The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 31: Team McGregor vs. Team Chandler aired its premiere episode this week, with both Coaches selecting their teams and quarterfinal matchups. In the first bout of TUF 31, we saw an explosive finish.

The season began with a hype package showcasing Coaches Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler and the unique cast featuring a mix of top prospects and UFC veterans. The competitors get the absolute honour of competing in the world-renowned UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Read our recap of The Ultimate Fighter 31: Team McGregor vs. Team Chandler Episode 2 here.

Day One – Team Selection

Conor McGregor opens the show by shadowboxing in front of the TUF memorabilia wall before coming face to face with opposing coach Michael Chandler for the first time.

In an interesting twist to the long-running TUF series, the coaches get to choose between the two groups, either veterans or prospects, rather than going pick-for-pick on individuals. Team McGregor wins the coin toss and, probably unsurprisingly, chooses the Lightweight prospects that include his teammate Lee Hammond, who was controversially brought onto the show at McGregor’s request.

That leaves the Lightweight veterans to join Team Chandler, a group that features some exciting and experienced fighters, including Jason Knight and Roosevelt Roberts. Chandler then chooses the Bantamweight veterans to join Team Chandler, leaving the prospects to Team McGregor.

Read our recap of The Ultimate Fighter 31: Team McGregor vs. Team Chandler Episode 3 here.

Perfectly in theme with the season, Team McGregor features all the prospects, and Team Chandler has the veterans. The interesting storyline might be McGregor’s teammate and TUF 27 winner Brad Katona being picked onto Team Chandler.

In another twist to the show, the Coaches will seed their fighters in each division from #1-#4, with #1 facing #4 and #2 facing #3 and the coaches only able to select which fights happen when rather than the historical method of being able to pick specific individual matchups.

TUF House and First Training Sessions

The TUF contestants enter the TUF House that they will all stay in for the season. In what was always a Las Vegas mansion, the TUF House looks better than ever with all the features worthy of a fight house – swimming pools, saunas, pool tables, and, of course, some Proper 12 Irish Whiskey.

From the first training sessions, we see the mentality differences between McGregor and Chandler. Team Chandler begins with a calm training session, with some flow sparring and rolling. Team McGregor immediately puts on the headgear and shin pads and starts with some heavy sparring, with McGregor joining in and sparring alongside his team of prospects.

Team Chandler gets the first bout pick of TUF 31 and selects his #3 Lightweight veteran Roosevelt Roberts, who faces Team McGregor’s #2 Lightweight prospect Nate Jennerman. The coaches traded picks, setting up all the TUF 31 quarterfinal bouts. Interestingly, that gives many contestants time to plan for their specific matchup.

What is Road to UFC? Find Everything You Need to Know Before Season 2 here

First Fight of TUF 31: Roosevelt Roberts (3) vs. Nate Jennerman (2)

Roosevelt Roberts (12-3-0, 4-3-0, 1NC UFC) enters TUF 31 with one of the best UFC records on the cast. After earning a UFC contract on Dana White’s Contender Series, Roberts was successful in the UFC with four victories inside the Octagon. His losses came against tough competition in Vinc Pichel, Jim Miller, Kevin Croom (overturned to a no-contest), and Ignacio Bahamondes, with Roberts being cut in 2021. Since then, he has put together two wins on the regional scene.

Nate Jennerman (16-5-0) is one of the more experienced “prospects” on TUF 31 and is even one year older than Roberts. In a decade-long career, Jennerman has faced the likes of Bobby Moffett, Kevin Croom, and Damon Jackson on the regional scene. He enters TUF on a three-fight win and finish streak.

In what was expected to be a close matchup, half an episode of packages left very little episode time for the actual fight, foreshadowing what was to come. In a back-and-forth opening exchange, Roberts landed a right hook behind the ear of Jennerman that put him down, with Roberts finishing the fight with ground and pound to secure an 8-second victory, tied for the quickest in TUF history.

Team Chandler gets off to a great start, with Roberts proving too good and too experienced for Jennerman. It will be a tough season for Team McGregor’s prospects, who must get through a UFC veteran to get past the quarterfinal rounds. Episode 2 next week will feature another excellent UFC veteran Timur Valiev (18-3-0, 2-1-0 UFC), who will face Team McGregor prospect Trevor Wells (8-3-0).

The Ultimate Fighter 31: Team McGregor vs. Team Chandler Episode 2 will air next Tuesday, 6 June in the United States (Wednesday, 7 June AEST). The series will air on ESPN and Kayo in Australia, with a start time of 12:30pm AEST.

Read our recap of The Ultimate Fighter 31: Team McGregor vs. Team Chandler Episode 3 here.