Episode 7 got right down to business, with Mackenzie Stiller taking on another Mackenzie in training: Mackenzie Dern, the current UFC women’s strawweight champion. The Team Bisping fighter admits that she got a little overwhelmed in sparring because the pair were doing “pure boxing,” rather than MMA. “I’ll turn a pure boxer into dogsh*t with one punch,” Stiller tells the camera. In the gym, Stiller breaks down in front of Coach Bisping, who tells her to let it out.

Bisping gives his fighter a good little pep talk, noting that they won’t turn her into a boxer in a week, but they’ll give her a few little tips. Then it’s back to the TUF house, with the focus shifting to France’s Benouaich. Where Xavier Francis is teaching her English slang. That may or may not be the wisest course of action for Benouaich, but it is entertaining.

Benouaich explains that, with a handful of brothers, her father really wanted a daughter – only to get one who “wasn’t girly at all.”

Coach Daniel Cormier calls her “fun to work with,” noting that she works hard and loves to fight. But, he adds, her wrestling isn’t the best.

Stiller’s housemates adore her. “Any time you’re bored, just go find Mackenzie. She’s going to entertain you.” Stiller does a mean GOAT impression. Sorry, goat impression. The animal, not the greatest of all time.

In one of the most emotional moments of the series, Stiller then opens up about being sexually abused as a child, for the better part of 12 years. “I couldn’t escape it no matter how hard I tried. I thought it was normal when I was little,” she says. Martial arts became her outlet. “I think I’d be dead without it.”

“Something good came out of something bad. If I did not go through that, I don’t think I would be the fighter I am today. But I just put it out there so people going through that, or who have gone through that, can relate.”

It’s heavy. Stiller says that trauma makes the toughest fighters.

Weigh-ins for the last strawweight quarterfinal go off without a hitch. Delphine Benouaich is shredded. Stiller is no slouch herself. Both make weight with ease.

Delphine Benouaich vs. Mackenzie Stiller

Round one opens with Stiller firing an overhand and Benouaich throwing a kick. It’s single strikes for a bit from each lady before they crash together in a clinch. Stiller gets in the driver’s seat against the fence, but Benouaich fires a knee. They break, no takedown. Benouaich’s corner claims Stiller is tiring just 90 seconds into the round, which seems dubious at best. Stiller continues to attack, looks to change levels, but can’t get inside for a takedown. Benouaich catches her with a right hand that causes Stiller to take a step back.

Stiller fans on an overhand. Blows an entry, eats a kick, then clinches up again. “Mackenzie, you have to make this position count now,” Michael Bisping tells her. Benouaich fires a knee, and finally breaks free. Outside of a bit of control time, it’s hard to see Stiller made the position count. A late takedown by Stiller is stuffed, but a second one with 15 seconds to go lands, just barely. Benouaich reverses right at the horn.

Stiller slips early in round two, recovers, then shoots a sloppy takedown. Bisping warns her to set the takedown up. After some back-and-forth on the feet, the ref pauses the action, warning Mackenzie Stiller for having her fingers outstretched. Benouaich lands a nice uppercut. Fires a kick. Works her jab. If she started putting them all together a little more fluidly, she’d pull away.

Instead, Stiller lands a takedown right at the midway mark of the round. She’s able to climb the back as Benouaich stands up, but slides off. Back to the fence, and it’s a clinch and a stalemate. At range, Benouaich has the edge until Stiller again takes her down. Stiller briefly looks for an arm-bar but reverts to firing punches. Cormier sees what he believes is an illegal knee, and hollers at the ref, to no avail. Benouaich makes it back up and Stiller fires an elbow. They break, and finish trading a few more strikes.

It’s off to a third round, with Stiller showing a small lump/hematoma on her forehead. Both coaches try to fire up their fighter. Stiller fires a high kick early. Benouaich lands a right hand. Stiller lets go with a superman punch. She connects with a right. And a spinning back elbow. Stiller is looking better on the feet as the fight goes on, or at least more creative. Benouaich however has the tighter, more technical striking. Stiller finally goes back to the well 90 seconds, in, looking for a takedown, but she doesn’t have it.

Lots of action on the feet from there, with Bisping urging his fighter to finish strong. “Forward pressure!” Benouaich rips the body late, slips, and Stiller moves in but can’t get her down. Dana White gives a round of applause at the end.

The closest round of the three, and it’s a unanimous decision win for Delphine Benouaich. “I did a step, but I didn’t cross the finish line yet,” she says.

Next up on The Ultimate Fighter 34

One more bantamweight quarterfinal to go. Xavier Franklin, Team Bisping’s first pick overall, takes on Micaias Ureña. Franklin’s only loss came on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2024, against David Martinez.

The post The Ultimate Fighter 34: One Last Strawweight Semifinal Spot Secured In Ep. 7 appeared first on Cageside Press.

Kicking off this Ultimate Fighter edition of TTP is our interview with The Ultimate Fighter’s strawweight cast member, Mackenzie Stiller. Although Stiller couldn’t give any details about the inside of the house or her fights on the show, she gives her thoughts on the show as she watches it. She talks about seeing herself on television and how she feels about it. Plus, she talks about what some of the best parts of the Ultimate Fighter house were as well as some of the very worst. As we wait for the results of the show, you can catch her every Tuesday on Paramount+.

Combat Countdown: Top 5 Favorite “Weird” Submissions (13:52)

The UFC takes a week off as it gets ready for all of the craziness of International Fight Week. With Conor McGregor’s return just a week away, we turn our attention to our favorite segment on the show – the Combat Countdown. This week, we’re looking at our favorite “weird” submissions in the world of MMA. There has been plenty lately to inspire this list, including one that happened just this past weekend. Be sure to turn in and check out whether you agree or disagree with this list. For this segment, all odds via FanDuel Sportsbook.

Logan Paxton Interview (23:58)

Closing out this Ultimate Fighter edition of TTP is our interview with Dana White’s Contender Series lightweight, Logan Paxton. Paxton discusses his recent wins on Anthony Pettis Fighting Championships and the momentum he built on that show. Then he digs into the emotions that came along with getting the call to be on this season of Contender Series. After that, he breaks down the action that will be coming on August 18th. He fights on week two of the show against returning Cristian Pérez and he gives his prediction for that one.

The post TTP Ep. 538: Mackenzie Stiller, Logan Paxton, and Top 5 Favorite “Weird” Submissions appeared first on Cageside Press.

The main event found unbeaten David Allakhverdiev, the promotion’s reigning welterweight champion, looking to make the first defense of his 170lb title opposite Joe Kropschot. On a two-fight win streak, Kropschot was 1-1 in LFA, coming of a win over Adland Benson.

The LFA 226 card lost a fight on Thursday, when Christian Echols  hit the scales at 199.4 pounds for a 191lb catchweight with Andrew Stewart, who made weight. Due to the extreme weight miss by Echols, that fight was subsequently cancelled.

Where to Watch LFA 226

The F&M Bank Arena in Clarksville, Tennessee plays host to LFA 226 on Friday, February 6, 2026. The main card airs live on Vice TV, with action kicking off at 9PM ET, 6PM PT. Full results from the event can be found below.

LFA 226: Allakhverdiev vs. Kropschot Results

Joe Kropschot def. David Allakhverdiev by submission (rear-naked choke), Round 2, 3:24
Dedrek Sanders def. Nikolai Kiosse by TKO (knees to body), Round 3, 0:20
Mackenzie Stiller def. Kendra McIntyre by submission (arm-bar), Round 1, 1:48
Charlie Cleveland def. Ben Wunder by TKO (punches), Round 1, 1:03
Zayne Havener def. Travon Eller by submission (triangle choke), Round 2, 3:33
Bryce Woerner def. Randy Rivera-Santiago by TKO (strikes from back mount), Round 2, 3:36
Johnathan Waid def. Lane Roe by submission (arm-bar), Round 1, 1:02
Alexander Schenk def. Carter Beekman by submission (rear-naked choke), Round 2, 4:50
Blake Mitchell def. Nathan George by TKO (knee and punches), Round 1, 2:15
Briven Sullivan def. Cody Noel by technical decision (triangle choke), Round 3, 4:51
Shamar Perez def. Trevor Grice by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Drake Patterson def. Josh Ward by TKO (punches), Round 1, 2:41
Garret Gran def. Randy Shores Jr. by submission (triangle choke), Round 1, 1:15

The post LFA 226 Full Results appeared first on Cageside Press.

SBG Ireland’s Kavanagh (9-5) should have the local crowd behind her when she takes on Sara Collins (4-0) in a women’s featherweight match-up at Bellator 299. The event takes place September 23, 2023, airing on Showtime in the U.S.

Kavanagh, a teammate of Conor McGregor, is 4-1 in her past five fights, with the lone loss coming in a failed bid to capture the Bellator MMA women’s featherweight championship against Cris Cyborg.

Australia’s Collins made her promotional debut in her last fight, beating veteran featherweight Pam “Bam” Sorenson.

Bellator officials announced the fight via press release on Thursday, along with five other newly revealed match-ups for Bellator 299.

Those additional fights see British light heavyweight Luke Trainer (7-1) welcome promotional newcomer Laurynas “Captain Lithuania” Urbonavicius (14-1) to the Bellator cage, while Scottish lightweight Mark Ewen (4-0) makes his promotional debut against fellow newcomer Noah Gugnon (1-1) of France. At featherweight, a pair of undefeated prospects collide as Kenny “Black Diamond” Mokhonoana (5-0) goes up against Welshman Josh O’Connor (4-0).

Rounding out the new additions, Italy’s Chiara “Beasty Barbie” Penco (8-3) takes on Mackenzie “Mack Judo” Stiller (1-0), fresh off a win over Maria Henderson in a women’s strawweight match-up, while another Italian talent, Nicolo “The Monkey King” Solli (5-1) faces France’s Romain Debienne (9-4) at welterweight.

Bellator 299 is set to be headlined by a previously announced middleweight fight as Johnny Eblen defends his title against England’s Fabian Edwards. The card as announced to date consists of the following match-ups:

• Johnny Eblen (c) vs. Fabian Edwards — for the Bellator MMA middleweight championship
• Brian Moore vs. Otto Rodrigues
• Mads Burnell vs. Daniel Weichel
• Sinead Kavanagh vs. Sara Collins
• Luke Trainer vs. Laurynas Urbonavicius
• Mark Ewen vs. Noah Gugnon
• Kenny Mokhonoana vs. Josh O’Connor
• Chiara Penco vs. Mackenzie Stiller
• Nicolo Solli vs. Romain Debienne

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