‘The Ultimate Fighter’ Season 32 preview: Team Grasso vs. Team Shevchenko
After what may have been the biggest season in the history of “The Ultimate Fighter” — as Conor McGregor, MMA’s biggest star, made his second run as a coach — the show is back for Season 32 in June.
TUF was instrumental in the UFC’s explosion of popularity in the early 2000s, shining a spotlight on fighters such as Randy Couture, Chuck Liddell, Tito Ortiz and Ken Shamrock, who coached MMA hopefuls in a season-long competition in which the participants shared a house for several weeks.
Over the course of 31 seasons, all of which can be seen on ESPN+, the show has featured several UFC champions: Forrest Griffin, Rashad Evans, Michael Bisping, Kamaru Usman, Robert Whittaker, TJ Dillashaw and Rose Namajunas, as well as stars Nate Diaz, Tony Ferguson and Diego Sanchez. Each season tension tends to rise between the coaches building up to a big fight of their own. Fans get to see it all play out behind the scenes.
The 32nd season of “The Ultimate Fighter” features a coaching matchup between women’s flyweight champion Alexa Grasso and former champ Valentina Shevchenko. The two are expected to square off in a trilogy bout for Grasso’s title after the conclusion of this season. In the first bout, Grasso beat Shevchenko by submission to claim the title. The two fought to a split draw in the second fight.
This season’s TUF competition, which will begin airing June 4 on ESPN and ESPN+, is at featherweight and middleweight. Results of this season can be found at the bottom of this story.
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Record: 16-3-1
Age: 30
From: Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
Notable:
Notable wins over Shevchenko and Maycee Barber
Third fighter to win UFC women’s flyweight title
Trains with fellow UFC contenders Irene Aldana and Diego Lopes
Record: 23-4-1
Age: 36
From: Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
Notable:
Notable wins over Holly Holm, Julianna Peña, Jonna Jedrzejczyk, Liz Carmouche, Jessica Andrade and Taila Santos
Held the UFC women’s flyweight title from December 2018 to March 2023
Her three UFC losses are against Amanda Nunes (2) and Grasso
Holds the UFC divisional record for wins by knockout (4)
Record: 6-1
Age: 31
Fighting out of: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Notable:
Fought on the PFL Challengers Series in 2022
Trains at Jackson Wink MMA — the same gym as UFC heavyweight champ Jon Jones and former UFC champions Holly Holm and Michelle Waterson-Gomez
Record: 8-1
Age: 26
Fighting out of: England
Notable:
Six wins by submission
Trains at Next Generation MMA Liverpool; the same gym as UFC fighters Paddy Pimblett and Molly McCann
Record: 10-2-1
Age: 30
Fighting out of: Melbourne, Australia
Notable:
Nickname is Genghis
Won Hex Fight Series featherweight title in last fight
Riding an eight-fight winning streak
Record: 9-2
Age: 24
Fighting out of: Lithuania
Notable:
Has had only one professional fight go the distance
Riding a three-fight winning streak, all wins have come via KO/TKO
Record: 7-1
Age: 27
Fighting out of: South Africa
Notable:
No fights between January 2020 and April 2023
Won four of his past five fights
Record: 13-1
Age: 23
Fighting out of: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Notable:
Trains at Paraná Vale Tudo — the same gym as Jessica Andrade and Denise Gomes
Was supposed to face now-UFC featherweight Sean Woodson in August 2023 but bout was cancelled
Record: 7-1
Age: 37
Fighting out of: Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
Notable:
Each of his past four fights have ended in KO/TKO (three wins, one loss)
The oldest fighter on this season of TUF
Record: 11-4
Age: 28
Fighting out of: Russia
Notable:
Has not fought since December 2022
Record: 9-2
Age: 33
Fighting out of: Athens, Greece
Notable:
Cage Warriors Fighting Championship welterweight champion
Both of his losses have come by submission
Record: 6-1
Age: 23
Fighting out of: Helsinki, Finland
Notable:
UAE Warriors welterweight champion
Riding a five-fight win streak
Has finished each of his past five opponents (two knockouts, three submissions)
Record: 12-3
Age: 29
Fighting out of: Johannesburg, South Africa
Notable:
Riding a four-fight winning streak
Record: 6-1
Age: 32
Fighting out of: Roseville, California
Notable:
Trains at Team Alpha Male, a gym founded by former UFC fighter Urijah Faber
Record: 8-1
Age: 29
Fighting out of: Dagestan
Notable:
LFA interim welterweight champion
Fought on Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Eagle FC from 2021 to 2022
Record: 4-1
Age: 26
Fighting out of: West Belfast, Ireland
Notable:
Each of his wins has come via finish (two knockouts, two submissions)
Record: 9-5
Age: 30
Fighting out of: Toronto
Notable:
Seven of his eight wins have come by KO/TKO
Won the Alaska Combat Entertainment middleweight championship twice
Record: 10-3, 1 NC
Age: 29
Fighting out of: Zurich, Switzerland