This week`s installment of The Ultimate Fighter 33 saw a loss for Daniel Cormier`s team, which ultimately led to an outburst of frustration from the coach.
The episode featured the third welterweight fight of the season, pitting Team Cormier`s Alex Sanchez from Mexico against Team Sonnen`s Matt Dixon from the United States. Dixon secured the victory via first-round knockout, applying pressure from the outset and never easing up.
Dixon`s aggressive approach kept Sanchez on the defensive and moving backward, a dynamic that intensely annoyed Cormier. The former two-division UFC champion repeatedly shouted instructions at Sanchez to advance and attack, but Sanchez struggled to mount any consistent offense. He largely focused on countering and circling until he was caught by a left hand from Dixon, resulting in a knockdown. Dixon quickly followed up with ground-and-pound to finish the contest.
Following the fight, a visibly frustrated Daniel Cormier sharply addressed Sanchez.
“Listen to me, Alex, you`ve got to go first,” Cormier stressed. “Your style doesn`t allow for you to back up. Don`t back up! If you`re a fighter, you don`t back up. You go and you fight. Don`t back up! You can`t run. You choose to do this, you`ve got to fight, understand? If we`re telling you something, listen.”
Dixon`s win allowed Team Sonnen to narrow the overall lead held by Team Cormier, shifting the score to 4-2 in Cormier`s favor. Dixon is also the first welterweight from Team Sonnen to advance to the semifinals, joining Team Cormier`s Daniil Donchenko and Jeff Creighton.
Looking ahead to the next episode, the final flyweight quarterfinal bout of the season is scheduled. Team Sonnen`s Roybert Echeverria (Venezuela) will face Team Cormier`s Tumelo Manyamala (South Africa).
This week also featured notable guest coaches. Daniel Cormier brought in former TUF participants and subsequent UFC champions, Rose Namajunas and Raquel Pennington, while Chael Sonnen enlisted the guidance of 20-year MMA veteran Ed Herman to assist his team.
It`s worth noting that, unlike many past seasons of TUF, coaches Daniel Cormier and Chael Sonnen will not compete against each other at the season`s conclusion, as both are retired from active competition.
The winners of the TUF 33 welterweight and flyweight tournaments will instead earn valuable six-figure UFC contracts in the live finale fights. The specific date for these final bouts has not yet been announced.
Current Quarterfinal Results
Joseph Morales def. Eduardo Henrique via first-round submission (rear-naked choke)
Daniil Donchenko def. Richard Martins via decision
Imanol Rodriguez def. Arshiyan Memon via first-round TKO (strikes)
Jeff Creighton def. Andreeas Binder via decision
Alibi Idiris def. Furkatbek Yokubov via decision
Matt Dixon def. Alex Sanchez via first-round TKO (strikes)
Advancing to Semifinals:
Morales, Donchenko, Rodriguez, Creighton, Idiris, Dixon
Eliminated:
Henrique, Martins, Memon, Binder, Yokubov, Sanchez
