TUF 34: Michael Bisping Ordered Hard Sparring After 0-2 Start

Michael Bisping went into overdrive after his team dropped the first two fights of The Ultimate Fighter 34, ordering hard sparring sessions for fighters who could have been competing within days.

Cast member Xavier Franklin told MMA Fighting that the former middleweight champion and his assistant coach Jason Parillo ripped into Team Bisping after they fell behind 0-2 to Daniel Cormier's squad, insisting they train harder despite the proximity to potential bouts. "We all told him we never spar on fight week, but he said, 'Yes, OK. But you've also never been on The Ultimate Fighter,'" Franklin said. "So then we were like, 'Fair.' Still, you're hard sparring and you fight literally in a few days."

Bisping's High-Pressure Approach Pays Off With Canuto Win

The gamble worked when strawweight GiGi Canuto needed under 30 seconds to stop Anita Karim with body kicks, earning Team Bisping their first victory of the season. Franklin said the mood in the locker room exploded after the stoppage. "We were going crazy, we were so happy. Finally, we're on the board," he said. "If GiGi would have lost, I can only imagine how bad it would have been. The vibe would have been down, team chemistry would have been off."

Canuto also collected $500 from Cormier after winning a pre-fight bet that she would finish Karim by knockout. Franklin claimed Cormier initially agreed to pay for Team Bisping's dinner and honor the cash wager, but later told them it was one or the other. "You've got to read between the lines with DC," Franklin said, explaining that Cormier reframed the dispute as choosing to pay the athlete directly.

Franklin also revealed that pranks were kept to a minimum this season because tensions ran high enough that any elaborate gag could have sparked a fight. When asked if he would try Power Slap after the cast attended a live event, Franklin responded with an emphatic no, though he predicted teammate Mackenzie Stiller would excel at the sport. The Ultimate Fighter 34 streams on Paramount Plus with new episodes every Tuesday.

Original reporting:

• mmafighting.com — The Ultimate Insider: Behind the scenes of TUF 34, Michael Bisping meltdown | MMA Fighting