“The Ultimate Fighter” returns for its 33rd season this month, but with a unique twist. Instead of featuring active fighters coaching up UFC hopefuls, this season the coaches will be UFC Hall of Famers-turned-analysts, as former double champion Daniel Cormier will lead a team opposite former two-division title challenger Chael Sonnen.

TUF has been a major pipeline for UFC talent over the years, providing the promotion with a handful of champions and even more MMA stars. Forrest Griffin, Rashad Evans, Michael Bisping, Kamaru Usman, Robert Whittaker, TJ Dillashaw and Rose Namajunas have all won champions after appearing on the show.

In most of the previous seasons, the show has allowed fans to see what fighters must go through for the chance to earn a spot on the UFC roster, while also allowing them to see the tension build between the coaches ahead of a future matchup between them. With two coaches who have long been retired, that likely won’t be the case this season.

This season’s TUF competition, which will begin airing May 27 on ESPN2 and ESPN+, is at welterweight and men’s flyweight. Results of this season can be found at the bottom of this story.

How to watch ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ on ESPN2/ESPN+

Season 33 of “The Ultimate Fighter” debuts Tuesday, May 27, at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN 2 and ESPN+ and continues weekly. Rewatch episodes after they air and watch past seasons anytime on ESPN+.

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The coaches

Chael Sonnen

Record: 30-18-1
Age: 48
From: Clackamas County, Oregon
Notable:

Daniel Cormier

Record: 22-3-0, 1 NC
Age: 46
From: Lafayette, Louisiana
Notable:

The fighters

Welterweights

Diego Bianchini

Record: 9-1
Age: 28
Fighting out of: São Paulo, Brazil
Notable:

Andreeas Binder

Record: 10-2
Age: 28
Fighting out of: Galway, Ireland
Notable:

• Five wins by knockout

• Trains at SBG Charlestown — the same gym as PFL fighter Leah McCourt

• Former Level Fight League lightweight champion

• Has not fought since July 2023

Jeff Creighton

Record: 11-2-1
Age: 29
Fighting out of: Poway, California
Notable:

• Fought in LFA and Bellator

• Trains at The Arena MMA, the same gym as former Bellator champion Liz Carmouche

Matt Dixon

Record: 11-1
Age: 29
Fighting out of: Tulsa, Oklahoma
Notable:

Daniel Donchenko

Record: 11-2
Age: 23
Fighting out of: Ukraine
Notable:

• Trains at Tiger Muay Thai gym, the same gym as UFC women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko and former UFC men’s bantamweight champion Petr Yan

• Has seven wins by knockout

Richard Martins

Record: 9-1
Age: 23
Fighting out of: Campinas, Sao Paolo, Brazil
Notable:

Alex Sanchez

Record: 15-3
Age: 31
Fighting out of: Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
Notable:

• Fought in LFA

• Has not lost a fight since November 2020

• Trains at Entram Gym, the same gym as UFC welterweight Michael Morales

Rodrigo Sezinando

Record: 8-1
Age: 28
Fighting out of: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Notable:

• Has won each of last four fights by knockout

• Trains at Nova União, the same gym as former UFC fighters Renan Barao and Matheus Nicolau

Flyweights

Idiris Alibi

Record: 10-0
Age: Unknown
Fighting out of: Aktau, Kazakhstan
Notable:

Roybert Echeverria

Record: 10-2
Age: 29
Fighting out of: Miami, Florida
Notable:

Eduardo Henrique

Record: 13-2
Age: 29
Fighting out of: São Paulo, Brazil
Notable:

Tumelo Manyamala

Record: 6-1
Age: 26
Fighting out of: Cape Town, South Africa
Notable:

Arshiyan Memon

Record: 7-0
Age: 30
Fighting out of: Maharashtra, India
Notable:

Joseph Morales

Record: 12-2
Age: 30
Fighting out of: Sacramento, California
Notable:

• Former A1 Combat flyweight champion

• Had three fights in the UFC in 2017 and 2018

• Trains at Team Alpha Male, a gym founded by UFC Hall of Famer Urijah Faber

Imanol Rodriguez

Record: 5-0
Age: 25
Fighting out of: Mexico
Notable:

• Has fought in Fury FC and Combate Global

• Has finished each of his opponents (four knockouts, one submission)

• None of his professional fights has reached Round 3

Furkatbek Yokubov

Record: 14-4
Age: 30
Fighting out of: Uzbekistan

• Fought in Karate Combat and LFA

• Fought UFC fighter Vinicius Oliveira in UAE Warriors in November 2020, lost by first-round knockout

• Has knocked out each of his last three opponents