Brad Katona is again in The Final Fighter finals.
5 years in the past, Katona (12-2) emerged because the winner of TUF 27 competing at featherweight and he now has the possibility to turn into the first-ever two-time winner of the long-running actuality present after advancing to the TUF 31 bantamweight ultimate with a break up resolution win over Timur Valiev (18-3, 1 NC).
It was an exciting battle this week as former Crew Chandler teammates Katona and Valiev threw down for 3 bloody rounds as each had cuts opened up on their heads in the course of the contest. Katona was coated in crimson after the primary 5 minutes, whereas Valiev was busted open in Spherical 2. The blood almost overshadowed a advantageous technical contest that noticed Katona rating with robust counters and Valiev doing injury with leg kicks and nasty mixtures.
The wrestling was a stalemate as each confirmed nice approach, with Katona digging in for double leg makes an attempt and Valiev using journeys and slick grappling to show the tables.
In a Battle of the Evening-worthy contest, it was Katona who the judges deemed to have executed sufficient to advance within the bantamweight event. He awaits the winner of the Rico DiSciullo vs. Cody Gibson semifinal.
Katona’s win gave Conor McGregor one thing to rejoice after a gap spherical that noticed his crew rating only one win in eight tries. Although Katona wasn’t initially a Crew McGregor choice, he switched sides to coach with them forward of his combat with Valiev, each to keep away from a clumsy coaching state of affairs and to affix the teaching workers he commonly works with exterior of TUF. Katona’s dwelling health club is SBG Eire alongside McGregor and coach John Kavanagh.
Subsequent week, we discover out who our different light-weight finalist can be as Crew Chandler fighters Jason Knight and Kurt Holobaugh face off. The winner goes on to combat Austin Hubbard on the finale.
The Final Fighter 31 airs reside each Tuesday at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN and ESPN+.
Following the season finale, Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler are anticipated to face off in a welterweight bout at a date nonetheless to be decided. Nonetheless, the matchup is but to be made official and up to date sexual assault accusations in opposition to McGregor in addition to the previous two-division champion nonetheless coping with the USADA have left his future aggressive standing unclear.
The finalists of the TUF 31 light-weight and bantamweight tournaments may also compete for a six-figure UFC contract at a future present. A date for the finals is but to be introduced.
Right here is the TUF 31 roster divided by crew:
Crew McGregor (prospects)
Light-weight
Lee Hammond (27, 5-0)
Nate Jennerman (29, 16-5)
Aaron McKenzie (34, 11-2-1)
Landon Quinones (27, 7-1-1)
Bantamweight
Mando Gutierrez (26, 8-2)
Trevor Wells (27, 8-3)
Carlos Vera (35, 11-3)
Rico DiSciullo (36, 11-2, 1 NC)
Crew Chandler (veterans)
Light-weight
Jason Knight (30, 23-7)
Austin Hubbard (31, 15-6)
Roosevelt Roberts (28, 12-3, 1 NC)
Kurt Holobaugh (36, 19-7, 1 NC)
Bantamweight
Hunter Azure (31, 10-3)
Brad Katona (31, 12-2)
Timur Valiev (33, 18-3, 1 NC)
Cody Gibson (35, 19-8)
Listed below are the quarterfinal outcomes:
Roosevelt Roberts def. Nate Jennerman through first-round KO
Cody Gibson def. Mando Gutierrez through first-round TKO
Austin Hubbard def. Aaron McKenzie through unanimous resolution
Timur Valiev def. Trevor Wells through unanimous resolution
Brad Katona def. Carlos Vera through unanimous resolution
Kurt Holobaugh def. Lee Hammond through second-round submission (guillotine choke)
Jason Knight def. Landon Quinones through first-round submission (triangle choke)
Rico DiSciullo def. Hunter Azure through second-round KO
Listed below are the semi-final outcomes and matchups:
Austin Hubbard def. Roosevelt Roberts through break up resolution
Brad Katona def. Timur Valiev through break up resolution
Jason Knight vs. Kurt Holobaugh
Rico DiSciullo vs. Cody Gibson
Superior to finals: Hubbard, Katona
Superior to semifinals: Roberts, Gibson, Hubbard, Valiev, Katona, Holobaugh, Knight, DiSciullo
Eradicated: Jennerman, Gutierrez, McKenzie, Wells, Vera, Hammond, Quinones, Azure, Roberts, Valiev
