Following the conclusion of the quarterfinals in The Ultimate Fighter 33, Daniel Cormier possesses a slight advantage over Chael Sonnen.
During the most recent episode, Cormier solidified his lead against his coaching counterpart when his top-seeded welterweight, Rodrigo Sezinando, secured a victory over Sonnen’s top pick, Diego Bianchini, through a decision. This particular contest garnered significant anticipation throughout the season, as Sezinando and Bianchini were consistently portrayed as having a strained relationship from the moment they entered the TUF training facility.
The tense atmosphere was noticeable right from the start of Round 1, with Bianchini attempting spinning kicks aimed at Sezinando’s head, and Sezinando responding with forceful punches. While neither fighter achieved substantial success with their strikes, Sezinando managed to disrupt Bianchini’s rhythm with several takedowns. Sezinando also concluded the initial round with a strong showing, likely securing a 10-9 advantage on the judges’ scorecards.
Round 2 presented a clearer picture, as Sezinando executed a takedown, bringing Bianchini to the ground. This time, Sezinando effectively utilized his Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt skills, maintaining control over Bianchini and subjecting him to a barrage of impactful ground strikes. This sustained offensive action persisted for nearly four minutes, with Bianchini, visibly bloodied, unable to escape from Sezinando’s control.
Shortly after the round concluded, Sezinando was announced as the victor of the two-round match.
Cormier concludes the quarterfinal stage with a 5-3 advantage in his coaching rivalry with Sonnen, advancing three welterweights and two flyweights to the semifinal round. The coaches engaged in individual discussions with the fighters to assist in determining the matchups for the subsequent round, which are outlined below:
Flyweight
Team Cormier’s Alibi Idris vs. Team Sonnen’s Roybert Echeverria
Team Cormier’s Imanol Rodriguez vs. Team Sonnen’s Joseph Morales
Welterweight
Team Cormier’s Daniil Donchenko vs. Team Sonnen’s Matt Dixon
Team Cormier’s Jeff Creighton vs. Team Cormier’s Rodrigo Sezinando
The Ultimate Fighter 33 is broadcast live every Tuesday at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
In a departure from previous seasons of TUF, coaches Daniel Cormier and Chael Sonnen will not engage in a fight at the end of the season, as both individuals have retired from active competition.
The finalists of the TUF 33 welterweight and flyweight competitions will compete for a UFC contract worth six figures in the show’s live finale fights. The date for these fights is yet to be determined.
Presented below are the TUF 33 rosters, categorized by team:
Team Cormier
Flyweights
- Eduardo Henrique (13-2), Brazil
- Alibi Idiris (10-0), Kazakhstan
- Imanol Rodriguez (5-0), Mexico
- Tumelo Manyamala (6-1), South Africa
Welterweights
- Rodrigo Sezinando (8-1), Brazil
- Daniil Donchenko (11-2), Ukraine
- Jeff Creighton (11-2-1), USA
- Alex Sanchez (15-3), Mexico
Team Sonnen
Flyweights
- Joseph Morales (12-2), USA
- Furkatbek Yokubov (13-4), Uzbekistan
- Roybert Echeverria (10-2), Venezuela
- Arshiyan Memon (7-0), India
Welterweights
- Diego Bianchini (9-1), Brazil
- Matt Dixon (11-1), USA
- Richard Martins (9-1), Brazil
- Andreeas Binder (10-1, 1 NC), Ireland
The semifinal pairings are as follows:
Flyweight
Alibi Idris vs. Roybert Echeverria
Imanol Rodriguez vs. Joseph Morales
Welterweight
Daniil Donchenko vs. Matt Dixon
Jeff Creighton vs. Rodrigo Sezinando
The quarterfinal results are as follows:
Joseph Morales defeated Eduardo Henrique via submission (rear-naked choke) in the first round.
Daniil Donchenko defeated Richard Martins via decision.
Imanol Rodriguez defeated Arshiyan Memon via TKO (strikes) in the first round.
Jeff Creighton defeated Andreeas Binder via decision.
Alibi Idiris defeated Furkatbek Yokubov via decision.
Matt Dixon defeated Alex Sanchez via TKO (strikes) in the first round.
Roybert Echeverria defeated Tumelo Manyamala via submission (rear-naked choke) in the second round.
Rodrigo Sezinando defeated Diego Bianchini via decision.
