The Ultimate Fighter 26 Semifinal Full Fight Card, Date & Details
The Ultimate Fighter 26 Semifinal
United States
Main Card • Final
R3, 5:00
Advanced to Title Fight
R3, 5:00
Advanced to Title Fight
Official Event Results
Finalist
Finalist
Official Tournament Advancement & Awards
TUF 26 Championship Finalist Qualifiers
Tournament Finalists: As an exhibition semifinal tournament broadcast of The Ultimate Fighter 26, official UFC post-fight bonuses ($50,000) were reserved for the live season finale (The Ultimate Fighter 26 Finale). Both semifinal winners secured advancement to the inaugural UFC Women’s Flyweight Championship title fight.
Emergency Finale Substitution: Following her victory, Sijara Eubanks was hospitalized due to severe weight cutting complications the day before the live finale. Semifinalist Roxanne Modafferi was officially appointed to replace Eubanks and fight Nicco Montaño for the vacant belt.
Reported Payouts & Disclosed Purses
Fighter Purses & Total Payout Estimates
| Fighter | Result | Base Purse | Win / Finish Bonus | Performance Bonus | Estimated Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WIN | $2,000 | $2,000 | — | $4,000 | |
| LOSS | $2,000 | — | — | $2,000 | |
| WIN | $2,000 | $2,000 | — | $4,000 | |
| LOSS | $2,000 | — | — | $2,000 |
*The Ultimate Fighter tournament bouts are governed by Nevada State Athletic Commission exhibition regulations with contestants receiving weekly production compensation and contractual tournament stipends. Official UFC prize purses and performance bonuses were officially disbursed two days later at The Ultimate Fighter 26 Finale ($100,000 to Montaño, $100,000 to Modafferi).
Historic TUF & Promotional Records Set
Promotional Records Established at The Ultimate Fighter 26 Semifinal
Nicco Montaño and Sijara Eubanks officially punched their tickets to compete in the first-ever UFC Women’s Flyweight Championship bout in promotional history.
Nicco Montaño completed one of the greatest underdog tournament runs in reality show history, entering as the #14 seed to defeat #3 Lauren Murphy, #6 Montana Stewart, and #2 Barb Honchak.
Montaño’s unanimous decision victory over Barb Honchak snapped the former long-reigning Invicta FC Flyweight Champion’s multi-year unbeaten run in flyweight competition.
Sijara Eubanks continued her blistering tournament streak by upsetting top overall seed Roxanne Modafferi via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28).
This marked the first season in franchise history where female flyweight athletes contested scheduled three full five-minute rounds in the tournament semifinals.
Former Bellator and UFC Lightweight Champion Eddie Alvarez guided both of his team members, Montaño and Eubanks, to semifinal victories over Team Gaethje athletes.
The Ultimate Fighter 26 was the second season in UFC history dedicated to crowning a brand new division champion, following TUF 20 for the women’s strawweight title.
Although defeated in the semifinals, Modafferi’s resilient performance positioned her to make history 48 hours later as an emergency replacement in the inaugural UFC title fight.
Both semifinal bouts went the complete 15-minute distance, showcasing the high-level conditioning and elite parity of the inaugural women’s flyweight roster.
Episode 12 served as the critical broadcast finale of the season on Fox Sports 1, leading directly into the live championship finale event in Las Vegas.
Montaño, of Navajo lineage, solidified her historic candidacy to become the first Native American champion in Ultimate Fighting Championship history.
Both tournament matchups resulted in unanimous decision scorecards, with judges awarding identical 30-27, 30-27, and 29-28 verdicts to the winners.
When and where did The Ultimate Fighter 26 Semifinal take place?
The Ultimate Fighter 26 Semifinal aired on Wednesday, November 29, 2017, on Fox Sports 1 (FS1), having been filmed at the TUF Gym in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Who won the main event between Nicco Montaño and Barb Honchak?
Nicco Montaño defeated former Invicta FC Flyweight Champion Barb Honchak via unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 29–28) after three rounds to advance to the inaugural championship bout.
Who won the semifinal between Sijara Eubanks and Roxanne Modafferi?
Sijara Eubanks defeated top-seeded Roxanne Modafferi via unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 29–28) after three hard-fought rounds.
What was at stake in The Ultimate Fighter 26 Semifinals?
The winners earned the right to compete for the inaugural UFC Women’s Flyweight Championship at The Ultimate Fighter 26 Finale on December 1, 2017.
Why did Roxanne Modafferi fight for the UFC title instead of Sijara Eubanks?
On the morning of the official weigh-ins for the finale, Sijara Eubanks was hospitalized due to kidney failure related to extreme weight cutting. Semifinalist Roxanne Modafferi was chosen as the replacement to face Nicco Montaño for the vacant belt.
Who were the head coaches on The Ultimate Fighter 26?
Former UFC Lightweight Champion Eddie Alvarez and former WSOF Lightweight Champion Justin Gaethje served as opposing head coaches.
What seeds were the four semifinalists in the tournament bracket?
The semifinalists were #1 Roxanne Modafferi, #2 Barb Honchak, #12 Sijara Eubanks, and #14 Nicco Montaño.
Are the fights from The Ultimate Fighter 26 Semifinal counted on professional records?
No. Under Nevada State Athletic Commission regulations, TUF tournament bouts prior to the live finale are classified as exhibition bouts to prevent television spoilers before broadcast.
Were official post-fight performance bonuses awarded for this episode?
No. Traditional $50,000 UFC post-fight bonuses were awarded two days later at the live season finale, where Nicco Montaño and Roxanne Modafferi took home Fight of the Night.
How many rounds were scheduled for the TUF 26 Semifinal bouts?
Unlike preliminary round bouts which are scheduled for two rounds with a sudden-victory third, the TUF 26 Semifinals were scheduled for three full five-minute rounds.
Who did Nicco Montaño defeat to reach the championship finale?
Entering as the #14 seed, Montaño defeated #3 Lauren Murphy (UD), #6 Montana Stewart (UD), and #2 Barb Honchak (UD) across three tournament bouts.
Who ultimately won the inaugural UFC Women’s Flyweight Championship?
Nicco Montaño defeated Roxanne Modafferi via unanimous decision (49–46, 49–46, 50–45) on December 1, 2017, to become the first women’s flyweight champion in UFC history.
When did coaches Eddie Alvarez and Justin Gaethje fight each other?
Alvarez and Gaethje fought on Saturday, December 2, 2017, at UFC 218 in Detroit, Michigan, where Eddie Alvarez defeated Justin Gaethje via TKO in the third round.
What was the live gate and attendance for the event?
Because the episode was recorded inside the private TUF Gym in Las Vegas, there was no public ticket sales ($0 gate) and attendance was restricted to fighters, corners, and production personnel.
What historical milestone did Nicco Montaño achieve for Native Americans?
By advancing to and subsequently winning the flyweight title fight, Nicco Montaño became the first Native American champion in UFC history.
UFC news
