10 greatest fights between TUF coaches in UFC history - ranked
At UFC 277 at the end of this month, Julianna Pena will defend her bantamweight title against former champ Amanda Nunes in the latest fight between The Ultimate Fighter coaches.
Over the years, there have been close to 30 clashes between TUF coaches in the UFC, and while some bouts didn’t live up to the hype, others turned out to be classics.
From major grudge matches to fights based on a respectful yet competitive rivalry, whenever TUF coaches face off, it’s worth watching.
Here are the ten greatest fights between TUF coaches in UFC history, ranked.
#10. Chuck Liddell vs. Randy Couture – UFC 52
The inaugural season of TUF was coached by then-UFC light heavyweight champion Randy Couture and top contender Chuck Liddell. While their eventual fight didn’t produce a war for the ages, it did make a megastar out of ‘The Iceman’, who landed one of the most thunderous knockouts of his career.
Liddell and Couture’s rivalry never got personal, as both men remained professional throughout the series, leaving any questionable behavior to cast members like Chris Leben and Josh Koscheck. However, as they’d fought once before – with Couture winning via TKO – it was clear that Liddell was chomping at the bit for revenge.
Sure enough, in the rematch, ‘The Iceman’ never allowed Couture to get comfortable. Instead, he drew ‘The Natural’ into a wild brawl following an accidental eye poke, and when Couture left himself open, the challenger capitalized.
He landed a crushing right counter-punch that knocked Couture silly and handed Liddell his first title in the octagon – turning him into the promotion’s poster-boy in the process.
UFC 52: Chuck Liddell vs. Randy Couture 2 full fight video mmafighting.com/2019/5/30/1864… https://t.co/fQyQkmOrQt
There have been better fights between TUF coaches since, but the impact that this one had means it deserves a spot here.
#9. Dan Henderson vs. Michael Bisping – UFC 100
Like Chuck Liddell’s win over Randy Couture, this fight between TUF coaches featured a knockout for the ages. Unlike Liddell vs. Couture, Dan Henderson and Michael Bisping had a personal, bitter feud coming into their bout.
Initially, their rivalry on the 9th season of TUF was built around a simple USA vs. UK issue. However, it quickly became something bigger when it was apparent that the two stars simply had a personality clash.
In the end, both men were desperate to hurt the other, but it was Henderson who delivered the goods. In the second round of their fight at UFC 100, he caught Bisping clean with a right hand that knocked him senseless – and then added a diving forearm smash for good measure, leaving ‘The Count’ twitching on the canvas.
"The Knockout heard around the World"
Relive Dan Henderson vs. Michael Bisping from UFC 100
ufc.tv/video/dan-hend… http://t.co/ycJZiKd7t8
After the fight, ‘Hendo’ claimed he’d thrown the forearm to “shut Bisping up for good,” which essentially summed up their rivalry.
Was this a classic fight? Absolutely not, but the knockout remains one of the most well-remembered in MMA history, and it was enough to steal the show at one of the biggest cards of all time, making it a definite entry here.
#8. Ronda Rousey vs. Miesha Tate – UFC 168
Initially, TUF 18 was supposed to see UFC bantamweight queen Ronda Rousey coaching against top contender Cat Zingano, but when ‘Alpha’ blew her knee out and was replaced by Miesha Tate – Rousey’s most bitter rival – things took a far darker turn.
The two women feuded throughout the season of the reality show, with both partaking in some petulant behavior. By the time their fight came around, the UFC’s fanbase was salivating to see it.
Unlike their first clash – which took place in StrikeForce in 2012 – this bout wasn’t entirely one-sided in favor of Rousey. Sure, ‘Rowdy’ largely took the fight to Tate, but ‘Cupcake’ was able to escape some horrible positions, becoming the first fighter to take the former Olympian out of the first round in the process.
However, by the third round, Tate’s lack of actual offense was beginning to catch up to her, and when Rousey was able to throw her to the ground again, she found a way to latch onto her trademark armbar forcing ‘Cupcake’ to submit.
Overall, this wasn’t a genuine back-and-forth war, but it was certainly an entertaining bout between two of TUF’s more memorable coaches, and at the time, it was the first real test that Rousey had.
Miesha Tate offered a handshake to Ronda Rousey after the fight and Rousey wanted no part of it. #UFC168 http://t.co/5ac5Dqi6Yu
#7. TJ Dillashaw vs. Cody Garbrandt – UFC 217
Perhaps the most bitter feud between TUF coaches in recent years came during the 25th season, as former teammates turned rivals Cody Garbrandt and T.J. Dillashaw went head-to-head, even getting physical with one another at one point.
Their UFC bantamweight title bout ended up slightly delayed due to Garbrandt suffering a back injury. When the two men finally did meet in the octagon, fireworks ensued, producing one of the best fights of 2017.
Early on, it looked like Garbrandt would have the edge. ‘No Love’ seemed confident that his boxing skills would ensure he came out on top, and after tagging Dillashaw with his left hand more than once, he landed a crushing right hook that dropped his former teammate at the end of the first round.
OHHH @Cody_NoLove ROCKS Dillashaw at the end of round 1!!! Right hand on the button!! #UFC217 https://t.co/RG2ndJZzlJ
However, the knockdown arguably led to Garbrandt’s demise. The champion was far too eager to find the finish in the second round and ended up walking into a crushing head kick that put him down.
‘No Love’ was able to get back up, but Dillashaw quickly pounced, dropped him again, and finished him off. Post-fight, the two men had to be pulled apart for a second time, and while it was clear that nothing had been settled, one thing was for sure – the two bantamweights had produced an instant classic.
#6. Joanna Jedrzejczyk vs. Claudia Gadelha – TUF 23 Finale
Prior to Joanna Jedrzejczyk’s wild fight with Weili Zhang in early 2020, the consensus amongst UFC fans was that the best strawweight bout in the promotion’s history came at the TUF 23 Finale when Jedrzejczyk went head-to-head with her opposing coach Claudia Gadelha.
The two women had a heated rivalry coming into the season, based on a controversial 2014 fight that’d seen Jedrzejczyk edge a contentious decision. Since then, the Polish fighter had won the strawweight title while Gadelha had beaten the highly-ranked Jessica Aguilar, cementing her spot as a top contender.
Coming into the bout, everyone expected Gadelha to attempt to take Jedrzejczyk down from the off, but surprisingly enough, she elected to strike with her – and dropped the Polish fighter with practically her first punch.
From there, ‘Claudinha’ largely dominated the first two rounds, giving her fans the hope that she’d be able to win the title – but midway through the third, it became clear that she’d emptied her gas tank while Jedrzejczyk was getting stronger.
Sure enough, the Pole began to chain together her trademark combinations, and while Gadelha hung tough and never came close to being finished, by the time the fifth round ended, it was clear who the better fighter was.
Jedrzejczyk was awarded a unanimous decision, but with a total of well over 500 strikes thrown between them, the fight was widely recognized as a great one and still stands as one of the best strawweight bouts in UFC history.
#5. Cain Velasquez vs. Fabricio Werdum – UFC 188
While the international editions of TUF tended to be hit and miss overall, one season that stood out as an excellent one was the first edition of TUF: Latin America. And while coaches Cain Velasquez and Fabricio Werdum kept their rivalry entirely professional, the fight they eventually produced was a truly excellent one.
The fight – with Velasquez’s UFC heavyweight title on the line – should’ve taken place in November 2014 but ended up being delayed until the following May. However, the venue – Mexico City – remained the same and would, according to some, play a major part in the result.
Velasquez had always been able to break his opponents by pushing a torrid pace from the off, but when he attempted to do the same to Werdum, it seemed like ‘Vai Cavalo’ was ready for him.
Not only was it quickly evident that the Brazilian wasn’t tiring in the face of so much pressure, but it was also clear that, surprisingly enough, he was getting the better of the champ in the clinch, primarily by using a tight plum clinch to deliver strikes.
The two big men went toe-to-toe, busting one another up, but by the third round, to everyone’s surprise, Velasquez looked exhausted – and when he sloppily shot in for a takedown, Werdum clamped a guillotine choke on and forced him to tap out.
Post-fight, many fans blamed the high altitude in Mexico City for Velasquez’s struggles, but whether or not that was the case remains a mystery. Either way, this was one of the best heavyweight title bouts in UFC history and definitely one of the best fights produced by TUF coaches.
VIDEO: Fabricio Werdum vs. Cain Velasquez full fight video #ufc188 mmafighting.com/2018/3/17/1712… https://t.co/vXBpJMdnPB
#4. Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson vs. Forrest Griffin – UFC 86
After claiming a huge win over 'Shogun' Rua in 2007, inaugural TUF winner Forrest Griffin was given a chance to dethrone UFC light-heavyweight champ Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson in a title bout, and the two men were chosen to coach TUF 7 to build to their fight.
That coaching stint had seen them produce a friendly yet competitive rivalry, but thankfully, the two men didn’t hold back at all inside the octagon.
Despite his success against 'Shogun', nobody was really giving Griffin a chance, as ‘Rampage’ had been on fire leading into the bout – and in the first round, it looked like it wouldn’t take him long to dispatch the TUF winner.
He caught Griffin with a brutal right uppercut, dropping him hard, and although he couldn’t finish him, it felt like the end was probably inevitable.
However, in the second round, Griffin turned the tide completely. He hurt ‘Rampage’ with a couple of leg kicks, then took him down and dominated him, coming close to finishing him and not allowing the champion to do anything.
From there, the fight went back-and-forth, with both men landing a number of excellent strikes and Griffin continually abusing Jackson's leg while somehow managing to absorb the champion’s power punches.
The fight went the distance and could well have gone either way – but the judges ended up going with Griffin in a semi-controversial call, making him the first fighter to debut through TUF to win UFC gold. Despite the questionable decision, the bout was considered one of the best of 2008 and stands out as one of the best clashes between TUF coaches.
#OnThisDay 14 years ago, Forrest Griffin defeated Rampage Jackson to become the new UFC Light Heavyweight Champion.
#UFC #MMA https://t.co/nC2P23Xjgf
#3. Justin Gaethje vs. Eddie Alvarez – UFC 218
A few eyebrows were raised when the coaches for the 26th season of TUF were announced. The season was built around the introduction of the women’s flyweight division – yet the coaches were lightweight stars Justin Gaethje and Eddie Alvarez.
Still, fans were mightily excited for their eventual bout, which was scheduled for UFC 218 in late 2017. After all, both men had put on some wildly exciting fights in their time, both inside and outside the promotion, and in theory, it seemed like a dream match.
Thankfully, the bout absolutely lived up to the hype and ended up not only being one of the best fights between TUF coaches but one of the best fights of the year, too.
They promised us a war.
They gave us a war. #UFC218 https://t.co/8XspT3v9tG
Unsurprisingly, the story of the fight was all about which man could take the most abuse and keep on coming. Gaethje hammered Alvarez’s legs with brutal kicks, while ‘The Underground King’ fired back with heavy body shots and combinations to slow down ‘The Highlight’.
After two back-and-forth rounds, though, it was Alvarez who came out on top, eventually exhausting Gaethje with his pace and finishing him with a brutal knee strike with just over a minute of the fight remaining.
The win made Alvarez the first man in MMA to stop Gaethje, although this was one of those few fights where neither man looked like a loser – and five years on, it remains a memorable clash.
#2. Rich Franklin vs. Chuck Liddell – UFC 115
Incredibly, had things gone to plan, UFC fans would never have been treated to the crazy bout between Chuck Liddell and Rich Franklin – a one-round war up there with the best short fights in the promotion’s history.
The original plan was for Liddell to coach TUF 11 against bitter rival Tito Ortiz, building to a largely pointless third clash between them. However, when Ortiz injured his neck, the promotion decided to replace him with Franklin, not only in the fight but as a coach on the reality show too.
There was no real rivalry between ‘Ace’ and ‘The Iceman’ to speak of, but that didn’t stop both men from coming into the clash with some remarkable aggression.
Liddell, in particular, seemed to have a point to prove after he’d been in semi-retirement for just over a year and came out firing heavy punches and kicks. He even took Franklin down at one point, but the biggest strike he landed was a partially blocked kick that snapped Franklin’s right arm.
However, just as ‘The Iceman’ seemed to have ‘Ace’ on the ropes with a grazing head kick and an elbow strike, he left himself slightly open – and Franklin landed a shot to his jaw that turned his lights out instantly.
#OnThisDay in 2010...
Rich Franklin and Chuck Liddell gave us a round for the ages in Liddell's final bout. #UFC25Years https://t.co/Vd1b8fwp7C
Unbelievably, Franklin had knocked Liddell out with his right hand despite his arm being broken – a ridiculous show of heart that only made an already-crazy bout more memorable.
#1. Alexander Volkanovski vs. Brian Ortega – UFC 266
While some detractors might claim recency bias, the best fight between TUF coaches in UFC history is probably the featherweight title bout between Alexander Volkanovski and Brian Ortega from September 2021.
The two 145lbers were chosen to coach the 29th season of TUF, the first series of the reality show for three years, and while the series itself didn’t produce too many outstanding fights, the friendly rivalry between Volkanovski and Ortega – centered around some genuinely fun pranks – was good to watch.
However, few fans could’ve expected their eventual clash in the octagon to be so good. The wild, back-and-forth fight saw both men exchange heavy strikes through the first two rounds, with ‘The Great’ getting the best of it, but the third round really heated things up.
‘T-City’ dropped the Australian with a left hand and then latched onto a tight mounted guillotine choke, squeezing the life out of Volkanovski. It looked like the champion was done, but somehow, he managed to free himself – and escaped a triangle choke too before smashing the challenger with heavy ground-and-pound.
@ufc | #UFC266 ROUND 3 OF VOLKANOVSKI VS. ORTEGA 😱
WHAT. A. SHOW.
🎥 @ufc | #UFC266
https://t.co/kcTVQrcEIf
The round was widely considered one of the best in UFC history. While the following two weren’t quite so action-packed, they still added up to one of the best title fights in the promotion’s history – with Volkanovski retaining his title and Ortega gaining plenty of respect for his showing, too.
Given the high stakes and the incredible action, there’s no doubt this was the best clash of TUF coaches yet.