“The Ultimate Fighter 31” is ongoing with coaches Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler attracting more eyeballs back on the series.
This season, which features eight lightweights and eight bantamweights, airs Tuesdays on ESPN. McGregor’s team features eight fighters who have not competed in the UFC against Chandler’s team of eight UFC alumni.
Among those UFC alums is Kurt Holobaugh, the lone fighter who had two previous stints with the promotion. Holobaugh went 0-4 over those stretches, but history shows a tough strength of schedule: Steven Siler, Raoni Barcelos, Shane Burgos, and Thiago Moises.
Now at lightweight rather than featherweight, Holobaugh devastated two opponents to get a third look from the UFC.
Each week here at MMA Junkie, Holobaugh will peel back the curtain and provide an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look and give insight into what may not have made the cut onto the episode.
Check out what Holobaugh had to say about Episode 7, which featured his first bout on the series, below.
How much did Team Chandler and Team McGregor mingle?
“For the most part, everybody was kind of cool. You had a few guys like Row (Roberts) and Nate Jennerman kind of stay separate a little bit. I didn’t really talk to Lee (Hammond) any. There might have been another few guys. But for the most part, everybody still kind of hung out and chilled with everybody.”
McGregor hard-sparring (and even dropping) his fighters - fair or foul?
“It all depends on how you are in the gym. How I like to describe myself in the gym is I feel like I’m a good, good training partner. I feel like I’m one of the best training partners in the world just for the simple fact I might hit you a little bit, but I’m not trying to do what Conor did to Landon. I don’t know. I really don’t know. I’ve never been in a training session with Conor. But if I’m coaching guys, trying to bring them up, and they’ve got guys in the next week, I wouldn’t be trying to do that. I have some of my guys who I train at my gym. When they have a fight coming up in that week, I’m more so their little mobile punching bag. I’m not trying to hurt them. I’m not hitting them with any shot that could hurt a rib or cut them or give them a concussion. I don’t know. I think that was kind of dumb on Conor’s part.
Jason Knight's cut: Carelessness or bad luck?
“I was there. I don’t think him and Timur (Valiev) were going that hard. It’s kind of like what Chandler said. Jason had that built-up scar tissue on his face from all the wars that he’s been in. Once he got that little cut, the doctor from the UFC is super good and was able to glue that up really quick.”
Cody Gibson's knee injury was known
“Everybody knew about the knee injury. But Cody said, ‘I’m just going to do some drilling. I don’t think I’m going to do much wrestling. I’ll keep on the treadmill and the bike. Maybe I’ll do some light technical combos and some light technical sparring.’ He did everything he needed to do to ensure his knee was safe throughout the training camp just to get him to that semifinal fight.”
Are you more susceptible to injuries given 'TUF' tournament format?
“No. Injuries can happen any day in training. For the most part, Chandler really wanted us to stay protected. We didn’t even spar really. Me and Jason might have done one round of sparring, just me and him, the day the other guys had a fight. But we didn’t spar or hard spar. Every time we’d even do some light work, Chandler would really want us to wear the head gear and stuff like that, so we’re not bumping heads and getting cut.”
The real timeline of when fights take place
“The first two weeks, you had like four fights in the first week and four fights in the second week. But being that Timur and Trevor didn’t get to fight, they pushed them to the second week. So you had three fights in the first week and five in the second week. The fights were all on the same day each week. ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ is going in order. So right after my fight with Lee, Jason fights Landon. … You saw everything that happened after my fight. Tensions are still kind of high, so they go right to the back. It’s probably like 15 to 20 minutes in between fights. Everybody gets set up for the next fight and the next fighters walk out. I’m sure tensions were still kind of high, and they’re just trying to make sure that was all calmed down. As you guys saw in the preview for the next episode, maybe, tensions weren’t calmed down. You have Hunter (Azure) and Rico (DiSciullo) fighting, and it looks like after that fight some tensions flare back up.”
Full circle: From undefeated newbies to 'TUF 31' cast members
“I was supposed to fight Jason in 2012. That would’ve put him at 19 years old when I was going to fight him. I was around 26, I think. It was right before I made my UFC debut, which was when I was 27. I remember the promoter down here, Mr. Ricky, who treated us really well, he had an organization down here called Fight Force International (FFI). They brought me and Jason into the cage because he was the next big thing coming out of Alan Belcher’s gym. I was the next big thing coming out of Louisiana. I think Jason was 7-0 and I was 4-0. They brought us in the ring and had us stare each other down. He really mean-mugged me the whole night. I was kind of cool. But it’s cool. Ever since then, we’ve known each other and crossed paths.”
Landon Quinones and unanticipated inspiration
“He’s a really cool guy. Maybe he talks a lot, sure, but that’s just him. On the flip side, he’s a super cool guy, really nice guy, and super respectful. I think he really looked up to me also, because he’s the Titan FC champ. I had been the Titan FC champion a few times. He said he was at the fight when I fought Gesias Cavalcante, so he was like, ‘Man, I really look up to you and it’s an honor to be on the show with you.’ That was the cool thing about being on that veteran side. Even though we’re fighting some of these guys who are up-and-comers, they still look up to guys like me a lot.”
Fight reaction: Jason Knight def. Landon Quinones via submission – Round 1
“That was a true veteran vs. a true up-and-comer. Nothing against Landon. It’s just he’s never fought nobody close to Jason Knight. Jason’s style, when Jason got in his face and starting bombing him, Landon panicked a little bit. He got clipped a little bit and shot for the takedown, put Jason down – and man, Jason is good off of his back. It didn’t surprise me at all. I’ll tell you that much.”
One win away from clean sweep: The feeling in the room going into Fight 8
“We know how good Hunter (Azure) is. Hunter is a guy who did really well while in the UFC. Not only that, but he had a big victory over Brad Katona, who is an ‘Ultimate Fighter’ winner. We were 100 percent confident going into the final opening round fight.”
Team domination means fighting teammates next
“From the very get-go for the lightweights me, Austin (Hubbard), Row and Jason (Knight), we were all sharing the same room. We were all bunkmates in the same room. We’re sleeping every night. The plan was, ‘Hey, we’re going to all be in the semifinals but we’ve got to take these guys out first. We’ll cross that path when we get to it.”
Fast forward to present day: How 'TUF 31' has changed his life
“I went out to Las Vegas for the IBJJF nationals this past weekend and in the same venue was the UFC X. They were on the top floor. If you were doing the competition, you got free tickets to go up there. So we just happened to go up there on Friday and as soon as I walked in the door, people are coming up left and right holding pictures to autograph. I’m like, ‘Oh sh*t.’ It really made me feel like I made myself into something. It was cool, man. It really was.”
