The 29th season of ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ debuted exclusively on ESPN+ on Tuesday featuring bantamweight and middleweight UFC hopefuls. Featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski and no. 2 ranked contender Brian Ortega coach the opposing teams.
After both coaching staffs evaluated the athletes, team selections took place. UFC president Dana White flipped a coin to determine which coach would pick the first fighter and which would choose the first fight. Volkanovski won the coin toss and opted to select the first fighter.
Team Selections
Team Volkanovski in order of selection:
- Mitch Raposo (5-0) – bantamweight
2. Ryder Newman (3-1) middleweight
3. Dustin Lampros (5-0) bantamweight
4. Gilbert Urbina (6-1) middleweight
5. Ricky Turcios (10-2) bantamweight
6. Aaron Phillips (5-2) middleweight
7. Brady Hiestand (5-1) bantamweight
8. Bryan Battle (5-1) middleweights
Team Ortega in order of selection:
- Dan Argueta (5-0) bantamweight
2. Andre Petroski (5-1) middleweight
3. Liudvik Sholinian (9-1-1) bantamweight
4. Tresean Gore (3-0) middleweight
5. Josh Rettinghouse (16-5) bantamweight
6. Miles Hunsinger (7-0) middleweight
7. Vincent Murdock (12-4) bantamweight
8. Kemran Lachinov (10-3) middleweight
Date, weight set for Jake Paul-Tyron Woodley boxing match
The first fight: Team Ortega’s Andre Petroski vs. Team Volkanovski’s Aaron Phillips
With Coach Volkanovski opting to select the first fighter, Coach Ortega assumed matchmaking ability for the first two fights of the season. Ortega decided to pit his top middleweight pick, Andre Petroski, against Team Volkanovski’s third middleweight pick, Aaron Phillips.
After a brief feeling out period, Petroski was able to close the distance and secure a takedown. He moved to side control before advancing to the mount position while locking down an arm-in guillotine choke. Phillips was forced to tap out giving Team Ortega the first win of the season and advancing Petroski to the next round.
Next week’s match-up
Since Volkanovski won the ability to pick the first fighter in each division with the coin toss, Ortega was able to select the first fight in each weight class. For the first bantamweight bout of the season, Ortega put his second 135-pound pick Liudvik Sholinian against Team Volkanovski’s first team selection Mitch Raposo.