The semi-final round of The Ultimate Fighter 18 began tonight and former Strikeforce champ Miesha “Cupcake” Tate’s team once again took the lead in the standings. Team Tate’s Chris Holdsworth earned a quick submission win over Michael Wootten, who represented Team “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey.

Holdsworth’s victory was Team Tate’s fifth of the season, but team alliances will be tested during next week’s episode. In the second semi-final fight, Team Tate allies Sarah “Cheesecake” Moras and Julianna “The Venezuelan Vixen” Peña face off in a rematch from the pair’s first fight in April 2012.

Tonight’s fight began with an exchange of jabs and right hands on the feet and Holdsworth scored a takedown into half-guard. He looked to set up a Brabo choke from the top and switched to an Anaconda choke, but Wootten escaped to his feet. Seconds later, Holdsworth jumped into the koala position and pulled himself into a standing back control. He trapped Wootten in a body triangle and worked for a rear-naked choke until he was able to get his arm underneath Wootten’s chin. Wootten had nowhere to go and tapped out to the choke at the 3:12 mark of round one.

Team alliances began to crack during tonight’s episode as Team Tate’s Holdsworth and Peña were portrayed as “coaches’ favourites” who received extra attention during training sessions. The team drama will continue during next week’s fight when Peña looks to advance to the final by avenging her past loss to Moras. The bantamweights first met at Conquest of the Cage 11 and Moras prevailed via second-round TKO when the doctor stopped the fight. Peña fought part of the bout with a broken arm that was snapped by a Moras armbar.

The Ultimate Fighter 18 airs weekly leading up to the finale on November 30th in Las Vegas, Nevada.