A Brazilian training out of Canada, Sezinando had collected belts in Samourai MMA and BFL, two of the more notable promotions in the Great White North. Ukraine’s Donchenko had also earned a regional title, under the Naiza FC banner.

Round one started with a quick start from Donchenko. Dipping off to the side and throwing in blitzes. Sezinado though, landed a counter right and blasted through with a takedown attempt. Donchenko was able to defend the takedown and landed an elbow off the break. You can see the blood stream from the face of Sezinado from a nasty elbow he took early in the round.

Pushed by urgency, Sezinado pressed forward, but Donchenko kept timing him with counter elbows that continued to tear him up. Donchenko then hit a clean takedown and punished Sezinado with a heavy knee to the body as he tried to stand.

Battered but undeterred, Sezinado kept charging forward, forcing Donchenko into a sloppy shot. Sezinado looked for his own takedown, but Donchenko stuffed it and unleashed a brutal combination. Every punch landed, capped off by a crushing right hand that dropped Sezinado. Donchenko swarmed with ground-and-pound until the referee waved it off.

Official Result: Daniil Donchenko def. Rodrigo Sezinando by TKO, round 1, 4:27

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Days out from the event, the card has lost two key fights. Lightweights King Green and Carlos Diego Ferreira will not be competing as planned, while the TUF 33 welterweight finale between Rodrigo Sezinando and Daniil Donchenko is also off.

In both cases, injury is to blame. ThinkerBoxing was first to report the TUF 33 bout cancelation. Ferreira, meanwhile, notified BJPenn.com that his bout had been scrapped. An injury to Green appears to be the culprit.

The UFC subsequently updated the event’s official fight card on their website to reflect the changes.

Per a report by MMA Fighting, the plan is to shift the TUF 33 finale between Sezinando and Donchenko to the Noche UFC card in San Antonio, Texas next month.

The bouts falling through might explain why a last minute bout was booked for a Contender Series winner who captured a UFC contract just days ago.

UFC 319 is headlined by middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis, looking to defend his title against the formidable, undefeated Khamzat Chimaev. Bellator star Aaron Pico makes his octagon debut in the co-main event, facing the unbeaten Lerone Murphy in featherweight action.

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Earlier in the season, Joseph Morales, the only fighter on the show to have previously competed in the UFC, booked his spot in the flyweight finals, where he will face Alibi Idiris.

Rodrigo Sezinando, a Brazilian who has made a name for himself fighting in Canada, went on to win a decision over countryman Diego Bianchini to claim the first spot in the welterweight final.

Tuesday night’s The Ultimate Fighter 33 Episode 12 saw coaches Chael Sonnen and Daniel Cormier take their teams out in one big group to close out their time in the TUF house, with D.C. adding a motivational speech for the entire crew.

“Chael and I have done a lot of things in our career that allow us to be in this position where we get to see our name in lights,” he said in part. “Know that you guys are now on a path to doing that for yourself at some point. So envision that, because it’s possible for every one of you.”

With Sonnen unable to attend one of the final training sessions, former UFC light heavyweight champ and TUF veteran Rashad Evans turned up as a guest coach, the last special guest of the season.

The Ultimate Fighter 33: Daniil Donchenko vs. Matt Dixon

The final exhibition fight of The Ultimate Fighter Season 33 saw welterweights Daniil Donchenko and Matt Dixon start hot, trading at an impressive pace. While the ref would warn both fighters for having their fingers extended, no eye pokes actually connected, thankfully. Instead, Dixon went in on a takedown, only for Donchenko to smash away in response, bloodying Dixon. Worse, some blows connected to the back of the head, leading to the ref halting the action. Donchenko drew a warning, but the fight did continue after a brief moment, despite Dixon’s team urging him to take a longer time out.

Back underway, it was right back to stand and bang action, both men connecting, and Dixon smiling at his opponent. Donchenko, however, tagged Dixon, forcing him back to the fence. Suddenly, he was under fire, and dropped to his side. With Dixon covering up, the ref urged him to fight back. Coach Sonnen tried to buy his fighter some time, hollering out that Dixon was okay, but the ref clearly did not agree, halting the action shortly after. Daniil Donchenko earned the TKO win, and a spot in the welterweight finals!

Your TUF 33 final match-ups are:

• Rodrigo Sezinando vs. Daniil Donchenko
• Joseph Morales vs. Alibi Idiris

Of note: all four finalists were among the top four picks on their respective teams. None of the bottom four picks on either team went the distance this season. Joseph Morales was the highest pick to make the finals, selected #1 overall by Chael Sonnen. The other three finalists were all part of Team Cormier.

The post The Ultimate Fighter 33: Season Wraps, Finals Set appeared first on Cageside Press.

“The Ultimate Fighter means a lot to me. The mental aspect of being away from everything was like an unforgettable experience.”

Diego Bianchini is up first, showcasing his deep connection with his roots in São Paulo and his parents, as Bianchini describes himself as “spoiled.” Since starting his pro MMA career in 2015, Bianchini has racked up a 9-1 record and trains with the highly acclaimed Fighting Nerds.

“I’ve been working all my life for this moment. I’m not gonna disappoint my family, I’m not gonna disappoint myself. I will be there and I will smash everybody and get this contract.”

Deeper Motivations

We return to an emotional Rodrigo Sezinando, looking at pictures of his mother. Sezinando hasn’t seen his mother in over a year since leaving Brazil and moving to Canada. Traveling to Rio de Janeiro, we are introduced to Sezinando’s single mom, who is fully aware of her son’s care for her.

“His heart’s greatest concern is me, his mom. He wants to give me a better life, so he fights hard for that.”

Sezinando delves into his passion for MMA and why he moved to Canada to further his career, despite having just $200 to his name.

Back in the Team Sonnen training room, weaponizing Bianchini’s pace seems to be the main game plan. With emotions running high going into the fight, they expect Sezinando to waste energy going for the early finish.

Cormier seems to have similar concerns, worrying that Bianchini’s only way of taking advantage is if Sezinando overreacts to his awkward movements. Following this conversation, DC gave some serious words of inspiration:

“Remember what you’re doing this for. You guys are different; you have different motivations. You do this because you know if you win this thing, it will change your family’s life. For him, he’s doing this like buying a new sports car; it’s fun to him.”

We then get a deeper glimpse of the odd trash talk that Bianchini has thrown Sezinando’s way. The disrespect towards Sezinando’s family has angered him, but whether Bianchini’s plan will work is to be seen. One thing is for sure: this is this season’s most anticipated fight among members of the house and fans alike.

Close-ups of heated final words dissecting their hatred for each other show the animosity as we lead into the fight.

The Ultimate Fighter 33: Rodrigo Sezinando vs. Diego Bianchini

Bianchini rushed in with a roundhouse followed by a spinning kick, but neither landed clean. After attempting another spinning kick, Sezinando caught the wild striker’s leg and took him down. The grappling was short-lived after a successful sweep, and Sezinando reopened the striking with a spinning kick that slaps into the fence. After trading leg kicks, both men settled into their striking, Sezinando on the front foot while Bianchini counters. A beautiful headkick is landed by the ‘Brazilian Bad Boy’ with Sezinando leaning right into it; however, he eats the kick and pushes forward. After a blitz of short punches, Bianchini walked into a heavy exchange, eating a massive left hook that stunned him and forced a failed grappling attempt. Bianchini finds success with quick, popping punches and fires off another spinning kick, but the power difference is clear as he’s clipped by another left hook before the round ends.

Bianchini fires off a variety of strikes to start Round 2, keeping Sezinando at range and guessing. However, the Canadian-Brazilian stalked his way into range and forced a bad takedown attempt from Bianchini, immediately reversing into side control and landing some devastating elbows. Once in half guard, Sezinando was in his comfort zone, smothering Bianchini with top control and ground and pound. The fight continued this way until the final bell, with Sezinando getting the Unanimous Decision win. The rivalry also concluded following the fight, with an embrace and kind words shared between the former foes.

The semi-final matchups are set by the coaches to end the episode following conversations with each fighter. The following matchups are now set for the semi-finals:

Flyweight semi-finals

Alibi Idiris vs. Roybert Echeverria 

Imanol Rodriguez vs. Joseph Morales

Weltweight semi-finals

Matt Dixon vs. Daniil Donchenko

Jeff Creighton vs. Rodrigo Sezinando

With Episode 8 over, the quarterfinals are all wrapped for The Ultimate Fighter 33. We’ll recap each episode from the season as the show unfolds.

The post The Ultimate Fighter 33 Ep. 8: The Time For Talk is Over appeared first on Cageside Press.

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.”

The post The Ultimate Fighter 33 Cast Breakdown: Welterweight appeared first on Cageside Press.

In the main event, Brazilian Rodrigo Sezinando became the new Samourai MMA super-welterweight champion by defeating Jonathan Ramsay in the very first round. Sezinando’s left hook couldn’t miss and the third knockdown forced the referee to stop the fight.

In the co-main event, Tommy Morrison, one of the best prospects in the province, stayed undefeated by earning yet another unanimous victory. Morrison had a clear grappling advantage that he used to win all three rounds, while also showing improvements in his striking and ground-and-pound. Even though Morrison couldn’t find a finish, it wasn’t for a lack of trying as Quinones successfully defended multiple arm-triangle attempts that looked quite deep. Though still green, it seems like Morrison is improving at a fast enough rate that he will eventually find his way to the UFC.

Yohan Lainesse won his first fight after getting cut by the UFC back in January as he beat Mac Laursen by unanimous decision. Laursen made Lainesse work, but the Quebecer’s strength was ultimately the difference as he was able to control Laursen on the ground and in the clinch. Lainesse was understandably emotional after the fight as he successfully starts his journey back to the UFC on a high note.

Hometown favourite Alex “The Chess Master” Morgan, who fought on Season 6 of Dana White’s Contender Series, put on one of his better performances to date as he thoroughly outclassed Jordan Beltran on his way to a second round submission win. Morgan, who had announced his retirement on social media after a loss this past summer, opted to get back in the cage in an attempt to get rid of the sour taste that his last loss left, a decision that evidently paid off. Beltran retired in the cage after the loss.

Mehdi Zeidvand kept his ‘0’ as he defeated Nic Ouellet by unanimous decision. Zeidvand had problems early figuring out the range against Ouellet’s reach. He eventually found a way to land his overhands and he comfortably took rounds 2 and 3. It will be interesting to see who the undefeated fighter gets next.

Adam Posener got a third round armbar submission over Trukon Carson. Carson was resilient, but Posener’s grappling advantage proved to be too much. Both fighters were undefeated coming into tonight, but someone’s ‘0’ had to go.

Karim Henniene and Mitch Strazzella put on what probably has to be considered Fight of the Night. A wild back and forth that saw Henniene getting several takedowns, but unable to find a finish. With Henniene the more tired fighter in round 3, Strazzella almost pulled off a comeback win as he had his opponent retreating on numerous occasions. “The Kryptonian” ultimately managed to survive and won by decision after taking the first two rounds.

A rough night for the Ouellet brothers kicked off with Raphael losing by first round knockout. Diego Santos had a massive speed advantage and was able to drop Ouellet more than once before getting the walk off KO.

Amin Almelik earned a hard fought victory over Frenchman Charles Azoulay in a fight that could’ve gone either way. In a competitive fight, the big moments are often the difference makers and Almelik was drawing the bigger reactions out of Azoulay when he was landing.

Olivier Poisson officially earned the first ever mma victory inside the Montreal Casino when he forced the tap from Sina Maani in the first round. Poisson immediately shot a takedown and his pressure proved to be too much for Maani who couldn’t fend him off. Getting backpacked by Poisson seems to be a bad position to be in considering his first professional win back in August played out in a very similar fashion.

The promotion also announced mid-event that Julien Leblanc, an 8-2 middleweight who has previously fought at Samourai MMA Chapter 6, has officially signed with the promotion and will return in March.

Overall, the event proved to be a massive success for French-Canadian promotion Samourai MMA. The place was packed early, the crowd was energetic and the pacing was impeccable from the first fight through to Sezinando’s win to cap off the night. It may have been their first time at the casino, but let’s hope it’s not the last.

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