The Ultimate Fighter: Team Peña vs. Team Nunes
| Company type | Reality competition series |
|---|---|
| Industry | Mixed martial arts, Television |
| Founded | 2022 |
| Parent | Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) |
| Website | www |
The Ultimate Fighter: Team Peña vs. Team Nunes (also known as The Ultimate Fighter 30 or TUF 30) is a 2022 edition of the reality competition series The Ultimate Fighter, produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and streamed on ESPN+. This season showcases former UFC women's bantamweight titleholder and current featherweight champion Amanda Nunes alongside UFC women's bantamweight champion Julianna Peña as opposing coaches. Participants compete in the heavyweight and women's flyweight categories. The coaching rivalry stems from their notable bantamweight championship clashes, including Peña’s submission victory over Nunes at UFC 269 in December 2021, followed by Nunes reclaiming the belt via unanimous decision at UFC 277.
Their anticipated bout initially set for UFC 265 was delayed after Nunes tested positive for COVID-19. The season launched on ESPN+ on May 3, 2022, capitalizing on the coaches’ intense rivalry to attract audience interest and boost engagement.
Coaches
Team Peña:
- Julianna Peña, Head Coach
Team Nunes:
- Amanda Nunes, Head Coach
Fighters
- Team Peña
- Heavyweights: Mohammed Usman, Zac Pauga, Jordan Heiderman, Bobby Maximus.
- Women's Flyweights: Helen Peralta, Juliana Miller, Hannah Guy, Chantel Coates (*Laura Gallardo)
- Coates was replaced by Gallardo in episode 4 due to weight complications.
- Team Nunes
- Heavyweights: Eduardo Perez, Chandler Cole, Mitchell Sipe, Nyle Bartling.
- Women's Flyweights: Claire Guthrie, Brogan Walker-Sanchez, Kaytlin Neil, Kathryn Paprocki.
Episodes
Episode 1: Road to the Rematch (May 3, 2022)
- Fighters introduce their families; coaches conduct evaluations prior to team drafts.
- UFC President Dana White welcomes viewers and presents Forrest Griffin as host for this milestone season while explaining the competition format.
- Nunes wins the coin toss and selects the first fighter; Peña chooses the initial matchup.
| Coach | 1st Pick | 2nd Pick | 3rd Pick | 4th Pick | 5th Pick | 6th Pick | 7th Pick | 8th Pick |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nunes | Claire Guthrie (WFW) | Eduardo Perez (HW) | Brogan Walker (WFW) | Chandler Cole (HW) | Kaytlin Neil (WFW) | Mitchell Sipe (HW) | Kathryn Paprocki (WFW) | Nyle Bartling (HW) |
| Peña | Helen Peralta (WFW) | Mohammed Usman (HW) | Juliana Miller (WFW) | Zac Pauga (HW) | Hannah Guy (WFW) | Jordan Heiderman (HW) | Chantel Coates (WFW) | Bobby Maximus (HW) |
- Peña opts for Zac Pauga versus Nyle Bartling in the heavyweight opener.
- Zac Pauga secures a unanimous decision victory.
- Peña maintains control of fight selection; Helen Peralta is matched against Kaytlin Neil.
Episode 2: Time To Eat (May 10, 2022)
- Emotional struggles faced by fighters are emphasized.
- Kaytlin Neil earns a split decision win over Helen Peralta.
- Team Nunes chooses Mitchell Sipe to face Mohammed Usman next.
Episode 3: Boiling Point (May 17, 2022)
- Mohammed Usman defeats Mitchell Sipe by unanimous decision.
Episode 4: Opportunity Knocks (May 24, 2022)
- Due to weight-related issues, Chantel Coates is removed and replaced by Laura Gallardo.
- Fight card adjusted to Laura Gallardo versus Kathryn Paprocki because of injury concerns.
- Laura Gallardo wins by majority decision.
Episode 5: Face the Boogeyman (May 31, 2022)
- Eduardo Perez achieves a first-round TKO victory over Rob MacDonald.
Episode 6: We Meet Again (June 7, 2022)
- Juliana Miller and Claire Guthrie have a rematch; Miller prevails via unanimous decision.
Episode 7: Crush Your Dreams (June 14, 2022)
- Jordan Heiderman earns a third-round TKO win against Chandler Cole.
Episode 8: Make It Ugly (June 21, 2022)
- Brogan Walker secures a majority decision victory over Hannah Guy.
Episode 9: Bring Your Lunchbox (June 28, 2022)
- Coaches engage in a challenge; Amanda Nunes claims the $10,000 prize along with team bonuses.
- In heavyweight semifinals, Zac Pauga defeats Jordan Heiderman via second-round TKO.
Episode 10: Throw Nasty Stuff (July 5, 2022)
- Brogan Walker wins unanimously against Laura Gallardo.
Episode 11: Time to Come Alive (July 12, 2022)
- Mohammed Usman edges out Eduardo Perez by split decision.
Episode 12: Life or Death (July 19, 2022)
- Juliana Miller submits Kaytlin Neil with a Kimura lock in round two.
TUF 30 Finale (August 6, 2022)
- The season’s conclusion takes place during UFC on ESPN: Santos vs. Hill, featuring final contests in both weight divisions.
Women's Flyweight bracket
Kaytlin Neil |2 ||
| Team Peña | ||
|---|---|---|
| Team Nunes | ||
| Template:Center | Decision Unanimous | |
| Template:Center | Decision Majority | |
| Template:Center | Decision Split | |
| Template:Center | Victory by Submission | |
| Template:Center | Knock Out (Technical) |