairo - 2
- Grundel - DNF
- Quinn - DNF
- Mossad - 3
- Bunn - 2
- Helheim - 6
- Krueman - 6
- At the carnival, Connor Cairo started a water balloon fight with a random woman, while Dorsey Bunn rode the bumper cars. Then they rode the log flume, where Bunn passed out, thus ending their trip to the carnival.
- Quarterfinal Fight: Ken Krueman defeated Alistair Gobb via TKO (punches) in the third round.
- Coach Wes Blackwell then had control over the next fight, and selected Eamon Grundel vs Dorsey Bunn.
- Episode 4 (January 15, 2014)
- The stripper cage had been removed due to too many lewd acts taking place in it. It has been replaced by a soda machine. The soda machine was then replaced after malfunctioning.
- A stray dog named Pepper ate the couch. This was not at the same time that Connor Cairo was doing backflips on it.
- Alistair Gobb spent some time in the gym after his loss. His workout seemed a bit too strenuous, as he fell off the treadmill several times, and later passed out, nearly dying. However, he was saved by Eamon Grundel.
- Both Grundel and Dorsey Bunn, who were fighting later in the show, took to their training regimens. Bunn slept a lot, and Grundel ate a lot of mac and cheese. Like three bowls.
- Connor Cairo gave us a glimpse into his weight-cutting technique: vomiting.
- The house challenge was a Rolly Thing Challenge, with the winner receiving a steak & lobster dinner. The steak & lobster dinner was cancelled and replaced by a burger at SlapMart. It was best 2 out of 3 falls.
- Alistair Gobb def. Cairo, Grundel def. Bunn, Krueman def. Quinn, Mossad def. Helheim
- Semi-finals: Gobb def. Grundel, Mossad def. Krueman
- Finals: Gobb def. Mossad
- Alistair Gobb won the challenge and donned his cow suit, which he packed for some reason, to go to SlapMart and eat beef... the sick fuck.
- Quarterfinal Fight: Eamon Grundel defeated Dorsey Bunn via TKO (mounted punches) in the second round.
- Coach Wes Blackwell kept control over the next fight, and selected Herman Quinn vs Connor Cairo.
- This means that the fourth quarterfinal will pit "Happy" Herschel Mossad vs Erik Helheim
- Episode 5 (January 22, 2014)
- The fighters all sat around the table and enjoyed some sandwiches, courtesy of Mama Projectile's Throwin' Sandwiches. The fighters sat at the Ring of Sandwiches, then proceeded to have a minor food fight.
- Connor Cairo, fighting later in the day, needed to continue to cut weight, which he did so by throwing up repeatedly. Meanwhile, Eamon Grundel took a bath in the kitchen sink, proceeding to break the sink.
- Alistair Gobb & Erik Helheim got into the first scrap in the house, with Gobb angrily storming off to the workout room, where Quinn was playing piano and Grundel was working out on the treadmill.
- The house challenge this week was the Keg Shamrock Challenge, with the fighters taking turns drinking from the Bailey's Irish Cream & McDonald's Shamrock Shake concoction. The winner is the last man standing, and gets a gallon jug of water.
- Eamon Grundel passed out before the challenge even began.
- All 7 fighters made it to stage 4, with some falling over but not passing out.
- Ken Krueman then began using his psychic powers to get all the other contestants to act like monkeys and airplanes.
- Connor Cairo passed out, along with Erik Helheim, who had "pissed himself".
- Herschel Mossad, Herman Quinn, and Ken Krueman all threw up, then passed out, leaving it down to two.
- Dorsey Bunn won after outlasting fellow Englishman Alistair Gobb, and earned his gallon of water in the Cabin of Solitude.
- Quarterfinal Fight: Connor Cairo defeated Herman Quinn via Knockout (uppercut) in the third round.
- Episode 6 (January 29, 2014)
- While Dorsey Bunn spent time in the Cabin of Solitude, female MMA fighter Rhonda Taint joined the other 7 fighters in the house. The doll house was replaced by a bouncy castle, brought to us by Things Ya Can Jump On.
- Eamon Grundel ate garbage. He. Ate. Garbage.
- After a hearty lunch of sandwiches, the fighters congregated in the kitchen. Then Alistair Gobb made mac and cheese, and put it on the ground. This... this can't be a normal diet for fighters.
- In the midst of the mac and cheese dinner, romance brewed as Ken Krueman blew a kiss to Herman Quinn. A big, cheesy, powdery, starchy kiss.
- At sunrise, the fighters gathered in the Octavial Challenge Area for "Dig Up Dirt On Your Enemy", the House Challenge for the right to win a date with Rhonda Taint.
- Alistair Gobb found a bone worth $55.
- Connor Cairo also found a bone worth $55.
- Eamon Grundel found a map to the "mysterious hut" worth $400.
- Erik Helheim found a bone worth $55.
- Herman Quinn found a rock worth $25.
- Herschel Mossad found a bone worth $55.
- Ken Krueman found a rock worth $50.
- Eamon Grundel won the challenge, and went on a date to Slip's Red Hot Pizza.
- While attempting to leave for the date, Alistair Gobb randomly attacked Eamon Grundel, who was dressed up like a clown with french fries for a head.
- Oddly enough, the date never happened, so it seems. While the two went to the pizza parlor, there was never any interaction. Eamon Grundel, like the cheese in the mac and cheese, sat alone. Rhonda Taint then stole Grundel's pizza.
- The plot thickened, as Rhonda Taint appeared to work at the pizza place, serving and clearing the plates of Grundel. I would say "it got weird" but... it was always weird.
- Quarterfinal Fight: Erik Helheim defeated Herschel Mossad via Knockout (kick to the face) in the third round.
- Episode 7 (February 5, 2014)
- Joining the fighters in the house for today's episode is Most Glorious KUMITE Commissioner Mr. Naga. He cleaned the bathroom, because as they say, "cleanliness is next to Naga-ness".
- Throughout the show, the house challenge was "Make Mr. Naga Laugh", with the winner getting a one-fight contract in KUMITE.
- Herschel Mossad was unsuccessful, only able to get a giggle.
- Connor Cairo sang his favorite Sublime song, and got Mr. Naga to nod and smile, but not laugh.
- Dorsey Bunn was next, after melding faces with Mr. Naga for a moment. (Yeah. That happened.) He told a few jokes, but got little to no reaction.
- After a short nap, Erik Helheim sang a viking sea shanty for Mr. Naga. It put him to sleep.
- Ken Krueman won the challenge by planting a joke psychically into Erik Helheim's head, which made Mr. Naga laugh. Due to the technicality, Ken Krueman is your winner.
- Mr. Naga then danced, danced, danced the night away. Including in a bath tub. He then went on Most Glorious and Honorable Journey Through The Top Cock House. The night then ended with he and Eamon Grundel sang a tender duet in karaoke.
- Late in the episode, Mr. Naga decided that his glorious and harmonious journey made himself laugh like he had never laughed before. Therefore, Mr. Naga is the winner of the house challenge.
- Semifinal Fight: Connor Cairo defeated Ken Krueman via Knockout (clinch knee) in the second round.
- Episode 8 (February 12, 2014)
- Erik Helheim, leading into his big fight, started a stove fire.
- The fighters joined around the table for burnt spaghetti, where Herman Quinn passed out in his spaghetti. This might have been due to Dorsey Bunn boring him.
- In lieu of a house challenge tonight, there was a massive celebration in the form of an end-of-season house party. Guests included Mr. Naga, Rhonda Taint, and several Blakes.
- Leading up to the fight, both Erik Helheim and Eamon Grundel trained in their own way. Helheim hung out in the snow, and Grundel ate a lot of mac and cheese. Then there was a food fight. Yep.
- Erik Helheim made a snowman and sparred with it, while Ken Krueman did a funky dance.
- The final moments in the house were shared around some Chinese food, courtesy of Life is a Wok & The Vegetable Egg Rolled Me.
- Erik Helheim and Alistair Gobb got into another fight over Gobb's hogging of the Chinese food. The rest of the house cheered on, and no one stopped it, despite Helheim having a competitive fight later in the day.
- Semifinal Fight: Eamon Grundel defeated Erik Helheim via decision (unanimous).
Tournament Bracket
| Preliminary Round | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Final | |||||||||||
| Manny Blevins | ||||||||||||||
| Ken Krueman | KO | |||||||||||||
| Ken Krueman | TKO | |||||||||||||
| Alistair Gobb | ||||||||||||||
| Jason Doofler | ||||||||||||||
| Alistair Gobb | DEC | |||||||||||||
| Ken Krueman | ||||||||||||||
| Connor Cairo | KO | |||||||||||||
| Herman Quinn | KO | |||||||||||||
| Fraser Harris | ||||||||||||||
| Herman Quinn | ||||||||||||||
| Connor Cairo | KO | |||||||||||||
| Connor Cairo | KO | |||||||||||||
| Javier Portobello | ||||||||||||||
| Connor Cairo | ||||||||||||||
| E. Grundel | TKO | |||||||||||||
| Timon Papadakis | ||||||||||||||
| Eamon Grundel | TKO | |||||||||||||
| E. Grundel | TKO | |||||||||||||
| Dorsey Bunn | ||||||||||||||
| Herschel Mossad | ||||||||||||||
| Dorsey Bunn | KO | |||||||||||||
| E. Grundel | DEC | |||||||||||||
| Erik Helheim | ||||||||||||||
| Joseph Gruber | ||||||||||||||
| Erik Helheim | DEC | |||||||||||||
| Erik Helheim | KO | |||||||||||||
| H. Mossad | ||||||||||||||
| Timon Papadakis | ||||||||||||||
| Herschel Mossad | TKO | |||||||||||||
Top Cock 1 Finale
| Top Cock: Team Peppers vs Team Blackwell | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Top Cock Season 1 Finale | |
| Date | March 12, 2014 | |
| Venue | Honey Bee Good Loading Dock | |
| City |  Tupelo, Mississippi
| |
| Event Chronology | ||
| HCL 28: Joe Son Do |
Top Cock Season 1 Finale |
HCL 29: Only One Glove |
The Top Cock: Season 1 Finale was a mixed martial arts event that took place on Wednesday, March 12, 2014, from the Honey Bee Good Loading Dock in Tupelo, Mississippi. It was highlighted by the finals of the Top Cock Season 1 Light Heavyweight tournament between Connor Cairo and Eamon Grundel, along with a co-main event welterweight fight between the two coaches, Stuart Peppers and Wes Blackwell.
The main event saw Eamon Grundel of Team Blackwell dominate Connor Cairo for three rounds, before finally finishing him early in the third via TKO. Cairo's gameplan of close-quarter combat, using the clinch, was neutralized well by Grundel, who scored the strongest strikes in the first two rounds.
The battle between the coaches showed the continued dominance of Wes Blackwell, while Stuart Peppers slid to a three-fight losing streak and a .500 record. It had been noted that Blackwell had only lost one fight in over a year, referring to his failed attempt at winning the HCL Welterweight Championship.
In other action, Lamar O'Neal won the rematch over Phil Nasseri after landing a brutal backfist that led to Nasseri's demise. Viking and Top Cock fighter Erik Helheim scored HCL's first ever elbow knockout, dropping Alistair Gobb in the third round. Top Cock quarterfinalists Dorsey Bunn and Herman Quinn arguably had the uncrowned fight of the night, which ended in a vicious uppercut knockout victory for the Englishman.
Oh, and Randy squirted three entire Mio bottles into his mouth.
Fight Card
| Top Cock: Season 1 Finale | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wt. | Method | Round | Time | Notes | |||
| Lt Heavy |  Eamon Grundel
|
def. | Connor Cairo
|
TKO (Punches) | 3 | 0:38 | 1 |
| Welter | Wes Blackwell
|
def. | Stuart Peppers
|
TKO (Punches) | 2 | 0:43 | |
| Heavy | Lamar O'Neal
|
def. |  Phil Nasseri
|
TKO (Punches) | 2 | 0:38 | |
| Lt Heavy | Herschel Mossad
|
def. | Ken Krueman
|
TKO (Punches) | 1 | 3:38 | |
| Lt Heavy |  Dorsey Bunn
|
def. | Herman Quinn
|
KO (Uppercut) | 3 | 2:18 | |
| Lt Heavy | Erik Helheim
|
def. | Alistair Gobb
|
KO (Elbow) | 3 | 2:17 | |
- Note 1: Top Cock 1 tournament final.
Bonus awards
- Fight of the Night:
Connor Cairo vs Eamon Grundel - Knockout of the Night: Erik Helheim
- There was no Submission of the Night winner, because none of the fights ended in a submission.
- Fight of the Season: Erik Helheim vs Herschel Mossad
- Knockout of the Season: Connor Cairo (vs Herman Quinn}
External links