The Ultimate Fighter
Episode 8 Recap | The Ultimate Fighter Season 31
Catch Up On Everything That Happened On The Eighth Episode of The Ultimate Fighter: Team McGregor vs Team Chandler.
After TUF | Episode 8: The Ultimate Fighter Season 31
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After TUF | Episode 8: The Ultimate Fighter Season 31
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PREVIOUSLY ON THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER
Michael Chandler’s team of UFC veterans have dominated the quarterfinals, winning all seven fights so far this year, leaving bantamweight Rico DiSciullo as Team McGregor’s final hope to avoid a sweep.
But he’s set to face Chandler’s top bantamweight, Hunter Azure, and now it’s time to find whether history will be made.
RECAP PREVIOUS EPISODES OF TUF: Episode 1 | Episode 2 | Episode 3 | Episode 4 | Episode 5 | Episode 6 | Episode 7
This is The Ultimate Fighter: Team McGregor vs. Team Chandler!
TUF HOUSE
Landon Quinones talks to Jason Knight about their fight, ostensibly thanking him for handing him a loss because it will motivate him to keep getting better. Knight imparts some insights on the young lightweight, giving him directions for how to get to the next level.
UFC APEX
Dana White talks about the pressure on DiSciullo’s shoulders heading into the final fight of the quarterfinals, noting that you can be certain that McGregor doesn’t want to be the first coach to lose every fight of the opening round.
RECAP EVERYTHING HAPPENING ON TUF
DISCIULLO FIGHT PREP
The Irishman calls DiSciullo a “dark horse” in his fight with Azure before his charge’s home video rolls, showing him competing on the New England regional circuit. White talks about DiSciullo’s appearance on the Contender Series, where he fought Montel Jackson, which ended in a loss.
McGregor works with DiSciullo on wall work during his training session. The Massachusetts native says he knows nothing about Azure in a confessional interview as he continues to get instruction from McGregor and works with Mando Gutierrez. McGregor again drills power shots with the back hand, making sure the athletes focus on technique and precision.
DiSciullo is confident he can beat Azure and go on a run to win the whole thing, acknowledging that he needs to stay focused if and when he gets stuck in a bad spot, telling Coach Owen Roddy he likes being the underdog.
TUF HOUSE
Azure shares pictures of his family with the members of Team Chandler, talking about his wife and two sons in a confessional interview. They all chat about how Azure’s kids, who are 15 months apart, are already butting heads and getting after each other at times.
Azure, who grew up in Poplar, Montana on an Indian reservation, now lives outside of Scottsdale, Arizona, where he trains at Fight Ready MMA with coaches like Eddie Cha and former TUF contestant Santino Defranco.
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AZURE FIGHT PREP
Chandler talks about Azure’s wrestling background and quiet, “do the work” mentality before his highlight reel rolls.
“I’m 10-3 as a professional,” says Azure, who earned a contract with a unanimous decision win on Dana White’s Contender Series before going 2-2 inside the Octagon during his initial run with the UFC, beating Team Chandler teammate Brad Katona and another Canadian, Cole Smith, while landing on the wrong side of things in fights with Brian Kelleher and Jack Shore.
His contract wasn’t renewed after his first four-fight deal, but now he has a chance to garner a second opportunity on the big stage.
Azure works with coach Ryan Bader on feints and drawing out reactions from DiSciullo, while Chandler later tells him about dictating the terms of engagement and being able to win the fight in every realm. The top-ranked bantamweight acknowledges that DiSciullo is probably the worst stylistic matchup for him, but he’s confident that he’ll grab another victory.
TUF HOUSE
DiSciullo talks to Quinones about life in Boston compared to that in South Florida, where Quinones trains, making him laugh about parking spot battles on the streets.
His home video runs again, with DiSciullo heading to the gym with his son, Dominic. He details where he trains and who he trains with, and introduces his girlfriend and his mom before heading to the airport to depart for Las Vegas.
“This is my opportunity and I’m ready for it,” he says.
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BANTAMWEIGHT WEIGH-IN
Hunter Azure is first on the scale, and he comes in at 135.5 pounds, while DiSciullo checks in at 136 pounds, making the final quarterfinal fight official.
The two men face off, White talks about the stakes, and now all that’s left is to get after it.
FIGHT DAY
Azure and DiSciullo roll into the UFC APEX, getting taped up, shaken out, and ready to go.
Is it going to be a clean sweep or can DiSciullo get Team McGregor a victory to avoid being on the wrong side of history?
Hunter Azure vs. Rico DiSciullo
DiSciullo made sure Team McGregor avoided the sweep, navigating a fast-paced, bloody opening round before sitting Azure down with a clean right hand and hitting him with the double-fisted Donkey Kong smash to finish things off.
Official Result: Rico DiSciullo def. Hunter Azure by KO (right hand) in Round 2
Chandler talks about Azure having a good first round and then perhaps getting a little hesitant, while White sings the praises of DiSciullo for persevering through a rough first round to secure a win for himself and his team.
McGregor celebrates and is dancing around in the Octagon after the official decision is announced, prompting Roosevelt Roberts to chirp at the former two-weight champ. McGregor immediately gets riled up and fires back at him, shouting about how Team Chandler is winning two-round fights by holding on to people, saying, “there are a lot of unfinished fights here.”
Rico DiSciullo Discusses His KO Win | The Ultimate Fighter Season 31
Unlock MORE of your inner combat sports fan with UFC Fight Pass! Fighting is what we live for. And no one brings you MORE live fights, new shows, and events across multiple combat sports from around the world. With a never-ending supply of fighting in every discipline, there’s always something new to watch. Leave it to the world’s authority in MMA to bring you the Ultimate 24/7 platform for MORE combat sports, UFC Fight Pass!
Rico DiSciullo Discusses His KO Win | The Ultimate Fighter Season 31
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McGregor continues taunting the Team Chandler athletes while DiSciullo celebrates with his coaches in the Octagon before heading back to the locker room for a victory shot with the crew.
The Team Chandler fighters console Azure, who is on the brink of tears, understandably, discussing the defeat. The coaches frame it out perfectly for him — “this is MMA; we’ve all been there, multiple times,” says Bader — and now it’s time to figure out how things will work in the semifinal round.
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UFC APEX
White meets with DiSciullo to get his thoughts on who he’d like to fight in the semifinals, just after we see McGregor in the locker room with the team discussing how they’d like to see their man face off with Team Chandler’s Timur Valiev.
He meets with the fighters from Team Chandler, as well, with Cody Gibson making a great case for facing DiSciullo, as he’s the only potential opponent out there that doesn’t know about his knee injury.
Conor McGregor Reacts To Rico DiSciullo's KO Win | The Ultimate Fighter Season 31
Unlock MORE of your inner combat sports fan with UFC Fight Pass! Fighting is what we live for. And no one brings you MORE live fights, new shows, and events across multiple combat sports from around the world. With a never-ending supply of fighting in every discipline, there’s always something new to watch. Leave it to the world’s authority in MMA to bring you the Ultimate 24/7 platform for MORE combat sports, UFC Fight Pass!
Conor McGregor Reacts To Rico DiSciullo's KO Win | The Ultimate Fighter Season 31
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Everybody identifies DiSciullo as the “easiest fight” on the bantamweight side, and Valiev as the toughest out.
On the lightweight side — which is all Team Chandler athletes — their choices and ideas are varied.
Chandler and McGregor roll in after the athletes to meet with White. McGregor says they’re asking for Valiev, and Chandler calls him the toughest guy in the bantamweight competition. Chandler keeps it diplomatic when talking about the lightweights, hedging his comments when asked about the toughest guy on his team.
The coaches leave their meeting and McGregor lets DiSciullo drive the Lamborghini away from the APEX.
Michael Chandler Reacts To Hunter Azure's Loss | The Ultimate Fighter Season 31
Unlock MORE of your inner combat sports fan with UFC Fight Pass! Fighting is what we live for. And no one brings you MORE live fights, new shows, and events across multiple combat sports from around the world. With a never-ending supply of fighting in every discipline, there’s always something new to watch. Leave it to the world’s authority in MMA to bring you the Ultimate 24/7 platform for MORE combat sports, UFC Fight Pass!
Michael Chandler Reacts To Hunter Azure's Loss | The Ultimate Fighter Season 31
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ON THE NEXT EPISODE
The competitors learn about the semifinal matchups as they return to the house, with questions arising about possible team switches.
Preview Every Bout At UFC London
In the first lightweight semifinal, Austin Hubbard and Roosevelt Roberts battle for a place in the finale.
