Issue 093
October 2012
From Griffin vs Bonnar to Koscheck, Kimbo and going live – here are 10 facts you should know about TUF.
1. How it all began
For newbie fans, MMA hasn’t always been this popular. In fact, The Ultimate Fighter was a last-ditch attempt at rocket launching MMA into the mainstream. What creators Dana White and the Fertitta brothers perhaps didn’t know at the time is that not only would TUF help throw MMA into the stratosphere, it would also welcome many UFC mainstays to the promotion.
2. TUF alumni
Although the quality of fighters has seemingly dwindled in recent seasons, TUF has unearthed some fantastic talent over the years, including three champions in Matt Serra, Forrest Griffin and Rashad Evans. And not forgetting colorful personalities such as Roy Nelson, Josh Koscheck, Michael Bisping and Matt Mitrione.
3. The fight that changed everything
Even though The Ultimate Fighter had been a success, catching viewers after the WWE’s Monday Night Raw finished on Spike, it still took two men to truly set the MMA world on the path it enjoys today. In the 205lb final, Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar faced off in what remains one of the most action-packed contests of all time.
4. Fighter shenanigans
When you lock 16 grown men in a house packed with alcohol you’re pretty much guaranteeing something will go wrong. There have been plenty of memorable moments on the show, but none quite as great as a drunken Diego Sanchez going crazy when Josh Koscheck tried to convince him ‘the aliens are coming.’ Reality television at its finest.
5. Heartbreaking moments
It hasn’t all been fun, fighting and drinking, though, as plenty of fighters have had personal issues unfold during the show that would make even the hardest of men cry. On season 15 of TUF, eventual winner Michael Chiesa had to battle against the odds when his father died during the first week of the show. How he managed to pull through and eventually win the competition made for captivating TV.
6. The coaches’ rivalry
Aside from the contestants, TUF’s other main plot device is the fact the two UFC fighter coaches would eventually battle one another at the end of the season. Who can forget the anticipation of Rashad Evans and ‘Rampage’ Jackson throwing down after their season… Shame the fight itself never quite lived up to the hype.
7. TUF luck
After 15 seasons of The Ultimate Fighter, not all the winners have had the same luck on the show as they’ve had within the Octagon. Four winners who seemed destined for big things have been cut from the UFC after they won the big prize. The likes of Joe Stevenson, Travis Lutter, Kendall Grove and Efrain Escudero all promised so much, but achieved comparatively little.
8. The man behind the show
Although UFC bosses Dana White and the Fertitta brothers get most of the headlines, if it wasn’t for reality TV show king Craig Piligian, The Ultimate Fighter may not have ever existed. You may not have ever heard of him before, but you’ve likely tuned in to watch one of the many hit reality shows he’s created including American Chopper, Survivor and Ghost Hunters.
9. Gut check
Most fighters feel like being on The Ultimate Fighter is the opportunity of a lifetime. Even if you don’t win, there’s a chance you could be offered a spot to replace an injured competitor. However, for some fighters it just isn’t worth it. Tait Fletcher, Kristian Rothaermel and Kimbo Slice all rejected opportunities to get back onto the show and now they’re all apart of TUF folklore.
10. The fights before the house
Not all the seasons of The Ultimate Fighter have been great, but they’ve always thrown up some fantastic moments, with a huge slice of the fighting highlights coming from the preliminary bouts just to get into the house. Who remembers when Matt Riddle broke Dan Simmler’s jaw on the way to gaining an invite onto the cast for series seven?
