Previously on Tough Enough: Greg was excited to have the opportunity get punched by Triple H. Harvard Chris thought that his biggest competition was Greg and Maven. Paulina left, and Nidia was sad.
House of Pain. Al Snow announces that due to "the unfortunate situation" that forced Paulina to quit, he will be removing another folding chair and placing it up against the wall with the others. Al Snow's voice sounds a little quavery during this speech. Could he be crying? Al reminds the remaining contestants not to let it affect them negatively, and that it's only going to get tougher. Al adds, "It's in moments of decision that your destiny is shaped." I think I saw that on a motivational poster at the mall. What's with Al Snow, wise sage for the ages? Jacqueline points out that it's down to two girls now, so Taylor and Nidia are competing solely against each other. Jacqueline advises them to "turn it up a notch." Man, Jacqueline's biceps are bigger than my thighs, and that's saying something. In an interview, Taylor says that it was narrowed down to the toughest girls. In an interview, Nidia says that it's been the two of them from the beginning. What about Paulina? Didn't she have a chance? In an interview, Maven says that he thinks Taylor will get the contract, because she's hungry, and you can't train someone to have desire. Oh no? Ever hear of a fellow named Pavlov and his canine friends?
Al Snow directs the contestants to practice some maneuvers in the ring. We hear an Al Snow voice-over, saying that the competition is getting tougher, and that he will be even harder on the contestants now, because he doesn't want them getting sloppy and causing injuries. Taylor hits her head on the turnbuckle. Harvard Chris tapes up his wrist. Taylor tries to bounce off the ring post and hurts herself. Josh is getting blonder by the minute, it seems. I know he dyed his hair that one week, but it keeps getting lighter. Anyway, Josh tosses Chris-tian over, and it looks like Chris-tian is injured. He paces outside the ring, clutching his jaw. Josh gets tossed, and then winces outside the ring, rubbing his shin. Do you get it? They're all getting hurt. Okay, just checking.
Nidia does a bunch of arm tosses on various contestants. After the last one, with Josh, Al Snow asks her if she's okay. She seems to have hurt her shin. In an interview, Nidia says that it was "too zame." I have no idea what that means. Is that some wrestling term? I guess it means that she got hurt.
Taylor wrestles with Lita, and seems to do a good job. Then, she moves on to go against Matt Hardy. The other contestants take many, many bumps from the Hardyz. Matt Hardy does an elbow drop from the second rope on Greg. In an interview, Greg says that it was "an indescribable experience" to have Matt do that move on him. The Hardyz have to go, and everyone shakes their hands. Matt tells the contestants that he knows they are all beat up, but that in the WWF, you never have a moment when you are completely healthy. Matt concludes that "it's actually amazing how much you can do beat up." I wonder if the Hardyz were previously scheduled to come in this week, or if the WWF decided to send their most daredevil duo in the week when all of the contestants are getting hurt and scared. In an interview, Nidia says the Hardy Boyz said that wrestling was addictive, and that now Nidia feels like she really has to get back in the ring. Nidia asks Taylor what it was like to wrestle Lita. Taylor says that as soon as she knew Lita was there, she felt bad that Nidia had to sit out. In an interview, Taylor says, "The appearance by Lita and the Hardy Boyz has been the most inspirational and the most motivational."
Al Snow orders the contestants to go on a run. Al Snow and Jacqueline notice that Taylor is "keeping up with the pack," and that she has "a lot of heart," as Greg, Chris-tian, and Maven run by, with Taylor close behind. Jacqueline and Al Snow give Taylor some encouragement as she runs by.
Back in the ring, Taylor tosses some of the guys around. Greg gets into the ring to do the same. Greg body slams a couple of people. He does an arm toss on Maven, and it goes in slow motion, so you know that this is the crucial moment. In an interview, Greg explains that he twisted his back and aggravated his back injury. Greg gets up and walks around woozily. He looks dazed and drunk. Greg voice-overs that he tried to walk it off outside the ring to figure out how bad it was. In an interview, Nidia says that she was icing her leg, and that she saw Greg fall wrong during a bump. Moments later, she looked over and saw Greg talking to Al Snow and crying. Greg explains to Al Snow that his back has been hurting on a daily basis, but that it really hurts when he twists. Greg starts crying harder and saying that he doesn't want to screw up this opportunity. Al Snow puts a manly hand on his shoulder to comfort him.