The second episode of The Ultimate Fighter 32 began with a twist.
Initially, Russia’s Shamidkhan Magomedov of Team Shevchenko and Finland’s Omran Chaaban of Team Grasso were set to meet in the first middleweight bout of the season, however, the Nevada State Athletic Commission interjected.
It was revealed that Chaaban was dealing with a cold sore at the time, and because of that, he did not receive medical clearance on the day of the fight.
The decision was made to postpone their middleweight bout until the following week.
“It’s sad. I was ready to fight,” Magomedov said after he was given the news. “Everything was perfect that day. I slept good, woke up in good mood.”
Instead, Alexa Grasso selected her top 185-pound pick Robert Valentin to face Team Shevchenko’s Giannis Bachar.
The consensus assessment heading into the bout was Switzerland’s Valentin would have the size and grappling advantage and Greece’s Bachar would have the edge on the feet when striking.
THE FIGHT
This one did not last long. In fact, it was over in less than one minute as Valentin landed a perfect counter right elbow mere seconds into the opening round, a strike he was practising during his warm-up backstage.
It landed flush and Bachar fell to the canvas.
Valentin followed up with three additional left hands for good measure as the referee stepped in and the 28-year-old advanced in the bracket with a near-flawless performance.
“Robert came in clearly wanting to make a statement and I think he put every middleweight on notice,” UFC president Dana White said of the highlight finish. “That was a massive, badass elbow and I cannot wait to see this guy fight again.”
Shevchenko, a teammate of Valentin’s at Tiger Muay Thai in Thailand, said prior to the fight that Valentin is one of the biggest middleweights in the TUF 32 tournament, while Bachar would be competing at close to his walkaround weight.
“I’m not surprised but I have to say I’m very proud of myself,” Valentin said after his victory. “This is a new step in my career, finishing off a decorated striker with strikes and it’s just going to add to my arsenal and my experience and I’m just going to be a better fighter after this. Every day one per cent better.”
Bachar had a 9-2 pro record heading into TUF 32 with eight wins by KO or TKO, so he had been accustomed to being the hammer and not the nail.
“I was expecting from him only good kicks, they said to me, and good grappling. I didn’t expect an elbow as a counter,” a disappointed Bachar said. “Congratulations to him. Really good technique, good timing, really (expletive) me up. It’s my first time in my life getting knocked out. I didn’t show my skills, so I’m really frustrated. I don’t know what I will decide to do with my career now.”
OUTSIDE THE CAGE
The episode began with Magomedov and Chaaban, both Muslims, praying together and talking to the camera about the “weird” dynamic of preparing to fight someone you’re living with and friendly with. This was prior to their bout being postponed.
Valentin’s personality was highlighted. He was shown sleeping outside in the yard instead of inside one of the mansion’s bedrooms with the other athletes and he spoke about Nordic Paganism and how he has incorporated it into his life.
Also, members of Team Shevchenko were shown for a second consecutive episode having trouble adapting to the former flyweight champ’s intense training methods and schedule.
Roedie Roets, who defeated fellow featherweight Guillermo Torres via decision in the first fight of the season, recalled a time when Valentina Shevchenko literally dragged him by the ankles to pull him away from his water bottle because she does not allow water during training sessions.
NEXT UP
The episode concluded with a featherweight fight selection.
Team Grasso chose Kaan Ofli, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt from Australia, to fight fellow grappler Nathan Fletcher of England in a 145-pound contest.