Team Cormier just snatched the lead on The Ultimate Fighter 34, moving to 3-2 on the season after Brazilian strawweight Tina Black beat Natalia Alves in a grudge match. This one stings hard for Team Bisping, especially considering what went down behind the scenes leading up to the fight.
Tina Black Dominates, Shifts Momentum
Tina Black, a former Invicta FC champ, showcased her dominance, out-striking Alves and shutting down every single takedown attempt. She capped it all off with a knockout flurry late in Round 2. That's how you make a statement! Black is clearly a force, and her win has shifted the momentum squarely to Daniel Cormier's side, putting his team firmly ahead in the season standings. It was a brutal finish and a tough pill to swallow for Team Bisping, who had put a lot into this bout.The Botched Game Plan and a Costly Trick
The drama leading up to this fight was wild, starting with Michael Bisping's sneaky move. He actually tricked Tina Black's outside coach, UFC Hall of Famer Urijah Faber, into believing Black was on his team! The goal? Get Faber to spill Black's weaknesses so Alves could exploit them with wrestling. But it did not go to plan. TUF 34 guest blogger Xavier Franklin broke it down, saying Black is a "backfoot fighter," a "sniper" who can move "backwards forwards" and is incredibly hard to wrestle. Xavier explained Alves just wasn't "getting up on Tina," not "cutting her off," just following. He said Alves should have been throwing with Tina, instead of getting "hit and countered," and that trying to "go around" Tina's straight attack is exactly how Alves "got hurt." The game plan hinged on wrestling, but you can't wrestle if you can't even "get to the target."Bisping's Sauna Sacrifice Meant Nothing
And then there was the brutal weight cut. Alves was scrambling right up to the last second for the 115-pound limit, even getting an extra hour. Coach Bisping was right there with her through every painful moment, even though he apparently hates saunas. Xavier revealed Bisping was "literally in the sauna with her," trapping Alves when she tried to leave, screaming, "'We're not leaving until you get this weight.'" He's "super hands on," a "winner" with pure passion. Gigi Canuto even said Bisping was "tripping, talking to himself" in there, like he was having "flashbacks." Imagine that intensity! But despite Bisping's incredible, self-sacrificing effort, Alves still failed, weighing in at 116.5 pounds. All that pain, all that drama, and they still came up short on the scale and in the cage. It's a gut punch. Team Bisping just took a major hit, and it feels like a double whammy given the failed trickery and Bisping's insane commitment to that weight cut. Team Cormier is riding high now with a 3-2 lead. The tension on TUF 34 just got cranked up a notch, and you gotta wonder how Bisping's team bounces back from a loss like this. This season is getting spicy, and the next fight is going to be crucial.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.