The Ultimate Fighter is turning to two Hall of Fame legends to helm its 34th season, with a premiere date now set for this summer. Over the years, the TUF’s many intense moments have paved the way for some memorable fights in the UFC. Now, the newest edition of the show will feature broadcasting colleagues Daniel Cormier and Michael Bisping as the head coaches against each other.
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The UFC has confirmed that Cormier and Bisping will lead teams against each other this season—a third time for both. The first episode is set to premiere on Paramount+ in the US on June 14, the same day as the UFC Freedom 250 card. New episodes will air every Tuesday in the United States, Latin America, and Australia. The show will feature 16 men’s bantamweights and women’s strawweights competing to secure a UFC contract.
Cormier, who is currently 2-2 as a coach, has previously appeared on the show against rival Stipe Miocic in 2018 and Chael Sonnen in 2025. Brad Katona and Luis Peña from Cormier’s team in the past have won contracts in the UFC. In the meantime, Michael Bisping, who won his UFC contract when he was competing as a light heavyweight in the third installment of the series in 2006 under head coach Tito Ortiz, has himself coached against Dan Henderson in 2009 and Jason ‘Mayhem’ Miller in 2011.
🚨 BREAKING: Daniel Cormier and Michael Bisping named coaches for the upcoming season of The Ultimate Fighter (via @UFConParamount)
This will be Cormier’s second consecutive feature on the show after he appeared in The Ultimate Fighter 33, while the 2026 edition will be Bisping’s 20th anniversary with the franchise. Despite coaching against each other, it won’t culminate in a fight between them since they have retired from the sport. Michael Bisping was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in July 2019. Meanwhile, Cormier was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in June 2022.
Coming back to TUF, although the show has produced several champions, it has fallen on tough times recently, a decline made worse by the introduction of Dana White’s Contender Series. Yet, the great news is that all the past seasons of The Ultimate Fighter will be available on Paramount starting late May. Beyond his new TUF role, Daniel Cormier will also be part of the UFC 327 commentary team this weekend.
Daniel Cormier will be part of the UFC 327 commentary team
The broadcast team for UFC 327 features a familiar mix of voices. Leading the cageside commentary will be Jon Anik, who will handle his usual play-by-play duties. Alongside him, Daniel Cormier and Joe Rogan will return to the desk to provide their usual energetic reactions and expertise in mixed martial arts. However, despite being a usual fixture, Michael Bisping likely won’t be part of the upcoming numbered event.
In addition to the main commentary trio, Din Thomas will serve as a coach-analyst during the event. Outside the Octagon, Megan Olivi will conduct backstage interviews and deliver live updates, while Brendan Fitzgerald anchors the desk coverage alongside analysts, including Dominick Cruz and Chris Weidman.
From the looks of it, Paramount is relying on Daniel Cormier and Michael Bisping’s popularity to inject new life into The Ultimate Fighter. But the real test will be whether their star power can translate into compelling television and help discover legitimate UFC talent.
