TUF 26 Episode 3 Recap: Montana Stewart Submits Ariel BeckTalented grappler Montana Stewart showcased her slick submission skills en route to a quick victory during tonight’s third episode of The Ultimate Fighter 26: “A New World Champion.” Team Gaethje’s Stewart finished Team Alvarez representative Ariel Beck with a first-round Brabo choke.

Coach Eddie Alvarez tried to motivate and inspire Beck, who struggled with her confidence prior to the fight, and she fared well on the feet in the early striking exchanges. Stewart wisely took the fight to the mat, where she dominated the action until she was able to secure the fight-ending choke.

Stewart (7-4-0, Ranked #6) pressed forward right away and threw hard punches including a straight left hand, but Beck (4-4-0, Ranked #11) fired back with leg kicks and a combination. She continued to score with punches until Stewart closed the distance and took Beck down near the cage wall. From the top in Beck’s half-guard, Stewart landed right hands that allowed her to pass to side control. She locked on a Brabo choke, but Beck initially defended well. Stewart tightened her grip on the choke, however, and Beck was eventually forced to submit at the 2:52 mark of round one.

With the win tonight, coach Justin Gaethje took a 2-1 lead over Alvarez in the team competition, and Stewart advanced on to the next round. Next week’s episode features a bout between Team Alvarez’s Lauren Murphy (9-3-0, Ranked #3) and Team Gaethje’s Nicco Montano (3-2-0, Ranked #14).