This week on The Ultimate Fighter 33, Daniel Cormier`s team faced a setback, leading to a display of frustration from the coach himself.
The episode featured the third welterweight quarterfinal bout, pitting Team Cormier`s Alex Sanchez (Mexico) against Team Sonnen`s Matt Dixon (U.S.). It was Dixon who secured a dominant first-round knockout victory, applying constant pressure on Sanchez from the opening bell and never relenting.
Dixon`s forward pressure kept Sanchez moving backward throughout the fight, much to the visible annoyance of Daniel Cormier. The former two-division UFC champion repeatedly urged Sanchez to advance and initiate offense, but Sanchez struggled to find his rhythm, primarily countering and circling. The decisive moment came when Sanchez stepped back directly into a powerful left hand from Dixon, sending him to the canvas. Dixon followed up with ground-and-pound to finish the fight.
Following the loss, a clearly frustrated Cormier delivered a strong message to Sanchez.
“Listen to me, Alex, you have to be the one going first,” Cormier emphasized. “Your fighting style doesn’t work if you’re moving backwards. Do not move backwards! Don’t back up! If you are a fighter, you do not back up. You move forward and you fight. Don’t back up! You can’t run. If you choose to do this, you have to fight, do you hear me? If we give you instructions, listen!”
Dixon`s win narrowed Team Cormier`s overall lead to 4-2. He is also the first welterweight from Team Sonnen to advance, joining Team Cormier`s Daniil Donchenko and Jeff Creighton in the semifinal round.
Looking ahead to the next episode, the final flyweight quarterfinal will take place between Team Sonnen`s Roybert Echeverria (Venezuela) and Team Cormier`s Tumelo Manyamala (South Africa).
This week`s episode featured notable guest coaches. Daniel Cormier invited former TUF participants who went on to become UFC champions, Rose Namajunas and Raquel Pennington, to assist his team. Chael Sonnen brought in 20-year MMA veteran Ed Herman to share his experience and tips.
Unlike previous seasons, coaches Daniel Cormier and Chael Sonnen, both long retired from competition, will not face each other in a fight at the season`s conclusion.
The winners of the TUF 33 welterweight and flyweight tournaments will compete in a live finale event for a six-figure UFC contract. The specific date for these culminating fights is yet to be announced.
The Ultimate Fighter 33 Rosters by Team:
Team Cormier
Flyweights
Roster details not provided in source text.
Welterweights
Roster details not provided in source text.
Team Sonnen
Flyweights
Roster details not provided in source text.
Welterweights
Roster details not provided in source text.
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
- 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
