“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
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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+.
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The coaches
Chael Sonnen
Record: 30-18-1
Age: 48
From: Clackamas County, Oregon
Notable:
Daniel Cormier
Record: 22-3-0, 1 NC
Age: 46
From: Lafayette, Louisiana
Notable:
Team Sonnen welterweights
Diego Bianchini
Record: 9-1
Age: 28
Fighting out of: São Paulo, Brazil
Notable:
Andreeas Binder
Record: 10-2
Age: 28
Fighting out of: Galway, Ireland
Notable:
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Five wins by knockout
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Trains at SBG Charlestown — the same gym as PFL fighter Leah McCourt
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Former Level Fight League lightweight champion
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Has not fought since July 2023
Matt Dixon
Record: 11-1
Age: 29
Fighting out of: Tulsa, Oklahoma
Notable:
Richard Martins
Record: 9-1
Age: 26
Fighting out of: Campinas, Brazil
Notable:
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
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Has seven wins by knockout
Jeff Creighton
Record: 11-2-1
Age: 29
Fighting out of: Poway, California
Notable:
-
Fought in LFA and Bellator
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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:
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Fought in LFA
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Has not lost a fight since November 2020
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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:
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Has won each of last four fights by knockout
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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:
Arshiyan Memon
Record: 7-0
Age: 30
Fighting out of: Maharashtra, India
Notable:
Joseph Morales
Record: 12-2
Age: 30
Fighting out of: Sacramento, California
Notable:
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Former A1 Combat flyweight champion
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Had three fights in the UFC in 2017 and 2018
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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
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Fought in Karate Combat and LFA
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Fought UFC fighter Vinicius Oliveira in UAE Warriors in November 2020, lost by first-round knockout
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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:
Alibi Idiris
Record: 10-0
Age: Unknown
Fighting out of: Aktau, Kazakhstan
Notable:
Tumelo Manyamala
Record: 6-1
Age: 26
Fighting out of: Cape Town, South Africa
Notable:
Imanol Rodriguez
Record: 5-0
Age: 25
Fighting out of: Mexico
Notable:
-
Has fought in Fury FC and Combate Global
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Has finished each of his opponents (four knockouts, one submission)
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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.
