Daniel Cormier and Chael Sonnen Announced as The Ultimate Fighter 33 Coaches

Chael Sonnen, World MMA Awards
Chael Sonnen Credit: World MMA Awards/Fighters Only

You don’t need to worry about the coaches fight for The Ultimate Fighter 33 being delayed like TUF 31’s Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler, because there won’t be one.

Instead, the promotion has opted to tap two of the biggest personalities in their rolodex to serve as coaches on TUF 33. During Saturday’s UFC 311 broadcast, with both parties on hand, it was announced the former double-champ (light heavyweight and heavyweight) Daniel Cormier, and former multi-time title challenger (middleweight and light heavyweight) Chael Sonnen would take over coaching duties on the 2025 installment of the show.

The men’s flyweight and welterweight divisions are expected to be featured on The Ultimate Fighter 33. The show will begin airing later this year.

Sonnen infamously served as coach on not one but two seasons of The Ultimate Fighter, first opposite Jon Jones on TUF 17, then against Wanderlei Silva on The Ultimate Fighter Brazil 3. Cormier is no stranger to The Ultimate Fighter franchise either. He coached on season 27 of the show, opposite heavyweight rival Stipe Miocic.

Daniel Cormier and Chael Sonnen currently appear on ESPN MMA’s Good Guy/Bad Guy podcast.

A casting call for The Ultimate Fighter 33 went out late last year, but no fighters have been officially announced as appearing on the show. However, TUF producer Craig Piligian was announced on Saturday as entering the UFC Hall of Fame, Class of 2025 for his work on the series.