The advance from Michael Chandler’s staff to Conor McGregor’s staff seems to have paid off for Brad Katona.
On terminating presen’s episode of “The Ultimate Fighter,” Katona, a Season 31 bantamweight semifinalist and the Season 27 winner, authorized the chance to change groups and teach with Workforce McGregor, which had misplaced all however some of the quarterfinal bouts. The advance allowed Katona, who trains at SBG Eire with McGregor and his training personnel, to reunite together with his coaching companions and coaches. Katona believes the advance is what he must transform the primary fighter to win two seasons on TUF. Now he will get a chance to turn out it.
Let’s have a look at the largest moments from Episode 10 on Tuesday and what month storylines would possibly lie forward.
Bantamweight: Timur Valiev, Workforce Chandler vs. Brad Katona, Workforce McGregor
Katona beats Valiev via break resolution
In what was once simply essentially the most aggressive combat of the season, the UFC veterans went the space. Katona seemed to be the dance at the ft in Spherical 1, however Valiev scored a couple of takedowns that would possibly have stolen the around for him. Spherical 2 was once a lot of the similar. Each opponents had moments, with Katona touchdown some fat punches on counterstrikes past Valiev regularly attacked Katona’s legs and landed a takedown simply prior to the bell. In Spherical 3, Valiev returned to attacking Katona’s legs and combining in punches past preventing off the force of Katona. After all, Katona picked up a break resolution to journey to the bantamweight finale.
Ahead of competing in this TUF season, Katona had terminating fought in Courageous CF, the place he was once the bantamweight champion. Katona was once at the UFC roster from 2018 to 2019. His terminating two fights with the promotion led to unanimous-decision losses to stream identify contender Merab Dvalishvili and fellow TUF Season 31 competitor Hunter Azure.
Can Katona end this important run?
Brad Katona makes the transfer to Workforce McGregor 👀 #TUF31 pic.twitter.com/ifnWjqz30T
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) August 2, 2023
Katona is in a novel place — having gained the contest in a prior TUF season. We’ve already noticeable he has what it takes to win this pageant, however this presen he has the additional benefit of doing it with a possible merit. He will get to paintings with the similar staff that helped him construct a run to the UFC the primary presen. In the meantime, not one of the alternative too much competition have that of their partiality. That may well be plethora for Katona to transform the primary two-time TUF winner.
May ‘Iron’ Mike transform Mentor Mike?
The LW champ @MakhachevMMA prevented via to turn some assistance for his buddy Timur Valiev 🤝🏆#TUF31 is LIVE on @ESPN pic.twitter.com/babiCQNO3m
— The Terminating Fighter (@UltimateFighter) August 2, 2023
Occasion coaching for this nearest combat, Valiev were given a consult with from his buddy and previous coaching spouse, UFC light-weight champion Islam Makhachev.
Right through their dialog, Makhachev requested Valiev how his enjoy at the display was once going and if he believed Chandler and his training personnel have been just right. In reaction, Valiev had handiest two phrases to mention: “the best.”
Despite the fact that Valiev’s resolution was once concise, it was once additionally similarly telling of the way smartly Chandler has been his staff this season. Within the first around, Workforce Chandler gained all however some of the first 8 fights.
Valiev, who fought within the UFC from 2020 till 2022, has already proved to have the talent to compete at MMA’s best possible degree. He has additionally educated with one of the most very best within the industry, akin to Makhachev. Regardless of that, Valiev nonetheless believes that his enjoy with Chandler and his personnel has equipped the data and talents he must get again to the UFC. Positive, the combat with Katona didn’t journey his manner, however that doesn’t all fall on Chandler. Valiev was once obviously ready for the combat, as he even gained on some of the pass judgement on’s scorecards.
Chandler has been doing a superior activity of getting ready his opponents for his or her bouts past discovering techniques to join with them and assemble relationships.
I’m now not announcing it’s presen for Chandler to hold up the gloves for just right and pick out up a couple of center of attention mitts. Alternatively, on every occasion he comes to a decision he’s accomplished preventing, it without a doubt seems he’ll have a month across the game.
Nearest presen’s matchup
Light-weight: Kurt Holobaugh, Workforce Chandler vs. Jason Knight, Workforce Chandler
Right here’s the whole lot we find out about those two opponents:
Identify: Kurt Holobaugh
Document: 19-7
UFC report: 0-4
Presen: 36
Preventing out of: Denham Springs, Louisiana
Extreme TUF combat: Holobaugh def. Lee Hammond via second-round submission
Identify: Jason Knight
Document: 23-7
UFC report: 4-5
Presen: 30
Preventing out of: D’Iberville, Mississippi
Extreme TUF combat: Knight def. Landon Quinones via first-round submission
