Conor McGregor’s team got off to a rough start on the new season of The Ultimate Fighter, with one of the Irishman’s mentees suffering a knockout loss inside eight seconds.
McGregor is coaching one team of fighters on the UFC television show, while Michael Chandler is training the opposing set of contestants. Once the show has concluded in August, McGregor and Chandler will square off in the Octagon, though fans are still awaiting a date, location and weight class for the fight.
The first episode of season 31 of The Ultimate Fighter aired on Tuesday (30 May), and it centred on a lightweight clash between Nate Jennerman and Roosevelt Roberts. Jennerman was representing McGregor’s team, while Roberts was fighting on Chandler’s.
The episode, which featured a look into the life and family of Jennerman, ended with the Wisconsin-born fighter getting knocked out by Roberts within eight seconds. The camera then cut to a disappointed McGregor.
“We were all upset for ‘Nasty Nate’,” McGregor said in an interview thereafter. “He didn’t get to show much of what he has. It’s a big stage; sometimes we can rise, sometimes it goes against you. In this one, that’s essentially what happened.”
Footage then showed McGregor talking to Jennerman in the locker room, saying: “We’re still all here with you, Nate, we’re still all here with you. We’ll get back to the gym.”
Jennerman replied, “I’m sorry,” to which McGregor said: “Don’t worry about it. Back to the gym. That’s alright, we’ll get better now.”
In another interview segment, Jennerman reflected on the loss. “I feel like I left my kids behind for nothing right now. I feel like I didn’t even get to fight. I just got clipped right off the rip, I didn’t even get to show myself out here.”
Jennerman’s opponent Roberts is one of several contestants this season to be pursuing a return to the UFC, having fought in the promotion before.
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