The promotion’s latest trip to the MMA hotbed saw The Ultimate Fighter 33 alum Richard Martins, who had lost on the show to eventual winner Daniil Donchenko, putting his 10-1 record on the line against fellow Brazilian Vanderlei “Soul Glo” Goncalves.

In a bit of a mess at the scales,  Jenilto Matos, Italo Cruz, and João Victor Melo all missed weight for their respective fights. All three did move forward.

Where to Watch LFA 229

Legacy Fighting Alliance sets up show at the Centro Esportivo Pelezão in São Paulo, Brazil on Friday, March 27, 2026. The main card of LFA 229 airs live on Vice TV in the U.S., with prelims streaming via Spectation Sports in part. Full results from the event can be found below.

LFA 229: Martins vs. Goncalves Results

Main Card

Welterweight: Richard Martins def. Vanderlei Gonçalves by knockout, Round 3, 4:04
Flyweight: Felipe dos Santos def. Jenilto Matos by submission (triangle choke), Round 1, 1:43
Bantamweight: Vinicius Pires def. Tawan Ribeiro by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Catchweight (175lb): Diego Bianchini def. Yuri Neles by submission (outside heel hook), Round 1, 2:56
Featherweight: Renan Freitas def. Leandro Solano by TKO, Round 1, 4:41
Women’s Flyweight: Bianca Basilio def. Rafaela Guedes by submission (rear-naked choke), Round 1, 3:36

Preliminary Card

Heavyweight: Guilherme Uriel def. Leonardo Fraga by TKO (right hook and ground n’ pound), Round 1, 1:36
Lightweight: Richard Silva def. Italo Cruz by submission (armlock), Round 3, 2:34
Women’s Bantamweight: Djulia Ariana def. Milena Galvao by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Bantamweight: Leslie Jesus def. Maycon Douglas by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Light Heavyweight: Alan Ribeiro def. Douglas Andrew by TKO, Round 1, 0:55
Flyweight: Claudio Meirelles def. Joao Victor Melo by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Women’s Bantamweight: Thalyta Silva def. Maria Clara Andrade by unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-26)

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“This was like for me, the perfect opportunity for me to escape,” Dillashaw said of his time on TUF, which saw him enter the house with just four pro fights to his name.

Ukraine’s Danil Donchenko is up first in episode two, representing Team Cormier, and talks about the war back home, with Russia having invaded in 2022. Donchenko has already seen teammates and old school chums killed and maimed in the war. “I have friends who are already dead,” he says, calling the situation at home a big motivation for him.

Brazilian welterweight Richard Martins tells coach Sonnen that he wants to stand and trade with Donchenko, rather than trying to take him down. “I will try grappling, but for me I want to strike with him.” Sonnen eventually agrees, telling Martins that he’s convinced him. With a Muay Thai background, Martins says he always tries to win his fights by knockout.

“I’m going to make Richard bleed,” Donchenko says following weigh-ins. “Maybe I will bleed too, but I don’t care. I want to feel his blood.” Ominous.

The Ultimate Fighter 33: Danil Donchenko vs. Richard Martins

Donchenko connected with a big right hand early once episode two’s fight got underway, then exploded forward, swarming Martins. A very strong start by the Ukrainian, with the ref urging Martins to fight back. Martins avoided being finished on the feet, tying things up and fighting for underhooks. When they came off the fence, coach Cormier admonished Donchenko for loading up on his punches, and told the welterweight to “just touch him.” Donchenko was keeping up so high a pace that Cormier also told him to slow things down a bit.

Despite that early onslaught, Donchenko vs. Martins made it out of the round. Sonnen advised his student not to worry about Donil Donchenko’s power, and to “just touch him” as well, shades of DC in round one. Donchenko’s overhand flashes, and he trails with a kick. Donchenko drops levels, looking for a takedown but Martins fights that off as Sonnen urges his guy to stay active. Martins seems to be having issues pulling the trigger by the time the midway mark of the round rolls around. Sonnen is worried that Martins doesn’t have enough time, and urges him to get to work. Martins does get a little scrappier, and soon Donchenko is bloodied. Martins fires a knee to the body towards the end of a hard-fought round. Both teams get their guys ready for a possible third round, but instead, the judges have a verdict – and it’s a decision victory for Danil Donchenko.

That’s a wrap on episode 2 of TUF 33. We’ll recap each episode from the season as the show unfolds.

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The 170lb weight class has always been deep, but the UFC is constantly in need of fresh bodies. Here’s a look at who will be competing 20 years on from the debut of The Ultimate Fighter.

Jeff Creighton
USA
29-years-old
11-2-1
54% finish rate (1 KO/TKO, 5 Submissions)
A1 Combat welterweight champion
Combined opponents’ record: 68-50

Creighton may not be the most exciting fighter but has been on a roll winning regional titles and beating some good regional guys. He’s winning but I wouldn’t say he’s doing it in a convincing way. He’s been winning off close decision wins by doing more damage. Creighton started off as a finish but has won five straight decisions.

Creighton’s style is anything but refined, yet he’s made it work. What he lacks in technical skill, he compensates for with sheer durability and endurance, often outlasting his opponents. His toughness is essential to his approach—winning fights through relentless pressure rather than precision.

He fights at a low volume, often overextending on his punches, with every movement looking labored. He thrives in close-quarters combat, aiming to turn fights into gritty phone booth brawls. However, even when closing the distance, he leaves himself wide open for counters. His best moments come in the clinch, where he delivers slicing elbows and solid knees, but his lack of control often sees him pressed against the cage. Much of his success comes from landing damage while defending takedowns, but his takedown defense itself remains a glaring weakness—he’s been far too easy to drag to the mat.

Creighton has survived largely because he refuses to break, while many of his opponents have folded under his pressure. Despite his many flaws, he’s a dangerous challenge, particularly for fighters who struggle with their gas tank. However, the TUF format doesn’t suit him. He can’t afford to play possum in a potential two-round fight, and if he pushes the pace, his defensive vulnerabilities could cost him.

“The emotions are grateful. I realize how big of an opportunity this is, this is a life changing opportunity. And I plan on capitalizing on that,” Creighton said during his introduction to the media recently. And while it will hard to be away from his love ones as the show films, “they’re my ‘why.’ And I’m here, and they’re counting on me. So I’m going to win the whole entire thing.”

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