"It came back from commercial for like 30 seconds" - Fans outraged by delay in the airing of TUF 31 on $9.99 ESPN+ and UFC Fight Pass subscriptions

The Ultimate Fighter (TUF 31) returned on Tuesday with the fourth episode featuring an initially postponed bout from the series. However, a delay in the airing of the latest episode of TUF 31 caught fight fans off guard and drew their ire.

The fans said that they were surprised to watch a baseball game when they tuned in to watch the reality TV series. The official Twitter handle of TUF acknowledged the delay and posted a tweet stating:

"Better late than never."

However, MMA fans worldwide still faced streaming issues and took to Twitter to vent their frustrations. One fan wrote:

"I swear it came back from commercial for like 30 seconds #TUF31."

Another fan questioned:

"Why are they showing baseball?"

Yet another fan wrote:

"Not on UFC fightpass in NZ what a joke paid the sub now let’s watch."

Check out some of the reactions below:

The fourth episode of The Ultimate Fighter season 31 featured the rescheduled bout between Trevor Wells and Timur Valiev that was initially postponed due to Wells' cold sore. UFC president Dana White left it up to the teams to negotiate a weight class for the bout, as both combatants had already made weight once for the fight.

Michael Chandler suggested moving the bantamweight fight to the featherweight division. However, since Wells would have an easier time making weight than Valiev, Conor McGregor and his team pushed for the original weight class.

---

MMA fans label TUF 31 the "flop of the year"

The Ultimate Fighter (TUF 31) was built around the premise that rival coaches Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler will lock horns once the season concludes. The speculated fight would mark the return of 'The Notorious' after spending nearly two years recovering from the horrific leg injury he sustained in his third fight against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264.

However, now that McGregor has failed to meet the USADA deadline that would have guaranteed his return to action by the end of the year, MMA fans who were initially invested in the McGregor vs. Chandler rivalry have somewhat lost interest.

Additionally, the veterans vs. prospects format has not been received well by fans, and the prevailing circumstance of Conor McGregor's team trailing 4-0 now with Trevor Wells' decision loss to Timur Valiev has certainly not endeared itself to the fanbase.

All of these factors have led fight fans to label TUF 31 the "flop of the year."

Check out some of the fan reactions on Twitter below: