Dana White was blown away by the most recent battle on The Final Fighter 33.
It wasn’t a technical masterpiece by any stretch of the creativeness, however UFC flyweight hopefuls Imanol Rodriguez (Mexico) and Arshiyan Memon (India) actually entertained the onlookers at UFC APEX, together with White, their potential boss. In the long run, it was Rodriguez who got here out on prime with a blistering standing TKO win within the first spherical.
Staff Daniel Cormier’s Rodriguez (5-0) and Staff Chael Sonnen’s Memon (7-0) each entered this week’s battle with undefeated information, and their uncooked expertise and inexperience have been on full show. Rodriguez frequently landed his proper hand on a retreating Memon, who appeared caught off guard by Rodriguez’s aggression. A Rodriguez physique kick had Memon wincing and Rodriguez pounced for the end, however in some way Memon managed to outlive and get better.
Rodriguez didn’t let up. Memon was firing wild after which made the error of telegraphing a takedown, which Rodriguez stuffed earlier than taking Memon’s again. He flattened Memon out, forcing Memon to show over and quit full mount. Once more, Memon in some way slipped out of a disadvantageous place.
His luck quickly ran out, although. Inexplicably bursting with confidence, Memon dropped his arms and prompted Rodriguez to deliver it on, which Rodriguez did with a number of proper arms to the face. Rodriguez battered Memon in opposition to the cage, throwing bombs till referee Mark Smith jumped in for the save.
Afterwards, White praised each rivals for the trouble, telling Memon “that’s among the best fights I’ve seen in a minute.”
Cormier is now up 2-1 on opposing coach Sonnen, with Rodriguez becoming a member of welterweight teammate Daniil Donchenko within the winner’s circle.
Additionally on this episode, Sonnen introduced in one other former TUF standout as a visitor coach, TUF 20 winner and inaugural UFC strawweight champion Carla Esparza.
In subsequent week’s welterweight matchup, Staff Cormier’s Jeff Creighton (USA) fights Staff Sonnen’s Andreeas Binder (Eire).
The Final Fighter 33 airs dwell each Tuesday at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
Not like most editions of TUF, coaches Daniel Cormier and Chael Sonnen is not going to battle on the conclusion of the season as each are lengthy retired.
The finalists of the TUF 33 welterweight and flyweight tournaments will compete for a six-figure UFC contract within the present’s dwell finale fights. A date for these bouts is but to be introduced.
Listed below are the TUF 33 rosters divided by workforce:
Staff Cormier
Flyweights
Eduardo Henrique (13-2), Brazil
Alibi Idiris (10-0), Kazakhstan
Imanol Rodriguez (5-0), Mexico
Tumelo Manyamala (6-1), South Africa
Welterweights
Rodrigo Sezinando (8-1), Brazil
Daniil Donchenko (11-2), Ukraine
Jeff Creighton (11-3-1), USA
Alex Sanchez (15-3), Mexico
Staff Sonnen
Flyweights
Joseph Morales (12-2), USA
Furkatbek Yokubov (13-4), Uzbekistan
Roybert Echeverria (10-2), Venezuela
Arshiyan Memon (7-0), India
Welterweights
Diego Bianchini (9-1), Brazil
Matt Dixon (11-1), USA
Richard Martins (9-1), Brazil
Andreeas Binder (10-1, 1 NC), Eire
Listed below are the quarterfinal outcomes up to now:
Joseph Morales def. Eduardo Henrique through first-round submission (rear-naked choke)
Daniil Donchenko def. Richard Martins through choice
Imanol Rodriguez def. Arshiyan Memon through first-round TKO (strikes)
Advancing to semifinals: Morales, Donchenko, Rodriguez
Eradicated: Henrique, Martins, Memon
