Cormier and Sonnen Lead TUF 33’s Two-Division Talent Hunt
Daniel Cormier and Chael Sonnen served as opposing coaches on The Ultimate Fighter 33, which premiered on May 27, 2025. The season featured sixteen competitors split between men’s flyweight and welterweight, with UFC opportunities at stake in both divisions.
Sixteen fighters compete across two weights
Each weight class began with eight fighters. The flyweight roster included Joseph Morales, Alibi Idiris, Roybert Echeverria and Imanol Rodriguez, while the welterweight group included Daniil Donchenko, Matt Dixon, Rodrigo Sezinando and Jeff Creighton.
Morales brought previous UFC experience into the competition, including an earlier meeting with Deiveson Figueiredo. Echeverria and Dixon had also appeared on Dana White’s Contender Series, giving the cast several athletes returning to a familiar route toward the promotion.
The tournament reaches a UFC stage
The coaching matchup paired two experienced television personalities with different competitive histories. Cormier had held UFC titles at light heavyweight and heavyweight, while Sonnen had challenged for championships in two divisions. Both had previously coached on the reality series.
As the tournament progressed, Morales and Idiris reached the flyweight final. Morales then submitted Idiris with a triangle choke in the second round at UFC 319 in Chicago on August 16. That completed result gave the season a concrete professional payoff beyond its training-room storylines. The format connected a roster of hopefuls, established coaches and a tournament path that eventually carried the finalists onto a major UFC card.
Sources
- mmafighting.com: the ultimate fighter 33 rosters revealed
- sherdog.com: amp
- ufc.com: official judges scorecards ufc 319 du plessis vs chimaev chicago
Article Tags
Daniel Cormier, Chael Sonnen, UFC, MMA
