“The Ultimate Fighter 31” is underway with coaches Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler attracting more eyeballs back on the series.
This season, which features eight lightweights and eight bantamweights, debuted Tuesday 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 alumni 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 into the episode.
Check out what Holobaugh had to say about Episode 5 below.
The origin of Brad Katona's training separation
“Me and all the other guys already knew that Brad (Katona) was an SBG guy. We knew he wasn’t on the team he wanted to be on. At first, we were wondering what would happen with it. At this time, we didn’t know how our training sessions were going to go either. As the first training session kind of kicked off, I think maybe in the very first training session, I think Brad got a little nick on his chin from whoever he was drilling with. Maybe he was doing some rolling or drills and he got nicked and right then and there, Brad was like, ‘I’m not really going to train with anybody. I’m just going to kind of do my own thing, maybe hit a little bit of mitts or pads here and there, but that’s kind of how it started going.”
“… (The scene with us in the van), that was every single practice that we were waiting on Brad, whether he was taking a shower, whether he was in there shooting the sh*t with (John) Kavanagh and the other team. Every single time we were trying to convince the driver just to leave Brad.”
Growing dislike
“I know the guys. Nobody liked Brad. I don’t have a problem with Brad, but everybody kind of didn’t like Brad. There were a lot of times where we’d get done with our training session where we’re tired and hungry. We like to get back to the house as quick as we can, that way we can eat our lunch and hang out, get a little break, and get a nap in. We’re going to be coming right back in like two hours to train again. The quicker we get home, the quicker we eat and rest up and get to come back. Brad would lallygag and he liked to hang out with the other team for a second. A lot of our guys didn’t like that too much.”
The balance of individuality vs. team
“Everybody that went to the show was on the show for themselves. Yeah, it’s a team thing. I didn’t go on the show to make friends. I didn’t expect to be friends with anybody. I didn’t expect to get the type of bonds that we did. But I guess what we didn’t realize was these were the guys we were going to live with for six weeks. You’re hanging out with these guys. You’re hearing their life stories. You started creating a bond and you actually do become friends. I don’t think that really happened with Brad. I don’t think Brad really had any of that going with any other guys except for maybe Lee Hammond because they were training partners back in Ireland.”
How much did Katona's separation affect Team Chandler?
“Not at all. There was plenty of us there. After the first incident where he got a little nick on the chin, and I don’t think it was that bad, he kind of separated himself. He would just do his own workouts on the treadmill, hit the pads with Strout, and kind of do his own thing. He’d still ask some of the coaches for advice here and there. But as far as the guys training, a lot of times I was with the 155ers. Sometimes, I’d mix it up with the 135ers and stuff like that, but I don’t think we missed a beat without him.”
Fight reaction: Brad Katona def. Carlos Vera via unanimous decision
“I thought it was pretty clear. I thought it was a clear two rounds to zero. I actually had Carlos to win this fight beforehand, really because maybe I was a little biased. Carlos is a guy from down here in New Orleans. I’ve been knowing Carlos for probably 12 years or so. We’ve probably been on some of the same local cards and local circuit. We’d see each other all the time when he was living down here in New Orleans.”
“… You’ve seen drama go down on the past seasons where maybe a guy doesn’t want to be on a team or he’s going and working out with the other team. If that switch would’ve happened or we started proposing it, maybe it could’ve happened. And Brad said to us, ‘No, I don’t want to go to the other team.’ I’m like, ‘Brad, you’re lying. You know you want to go to that team.'”
A near trade proposal
“I was trying to convince Carlos, since Carlos and I are good friends. I’m like, ‘Carlos, how about we see if we can make a team switch, man? Let’s see if we can just trade Brad for you.’ Carlos was like, ‘No, man. I got picked on this team and I’m going to represent my team and that’s it. No worries.’ I’m like, ‘That’s cool and I can respect that.'”
Should all 'TUF' fights be three rounds, as Conor McGregor said?
“After being on the show, maybe (they should change it going forward). Some of the guys maybe felt like they needed a little bit more time.”
How it feels when your episode is up next
“I don’t think words can quite describe it. I did a big old viewing party at my gym during the first episode. I want to say I had about 75 to 80 friends and family members from the gym come out and support it and watch it. Just watching it with all them and just seeing the itty bitty clips from the interviews I did in the first episode. I was just like, ‘Wow.’ I almost had no words. Now we’re getting ready to finally see. The world is finally going to see who I am, how I fight, and it’s crazy. I almost don’t know how to feel about it but I’m definitely excited, for sure.”
“… It feels much bigger (than any actual fight I’ve had). I fought on a lot of big cards in the UFC and I’ve been on big pay-per-views and on the main stage. I’ve been on ESPN and Fox Sports. But the difference with this is that the UFC ain’t going to push you if you’re on the prelims. You might do some interviews and get some little articles out. But the difference is you have those three five-minute rounds, 15 minutes at most you’re going to get and then that’s it. You get out and you go home and you don’t hear about it much. This has been in the works for six weeks of viewing and it’s going to keep going. After the fight with me and Lee Hammond, you’re still going to see everybody on the show whether they’re winning or losing. They’re still there. They’re still getting interviewed. They’re still on ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ for another six weeks.”
More behind-the-scenes recaps
Go behind the scenes of previous episodes of “The Ultimate Fighter 31” with Kurt Holobaugh:
- Episode 1: Kurt Holobaugh’s ‘TUF 31’ chronicles: A secluded waiting game ends with an exciting third chance
- Episode 2: Kurt Holobaugh’s ‘TUF 31’ chronicles: What it’s like to hang out with Conor McGregor
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Episode 3: The difference between Michael Chandler and Conor McGregor as coaches
- Episode 4: What it’s like living under the 24/7 surveillance of reality TV
