Episode 3 Recap | The Ultimate Fighter Season 31

Chandler critiques Hubbard’s tendency to start slow as he works on the pads with Sean Soriano, Jason Strout, and rolls with the team. He likes the idea of facing McKenzie.

The game plan is to start fast, be aggressive, and put it on McKenzie, with Chandler calling him the most well-rounded fighter on the team in terms of being able to do everything and having a good motor. Hubbard goes through grappling drills, speaking about McKenzie’s pedigree and training situation, saying none of it really matters given his experience at the highest level and work ethic.

BACK AT THE HOUSE

The fighters from Team McGregor watch the latest event from the UFC APEX, enjoying the action and using it as motivation while speaking about how their parents struggle to go watch them fight. McKenzie explains his wife is a big motivator that used to be in his corner throughout his amateur career.

GET TO KNOW THE TUF FIGHTERS: Aaron McKenzie | Austin Hubbard

His home video rolls with him and his wife, Jordan, out for dinner. They’ve been together 11 years, and have two dogs and two cats. McKenzie is shown training at Lovato BJJ and MMA in OKC, explaining that he adds in work at The War Room in Fort Worth, Texas with Steven Wright. The Team McGregor lightweight explains that he likes the constant learning and evolution process in MMA, and calls being on TUF “the biggest opportunity of my career.”

“I feel like I’ve been tested in every situation,” he says, “to where I have that to always fall back on, and be prepared for the next battle.”

AT THE UFC APEX

McGregor meets up with a fan, Samuel Romero, that makes his own action figures, welcoming him into the APEX to show him some of his figurines. He explains to McGregor how he makes them by using pieces of different figures, painting the shorts and making decals for the different tattoos.

The Irishman says his kids love the figures and buys several figures off him, giving him $1,200 for them, which makes his eyes nearly bulge out of his head.

LIGHTWEIGHT WEIGH-INS

Hubbard is first to the scale, coming in at 156 pounds. McKenzie follows him to the scale, weighs in at 155.5 pounds, and the fight is official.

Dana White breaks each man down as the two face off, and fighters from each team give their thoughts on the matchup. As always, predictions fall on company lines, with Carlos Vera picking his teammate and roommate, and Kurt Holobaugh doing the same with the Team Chandler veteran.

FIGHT DAY

Each man rolls into the UFC APEX to get wrapped up, loosened up, and walk to the cage.

Aaron McKenzie vs. Austin Hubbard

Team McGregor lightweight Aaron McKenzie faces off with fellow former LFA titleholder Austin Hubbard of Team Chandler, with the former being three years older and owning a slight reach advantage.

After a competitive three-and-a-half minutes, Hubbard finds a home for an uppercut that sits McKenzie down, followed by a knee that puts him on the canvas. The onslaught that follows leaves the lightweight prospect busted up as the round ends.

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McKenzie comes out sharp to start the second, working low kicks and landing good shots, but the power difference is stark, as Hubbard deals with his shots without issue.

Hubbard drags McKenzie to the ground and starts roughing him up, opening the cut from the opening stanza, cracking home a huge elbow that lands with a thud. McKenzie fights up to his feet, but Hubbard dumps him again, settling into his guard and landing small shots, chipping away through to the final horn.

Official Result: Austin Hubbard def. Aaron McKenzie by Unanimous Decision