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Welcome, everyone, to the eighth edition of The TUF Stuff!
Each week, I'll be guiding you through a recap of this season's edition of The Ultimate Fighter, providing updates on what happens in each episode -- from the drama and storylines out of the Octagon, to the looks into who the competing fighters are, to what goes down inside the cage.
This season celebrates the 20th anniversary of TUF. That inaugural season from 2005 helped to influence many future MMA fans, media members, and fighters (yours truly included). And now, two more fighters this summer will get the opportunity to call themselves TUF champions when it's all said and done.
Last week saw the final flyweight matchup of the season, with Team Cormier's frustrations continuing and Team Sonnen seeming to have turned the tide with Roybert Echeverria defeating Tumelo Manyamala.
Recap of The Ultimate Fighter Season 33 - Episode 8
The first round concludes with the last welterweight semifinal spot on the line tonight in a grudge match! Two men who haven't gotten along well during their time in the TUF House -- Team Cormier's Rodrigo Sezinando and Team Sonnen's Diego Bianchini -- will finally throw down!
Let's get into episode eight of The Ultimate Fighter!
Team Cormier Training Session -- Yair Rodriguez Joins
Michael Chiesa is back. Daniel Cormier is absent from the session, and Chiesa introduces former UFC interim featherweight champion Yair Rodriguez, A previous TUF: Latin America winner, to join for the team's training session.
Rodriguez tells the cast to remember to enjoy the moment -- and that while TUF is a competition, it's also a brotherhood. He then leads the team through some clinch techniques.
Jeff Creighton said Rodriguez has "layers to his game" and Rodriguez gave a "masterclass elbows seminar" in the sport.
Diego Bianchini Backstory
Bianchini grew up, and still lives, in Sao Paulo, Brazil and currently lives with his parents. He describes himself as spoiled to have his family and pets, as well as living in a quiet environment.
Bianchini says growing up in Brazil, you either play soccer or fight, and he knew that he was always going to be in the UFC.
Bianchini, who is 9-1, trains at the Fighting Nerds alongside Caio Borralho and Jean Silva. Borralho describes Bianchini as a good guy to train with and praises his talent, claiming "The Brazilian Bad Boy" (Bianchini's self-proclaimed alter-ego) will be in the TUF Finale.
Rodrigo Sezinando Backstory
We see some of Sezinando's homesickness on display, looking at a photo of his mom and feeling awful for not being able to afford to see her. Sezinando went as far as to say his mom "doesn't know if he's alive or not" but promises to make her proud of him.
Sezinando was born in Rio De Janeiro, raised by his mom. His mom talks on camera, saying how he fights for her. She says, "His battle is ours, too. I love my son very much and that's how it is."
Sezinando says he grew up in a simple life in a place that isn't the safest -- and so he joined a gym for self-defense.
Sezinando is in Vancouver now after competing for Battlefield Fight League. He moved to Canada with just $200 to his name, and he hopes to use his family's support to fuel his dream.
Diego Bianchini Fight Prep
Bianchini gives Sonnen praise for his guidance. Bianchini says he recognizes Sezinando's jiu-jitsu but promises to dominate him in the cage. He then works with Sonnen on takedown techniques and with other coaches on striking.
Bianchini wants to strike without taking damage. "Nobody can read me," he says.
Sonnen feels Sezinando can't keep up with Bainchini, who he says will weaponize pace. Sonnen feels Sezinando might come out with fury and will be dangerous in the first but won't win a second or third round.
Bianchini says Sezinando has been talking crap and promises to show what "The Brazilian Bad Boy" can do.
Rodrigo Sezinando Fight Prep
Sezinando says he is going to use his striking to tire Bianchini out. Sezinando wants to knock Bianchini out given their history.
"My ego has to stay outside," he says, promising if jiu-jitsu opens up, that's what he'll do to get the win.
Cormier says he isn't sure how Bianchini will be able to take Sezinando down. Cormier says Bianchini is sloppy with takedowns; however, he's fearful that Sezinando will go wild and sloppy when he spots openings. Cormier, however, tells the camera that he thinks Sezinando can put Bianchini away with his striking.
Sezinando says his heart and his fight IQ are his biggest positives as a fighter.
Cormier adds to the fire by saying to think about his motivations - "This is fun to him, this is life to you."
TUF House
Tumelo Manyamala says this is a fight everyone in the house has wanted to happened.
Bianchini claims Sezinando knows he loves him, seemingly trying to get under Sezinando's skin. Sezinando says "Don't worry. I will take care of you."
Bianchini says Sezinando is a farce of an individual. Sezinando says Bianchini doesn't understand how hard it is to move away from his family and sacrifice everything.
Bianchini says Sezinando doesn't like successful people, but he himself "doesn't like haters."
The Fight: Rodrigo Sezinando vs. Diego Bianchini
-----IF YOU HAVEN'T WATCHED THE EPISODE AND DON'T WANT TO BE SPOILED, THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO TURN AWAY NOW.---------
Both men weigh in at 170.5. The fight is on! And, of course, we get an intense staredown!
Roybert Echeverria says this will be the fight of the season. Jeff Creighton says he told Sezinando to control his emotions to be the better fighter and winner.
Rodrigo Sezinando vs. Diego Bianchini
Round 1
Bianchini comes right out the gate with a round kick. Another spinning kick but it misses! Low kicks from both men. Round kick by Bianchini. He misses another spin kick, and Sezinando takes him down! Cormier telling Sezinando to flatten him. Bianchini tries for a leg lock, but Sezinando gets the fight back to the feet. Sezinando misses a spin kick now! Flying knee from Bianchini! Low kick from Bianchini. It's a leg kick battle here. Another one from Bianchini. Sezinando stops the takedown attempt and adds a low kick. Round kick from Bianchini lands. Sezinando goes for a clinch, but Bianchini tries to control it until a quick separation. Kick lands low and we get a timeout.
Fight resumes, and Bianchini doesn't get all of a spin kick. Sezinando goes big on his strikes and gets clinched to the wall briefly. Bianchini can't get a takedown, and Sezinando tosses him down, adding a couple of strikes for good measures before he lets Bianchini up. Low kick from Sezinando. One-two from Bianchini. Sezinando lands a combination that HURTS Bianchini! Bianchini is able to get Sezinando to the fence. Bianchini continues to hold. The ref calls for activity with about 85 seconds left in the round, and Sezinando is able to reverse the position. Sezinando lands a knee. He adds a left hand on the separation.
Knee from Bianchini. Overhand right catches Sezinando now! Sezinando pressures and throws a high kick! Spin kick lands to the back of the head of Sezinando. Strong left hand from Sezinando. Sezinando clinches Bianchini against the fence for the last 10 seconds.
Round 2
Bianchini with a front kick and a right hand. Low kick from Bianchini, followed by a blocked high kick. Sezinando responds with kicks of his own. Bianchini lands a jab but his high kick is blocked. Bianchini goes for a takedown, but Sezinando stuffs it and gets him down! A couple of elbows from Sezinando. And another. Bianchini tries to get his legs up, but Sezinando works around them, staying on top of Bianchini. Sezinando covering Bianchini's mouth. Activity slows. Sonnen trying to get Bianchini to work. Cormier telling Sezinando to stay on him.
Sezinando with more punches. Bianchini tries for another leg lock, but Sezinando gets away from it. He returns to the ground, working in Bianchini's guard. Sezinando lands another couple of shots. Sonnen questions if Bianchini really wants the win, urging him to get up. Sezinando lands a couple of elbows, with his coaches urging to continue to beat him up. Another elbow from Sezinando. And another. This is a complete smothering as compared to the first round. Left hand lands. Another couple of elbows. More ground-and-pound from Sezinando.
No third round needed! Sezinando wins the rivalry!
Winner: Sezinando via unanimous decision after two rounds
Conclusion
Cormier says Bianchini came out crazy, but Sezinando mostly "stayed true to who he was." Sonnen says he felt bad for Bianchini because he had pressure in being "the baddest dude" -- as did Sezinando. Dana White says when a fight hype like this happens, the fight usually doesn't live up to the hype.
Cormier says Sezinando fought a "beautiful" first round and then in the second, got a takedown and "beat the crap out of" Bianchini. White says Sezinando didn't want to take a risk and dominated -- alas, not a fun way to close out the quarterfinals.
Sezinando expresses excitement for the win, but the two hugged it out in the cage, seemingly putting the bad blood behind them. Bianchini says Sezinando earned his respect and that he was the better fighter tonight. "It is what it is," Sezinando says. "The Brazilian Bad Boy" will be back."
Semi-Finals Decisions
White will not join Cormier and Sonnen this season. The two coaches will hear from the fighters and they alone will make this season's TUF semis.
Here were the fighters' remarks:
- Joseph Morales of Team Sonnen says he wants to fight Imanol Rodriguez.
- Imanol Rodriguez of Team Cormier wants Roybert Echerverria.
- Echerverria of Team Sonnen wants Alibi Idiris.
- Idiris of Team Cormier says he also wants Echerverria.
- Creighton of Team Cormier says if put in the position where he'd have to fight a teammate, he'd want to fight Sezinando.
- Morales adds in the idea of him fighting Sezinando as well.
- Sezinando says he's interested in facing Matt Dixon.
- Daniil Donchenko of Team Cormier says he puts his trust in the coaches.
Ultimately, the following semi-finals are announced:
Flyweight: Alibi Idiris (Team Cormier) vs. Roybert Echerverria (Team Sonnen)
Flyweight: Imanol Rodriguez (Team Cormier) vs. Joseph Morales (Team Sonnen)
Welterweight: Matt Dixon (Team Sonnen) vs. Daniil Donchenko (Team Cormier)
Welterweight: Jeff Creighton (Team Cormier) vs. Rodrigo Sezinando (Team Cormier)
Cormier says he feels Idiris is ready for the UFC right now, and Echerverria is better than what he showed in the quarterfinals.
Sonnen feels Morales, based on his previous UFC experience, is the best fighter in the competition. Morales and Rodriguez share some intense words.
Sonnen says Dixon could knock everyone out in the competition, but the fight with Donchenko will be "brutal."
Cormier feels Sezinando was the best fighter entering the competition; however, Creighton has showed the biggest improvements of anyone. The two fighters face off, with Sezinando affirming Creighton's claim "You knew this would happen." Sezinando says the two can share food after the fight.
Cormier and Sonnen play pickleball for this season's Coaches' Challenge next week!
Idiris vs. Echerverria is the first semi to go down!
What will happen next week? Join alongside us then!
Thanks for joining me for another edition of The TUF Stuff!