Ali Akbar Rosady
The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 34 witnessed a significant shift in momentum as former UFC Middleweight Champion Michael Bisping’s team secured its inaugural victory, ending a challenging 0-2 start to the season. Strawweight contender GiGi Canuto delivered a dominant performance, stopping Team Daniel Cormier’s Anita Karim in less than 30 seconds of the first round, a win that provided much-needed relief and excitement for Team Bisping.
The rapid conclusion of the bout unfolded with Canuto asserting immediate pressure. A well-placed teep kick to the body stunned Karim, followed swiftly by another powerful body kick that prompted referee Mike Beltran to intervene, declaring a TKO victory for Canuto. The decisive finish underscored Canuto’s striking prowess and marked a pivotal moment in the competition, which pits aspiring mixed martial artists against each other for a six-figure UFC contract.
Prior to Canuto’s triumph, Team Bisping had faced an uphill battle, losing the initial bantamweight and strawweight contests of the season to Team Cormier. This early deficit had reportedly fueled an intense atmosphere within Bisping’s camp. Xavier Franklin, a cast member on TUF 34 and a guest blogger for MMA Fighting, detailed the heightened pressure and the competitive fervor emanating from "The Count." Franklin recounted Bisping’s palpable frustration, describing the former champion as being "on the warpath" following the consecutive losses.
This mounting pressure translated into a more rigorous training regimen, including mandatory hard sparring sessions, even in the immediate lead-up to fights. Franklin elaborated on the intensity: "They went on, like, hour rants. Coach [Jason] Parillo was getting on our ass. ‘I’ve had world champions and world champions spar all the time hard, you all should have no trouble sparring.’" The fighters expressed reservations about sparring so close to competition, a common practice to avoid injuries and allow for recovery. However, Bisping, a veteran known for his relentless work ethic and competitive drive throughout his own storied career, offered a counterpoint. "Bisping made a good point," Franklin admitted. "We all told him we never spar on fight week, but he said, ‘Yes, OK. But you’ve also never been on The Ultimate Fighter.’ So then we were like, ‘Fair.’ Still, you’re hard sparring and you fight literally in a few days."
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The demanding training environment, while demonstrating Bisping’s unwavering commitment to victory, was not without its drawbacks. Franklin noted that the sparring was "hard sparring" despite initial instructions to "go light," leading to physical tolls on the contestants. "Everybody’s getting banged up. I’m pretty sure some stuff happened where people got hurt and stuff, so then they realized, ‘Oh shit, maybe we need to tone back on the hard sparring.’" This period of intense preparation underscored Bisping’s philosophy: a relentless pursuit of a win, regardless of the perceived discomfort or risk. "Bisping, he’s super competitive, which I love for him, but at the same time he’s taking it out on us. So he’s like, ‘F*ck it, we’re hard sparring. We’re training hard all the time.’ We’re going to get a win somewhere. It doesn’t matter where we get the win, we’re going to get a win somewhere."
Canuto’s swift victory served as an immediate vindication of the team’s arduous training, regardless of the methods. The abruptness of the finish left many, including her teammates, in momentary disbelief. "The craziest, weirdest performance ever," Franklin recalled. "I was like, ‘What the hell?’ Everybody’s in the crowd like, ‘What just happened?’ It was so fast. She kicked her, she punched her a little bit and then kicked her again. We were like, ‘Yes, yes!’ We got back in the locker room, everybody was like, ‘Aaaaaah!’ We were going crazy, we were so happy. Finally, we’re on the board." The pressure on Canuto had been immense, with the potential for a third consecutive loss weighing heavily on the team’s morale. Franklin emphasized the significance of her win: "If GiGi would have lost, I can only imagine how bad it would have been. The vibe would have been down, team chemistry would have been off. After going down 0-2, it was already bad. So GiGi had a lot of pressure on her shoulders, but she loves pressure. Her nickname’s ‘Diamond,’ so she loves it."
Adding another layer of intrigue to the episode was a pre-match wager between Canuto and Daniel Cormier, a former two-division UFC champion known for his tactical mind both inside and outside the cage. Canuto had bet Cormier $500 that she would secure a knockout victory. The situation was further complicated by an alleged off-camera request from Cormier to Canuto, asking her not to utilize her "championship-level grappling" against Karim, suggesting a desire for a stand-up contest. Bisping had also proposed an earlier wager: the losing coach would cover dinner for the opposing team.
Following Canuto’s TKO, Cormier promptly appeared with cash in hand for Canuto. However, a disagreement arose regarding the dinner bet. According to Franklin, Team Bisping understood that Cormier had agreed to both pay Canuto the $500 and cover dinner for the team. Cormier, however, later clarified that it was an "either/or" situation, stating he chose to give the money directly to the athlete. Franklin shed light on the perceived strategic communication from Cormier: "You’ve got to read between the lines with DC. First off, if you go back and listen to what he said, it wasn’t no ‘this or that.’ They shook first. It’s on camera, him and Bisping shook, dinner for whoever wins, and then GiGi said, ‘I’ll do another bet. $500 if I knock her out.’ And DC said, ‘Deal.’ So really he shook on two deals. That’s why Bisping said, ‘No, you’ve got to pay for my team,’ and DC said, ‘No. It’s either $500 or dinner for your team. That was the deal. I chose to give it to the athlete.’" Franklin concluded, "DC’s really good with his words. If you pay attention to that, he knows Bisping and fighters with money, so he’s like, ‘I chose to give it to the athlete,’ like, ‘Are you going to take this money away from GiGi? This is her money, Bisping.’ You’ve got to read between the lines. I know what DC was doing. He still owed us dinner, but he also owed GiGi money at the same time."
Beyond the competitive drama, the episode also featured a lighter moment with the season’s first prank. Team Bisping playfully targeted Cormier by displaying a printed screenshot from his widely known "All About That Cake" skit in the house. This act harked back to earlier seasons of TUF, where elaborate and sometimes controversial pranks were a staple. However, Franklin indicated that such antics have become less frequent in recent years, largely due to the risk of escalating tensions and potential disciplinary actions. "You would have to be in the house to understand the personalities in that house. A prank would have started a fight. It would have started a fight between everybody in there," Franklin commented, underscoring the delicate balance of personalities within the confined living space.
In a rare departure from the typical routine of the TUF house, the contestants were treated to a field trip, attending a Power Slap event in Las Vegas, where Bisping was part of the commentary team. Power Slap, a combat sport promoted by UFC President Dana White, involves competitors striking each other with open-handed slaps. Franklin admitted initial skepticism about the sport but found himself caught up in the excitement by the event’s conclusion. Despite the entertainment, when asked if he would participate, Franklin’s response was definitive: "F*ck no. That shit is insane." When pressed to identify a fellow cast member best suited for Power Slap, Franklin nominated Mackenzie Stiller from Team Bisping, describing her as an "animal" and "Wild Thornberry" with an "insane" and "hard-nosed" demeanor, suggesting she possesses the unique temperament required for such a competition.
Looking ahead, the next episode of The Ultimate Fighter 34 will feature a bantamweight clash between Team Cormier’s No. 1 pick, Artem Belakh, and Team Bisping’s Mehemmedeli Osmanli. This bout carries significant weight as Team Bisping aims to further close the gap in the team standings. The Ultimate Fighter 34 streams exclusively on Paramount+, with new episodes released every Tuesday.
Unlike many previous iterations of TUF, the coaches, Michael Bisping and Daniel Cormier, both long retired from professional competition, will not face each other in a fight at the season’s conclusion. Instead, the ultimate prize for the finalists in both the bantamweight and strawweight tournaments remains a coveted six-figure UFC contract. A specific date for the live finale fights is yet to be announced.
The quarterfinal results to date are as follows:
- Melissa Amaya (Team Cormier) def. Anna Melisano (Team Bisping) via submission (rear-naked choke) (R1)
- Christian Strong (Team Cormier) def. Marlon Jones (Team Bisping) via decision
- GiGi Canuto (Team Bisping) def. Anita Karim (Team Cormier) via TKO (strikes) (R1)
Fighters advancing to the semifinals include Melissa Amaya, Christian Strong, and GiGi Canuto. Those eliminated from the competition are Anna Melisano, Marlon Jones, and Anita Karim. Xavier Franklin continues to contribute to MMA Fighting as a guest blogger and played a distinctive role on the show as Michael Bisping’s unofficial English accent translator, adding a unique dynamic to the team’s interactions.
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