The latest episode of The Ultimate Fighter 33 saw Team Cormier`s flyweight fighter secure a victory and advance in the tournament, overcoming some costly fouls during the bout.
Fight Recap: Alibi Idiris vs. Furkatbek Yokubov
Representing Team Cormier, Kazakhstan`s undefeated Alibi Idiris faced off against Furkatbek Yokubov of Uzbekistan from Team Sonnen. Idiris leaned heavily on his wrestling skills throughout the contest to ultimately earn a decision win.
The fight was not without its challenges for Idiris. Yokubov initially seemed to hold the advantage in striking, connecting with body kicks and timely counter punches. Action paused briefly when Yokubov suffered an accidental low blow. After the restart, Idiris successfully closed the distance, focusing on taking the fight to the ground. Despite Yokubov receiving a warning from referee Jason Herzog for grabbing the fence, Idiris powered through to secure the takedown and begin landing ground-and-pound.
The fight went into a second round, marked by a frantic striking exchange where Idiris accidentally poked Yokubov in the eye. Herzog acted swiftly, deducting a point from Idiris. Despite the penalty, Idiris maintained control, dominating the remainder of the round with his wrestling. His consistent ground game secured him the decision victory after two rounds.
Tournament Standings and Team Score
With his win, Alibi Idiris joins teammate Imanol Rodriguez in the flyweight semifinals for Team Cormier. Joseph Morales is the sole flyweight semifinalist so far for Team Sonnen. This victory further cemented Team Cormier`s lead in the series, bringing the overall score to 4-1. Team Cormier`s welterweight contenders, Daniil Donchenko and Jeff Creighton, have also previously advanced.
Special Guest Appearances
Episode 5 featured two notable guests visiting Team Cormier. Former TUF 24 competitor and two-time UFC flyweight champion Brandon Moreno spoke to the team about the significance of the TUF experience, sharing his own journey where he lost his TUF fight but went on to achieve championship status. ESPN analyst and Super Bowl champion Ryan Clark also offered encouragement and a motivational pep talk to Idiris before his fight.
Next Week`s Bout
The upcoming episode will showcase a welterweight matchup between Alex Sanchez of Team Cormier (Mexico) and Matt Dixon of Team Sonnen (USA).
The Ultimate Fighter 33 airs live every Tuesday at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
It`s worth noting that unlike some past seasons, coaches Daniel Cormier and Chael Sonnen, both retired from competition, will not fight each other at the conclusion of the season.
The winners of the TUF 33 welterweight and flyweight tournaments will earn a six-figure UFC contract. The live finale fights where these contracts will be awarded do not yet have a confirmed date.
Quarterfinal Results So Far
- 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
Tournament Progression
Advancing to Semifinals: Morales, Donchenko, Rodriguez, Creighton, Idiris
Eliminated from Quarterfinals: Henrique, Martins, Memon, Binder, Yokubov
