“The Ultimate Fighter 31: Team McGregor vs. Team Chandler” returned Tuesday for Episode 2 and featured a brutal knockout – but not the fight fans initially expected.
On Episode 2, a fight was postponed until a later date. The fight that took place was one for the highlight reel. Also, things got a bit testy in the TUF House’s kitchen.
The season runs from May 30 to Aug. 15 with the live finale expected for later this year. The promotion also intends for coaches Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler to square off in the months that follow the conclusion of the season.
Scroll below for a recap of Episode 2 and make sure to check out an exclusive insider look from TUF 31 cast member Kurt Holobaugh, who will peel back the curtain on MMA Junkie the morning after each episode airs.
Trevor Wells deemed medically unfit to compete
At the top of the episode, bantamweights Timur Valiev (Team Chandler) and Trevor Wells (Team McGregor) are in the locker rooms as they prepare for their bout inside the UFC Apex.
During the hand wrappings, NAC executive director Jeff Mullen calls coach Michael Chandler into the hallway to inform him that opposing fighter Trevor Wells was deemed unfit to compete.
In the locker room of Wells, coach Owen Roddy gives words of optimism to his fighter. Wells reveals he woke up with a cold sore on his face and the commission would not let him compete with it.
"I have to cut weight again?"
An astonished Valiev is informed by Chandler of the bout postponement.
“I have to cut weight again?” Valiev asks.
Chandler says that’s his suspicion. But when Dana White arrives, the UFC president pitches the idea of a catchweight for the postponed bout so the athletes don’t have to cut weight again.
“We’re going to postpone the fight,” White said. “The problem is that these fighters have to cut so much weight in between fights. It would suck to make Trevor and Timur do that all over again. So we need to find a date and a weight to hold this fight that’s going to be fair to everyone.”
On to the next
With Valiev vs. Wells off, next up is Cody Gibson (Team Chandler) and Mando Gutierrez (Team McGregor).
Things get snippy in the TUF House kitchen
Lightweight contestants Roosevelt Roberts (Team Chandler) and Landon Quinones (Team McGregor) get in an increasingly combative conversation in the kitchen – all the while Jason Knight (Team Chandler) tries to make his stirfry in peace.
“I’m not going to lie, I wanted to slap his ass,” Roberts tells the camera in a cut scene interview.
Roberts stands up from the table and implies he’s willing to fight Quinones, who declines the offer.
“If you want me to be real with you, I don’t like you,” Roberts said. “I don’t like the way you look. I don’t like the way your (expletive) voice sounds in the morning. I don’t like none of that sh*t. I ain’t going to lie to you. … I don’t like you and I’d rather you stop talking to me. … We could do it right now.”
Cooler heads prevail after Quinones remains cool and collected during Roberts’ challenge.
Coach McGregor stops by the house – with booze
McGregor and his assistant coaches come to visit the fighters at the TUF House and brings whiskey and stouts with him.
Gutierrez gives McGregor and his fellow cast members haircuts. As McGregor fidgets in the chair, Gutierrez strains to give him a proper cut – but succeeds.
McGregor has fighters sample the alcohol he brought and even does the age-old trick of pretending to walk down a flight of stairs behind the bar.
The fight: Cody Gibson vs. Mando Gutierrez
Cody Gibson’s flying knee TKO had Conor speechless 🫢 #TUF31 pic.twitter.com/dywLnlEXCH
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) June 7, 2023
Weight: Bantamweight
Round: Quarterfinal
Team McGregor fighter: Mando Gutierrez (8-2)
Team Chandler fighter: Cody Gibson (19-8)
Result: Cody Gibson def. Mando Gutierrez via TKO (switch knee and punches) – Round 1
Gibson ties up Gutierrez early along the fence. Gutierrez separates. The fighters trade kicks before Gibson gets the clinch again. Gutierrez bleeds from the bridge of his nose. Gutierrez breaks and the two exchange punches. Gutierrez chops the lead leg of Gibson, as cowboy-hat-wearing McGregor cheers.
Gutierrez gets increasingly aggressive and charges in with a combination. As Gutierrez steps back to reset, Gibson leaps forward with a beautiful switch knee. It drills Gutierrez directly in the face. Gutierrez falls and flips to his stomach as Gibson pounds away and gets the stoppage.
The win puts Team Chandler up 2-0 against Team McGregor.
Next week's fight
On Episode 3, lightweights Austin Hubbard (Team Chandler) and Aaron McKenzie (Team McGregor) square off in a quarterfinal matchup.
