Previously on The Ultimate Fighter…
After landing on different teams, Juliana Miller looked for a chance to avenge her previous loss to Claire Guthrie.
Now Team Pena’s Miller gets that opportunity as she squares off with the first overall selection from Team Nunes in the third flyweight matchup of the season.
This is The Ultimate Fighter: Team Pena vs. Team Nunes!
This week’s episode begins on the Calico Basin Trail, as Team Pena heads into the hills for a break from grinding in the gym and enjoy the fresh air by climbing through the hills.
Pena shares one of her mantras with her team, telling them that whenever she experienced any doubt or questioned herself, she would look in the mirror and say, “I’m the King!” over and over to get herself psyched up and focused on the task at hand. The bantamweight champ allows her charges to go off on their own, and Miller ventures up onto the rocks, shadowboxing and taking some big, deep breaths in the sun and air.
Her home video rolls with footage of her Invicta FC clash with Guthrie, which was the first and thus far only loss of her career.
Pena says she watched the fight and thought that Miller won the contest, which resulted in a unanimous decision victory for Guthrie with scores of 30-27 twice and 29-28 on the other card. Pena suggests she won the final two rounds as more of the highlights run, as she questions what Guthrie did offensively in order to secure the victory.
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Miller is shown shadowboxing on the top of a rock formation, and says in a confessional interview that she corrected Pena when her coach told her that she beat Guthrie the first time around, telling her, “I didn’t beat her before. I would be undefeated right now, and I’m not,” which is the right mindset to have.
Back at The Ultimate Fighter House…
Bobby Maximus and Zac Pauga have a conversation in the backyard as Pauga works the grill, with Maximus explaining that he doesn’t think the Team Nunes coaches come up with the best game plans based on the conversations he’s had with different members of the team.
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The two acknowledge Miller has a great opportunity to avenge her prior loss to Guthrie and praise her tenacity and willingness to scrap, but point to the mental side of things in regards to where it needs to come together for their teammate.
Maximus explains he’s still speaking with others in the house, including members of Team Nunes following Miller voicing her concerns about it earlier in the season, but again praises her abilities inside the cage in a confessional interview.
Inside the house, Guthrie checks her weight, stepping off the scale at 142.5, shaking her head at the number. She knows she’s a little high for her 125-pound fight but explains in a confessional that she’s had tough weight cuts in the past and doesn’t expect this one to be too severe. She talks about the work she does with a nutritionist and how she’s pretty much sticking to her normal routine while in the house before her home video from Denver, CO kicks off.
The 26-year-old Michigan native trains alongside UFC stalwarts, including Raquel Pennington, Tecia Torres, and JJ Aldrich, and lives with her boyfriend, fellow fighter Jose “Chepe” Mariscal, whom she calls one of her favorite training partners. She works as an accountant in addition to her fighting pursuits, suggesting that her passion for numbers helps her have a more analytical approach to her fighting career.
She’s shown going through a bunch of mitt work, drills, and lifting, explaining that she trains with the Elevation Fight Team at Easton Training Center, and that she always knew she would get an opportunity like this.
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Four Days Until the Fight…
Guthrie talks about facing Miller and the two of them knowing this fight was bound to happen in a confessional interview that airs as she goes through fight prep, including drilling on the pads with Nina Nunes. She explains that the fight took place in Kansas with open scoring, which allowed both sides to know the official scores between rounds, making the disappointment and objections Miller’s team had to the decision seem strange to her.
Amanda Nunes speaks about the matchup, expecting that it will be exciting, touching on the tension between the two rivals and praising Guthrie’s preparations and readiness heading into the fight. Nunes explains that Guthrie was a little complacent at times in her last fight with Miller, allowing herself to be pinned into the fence for stretches, suggesting the one thing she needs to modify is not accepting that position.
Guthrie says her intention is to pick Miller apart from the outside and move forward behind big shots, forecasting a violent encounter between the two that results in her getting her hand raised for a second time.
Back at the house…
Miller sits out by the fire with several teammates, including Helen Peralta, who tells Miller, “I know you’re sizing me up” and calls her Team Pena training partner “innocent” when she says that isn’t the case.
Peralta interpreted Miller asking for a hug as her wanting to get a feel for her, and Miller explains that she genuinely wanted a hug, sharing that her grandmother once told her, “The most beautiful gift you can get from anyone is a hug” and that Peralta shooting her down and questioning her motive made her sad and emotional.
The hard-nosed veteran goes over and gives Miller a hug, while the Team Pena fighter explains in a confessional interview that her grandmother is going through some medical issues back home, and the thought of something happening to her while she’s on the show would create a lot of regret for her.
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Video rolls of Miller back home in San Diego with her grandmother. The 25-year-old explains that her grandmother raised her from the time she was eight months until she was six years old and remains a massive part of her life.
Miller details the struggles she experienced at home and a toxic relationship in high school that resulted in her getting beat up, and seeking out a gym in order to learn self-defense. She’s shown tossing around her at-home striking dummy and skateboarding, hitting mitts on the beach, and throwing axes, acknowledging that she’s a little “all over the place,” while still being incredible motivated and focused on her fighting career.
Miller trains at 10th Planet San Diego under Manolo Hernandez, describing herself as a gritty fighter that likes to take the fight to the canvas, where she can unleash punishment until the referee steps in.
Three Days Until the Fight…
Miller goes through her fight prep at the UFC APEX, with Pena praising her focus and effort in the training room and her drive to improve and learn from the coaches. Pena details the game plan, which includes tidying up the little things that went wrong in the first fight and Miller being more effective with her grappling this time around.
RELATED: Get To Know Miller | Get To Know Guthrie
Back at the house…
Guthrie is tucked into an individual sauna on the patio the morning before weigh-ins, working to get her weight down.
In a confessional interview, she explains she started her cut differently than she ever had in the past, operating without her usual protocols in place, leaving her unsure how to prepare for this cut. She checks her weight and it reads 128 pounds, meaning she has two pounds left to cut.
A couple of the coaches come by to help with the cut, and Guthrie explains she might have to get creative as there doesn’t seem to be enough hot water in the house to allow her to do her usual bath cut. She pulls on a sauna suit, and gets cocooned in blankets and towels, desperate to shed the last couple pounds.
Flyweight Weigh-Ins…
Miller is up first and hits 125.5 pounds. Guthrie gets on the scale and is over, coming in at 127 pounds. She gets down to her “birthday suit” behind the curtain and still comes in over by half-a-pound, giving her 60 minutes to drop the extra pound. If she can’t make it, Miller gets the walkover victory by disqualification.
UFC President Dana White explains that the additional half-pound might not seem like much to lose, but it’s extremely difficult to drop that last little bit of weight.
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Guthrie goes back into the locker room area and immediately gets into a personal sauna, trying to get a sweat going. They come back out to re-check her weight and she’s still a little over. Nina Nunes asks the commission official how much she’s over and he says it’s less than a quarter of a pound, prompting Nunes to ask about cutting Guthrie’s hair off.
She grabs scissors, goes behind the screen and lops off a chunk of Guthrie’s long hair, which is enough for her to hit the official limit and secure the opportunity to square off with Miller.
Ultimate Fighter Flashback, presented by ZipRecruiter…
In Season 26, flyweight Sijara Eubanks also struggled with her weight cut, resulting in the Team Alvarez fighter cutting her dreadlocks, allowing her to hit the 126-pound limit. After making weight, Eubanks went on to defeat Team Gaethje’s Maia Stevenson by submission.
Fight Day…
Each woman heads to the UFC APEX, aware of the stakes and eager to step into the cage and perform.
They get wrapped, get loose, and now it’s time to get after it!
Round 1: Miller hustles across the cage and the two start swinging right away, with Miller connecting first. Guthrie circles out to reset, lands a long jab, and then chops at Miller’s lead leg with a low kick, taking her off balance, connecting again as the Team Pena member rises from a crouch and looks to clinch.
Guthrie is hyper-busy as Miller works for control in the clinch, unloading short punches to the midsection and bullying Miller along the fence. Miller lands a knee to the midsection, and again, but Guthrie is doing a good job controlling the position and staying busy. Miller continues working the knees and the two finally break into space with 50 seconds elapsed in the opening round.
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Miller works behind a long jab and Guthrie begins to respond in kind, but the Team Pena member is more active now and pressing forward, closing the distance as Guthrie looks to counter. Miller again gets to an off-set and awkward clinch position, unable to control Guthrie’s body or spin her to the deck, allowing the Team Nunes representative to land more short shots to the body and head.
Miller fails on a trip attempt and Guthrie uses her momentum to turn her to the canvas, landing in side control. Miller quickly scrambles to her knees and then stands, eating a couple knees in the process. Both women are wearing it a little at the midway point of the round, and continue trading jabs at range, Guthrie landing the more impactful blows.
Each time Miller tries to throw and get closer, Guthrie sticks her with a jab and circles off, happy to deploy a stick-and-move approach. Miller closes the distance and lets loose a flurry of punches, connecting with a couple, but Guthrie is again able to escape to free space and reset, straightening Miller up with check left hook as she looks to chase her down with a minute remaining in the round.
Guthrie rushes forward to capitalize, but Miller clinches and connects with a knee to the body and a right hand on the break. Guthrie attacks with a heavy low kick and a stiff jab as Miller plods forward at her, showing no negative impact of her difficult cut as the first round expires.
Round 2: Miller rushes across the cage to start the round, and Guthrie greets her with a front kick and a right hand. She continues pressing forward and starts landing, but Guthrie continues to answer.
Guthrie looks for a body lock and Miller is turned to the canvas, ending up on her back with butterfly hooks in, looking for a sweep or an opportunity to elevate Guthrie. The Team Nunes fighter stays heavy and clears out as soon as Miller starts shifting her hips, searching for an arm, bring the fight back to a standing position with 90 seconds gone off the clock.
Guthrie crashes home a clean right hand, and again, as she keeps making Miller pay for throwing from too far out. They trade knees in the clinch and more labored strikes in space, with Guthrie continuing to get the better of things in all positions.
Miller continues to press forward, and starts to have more success, connecting with shots and finally twisting Guthrie to the canvas with a body lock, working to her back with a little over a minute remaining. Guthrie does a good job of trying up her hands, so Miller unloads two big knees to the midsection, finishing the round in back mount, landing a left hand on Guthrie.
Miller is standing in her corner, eager for the third round to begin, much to the delight of Dana White and Forrest Griffin who appreciate the intensity. Guthrie is on her stool, a little worse for wear as both sides are informed that they’re going to a third round.
Round 3: Miller closes the distance instantly, landing a long left as Guthrie looks to circle out, immediately recapturing the momentum she had to close out the second stanza. She ties up Guthrie and lands a knee, but it’s Guthrie that hits a nice body lock trip to land in top position.
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Miller does a good job hipping in, attacking a far-side kimura, and before Guthrie can recognize or adjust, Miller is torquing on the arm, rolling through each time Guthrie works to defend. Guthrie works to bury her arm, but Miller is still on it, switching to an armbar attack, bashing Guthrie with punches before giving up on the arm and attacking a D’Arce choke.
It’s not there either, but she’s on top and landing damage with half a round left to work. Guthrie is doing little to work free, much to the consternation of her corner, and Miller is content to hang out for a minute and gather her breath before continuing to unload clean, heavy shots.
Guthrie tries to attack a kimura and Miller is forced to defend, creating a scramble that allows Guthrie to get back to her feet. Miller is on her instantly, pressing her into the cage with 90 seconds remaining. They battle along the fence and Miller elevates Guthrie, looking for a takedown. Guthrie grabs an arm-in guillotine and pulls Miller to the canvas, but the Team Pena fighter is safe, clearing her head and taking Guthrie’s back in the final seconds of the spirited 15-minute affair.
They embrace in the center of the Octagon after the horn and get a standing ovation from White, who was thoroughly impressed with the fight.
Official Result: Juliana Miller def. Claire Guthrie by unanimous decision
White praises the fight as the highlights roll, while Nunes traces back her fighter’s performance, noting Guthrie did very well in the opening round. Pena highlights Miller’s pressure and resiliency in the second, which eventually started to snowball and shift the momentum in her favor.
Both Pena and White were impressed with Miller’s perseverance, and the youngest fighter in the competition is emotional celebrating her victory with the team after her bout. In the Team Nunes dressing room, Guthrie laments the loss, praising Miller’s toughness and her need to make some adjustments going forward.
Miller joins Dana White and Forrest Griffin at their seats cageside, and the UFC President makes a point of congratulating her on the effort. He calls that fight a reminder of exactly why they do The Ultimate Fighter, and wanted to ensure Miller knew he was impressed with what he saw from her in that fight.
Fight Announcement…
In the last heavyweight pairing, Team Nunes’ Chandler Cole takes on Team Pena’s Jordan Heiderman, whom we’ve seen or heard nothing from thus far this season.
Both are excited about the matchup and ready to punch their ticket to the next round.
