This season, teams consist of bantamweight and middleweight fighters coached by featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski and former title challenger Brian Ortega.
If you missed the previous episodes, check out those highlights below:
Continue reading for the highlights of the 12th and final episode, which streamed Tuesday on ESPN+.
‘Cookin’ with Volk’
Once again, Coach Volkanovski flexed his cooking skills, to the benefit of his team just ahead of the final fight of the season inside the house.
Inviting the team to his house, the featherweight champ whipped up a hearty breakfast including eggs, bacon, and sausage to provide the team with nutrition and an escape from the normal living inside the fighter house.
During the meal, the guys discussed the upcoming fight between Urbina and Gore while celebrating the team’s success throughout the season.
Ortega family visits
Coach Ortega brought his sons and his father to the house to meet the team.
The guys hung out with the Ortega gang and they also put the grill to use. Carne Asada, ribs, and more were cooked for the team to enjoy while they also reflected on the season.
After the meal, the guys played games and enjoyed each other’s company.
Gilbert Urbina
Tale of the tape:
- Age: 25
- Professional MMA Record:
- Height: 6-foot-3
- Reach: 74″
- Weigh-in weight: 185.5 lbs.
Showing that a fight is strictly business and doesn’t necessarily need to come between friendships, Urbina hung out with Gore and even cleaned off the outdoor grill for him so he could prepare his own meal.
Tresean Gore
Tale of the tape:
- Age: 26
- Professional MMA Record:
- Height: 6-foot
- Reach: 73.5″
- Weigh-in weight: 185.5 lbs.
Showcasing his hidden talent as a singer, Gore serenaded his teammates as they relaxed by the pool a couple of days before the fight. The explosive striker has the ability to also be very technical. In preparation for his fight, Coach Ortega sparred with Gore, pushing him hard, almost as if it were a real fight.
Urbina vs. Gore – Round 1
The fight started out with both competitors trying to find the range with the jab. Gore began mixing in kicks as Urbina started putting punching combinations together.
As Urbina closed in for a combination, Gore countered with a hard check left hook that dropped Urbina to the canvas briefly. After a couple of seconds of composing himself, Urbina continued to throw punches. Moments later, Gore charged forward but was pushed back by Urbina, who also dug in a hard outside leg kick followed by a push kick to the body. Still leading the action, Urbina offered a few punches, mixing them up to the body and the head of Gore.
A left jab lands for Gore twice, but Urbina continued to be the aggressor. However, he paid for it as Gore landed a hard straight punch that knocked him off his feet. As Urbina quickly returned to his feet, Gore met him along the fence and continued to throw punches in search of a finish, but it wouldn’t come.
Urbina snuck in a punch a few moments later that seemed to wobble Gore, but he didn’t capitalize. Another hard jab from Gore landed moments later that forced Urbina to back off.
Gore knocked Urbina off-balance yet again with another hard punch with just under 30 seconds remaining, but he bounced back to land a combination before the round ended.
Urbina vs. Gore – Round 2
Urbina started off the second by landing a leg kick and a few punches. After a head kick missed, Gore responded with punches of his own, including a hard uppercut that found the mark.
Moments later, Gore landed a powerful counter left hook as Urbina was darting in for a combination, sending him falling to the canvas to end the fight by knockout.
Team Ortega wins the last bout before the finale in spectacular fashion.
The finale is set
With Gore’s win over Urbina, he is now set to face Bryan Battle to determine the winner of the middleweights. Ricky Turcios will take on Brady Hiestand to determine the bantamweight winner of the season.
The finale will take place at UFC on ESPN 30 on Aug. 28 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The event is headlined by Edson Barboza vs. Giga Chikadze.
Now that the season has concluded, Brian Ortega shifts his focus to becoming featherweight champion as he now prepares to take on Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 266 on Sept. 25.