Alexa Grasso took the lead once more on the newest episode of The Final Fighter 32.
The reigning UFC flyweight champion moved to 2-1 in her teaching matchup with Valentina Shevchenko, as her No. 2 featherweight decide Kaan Ofli received a call over Group Bullet’s Nathan Fletcher. That is additionally Grasso’s first featherweight win of the season after her No. 1 decide at 145 kilos, Guillermo Torres, misplaced to Shevchenko’s prime decide Roedie Roets.
Ofli (11-2-1) needed to work exhausting for his choice win as Fletcher (8-1) proved to be greater than an equal match on the toes and on the bottom. The primary spherical clearly went to the Australian as he used an advancing jab and a heavy proper hand to strain Fletcher earlier than ultimately scoring with a slam. From there, Ofli methodically handed Fletcher’s defenses till he took his again, from the place he blended in ground-and-pound with a rear-naked choke try.
Fletcher survived to make it to Spherical 2 and realizing he wanted to tie it as much as power an additional body, the Scouser got here out swinging. As Fletcher flurried, Ofli remained calm till he discovered a gap for one more takedown. Fletcher rapidly returned to his toes, solely to get taken down once more, however then he shocked Ofli by going for broke with a rolling scramble that resulted in him briefly taking Ofli’s again.
Although Fletcher managed loads of offense, Ofli continued to catch him with strikes as properly and ended the battle working from prime place. Ofli’s efforts had been sufficient to earn him a call and place within the TUF 32 featherweight semifinals.
Subsequent week, we’ve a rescheduled middleweight matchup between Group Grasso’s Omran Chaaban (6-1) and Group Bullet’s No. 1 decide Shamidkhan Magomedov (7-1. This bout was imagined to happen on Episode 2, however was postponed when Chaaban was recognized with an open chilly sore.)
Within the aftermath of final week’s battle, which noticed Robert Valentin rating a quick and brutal knockout of Giannis Bachar, the episode opened with a scene of Bachar struggling together with his first-ever loss to strikes. Valentin and Bachar’s teammates made positive to consolation the Greek fighter, assuring him that these sorts of losses are merely a part of being a fighter.
The Final Fighter 32 airs reside each Tuesday at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
Following the season finale, Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko are anticipated to face off in a flyweight championship trilogy bout at a date nonetheless to be decided.
The finalists of the TUF 32 middleweight and featherweight tournaments can even compete for a six-figure UFC contract on the present’s reside finale. A date for that occasion can be but to be introduced.
Listed below are the TUF 32 rosters divided by workforce:
Group Grasso
Featherweights
Guillermo Torres (Mexico) (7-1)
Kaan Ofli (Australia) (10-2-1)
Bekhzod Usmonov (Tajikistan) (11-4)
Mairon Santos (Brazil) (13-1)
Middleweights
Robert Valentin (Switzerland) (10-3)
Paddy McCorry (Eire) (4-1)
Omran Chaaban (Finland) (6-1)
Tom Theocharis (Canada) (9-5)
Group Shevchenko
Featherweights
Roedie Roets (South Africa) (7-1)
Zygimantas Ramaska (Lithuania) (9-2)
Nathan Fletcher (England) (8-1)
Edwin Cooper Jr. (USA) (6-1)
Middleweights
Shamidkhan Magomedov (Russia) (7-1)
Mark Hulme (South Africa) (12-3)
Ryan Loder (USA) (6-1)
Giannis Bachar (Greece) (9-2)
Listed below are the quarterfinal outcomes to date:
Roedie Roets def. Guillermo Torres through choice
Robert Valentin def. Giannis Bachar through KO (strikes) (R1)
Kaan Ofli def. Nathan Fletcher through choice
Advancing to semifinals: Roets, Valentin, Ofli
Eradicated: Torres, Bachar, Fletcher
