Episode 2 Recap | The Ultimate Fighter Season 31

FIGHT DAY

We’re moving right into the next fight, with Valiev and Wells turning up at the UFC APEX, making their way to their respective locker rooms, where they get taped up and ready to go.

Valiev explains that the two are roommates in an interstitial before Nevada State Athletic Commission executive director Jeff Mullen pokes his head into the Team Chandler locker room and asks to speak with Michael Chandler. The two go into the hallway and Mullin explains that Wells is unable to fight for medical reasons.

Chandler talks things over with assistant coach and former TUF winner Ryan Bader, the duo wondering what the medical issue is and whether this means Wells is simply scratched from the competition, with Valiev moving forward by walkover.

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In the Team McGregor locker room, assistant coach Owen Roddy speaks with Wells, assuring him that he’ll get an opportunity.

Wells explains that he made weight, did everything he needed to do, and when he turned up the day of the fight for his medical check-in, the doctor noticed a cold sore on his face, which made him ineligible to compete that day as it was still active and contagious.

McGregor talks about how it may have happened — “fresh mats and fresh bodies” — and chalks it up as something that happens from time-to-time, while Chandler breaks the news to Valiev as he’s loosening up in the locker room.

Valiev immediately asks whether he has to make weight again when Chandler tells him he won’t be fighting that day, but may be fighting next week, but ultimately, the former UFC bantamweight rolls with the punches.

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Dana White comes to the locker rooms to explain the situation, informing Team Chandler that if Valiev and Wells will fight the following week, and if that can’t happen, Valiev will get a bye to the semifinals.

White and the coaches discuss the possibilities, with the UFC President acknowledging he didn’t initially think about Valiev having to make weight again, and suggests a potential catchweight bout between the two, leaving it unsettled, but on the table.

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With the fight between Wells and Valiev on hold, the next matchup is going to be the bantamweight clash between Team McGregor’s top seed Mando Gutierrez and Cody Gibson of Team Chandler.

MANDO GUTIERREZ FIGHT PREP

White explains Gutierrez is someone that has been on the UFC radar for a little over a year as the 8-2 bantamweight rolls into the APEX to go through his training session, and his highlight reel rolls.

Gutierrez details that he’s got seven first-round finishes and that he’s only been fighting for a couple years as the footage of two of his victories and his appearance on Season 6 of Dana White’s Contender Series plays. Gutierrez faced off with then 17-year-old Raul Rosas Jr. last season on the annual talent-search series, losing a competitive decision.

McGregor sings his charge’s praises, acknowledging the challenge the members of his team are facing by taking on experienced veterans. The former two-division champion is very hands-on with his fighter, drilling striking setups and pausing his roll to give him pointers.

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Gutierrez details the game plan the team has crafted, which largely focuses on closing the distance and getting Gibson to the canvas, before Gutierrez asks McGregor about what he’s thinking about in the locker room before fights at the end of practice. It’s an excellent question from the emerging fighter, and McGregor does his best to give the fighters on his team some insights.

TUF HOUSE

Landon Quinones and Roosevelt Roberts are having a little back-and-forth in the kitchen, with Roberts explaining in a confessional interview that he feels the Team McGregor fighter has a big mouth and has been talking about not seeing the veterans as any kind of challenge.

Quinones shares his thoughts in his own confessional interview, stating that he already knows he’s capable of competing on the biggest stage in the sport, regardless of whether he’s beaten a UFC veteran or not. “These are guys that have been cut already, and there is a reason they’ve been cut, and it’s up to me to prove why they’ve been cut,” he offers before things shift back to the kitchen, where he keeps pushing at Roberts, who says he doesn’t like him and that he doesn’t want him to talk to him any longer.

Roberts talks about losing his UFC opportunity and the hunger getting this chance to return has given him in a confessional interview, while Jason Knight jokes in the kitchen that he’s just trying to eat some stir fry while these two are bickering.

CODY GIBSON FIGHT PREP

Gibson speaks about how fortunate he feels to be on Team Chandler and getting to work with the coaches the UFC lightweight has brought in this season, as Chandler works on drills with him on the mats.

“I didn’t expect to feel like I was a part of a team, to be honest with you,” admits Gibson, “especially because I might be fighting guys on my team.”

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His highlight reel runs, showing one of his title wins at Tachi Palace, while “The Renegade” explains that he took his first UFC fight on 10 days’ notice against someone named Aljamain Sterling. We see Gibson’s knockout win over Johnny Bedford and his submission loss to Manny Gamburyan, which was his last fight in the UFC.

Gibson goes through drills on the ground with assistant coach Robert Drysdale, who focuses on making sure Gibson doesn’t post in guard with his hands on the ground before the veteran does striking work with coach Jason Strout while explaining his pace and pressure are things that are key for him to registering a victory.

“My No. 1 goal with Cody is to make sure that he believes he can go out there and win,” says Chandler. “He’s got great skills. He’s got a great body type for the weight class. We’ve covered every single base that we need to with Cody. The only person that can go out there and beat Cody is himself.”

Gibson and Chandler share a moment speaking about adoption, as Gibson was adopted and Chandler and his wife have two adopted sons. Gibson explains that he’s recently connected with members of his birth family, before the veteran details more about his childhood and his family in a confessional interview.

His home video introduces everyone to his wife and their two girls in Templeton, California. Gibson is shown working at The Pit in San Luis Obispo and hitting pads with WEC and UFC alum Antonio Banuelos as the 35-year-old states, “I’ve never given up getting back — I’ve stayed true to myself, disciplined — and that’s not only why I think I’m fit for this show, but why I’m gonna win it.”

TUF HOUSE

Gutierrez shares pictures of his family and his girlfriend with the others in the house, explaining it’s weird to not have them around as his home video kicks off with his two dogs at home in Lansing, Michigan, where Gutierrez moved in order to pursue his fighting career.

He lives at home with his two younger brothers, his girlfriend, and his husky-pit bull cross that goes with him everywhere. Gutierrez works as a barber and is shown taking care of some clients before he heads to Vegas.

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Gutierrez shares that wrestling was his first true love, but that things didn’t work out as he would have liked in terms of wrestling in college, offering no details, but calling it a regret. His video then cuts to him on the mats at Simmons Academy of Wrestling and working with coach Joaquin Murcielago, the head coach of Murcielago MMA, which has produced several UFC competitors in recent years, including welterweights Khaos Williams and Joaquin Buckley.

“This is my opportunity and mine only,” he says. “I don’t care who’s in front of me. I don’t care what you’re coming with; I’m ready.”

TUF HOUSE

The Team McGregor coaches and entourage roll into the house, with Gutierrez giving McGregor getting a haircut from his top-seeded bantamweight. Gutierrez talks about the subtle improvements he’s feeling since working with the team as boxing coach Phil Sutcliffe lines up pints of McGregor’s Forged Stout on the bar.

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Several of the athletes on each team interact with the group, with Austin Hubbard and Carlos Vera speaking about McGregor’s energy and personality.

WEIGH-IN DAY

Gibson is up first and comes in at 136. Gutierrez follows, registering 135.5 pounds, making the fight official.

They face off and the size advantage White spoke about while they were weighing in is apparent. Lee Hammond of Team McGregor breaks down the pairing, tabbing his teammate to win, but pointing out the dangers Gibson presents. Conversely, Hunter Azure of Team Chandler picks his teammate, while forecasting a competitive fight between the two.