The Ultimate Fighter

- Season 23

(2016)

For the first time ever light heavyweight men and strawweight women will compete on The Ultimate Fighter. But first they must face off in 16 elimination fights to get into the house. The coaches, UFC strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk and #1 contender Claudia Gadelha, watch the fights alongside UFC President Dana White. The two coaches pick their teams from the winners, and the first preliminary matchup is announced.

Khalil Rountree for Team Joanna versus Cory Hendricks for Team Claudia. Roundtree and Hendricks are training partners in Las Vegas who square off in the first fight of season 23.

Helen Harper is distraught after getting injured in practice and Cory and Khalil have a donut-eating contest at the house. Dana White rewards the fighters with a night of video gaming and two straw-weights face off for the first time this season.

Joanna lashes out at her fighters after a perceived lack of effort during training. A rallying cry by the Red Team rubs Team Claudia the wrong way. Then, in the third preliminary fight, a classic striker vs grappler matchup determines the next semifinal spot.

TUF 20 winner Carla Esparza pays a visit and helps Team Joanna during training. Abdel Medjedoub gets a disturbing call from home, putting his future in the competition in jeopardy. Then, two strawweights battle it out for a spot in the semifinals.

Dana decides to intervene as Abdel's personal problems threaten his future in the competition. A losing fighter feels he may get a second chance. Then, a young but determined competitor faces a skilled veteran in the fifth preliminary fight.

Joanna's smack talk at the fight announcement irritates Team Claudia. Khalil gets emotional on the anniversary of his father's death. Then, two strawweights face off in the Octagon for a spot in the semifinals.

With the semifinals fast approaching, one of the winning fighters suffers a setback as a painful injury hinders his ability to train. Then, a dangerous striker and a seasoned pro go to battle inside the octagon in the last light heavyweight matchup.

Cory gets the test results from his neck injury. The coaches begin training on their own for their upcoming title fight. Then, two more strawweights battle it out for the last spot in the semifinals.

A bombshell announcement brings a twist to the competition. Joanna and Claudia compete in the biggest coaches challenge in Ultimate Fighter history. Then, in the first light heavyweight semifinal, two friends battle it out for a spot in the finale.

UFC women�۪s bantamweight champion Miesha Tate pays a surprise visit to a Team Claudia practice. One of the semifinalists struggles with a difficult weight cut, putting her fight future in jeapordy. Then, two strawweights face off in the Octagon with a spot in the finale on the line.

The last two semi-finals take place in this special two-fight episode. First, two dedicated strawweights face off in the octagon. Then, two friends go to war in an explosive light heavyweight matchup. Claudia and Joanna nearly come to blows after the fights.

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