'The Ultimate Fighter,' Season 33: Good Guy vs. Bad Guy - ESPN


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'The Ultimate Fighter,' Season 33: Good Guy vs. Bad Guy
MMA, UFC





"The Ultimate Fighter" returns for its 33rd season this month, but with a unique twist. Instead of featuring active fighters coaching up UFC hopefuls, this season the coaches will be UFC Hall of Famers-turned-analysts, as former double champion Daniel Cormier will lead a team opposite former two-division title challenger Chael Sonnen. TUF has been a major pipeline for UFC talent over the years, providing the promotion with a handful of champions and even more MMA stars. Forrest Griffin, Rashad Evans, Michael Bisping, Kamaru Usman, Robert Whittaker, TJ Dillashaw and Rose Namajunas have all won champions after appearing on the show. In most of the previous seasons, the show has allowed fans to see what fighters must go through for the chance to earn a spot on the UFC roster, while also allowing them to see the tension build between the coaches ahead of a future matchup between them. With two coaches who have long been retired, that likely won't be the case this season. This season's TUF competition is at welterweight and men's flyweight. Results from each episode and breakdown from the coaches can be found at the bottom of this story. Jump to episode recaps How to watch 'The Ultimate Fighter' on ESPN2/ESPN+ Season 33 of "The Ultimate Fighter" air every Tuesday at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN 2 and ESPN+. Rewatch episodes after they air and watch past seasons anytime on ESPN+. Get ESPN+ \| Download the ESPN App The coaches Chael Sonnen Record: 30-18-1 Age: 48 From: Clackamas County, Oregon Notable: Has coached on two previous seasons of "The Ultimate Fighter", Season 17 and TUF: Brazil 3 Former UFC light heavyweight and middleweight title challenger and former Bellator fighter Has wins over Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, Wanderlei Silva, Mauricio "Shogun" Rua and Michael Bisping Daniel Cormier Record: 22-3-0, 1 NC Age: 46 From: Lafayette, Louisiana Notable: Coached on TUF Season 27 Former two-division UFC double champion (light heavyweight and heavyweight) Former collegiate wrestler at Oklahoma State University Has wins over Frank Mir, Dan Henderson, Anderson Silva and Stipe Miocic Team Sonnen welterweights Diego Bianchini Record: 9-1 Age: 28 Fighting out of: São Paulo, Brazil Notable: Fought in LFA in 2024 Trains at Fighting Nerds gym -- the same gym as UFC fighters Carlos Prates, Jean Silva, Mauricio Ruffy and Caio Borralho Andreeas Binder Record: 10-2 Age: 28 Fighting out of: Galway, Ireland Notable: Five wins by knockout Trains at SBG Charlestown -- the same gym as PFL fighter Leah McCourt Former Level Fight League lightweight champion Has not fought since July 2023 Matt Dixon Record: 11-1 Age: 29 Fighting out of: Tulsa, Oklahoma Notable: Fought on "Dana White's Contender Series" in 2020 Has seven wins by knockout Richard Martins Record: 9-1 Age: 26 Fighting out of: Campinas, Brazil Notable: Previously fought in LFA Has finished seven of his last eight opponents Team Cormier welterweights Daniil Donchenko Record: 11-2 Age: 23 Fighting out of: Kyiv, Ukraine Notable: Trains at Tiger Muay Thai gym, the same gym as UFC women's flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko and former UFC men's bantamweight champion Petr Yan Has seven wins by knockout Jeff Creighton Record: 11-2-1 Age: 29 Fighting out of: Poway, California Notable: Fought in LFA and Bellator Trains at The Arena MMA, the same gym as former Bellator champion Liz Carmouche Alex Sanchez Record: 15-3 Age: 31 Fighting out of: Guadalajara, Mexico Notable: Fought in LFA Has not lost a fight since November 2020 Trains at Entram Gym, the same gym as UFC welterweight Michael Morales Rodrigo Sezinando Record: 8-1 Age: 28 Fighting out of: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Notable: Has won each of last four fights by knockout Trains at Nova União, the same gym as former UFC fighters Renan Barao and Matheus Nicolau Team Sonnen flyweights Roybert Echeverria Record: 10-2 Age: 29 Fighting out of: Miami Notable: Fought on "Dana White's Contender Series" in September 2022 Trains at The Goat Shed, the same gym as UFC fighters Gillian Robertson, Ailin Perez and Dennis Buzukja Arshiyan Memon Record: 7-0 Age: 30 Fighting out of: Maharashtra, India Notable: Has never had a professional fight reach the final bell Knocked out each of his last four opponents Joseph Morales Record: 12-2 Age: 30 Fighting out of: Sacramento, California Notable: Former A1 Combat flyweight champion Had three fights in the UFC in 2017 and 2018 Trains at Team Alpha Male, a gym founded by UFC Hall of Famer Urijah Faber Furkatbek Yokubov Record: 14-4 Age: 30 Fighting out of: Uzbekistan Fought in Karate Combat and LFA Fought UFC fighter Vinicius Oliveira in UAE Warriors in November 2020, lost by first-round knockout Has knocked out each of his last three opponents Team Cormier flyweights Eduardo Henrique Record: 13-2 Age: 29 Fighting out of: São Paulo, Brazil Notable: Has fought in LFA since July 2022 Has six wins by knockout Alibi Idiris Record: 10-0 Age: Unknown Fighting out of: Aktau, Kazakhstan Notable: Has four wins by knockout and four wins by decision Trains at the same gym as former UFC fighter Sergey Morozov Tumelo Manyamala Record: 6-1 Age: 26 Fighting out of: Cape Town, South Africa Notable: Has finished his opponent in each of his six victories Lone loss came via split decision Imanol Rodriguez Record: 5-0 Age: 25 Fighting out of: Mexico Notable: Has fought in Fury FC and Combate Global Has finished each of his opponents (four knockouts, one submission) None of his professional fights has reached Round 3 Recaps Episode 1: "Into The Pressure Cooker" The coaches evaluate the Season 33 talent and choose their respective teams. No. 1 picks Eduardo Henrique and Joseph Morales face off in the first flyweights fight of the season. Find out who wins on ESPN+. Episode 2: "Nothing to Lose" Former UFC bantamweight champion and "TUF" Season 14 alumnus TJ Dillashaw guest coaches a Team Sonnen training session. Attention then turns to welterweight, as hard-hitting Ukrainian Daniil Donchenko goes up against Brazilian striker Richard Martins for a spot in the semifinals. Find out who wins. Episode 3: "Give Them A Show" The second flyweight quarterfinal features the first "TUF" fighter from India, Arshiyan Memon, against knockout specialist Imanol Rodriguez out of Mexico. And the first UFC women's strawweight champion ever, Season 20 winner Carla Esparza, stops by as guest coach. Find out who wins. Episode 4: "Blood and Business" Season 4 winner of "The Ultimate Fighter," Matt Serra, shares knowledge with competitors. Then welterweight challenger Andreas Binder runs into trouble in the leadup to his fight with American Jeff Creighton. Find out who wins. Episode 5: "Frenemies" Two-time UFC men's flyweight champion and former TUF Season 24 competitor Brandon Moreno stopped by Team Cormier's training session to teach the fighters some new techniques before flyweights Alibi Idiris and Furkatbek Yokubov square off. Find out who wins. Episode 6: "A Lesson in Brutality" Four Team Cormier fighters and one Team Sonnen prospect have clinched their spots in the semifinals thus far. American Matt Dixon looks to put the momentum back on Team Sonnon's side against Team Cormier's Alex Sanchez from Mexico. Find out who wins. Episode 7: "Make Them Remember Me" The cast takes a night off to attend a Brazilian jiu-jitsu event at the UFC Apex and enjoy some Cajun delicacies, courtesy of Coach Cormier. Former UFC middleweight champion and "The Ultimate Fighter: The Smashes" winner Robert Whittaker stops by to share knowledge with Team Sonnen. Then Roybert "Unbroken" Echeverria and Tumelo Manyamala compete for the final spot in the flyweight semifinals. Find out who wins. Episode 8: "Respect Is Earned" Tension has been building all season between two Brazilian welterweights on opposing teams, Rodrigo Sezinando and Diego Bianchini, who have been goading each other all season. They will settle their feud in the Octagon to finish out the quarterfinals. Find out who wins. Episode 9: "Comfortable With the Uncomfortable" The teams take a break from training to cheer on their coaches in a friendly(ish) pickleball game. Then the semifinals begin with flyweight bout between Team Sonnen's Roybert Echeverria and Team Cormier's Alibi Idiris. Find out who wins. Episode 10: "Common Goals Can't Be Shared" Team Sonnen gets a break away from the TUF house to go see a show in Las Vegas before Team Cormier teammates Rodrigo Sezinando and Jeff Creighton square off in a middleweight semifinal matchup. Find out who wins. Episode 11: "Bring Your Best" Season 32 winner, Mairon Santos, drops by the TUF house to offer advice and inspiration to the teams. Coach Sonnen works to draw a new gear out of Joseph Morales, while Coach Cormier helps Imanol Rodriguez develop his wrestling. Santos and Rodriguez get motivating calls from home before they head to the Octagon with a flyweight finale spot on the line. Find out who wins. Episode 12: "Tested By The Fire" The cast heads to The Strip in Las Vegas for one more meal together. Rashad Evans returns to the show that launched his UFC Hall of Fame career to offer training tips to Team Sonnen's Matt Dixon. Then Dixon takes on Team Cormier's Daniil Donchenko for the last spot in the finale. Find out who wins.

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