The Ultimate Fighter 31: Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler Episode 8 results

“The Ultimate Fighter 31: Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler Episode 8 Results”

Conor McGregor prevented a historic sweep as Rico DiSciullo delivered a devastating finish to Hunter Azure, securing his spot in the semi-final round of The Ultimate Fighter 31.

DiSciullo (11-2, 1 NC) emerged as the sole member of Team McGregor to advance, showcasing a fierce come-from-behind knockout of Azure (10-3) in an intense bantamweight bout, serving as the final quarterfinal fight.

In the initial moments of the fight, DiSciullo successfully defended Azure’s takedown attempts and kept the fight standing. However, the experienced UFC veteran managed to take the fight to the mat, where he exerted control over the New England fighter and inflicted significant damage throughout the round. Azure, who sustained a cut on his head, came close to securing a stoppage on multiple occasions, but DiSciullo displayed tremendous resilience and toughness, enduring until the round ended, much to the delight of McGregor.

With McGregor passionately urging DiSciullo to display his “Boston courage,” the 36-year-old fighter knew he had to keep the fight on the feet in the second round. After exchanging some trash talk, DiSciullo landed an uppercut and a powerful right hand that sent Azure stumbling backward. As they met in the center of the octagon, DiSciullo connected with another right hand, successfully defending Azure’s takedown attempt. DiSciullo then landed a hard leg kick, followed by a punishing right hand that dropped Azure to the canvas. A double axe handle strike as a follow-up caused referee Herb Dean to intervene and halt the fight at 3:53 in the second round.

McGregor jubilantly sprinted around the outside of the octagon in celebration, while a dejected and injured Azure came to terms with the outcome. UFC President Dana White was astonished by the result.

Following the announcement of the outcome, McGregor’s celebration turned into verbal sparring with Team Chandler, particularly Roosevelt Roberts, who eagerly responded. However, cooler heads eventually prevailed.

White proceeded to meet with both McGregor and Chandler, along with the remaining semi-finalists, to discuss the matchups for the next round.

Only one semi-final matchup was disclosed, set to take place in the upcoming episode, featuring Team Chandler teammates Roosevelt Roberts and Austin Hubbard. The remaining bouts will be revealed during the same show.

The Ultimate Fighter 31 airs live every Tuesday at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN and ESPN+.

After the season finale, a welterweight bout between Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler is expected to occur, but an official announcement is pending, given recent sexual assault allegations against McGregor that have cast uncertainty on his competitive future.

Additionally, the finalists of the TUF 31 lightweight and bantamweight tournaments will compete for a lucrative UFC contract at the live finale of the show. The date for this event is yet to be announced.

Here is the breakdown of the TUF 31 roster by team:

Team McGregor (prospects):

Lightweight:

• Lee Hammond (27, 5-0)
• Nate Jennerman (29, 16-5)
• Aaron McKenzie (34, 11-2-1)
• Landon Quinones (27, 7-1-1)

Bantamweight:

• Mando Gutierrez (26, 8-2)
• Trevor Wells (27, 8-3)
• Carlos Vera (35, 11-3)
• Rico DiSciullo (36, 11-2, 1 NC)

Team Chandler (veterans):

Lightweight:

• Jason Knight (30, 23-7)
• Austin Hubbard (31, 15-6)
• Roosevelt Roberts (28, 12-3, 1 NC)
• Kurt Holobaugh (36, 19-7, 1 NC)

Bantamweight:

• Hunter Azure (31, 10-3)
• Brad Katona (31, 12-2)
• Timur Valiev (33, 18-3, 1 NC)
• Cody Gibson (35, 19-8)

Quarterfinal results:

• Roosevelt Roberts defeated Nate Jennerman via first-round knockout.
• Cody Gibson defeated Mando Gutierrez via first-round TKO.
• Austin Hubbard defeated Aaron McKenzie via unanimous decision.
• Timur Valiev defeated Trevor Wells via unanimous decision.
• Brad Katona defeated Carlos Vera via unanimous decision.
• Kurt Holobaugh defeated Lee Hammond via second-round submission (guillotine choke).
• Jason Knight defeated Landon Quinones via first-round submission (triangle choke).
• Rico DiSciullo defeated Hunter Azure via second-round knockout.

Semi-final matchups:

• Roosevelt Roberts vs. Austin Hubbard.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about The focus keyword for this text is: The Ultimate Fighter 31