The final middleweight bout of the quarterfinals didn’t make it out of the opening round as Team Grasso’s Paddy McCorry submitted Mark Hulme of Team Shevchenko to advance in the 185-pound bracket.

This was expected to be a classic striker vs. grappler matchup with Hulme, 29, having the grappling edge over the 26-year-old brawler McCorry and that’s how it played out at least for a while.

Johannesburg’s Hulme caught an early lead-leg kick from West Belfast’s McCorry and landed a takedown within the first 10 seconds of the fight. More than half of Hulme’s pro wins have been by submission and he kept control of his opponent both on the ground and along the fence for the first three minutes before McCorry snuck in a guillotine choke and jumped to his back when it was locked in.

McCorry switched his grip to a power guillotine once on the mat and Hulme tapped out.

SEMIFINAL MATCHUPS

After the final quarterfinal matchup, Alexa Grasso, Valentina Shevchenko and UFC president Dana White met with the eight remaining fighters to get their thoughts on preferred matchups.

White and the two coaches settled on the following matchups: At middleweight it’ll be Robert Valentin vs. Paddy McCorry plus Ryan Loder vs. Omran Chaaban and at featherweight it’s Roedie Roets vs. Kaan Ofli and Mairon Santos vs. Zygimantas Ramaska.

NEXT UP

On the next episode of The Ultimate Fighter: Team Grasso vs. Team Shevchenko the first semifinal bout will see American Ryan Loder take on Finland’s Omran Chaaban.

PREVIOUSLY ON TUF 32

Episode 7: The featherweight quarterfinals wrapped up with Grasso’s Mairon Santos edging out Shevchenko’s Edwin Cooper Jr.

Episode 6: Ryan Loder of Team Shevchenko made quick work of Team Grasso’s Tom Theocharis with a first-round submission victory in middleweight quarterfinal action.

Episode 5: Team Shevchenko’s Zygimantas Ramaska of Lithuania and Tajikistan’s Bekhzod Usmonov of Team Grasso competed in one of the best TUF fights in recent memory with Ramaska advancing via a two-round decision despite getting dropped early.

Episode 4: Omran Chaaban of Team Grasso earned a comeback win when he submitted Team Shevchenko’s Shamidkhan Magomedov and moved on in the 185-pound bracket.

Episode 3: Australia’s Kaan Ofli of Team Grasso defeated England’s Nathan Fletcher of Team Shevchenko via unanimous two-round decision to advance in the 145-pound tournament.

Episode 2: The middleweight tournament opened with Team Grasso’s Robert Valentin earning an 18-second knockout win over Team Shevchenko’s Giannis Bachar.

Episode 1: Roedie Roets of Team Shevchenko defeated Guillermo Torres of Team Grasso via three-round decision in the first featherweight fight of the season.

The Ultimate Fighter 32 is heating up as the semifinal matchups have been revealed in Episode 8 of the popular reality TV show. The competition has been fierce as fighters from all over the world battle it out for a chance to win a UFC contract.

In the middleweight division, Team Miocic’s Justin Frazier will face off against Team Cormier’s Marciea Allen. Frazier has been a standout performer throughout the season, showcasing his power and tenacity in the octagon. Allen, on the other hand, has proven to be a formidable opponent with her technical skills and strategic approach to fights.

In the heavyweight division, Team Miocic’s Josh Parisian will take on Team Cormier’s Michel Batista. Parisian has been a dominant force in the competition, using his size and strength to overwhelm his opponents. Batista, a former Olympic wrestler, has shown impressive grappling skills and a relentless work ethic that has helped him secure victories in previous fights.

Fans of The Ultimate Fighter are eagerly anticipating these semifinal matchups, as they promise to deliver intense and exciting fights. With only two episodes left in the season, the stakes are higher than ever as the fighters vie for a spot in the finale and a chance to become the next Ultimate Fighter champion.

Tune in to The Ultimate Fighter 32 to see how these matchups unfold and which fighters will advance to the finale. Don’t miss out on all the action and drama as the competition reaches its climax in the coming weeks.