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''The Ultimate Fighter'' is an American
reality television Reality television is a genre of television programming that documents purportedly unscripted real-life situations, often starring ordinary people rather than professional actors. Reality television emerged as a distinct genre in the early 1990s ...
series and
mixed martial arts Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a full-contact fighting combat sport, sport based on strike (attack), striking and grappling; incorporating techniques from various combat sports from around the world. In the early 20th century, various inter-s ...
(MMA) competition produced by the
Ultimate Fighting Championship The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promoter (entertainment), promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority owned subsidiary of Endeavor ( ...
(UFC) and
Pilgrim Media Group Pilgrim Media Group (also known as Pilgrim Studios) is a television production company based in North Hollywood, California. It was founded in 1997 by Craig Piligian. It is best known for producing reality television shows for the Discovery Chan ...
currently airing on
ESPN+ ESPN+ is an American over-the-top subscription video streaming service available in the United States, owned by ESPN Inc., which is a joint venture between the Walt Disney Company (which owns a controlling 80% stake) and Hearst Communicati ...
. It previously aired for fourteen seasons on
Spike TV Paramount Network is an American basic cable television channel and the flagship property of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global, who operates it through the MTV Entertainment Group. The network's headquarters are locate ...
. The show features professional MMA fighters living together in
Las Vegas, Nevada Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...
, and follows them as they train and compete against each other for a prized six-figure contract with the UFC. The series debuted on January 17, 2005, with its first episode, " The Quest Begins". To date, there have been thirty one seasons of the show, two per calendar year, some years having only one season. Each season features either one or two weight classes in the tournament. The historic Forrest Griffin vs. Stephan Bonnar fight in the first season drew millions of viewers to the show and launched the sport into the mainstream. Because of this success, ''The Ultimate Fighter'' was regarded as instrumental to the survival and expansion of the UFC and mixed martial arts into the mainstream. Many current and past UFC fighters are alumni of the show, with some competitors going on to become coaches in future seasons. The show has undergone multiple format changes since its inception, including the introduction of the wildcard bout. Many winners have gone on to compete for UFC championships with some becoming UFC champions.


History

''The Ultimate Fighter'' was originally an experimental series financed by the former owners of the
Ultimate Fighting Championship The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promoter (entertainment), promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority owned subsidiary of Endeavor ( ...
(UFC),
Lorenzo Lorenzo may refer to: People * Lorenzo (name) Places Peru * San Lorenzo Island (Peru), sometimes referred to as the island of Lorenzo United States * Lorenzo, Illinois * Lorenzo, Texas * San Lorenzo, California, formerly Lorenzo * Lorenzo State ...
and
Frank Fertitta III Frank Joseph Fertitta III (February 24, 1962) is an American businessman. He is the CEO of Station Casinos. He is also a founder of Zuffa LLC, formerly the parent entity of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Education Born to Frank Ferti ...
. The series was aired on
Spike TV Paramount Network is an American basic cable television channel and the flagship property of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global, who operates it through the MTV Entertainment Group. The network's headquarters are locate ...
as a last resort measure to gain mainstream exposure for
mixed martial arts Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a full-contact fighting combat sport, sport based on strike (attack), striking and grappling; incorporating techniques from various combat sports from around the world. In the early 20th century, various inter-s ...
(MMA). During the early days of Spike TV, the channel wanted sports programming, but had no budget for sports licensing fees. Spike TV founder
Albie Hecht Albie Hecht is an American film and television producer and media executive. In 1997, Hecht was the president of film and TV entertainment for Nickelodeon before becoming president of the television channel Spike TV in 2003. In 2005, he founded ...
began a search to find programming with broad appeal that the network could afford. In the end, Spike narrowed its choices down to the UFC and
K-1 K-1 is a professional kickboxing promotion established in 1993 by karateka Kazuyoshi Ishii. Originally under the ownership of the Fighting and Entertainment Group (FEG), K-1 was considered to be the largest Kickboxing organization in the worl ...
. Hecht flew to Japan to meet with the head of K-1, but the meeting did not go well. Weeks later, Hecht met with Lorenzo Fertitta in Las Vegas. Hecht was impressed by the UFC's celebrity following, its plan to acquire and consolidate smaller promotions into the UFC, and with Dana White's ability to be a "Vince McMahon"-like personality.Falzon, A. unytv75 (2013, October 3). SWTB: Albie Hecht Talks UFC
ideo file IDEO () is a design firm, design and consulting firm with offices in the U.S., England, and China. It was founded in Palo Alto, California, in 1991. The company's 500 staff uses a design thinking approach to design products, services, environmen ...
Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRwa_g1oiAQ
Hecht saw K-1 as a safer bet, given it had more international notoriety. He was also not a fan of the grappling aspects of MMA, but the UFC rebuffed his suggestion to change the rules of the sport to accommodate striking. Hecht credits
Kevin Kay Kevin Kay is an American television executive. A native of New Jersey, he began his career at NBC's Rockefeller Center studios in New York City working on ''Jeopardy!'' and ''The Tonight Show'' before joining ''Saturday Night Live'' and ultimat ...
and his editorial collaboration with the UFC for highlighting the show's story lines, which he believes helped drive its ratings success. Airing after
World Wrestling Entertainment World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) is an American professional wrestling promotion. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority-owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. A global integrated media and entertainment company, ...
's flagship show ''
WWE Raw ''WWE Raw'', also known as ''Monday Night Raw'' or simply ''Raw'', is an American professional wrestling television program produced by WWE. It currently airs Live television, live every Monday at 8 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on Netflix. The show fe ...
'', ''The Ultimate Fighter's'' debut episode was able to garner a 57% retention rate in viewers from ''Raw'', which was double the usual rate for Spike TV. It is believed by some that WWE's
Vince McMahon Vincent Kennedy McMahon ( ; born August 24, 1945) is an American businessman and former professional wrestling promoter. McMahon, along with his later-estranged wife Linda McMahon, Linda, is a co-founder of the modern WWE, the world's largest ...
had to approve ''The Ultimate Fighter'' following ''Raw'', but this is incorrect. According to Hecht, McMahon did not have the final say, but given his stature and ''Raw's importance to Spike TV at the time, the network wanted McMahon to "be on board" with the program lineup. At the time, Hecht believes the WWE did not see the UFC as a challenge. The live finale for the first season saw the historic bout of Forrest Griffin vs. Stephan Bonnar. Now widely regarded as the most influential fight in MMA history, the bout took place in what was the first ever MMA event on live and free television. The bout ended in a unanimous decision victory for Griffin and led to the show's renewal on Spike TV. Regarding the success of the show, UFC president
Dana White Dana Frederick White Jr. (born July 28, 1969) is an American businessman who is the CEO and president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), a global mixed martial arts organization. In August 2019, White's net worth was estimated at . Out ...
said, "It's amazing to think.... how close we came to not being here today. If it weren't for what these guys did, I don't know if there would even be a UFC. I'll never forget these guys. Ever." The renewal of the show saw UFC produce two more series, before subsequent renewals. In order to garner more attention for the sport, ''The Ultimate Fighter'' utilizes gimmicks: one notable example, in the ninth season, employed a country vs. country theme, with the United States competing against the United Kingdom. These gimmicks enabled the UFC to appeal to fans that had been recently introduced to the sport during UFCs penetration into the European market. ''The Ultimate Fighter'' also drew record viewing figures for Spike TV when YouTube sensation
Kimbo Slice Kevin Ferguson (February 8, 1974 – June 6, 2016), better known as Kimbo Slice, was a Bahamian-American mixed martial artist, professional boxer, and actor. Originally a bare-knuckle boxer, he became noted for his role in mutual combat stre ...
participated in the tenth season. Slice's fight against veteran Roy Nelson attracted viewers to the sport, drawing an audience of 6.1 million, making it one of the most viewed MMA fights in history. As part of a new broadcasting relationship between the UFC and
Fox Sports Fox Sports is the brand name for a number of sports channels, broadcast divisions, programming, and other media around the world. The name originates from Fox Broadcasting Company in the United States, which in turn derives its name from Fox Fi ...
, ''The Ultimate Fighter'' moved to FX beginning in season 15. Season 14 was the final season of the series to air on Spike, who considered the relationship to be "incredibly beneficial in building both our brands.” In September 2013, the series moved to Fox's new mainstream sports network
Fox Sports 1 Fox Sports 1 (branded on-air as FS1) is an American pay television television channel, channel owned by the Fox Sports (United States), Fox Sports Media Group, a unit of Fox Corporation. FS1 airs an array of live sporting events, including Majo ...
. Because of the need to keep the fight results secret until the airing of the episode, each fight on ''The Ultimate Fighter'' is officially an "exhibition", and as such does not count towards the fighters overall record.


Selection process


Seasons 1–4

For the first four seasons, prospective UFC fighters from two different weight classes were selected to compete. The fighters are divided into two teams, irrespective of weight class, with each team coached by a current UFC headliner. The teams then compete (in a manner which varies by season), with the loser being eliminated from the competition. Often, incentives are provided for the team of a winning fighter. This can include the right for their team to select the next matchup, in order to pick off fighters from the opposing team by selecting favourable matchups. At the end of a season, the two remaining fighters of each weight class are placed in a single-elimination fight at ''Ultimate Fighter Finales'', such as '' The Ultimate Fighter 1 Finale'' where the title of Ultimate Fighter is awarded to the winner. Seasons five to seven and ten to twelve have featured fighters from just one weight class each, with the other seasons focusing on two weight classes. The show features the daily preparations each fighter makes to train for competition at the UFC training center, and the interactions they have with each other living under the same roof. Day-to-day events on the show are overseen by UFC president
Dana White Dana Frederick White Jr. (born July 28, 1969) is an American businessman who is the CEO and president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), a global mixed martial arts organization. In August 2019, White's net worth was estimated at . Out ...
. With the exception of the season finales, fights on ''The Ultimate Fighter'' are sanctioned by the
Nevada Athletic Commission The Nevada State Athletic Commission (also known as the Nevada Athletic Commission or NSAC) regulates all contests and exhibitions of unarmed combat within the state of Nevada, including licensure and supervision of promoters, boxing, boxers, kic ...
as exhibition matches and do not count for or against a fighter's professional record. This is done to keep the results from going public before the air date. However, going into the semi-final stage of each series, fights are scheduled for the full professional three rounds, as opposed to two rounds (with the possibility of a sudden victory round) for all stages prior. Though officially exhibition fights, the UFC chooses to record the results of semi-final matchups. For example, the seventh season winner
Amir Sadollah Amir Ali Sadollah (, born August 27, 1980) is a retired American mixed martial artist, formerly with the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He was the winner of Spike TV's ''The Ultimate Fighter 7''. He has fought exclusively within the confines of ...
has one more win on his UFC record than on his official record due to his victory in his season's semi-final round.


Changes

The first six seasons featured sixteen fighters, in either one or two weight categories. The first two seasons, however, were very different from each following season. The original format for ''The Ultimate Fighter'' saw each team compete in challenges, such as hoisting their respective coach up on their shoulders and sprinting down a beach, or a team tug-of-war. These challenges resulted in eliminations of fighters who hadn't fought, until late in the season when the challenge incentive was to select the next fight where fighters would be eliminated, having lost the fight. In the first two seasons, fighters would also leave the house for good upon losing and this often resulted in odd numbers for teams, which forced the moving of fighters to opposing teams. Beginning in season four, fighters were no longer removed from the house after losing their fights and did not switch teams except in extraordinary cases, such as being kicked off a team by the head coach. In the seventh season, instead of the usual sixteen fighters, thirty-two fighters participated. This new rule introduced a preliminary fight, in order to get into the house, which gave the coaches an early evaluation. The final change to date was the introduction of the "wild card" for seasons 11–13. In seasons 11 & 12, 28 fighters competed in the preliminary round, with the winning fourteen entering the house. A "wild card" bout would take place at the end of the "round-of-fourteen" featuring two of the losing fighters. The winner of the wild card bout would then be included in the quarterfinal round of eight fighters. This format proved highly successful for middleweight fighter
Kris McCray Kris Eric Johannes McCray (born September 24, 1981) is an American Former mixed martial artist. He was the runner-up of '' The Ultimate Fighter: Team Liddell vs. Team Ortiz''. Background McCray was born in Germany to Calvin and Barbara McCray as ...
, who took part in season 11's wild card bout. Having lost his opening match in the house, he won the wild card bout to reach the quarter-finals and went on to win his next two bouts, reaching the tournament final. The wild card bout was instituted one last time in season 13, which only featured 14 fighters in the house & no preliminary fights.


Contract award

The winners of the first three seasons of ''The Ultimate Fighter'' competition, and certain runners-up depending on their performance in their competition finals, receive the touted "six-figure" contract to fight in the UFC. These contracts are specifically three-year contracts with a guaranteed first year. Each year consists of three fights, the first year's purse per fight consists of $12,000 guaranteed with a $12,000 win bonus (a maximum of $24,000 per fight). The second year's purse per fight is $16,000 with a $16,000 win bonus (a maximum of $32,000 per fight) and the third year's purse per fight is at $22,000 with a $22,000 win bonus (a maximum of $44,000 per fight). A TUF winner who goes 9–0 can earn $300,000 total on the contract, but only $150,000 is guaranteed for all three years if nine fights are fought. Some TUF competitors who did not win the series were also offered UFC contracts, although not on as attractive terms.


Coaches involvement

With the exception of seasons 2, 4, 11, 13, 15, 16, 22, 31 and season 1 of TUF: Brazil the coaches fought each other after the conclusion of the show. Season 2 featured
Rich Franklin Richard Jay Franklin II (born October 5, 1974) is an American businessman and retired mixed martial artist. He is best known for competing in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, where he is a member of the UFC Hall of Fame and a former UFC Midd ...
and Matt Hughes, who were in different weight categories, eliminating the possibility for a post-season fight. Season 4 saw multiple guest coaches take the lead, differing from other seasons with two clearly designated coaches. Season 22 did not feature a fight between coaches
Conor McGregor Conor Anthony McGregor (born 14 July 1988) is an Irish professional mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist. He is a former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) UFC Featherweight Championship, Featherweight and UFC Lightweight Championship, Li ...
and
Urijah Faber Urijah Christopher Faber ( ; born May 14, 1979) is an American former mixed martial artist and actor. He competed in the bantamweight and featherweight divisions of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He is the founder of Team Alpha Male ...
since McGregor was the
UFC The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. The larg ...
Interim Featherweight Champion and had an automatic title unification with
Featherweight Champion Featherweight is a weight class in the combat sports of boxing, kickboxing, mixed martial arts, and Greco-Roman wrestling. Boxing Professional boxing History A featherweight boxer weighs in at a limit of . In the early days of the division, thi ...
José Aldo José Aldo da Silva Oliveira Júnior (; born 9 September 1986), known as José Aldo, is a Brazilian former professional mixed martial artist and professional boxer who competed in the Bantamweight and Featherweight divisions of the Ultimate F ...
next. As such, these seasons did not feature their respective coaches in competition. Season 11 coaches
Tito Ortiz Jacob Christopher "Tito" Ortiz () is an American politican and retired mixed martial artist and Submission grappling, submission grappler. Ortiz is best known for his career with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is a former UFC ...
and
Chuck Liddell Charles David Liddell (born December 17, 1969) is an American former professional Mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist. A professional competitor from 1998 to 2018, Liddell is a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion (from 2005 to 2007) and i ...
's fight was cancelled due to Ortiz's need for neck fusion surgery. Season 13 saw the fight between
Brock Lesnar Brock Edward Lesnar ( ; born July 12, 1977) is an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler and former Mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist, Amateur wrestling, amateur wrestler and professional American football player. As a ...
and
Junior dos Santos Junior dos Santos (; born 30 January 1984) is a Brazilian mixed martial artist and former professional wrestler who competes in the Heavyweight division. He is a former UFC Heavyweight Champion and current Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA Heavyweigh ...
cancelled after Lesnar was diagnosed with his second bout of
diverticulitis Diverticulitis, also called colonic diverticulitis, is a gastrointestinal disease characterized by inflammation of abnormal pouches—Diverticulum, diverticula—that can develop in the wall of the large intestine. Symptoms typically include lo ...
. 2012 saw the cancellation of a bout between season 15 coaches
Dominick Cruz Dominick Rogelio Cruz (born March 9, 1985) is an American former professional mixed martial artist, sports analyst and color commentator. He competed in the Bantamweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is the first ...
and Urijah Faber, due to a torn ACL for Cruz. In addition, the expected fight between the TUF: Brazil coaches
Vitor Belfort Vítor Vieira Belfort (; born 1 April 1977) is a Brazilian professional boxer and retired mixed martial artist who competed for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he fought in the Heavyweight, Light Heavyweight, and Middleweight d ...
and
Wanderlei Silva Wanderlei César da Silva ( , , ; born 3 July 1976) is a Brazilian former mixed martial artist who competed in Japan's Pride Fighting Championships and the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He holds the record for the most wins, knockouts, ...
did not occur after Belfort sustained a broken hand while preparing for the fight. Season 16 was supposed to feature a fight between coaches Roy Nelson and
Shane Carwin Shane Bannister Carwin (born January 4, 1975) is an American former mixed martial artist who competed in the Heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is a former Interim UFC Heavyweight Champion. He is considere ...
, though this was also cancelled after Carwin suffered a knee injury. In addition to the seasons which did not feature post-season fights between the coaches, several seasons have been impacted, forcing postponements. Due to injuries to the season six coaches
Matt Serra Matt Serra (born June 2, 1974) is an American former professional mixed martial artist and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner. He is a former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) competitor and a former UFC Welterweight Champion. He is the co-sta ...
and Matt Hughes, their fight was postponed. Serra suffered a herniated disc in his lower back and Hughes later suffered a torn MCL before the fight finally took place at
UFC 98 ''UFC 98: Evans vs. Machida'' was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) on May 23, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Background A title unification match between the Interim UFC Heavyweight Champion Frank Mir and ...
. The fight between season ten coaches
Rashad Evans Rashad Evans (born September 25, 1979) is an American retired mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist who competed in the Light Heavyweight (MMA), Light Heavyweight division. Evans started his professional MMA career in 2003, and was the Heavyw ...
and
Quinton Jackson Quinton Ramone Jackson (born June 20, 1978), known by his ring name of Rampage Jackson, is an American rapper, former mixed martial artist, actor, kickboxer, and professional wrestler. During the course of his mixed martial arts (MMA) career, ...
took place at
UFC 114 ''UFC 114: Rampage vs. Evans'' was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on May 29, 2010 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The UFC Fan Expo took place at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. Back ...
with Rashad Evans winning by unanimous decision. The fight was postponed by five months due to Jackson's A-Team filming commitments and his temporary decision to retire from fighting. Though rarely taking place at the live finales, the coaches' fights are an important part of each season of ''The Ultimate Fighter''. With each season effectively hyping the fight and the individuals for multiple weeks, the fights are usually the focal point of the pay-per-view event in which they are featured. The coaches' fights have resulted in the following matchups and results:


Season synopses

;Season 1–3 The first season of ''The Ultimate Fighter'' was the last attempt by the UFC to capture public interest in the sport. The Stephan Bonnar and Forrest Griffin bout saved the sport according to many journalists and Dana White. Despite his loss, Bonnar was also awarded a coveted contract live on the air, after White declared that "There were no losers in this fight." Griffin and Diego Sanchez are also regarded as the original Ultimate Fighters, after their wins at the finale. The second season saw welterweights and heavyweights compete, featuring coaches
Rich Franklin Richard Jay Franklin II (born October 5, 1974) is an American businessman and retired mixed martial artist. He is best known for competing in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, where he is a member of the UFC Hall of Fame and a former UFC Midd ...
and Matt Hughes. The final saw
Rashad Evans Rashad Evans (born September 25, 1979) is an American retired mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist who competed in the Light Heavyweight (MMA), Light Heavyweight division. Evans started his professional MMA career in 2003, and was the Heavyw ...
defeating
Brad Imes Bradley Imes "Brad" Smith (born on March 13, 1977), better known as Brad Imes, is a retired American mixed martial artist. He appeared on The Ultimate Fighter 2, and has competed as a Heavyweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), Worl ...
and
Joe Stevenson Joseph Christopher Stevenson (born June 15, 1982) is a retired American mixed martial artist fighting out of Hesperia, California. Coached by (UFC Hall of Famer) Matt Hughes, Stevenson rose to prominence by becoming The Ultimate Fighter 2 Welt ...
defeating
Luke Cummo Luke Cummo (born April 27, 1980) is an American former mixed martial artist. A professional from 2002 until 2008, he is perhaps best remembered for his stint in the UFC and being a finalist on the reality TV series '' The Ultimate Fighter 2'' on ...
. The third season highlighted the long-standing rivalry between
Tito Ortiz Jacob Christopher "Tito" Ortiz () is an American politican and retired mixed martial artist and Submission grappling, submission grappler. Ortiz is best known for his career with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is a former UFC ...
and
Ken Shamrock Kenneth Wayne Shamrock ( né Kilpatrick; born February 11, 1964) is an American retired professional wrestler and mixed martial artist. He is currently signed to WWE under a Legends contract, under the ring name Ken Shamrock. He is best known ...
. It was also the first season to feature competitors from outside of North America, after the addition of
Michael Bisping Michael Gavin Joseph Bisping (; born 28 February 1979) is an English former mixed martial artist, sports commentator, analyst, and actor. He competed in the middleweight and light heavyweight divisions of the Ultimate Fighting Championship ( ...
and Ross Pointon. The season saw a format change, when the team-games were eliminated in favour of a conventional knockout style tournament format. The final fights saw
Michael Bisping Michael Gavin Joseph Bisping (; born 28 February 1979) is an English former mixed martial artist, sports commentator, analyst, and actor. He competed in the middleweight and light heavyweight divisions of the Ultimate Fighting Championship ( ...
become the first non-American winner, defeating
Josh Haynes Joshua Lee Haynes (born July 30, 1977) is an American former mixed martial artist. He fought out of Las Vegas, Nevada, with Xtreme Couture where he was also a coach. His MMA record is 17 wins, 11 losses. He was also a contestant on the third sea ...
and
Kendall Grove Kendall Grove (born November 12, 1982) is an American mixed martial artist who is currently signed to Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship. A professional competitor since 2003, he has also competed for the Bellator MMA, UFC, KSW, ProElite, King ...
defeat
Ed Herman Edward Benson Herman (born October 2, 1980) is an American former professional mixed martial artist who competed in the Light Heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. A professional competitor from 2003 to 2023, Herman was a ...
. ;Season 4–7 The fourth season was different from others before it, as it was the "comeback" season. Past UFC fighters who hadn't had the success they were expected to have, were invited back, to compete in the show, with the winner receiving a guaranteed title shot. This season was also the only one to date to not feature team coaches. Instead, the show had guest coaches each week. The final saw
Matt Serra Matt Serra (born June 2, 1974) is an American former professional mixed martial artist and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner. He is a former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) competitor and a former UFC Welterweight Champion. He is the co-sta ...
defeat
Chris Lytle Chris Scott Lytle (born August 18, 1974) is an American retired mixed martial artist and boxer. A professional from 1999 until 2011 and twenty-fight veteran of the UFC, Lytle also fought in Pancrase, Cage Rage, and the WEC. He held the inaugura ...
and
Travis Lutter Travis Lutter (born May 12, 1973) is a retired American mixed martial artist who won '' The Ultimate Fighter 4'' reality show. He is a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Carlos Machado. Background Lutter was born and raised in Gann Vall ...
defeat Patrick Côté to receive their guaranteed title shots. The fifth season was coached by
Jens Pulver Jens Johnnie Pulver (born December 6, 1974) is an American retired professional mixed martial artist and undefeated boxer and kickboxer. In 2023, Pulver was inducted into the UFC hall of fame. Pulver was the inaugural UFC Lightweight Champion in ...
and B.J. Penn, as the company attempted to kickstart the lightweight division. The show featured many of the future stars of the lightweight division such as
Nate Diaz Nathan Donald Diaz (born April 16, 1985) is an American mixed martial artist and professional boxer who is currently a free agent. Diaz is most known for his time spent fighting in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he fought for ov ...
,
Joe Lauzon Joe Lauzon (born May 22, 1984) is a semi-retired American professional mixed martial artist who competed in the UFC's Lightweight division. Described as a well-rounded fighter, he has the most post-fight bonus awards in UFC Lightweight history ...
,
Gray Maynard Bradley Gray Maynard (born May 9, 1979) is an American mixed martial artist who competed in the Lightweight and Featherweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Between 2008 and 2011, he competed in a noted rivalry with forme ...
,
Matt Wiman Matt Wiman (born September 19, 1983) is an American former professional mixed martial artist who competed as a lightweight. He competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Background Wiman graduated from Broken Arrow High School in 2002. Mix ...
and
Cole Miller Cole Miller (born April 26, 1984) is a retired American mixed martial artist, who most recently competed in the featherweight division in the UFC. His nickname "Magrinho" means "skinny" in Portuguese. Mixed martial arts career Before giving ...
. Despite the fact that Team Pulver won 5 out of the first eight fights, the 3 fighters who made it through the quarterfinals on Team Penn are still in the UFC which are
Gray Maynard Bradley Gray Maynard (born May 9, 1979) is an American mixed martial artist who competed in the Lightweight and Featherweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Between 2008 and 2011, he competed in a noted rivalry with forme ...
,
Matt Wiman Matt Wiman (born September 19, 1983) is an American former professional mixed martial artist who competed as a lightweight. He competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Background Wiman graduated from Broken Arrow High School in 2002. Mix ...
and
Joe Lauzon Joe Lauzon (born May 22, 1984) is a semi-retired American professional mixed martial artist who competed in the UFC's Lightweight division. Described as a well-rounded fighter, he has the most post-fight bonus awards in UFC Lightweight history ...
while Cole Miller,
Manvel Gamburyan Manny Gamburyan (; born May 8, 1981) is an Armenian retired mixed martial artist who competed in the UFC's lightweight, featherweight, and bantamweight divisions. A professional competitor since 1999, he was a cast member of Spike TV's The Ultima ...
, and Nate Diaz from Team Pulver are still in the UFC. The final was contested by
Nate Diaz Nathan Donald Diaz (born April 16, 1985) is an American mixed martial artist and professional boxer who is currently a free agent. Diaz is most known for his time spent fighting in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he fought for ov ...
and Manvel Gamburyan, with Gamburyan falling to a shoulder injury early on. Former winner
Matt Serra Matt Serra (born June 2, 1974) is an American former professional mixed martial artist and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner. He is a former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) competitor and a former UFC Welterweight Champion. He is the co-sta ...
returned to the show in the sixth season to coach alongside Matt Hughes and oversaw a group of welterweight fighters. The final saw veteran
Mac Danzig Mac Danzig (born January 2, 1980) is an American mixed martial artist, who competed as a lightweight in several MMA promotions, most notably the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He was the winner of The Ultimate Fighter season six. Background Da ...
defeat
Tommy Speer Thomas Speer (born August 20, 1984) is a retired American mixed martial artist. A professional competitor from 2005 until 2013, he received national exposure on '' The Ultimate Fighter 6: Team Hughes vs. Team Serra'', fighting as a member of Te ...
to become ''The Ultimate Fighter'', before he dropped to the lightweight division. Arguably, only
George Sotiropoulos George Sotiropoulos (born 9 July 1977) is an Australian former professional mixed martial artist who most notably fought in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) in their Lightweight division. He is well known for appearing as a fighter on t ...
has gone on to have any success post-TUF, having gone on a 7 fight win streak after The Ultimate Fighter, while season winner Danzig has hovered around the .500 mark since his season win. The seventh season saw another format change, as fighters had to compete to be official castmembers. Instead of the usual 16 fighters, the season had 32 fighters after Dana White claimed that he was tired of fighters coming onto the show for airtime. This season was coached by UFC Light Heavyweight champion
Quinton Jackson Quinton Ramone Jackson (born June 20, 1978), known by his ring name of Rampage Jackson, is an American rapper, former mixed martial artist, actor, kickboxer, and professional wrestler. During the course of his mixed martial arts (MMA) career, ...
and challenger
Forrest Griffin Forrest Griffin (born July 1, 1979) is an American retired mixed martial artist and former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. He was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2013 and is the Vice President of Athlete Development at the UFC Performan ...
, the first season's winner. The season's final was due to be competed between
Amir Sadollah Amir Ali Sadollah (, born August 27, 1980) is a retired American mixed martial artist, formerly with the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He was the winner of Spike TV's ''The Ultimate Fighter 7''. He has fought exclusively within the confines of ...
, who hadn't competed in a professional fight before the show, and
Jesse Taylor Jesse Taylor (born January 2, 1983) is an American professional mixed martial arts (MMA) and 10th Planet Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt fighter who last competed in the Welterweight division. A professional competitor from 2006 to 2023, he wa ...
. However, Taylor was kicked off the show after filming had completed, when he kicked the window out of a limousine in Las Vegas. His slot was taken by
C.B. Dollaway C. B. Dollaway (born August 10, 1983) is an American retired mixed martial artist who fought in the Light Heavyweight division. A professional from 2006 to 2019, he formerly fought in the UFC and was a finalist on SpikeTV's ''The Ultimate Fight ...
who defeated
Tim Credeur Tim Credeur (born July 9, 1977) is an American retired mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist. He was a cast member of Spike TV's ''The Ultimate Fighter 7'' and was defeated by fellow cast member Jesse Taylor in the semi-finals. He was then bro ...
for the right, but Sadollah won in the final to become ''The Ultimate Fighter.'' ;Season 8–12 The eighth season was coached by UFC Interim Heavyweight champion
Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira (, born 2 June 1976), better known as Minotauro or Big Nog, is a Brazilian retired mixed martial artist. He competed in the heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is a former Inter ...
and
Frank Mir Francisco Santos Miranda III (; born May 24, 1979), is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the heavyweight division. He competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) for sixteen years, and Bellator MMA. A former UFC Heavywe ...
, with lightweights and light heavyweights being the focus for the season. The show was largely dominated by the actions of Junie Browning, who would regularly get drunk and act in an aggressive manner towards his fellow castmates. The two fights at the final saw Efrain Escudero defeat
Phillipe Nover Phillipe J. Nover (born February 3, 1984), is a retired American mixed martial artist. He is best known for making it to the finals of The Ultimate Fighter: Team Nogueira vs. Team Mir. He is a former Ring of Combat lightweight champion. Early ...
and
Ryan Bader Ryan Bader ( ; born June 7, 1983) is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the Heavyweight division of RIZIN. He previously competed for Bellator MMA where he was the Bellator Heavyweight Champion, and still holds the record for th ...
defeat
Vinny Magalhães Vinicius "Vinny" de Magalhães (; born July 2, 1984) is a Brazilian mixed martial artist who competes in the Light heavyweight division. A professional competitor since 2006, he was a finalist in '' The Ultimate Fighter: Team Nogueira vs. Team Mi ...
. The ninth season saw a United States vs. United Kingdom theme for the show, with
Dan Henderson Daniel Jeffery Henderson (born August 24, 1970) is an American former mixed martial artist and Olympic wrestler, who last competed as a Middleweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He was the last Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champi ...
and
Michael Bisping Michael Gavin Joseph Bisping (; born 28 February 1979) is an English former mixed martial artist, sports commentator, analyst, and actor. He competed in the middleweight and light heavyweight divisions of the Ultimate Fighting Championship ( ...
coaching the respective sides. The two sides contrasted, with the UK side showing close friendship (with many coming from Team Rough House), whilst the US team appeared fractured. The lightweight final saw Team Rough House teammates
Andre Winner Andre Badi Winner (born 9 November 1981) is a Grenadian-born British mixed martial artist. He was a cast member of Spike TV's '' The Ultimate Fighter: United States vs. United Kingdom'', reaching the final. Winner is also a member of Team Rough ...
and
Ross Pearson Ross Pearson (born 26 September 1984) is a retired English mixed martial artist and professional boxer. A 26-fight veteran of the UFC, he was a three-time "Fight of the Night" winner and was the lightweight winner of The Ultimate Fighter 9. B ...
face off for the contract, with Pearson coming out on top via decision. The welterweight final saw
James Wilks James Brett Wilks (born 5 April 1978) is an English former professional mixed martial artist. As a professional competitor from 2003 until 2012, he competed for the UFC, King of the Cage, and was the winner of Spike TV's '' The Ultimate Fight ...
defeat
DaMarques Johnson DaMarques Johnson (born June 28, 1982) is a retired American mixed martial artist. He competed for the UFC and King of the Cage and was the Welterweight runner-up on '' The Ultimate Fighter: United States vs. United Kingdom''. Background Johnson ...
via submission in the opening round, handing the UK team a 2–0 victory. The tenth season was the first season to feature only heavyweights and was largely built around the internet sensation
Kimbo Slice Kevin Ferguson (February 8, 1974 – June 6, 2016), better known as Kimbo Slice, was a Bahamian-American mixed martial artist, professional boxer, and actor. Originally a bare-knuckle boxer, he became noted for his role in mutual combat stre ...
and former
NFL The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The N ...
players. The two coaches were former UFC Light Heavyweight champions Quinton Jackson and
Rashad Evans Rashad Evans (born September 25, 1979) is an American retired mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist who competed in the Light Heavyweight (MMA), Light Heavyweight division. Evans started his professional MMA career in 2003, and was the Heavyw ...
who squabbled throughout the entire season, hyping their eventual fight further. However, midway through the airing of the season, it was announced that Jackson was filming
The A-Team ''The A-Team'' is an American Action television, action television series that ran on NBC from January 23, 1983, to March 8, 1987, about a fictional team of former United States Army Special Forces who work as mercenaries while on the run from ...
, as its lead character B. A. Baracus, leading to the postponement of the coaches' fight. The season also featured several former NFL players, with one -
Brendan Schaub Brendan Peter Schaub (born March 18, 1983) is an American podcast host, former professional mixed martial artist, and stand-up comedian. He is the host of '' The Fighter and the Kid'' podcast, the ''Below the Belt with Brendan Schaub'' podcast ...
- making the final of the show. Additionally, the season was occasionally criticised after the cardio of the heavyweights came into question. The final saw MMA veteran Roy Nelson and
Brendan Schaub Brendan Peter Schaub (born March 18, 1983) is an American podcast host, former professional mixed martial artist, and stand-up comedian. He is the host of '' The Fighter and the Kid'' podcast, the ''Below the Belt with Brendan Schaub'' podcast ...
, with Nelson winning via first-round knockout. The eleventh season saw former UFC Light Heavyweight champions
Tito Ortiz Jacob Christopher "Tito" Ortiz () is an American politican and retired mixed martial artist and Submission grappling, submission grappler. Ortiz is best known for his career with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is a former UFC ...
and
Chuck Liddell Charles David Liddell (born December 17, 1969) is an American former professional Mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist. A professional competitor from 1998 to 2018, Liddell is a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion (from 2005 to 2007) and i ...
coach the two teams. Unlike previous seasons, the number of competitors in the house was reduced to 14, with 7 progressing to the quarter-finals. An eighth was added via a "wildcard" bout - a bout between two losers from the round of 14. The slots went to
Kyacey Uscola ''The Ultimate Fighter: Team Liddell vs. Team Ortiz'' (also known as ''The Ultimate Fighter: Team Liddell vs. Team Franklin'' for the final episode of the season) is the eleventh installment of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)-produced re ...
and
Kris McCray Kris Eric Johannes McCray (born September 24, 1981) is an American Former mixed martial artist. He was the runner-up of '' The Ultimate Fighter: Team Liddell vs. Team Ortiz''. Background McCray was born in Germany to Calvin and Barbara McCray as ...
, which saw McCray win via submission. McCray would then go on to avenge his earlier defeat, in the semi-finals, defeating Josh Bryant. The season was blighted by injuries to multiple competitors, such as the withdrawal of
Nick Ring Nick Ring (born February 10, 1979) is a professional boxer and mixed martial artist who is best known for competing in the middleweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. A professional MMA competitor from 2002 to 2015, Ring fought ...
, after he required knee surgery. After
Rich Attonito Rich Attonito (born June 16, 1977) is a retired American mixed martial artist. A professional from 2004 until 2011, he fought in the UFC, Cage Warriors, King of the Cage, and was contestant on the 11th season of ''The Ultimate Fighter''. Back ...
pulled out of the competition, his quarter final place was taken by
Court McGee Court McGee (born December 12, 1984) is an American professional mixed martial artist who currently competes in the Welterweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. A professional competitor since 2007, McGee mostly fought in local pr ...
. Court McGee and Kris McCray met in the final, where McGee would win via submission to become ''The Ultimate Fighter''. The twelfth season saw the UFC Welterweight champion
Georges St-Pierre Georges St-Pierre (; born May 19, 1981), also known by his initials GSP, is a Canadian former professional mixed martial artist. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest fighters in mixed martial arts (MMA) history. St-Pierre was a two-divi ...
coach alongside former opponent and number one contender to the title,
Josh Koscheck Josh Koscheck (born November 30, 1977) is an American retired mixed martial artist who fought at Welterweight for the UFC and Bellator MMA. Koscheck made his debut with the UFC on the first season of the reality television show, ''The Ultimate ...
. The season saw the continuation of the wildcard format and 14-man tournament bracket. The show's number one pick was Marc Stevens, who would go on to lose in one of the quickest submissions (via guillotine choke) in the show's history. The wildcard slots went to Marc Stevens and Aaron Wilkinson, with Wilkinson handing Stevens his second successive guillotine choke loss. The show was dominated by Josh Koscheck's attempts to annoy Georges St-Pierre, with St-Pierre's paramedic getting involved in the arguments with Koscheck. The finale was a match between
Jonathan Brookins Jonathan Brookins (born August 13, 1985) is an American former mixed martial artist who competed as a featherweight for the Ultimate Fighting Championship. A professional MMA competitor since 2006, Brookins has mostly fought in Florida, as well a ...
and Michael Johnson on December 4, 2010, which resulted in Brookins winning via unanimous decision. ;Season 13–16 (and regional versions) The thirteenth season was coached by former
UFC Heavyweight champion Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) champions are fighters who have won UFC championships. Historical notes At the time of the UFC's inception in 1993, mixed martial arts was not sanctioned in the United States, and did not include weight classe ...
Brock Lesnar Brock Edward Lesnar ( ; born July 12, 1977) is an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler and former Mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist, Amateur wrestling, amateur wrestler and professional American football player. As a ...
and
Junior dos Santos Junior dos Santos (; born 30 January 1984) is a Brazilian mixed martial artist and former professional wrestler who competes in the Heavyweight division. He is a former UFC Heavyweight Champion and current Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA Heavyweigh ...
, who would later go on to win the same title. This season featured welterweights and removed the elimination bouts to get into the house, with 14 fighters immediately gaining entry into the house. The first day of training saw
Myles Jury Myles Madison Jury (born October 31, 1988) is an American mixed martial artist, who competes in the Lightweight division. He has most notably fought for Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and Bellator MMA. He is a Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-J ...
pull out of the competition with a knee injury. The wildcard made another appearance, with Javier Torres and Chuck O'Neil getting the slots, leading to a submission victory for O'Neil. The final of this season saw
Tony Ferguson Anthony Armand Ferguson Padilla (born February 12, 1984) is an American professional mixed martial artist where he is a former Interim UFC Lightweight Champion. A professional since 2008, and was signed to the UFC from his '' The Ultimate Fi ...
defeat
Ramsey Nijem Pedro Ramsey Nijem (, born April 1, 1988) is an American retired mixed martial artist. A professional MMA competitor from 2008 to 2021, Nijem is perhaps best known for his 10-fight stint in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He was a finalist o ...
via KO in the first round. The fourteenth season featured bantamweights and featherweights for the first time, with
Michael Bisping Michael Gavin Joseph Bisping (; born 28 February 1979) is an English former mixed martial artist, sports commentator, analyst, and actor. He competed in the middleweight and light heavyweight divisions of the Ultimate Fighting Championship ( ...
coaching for the second time, with Jason Miller opposing him. The cast was considered to be one of the most notable in several seasons of the Ultimate Fighter, perhaps owing to this season being the first for the weight classes. Fighters once again had to compete to get into the house, but during the preliminary round, Dana White announced end-of-season bonuses for the best knockout, submission and fight. The awards went to John Dodson,
Dennis Bermudez Dennis Ross Bermudez (born December 13, 1986) is a retired American mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist who competed in the Featherweight (MMA), Featherweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, UFC. Bermudez has been a professi ...
and
Dustin Pague Dustin William Pague (born August 5, 1987) is a former American mixed martial artist who most recently fought in the Bantamweight division of the UFC. He was a competitor on Spike TV's The Ultimate Fighter: Team Bisping vs. Team Miller, and ha ...
vs.
Louis Gaudinot Louis J. Gaudinot (born August 28, 1984) is an American professional mixed martial artist who formerly competed in the UFC's Flyweight division. A professional competitor since 2009, Gaudinot has also formerly competed on Spike TV's The Ultimate ...
respectively. The eventual winners of the season were John Dodson (who defeated
T.J. Dillashaw Tyler Jeffrey Dillashaw (born February 7, 1986) is an American former professional mixed martial artist who competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is a former two-time UFC Bantamweight Champion. Dillashaw competed on th ...
at bantamweight) and Diego Brandao (who defeated
Dennis Bermudez Dennis Ross Bermudez (born December 13, 1986) is a retired American mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist who competed in the Featherweight (MMA), Featherweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, UFC. Bermudez has been a professi ...
at featherweight). The fifteenth season was the first season to air on FX and moved to a live format. The season was coached by UFC Bantamweight champion
Dominick Cruz Dominick Rogelio Cruz (born March 9, 1985) is an American former professional mixed martial artist, sports analyst and color commentator. He competed in the Bantamweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is the first ...
and
Urijah Faber Urijah Christopher Faber ( ; born May 14, 1979) is an American former mixed martial artist and actor. He competed in the bantamweight and featherweight divisions of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He is the founder of Team Alpha Male ...
and featured the lightweight division. The entry fights consisted of just one round, as opposed to the usual two with the possibility of a sudden death victory. During the first week in the house,
Michael Chiesa Michael Keith Chiesa (; born December 7, 1987) is an American professional Mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist and sports analyst who currently competes in the Welterweight (MMA), Welterweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship ( ...
- one of the participants - was told that his father had died. Despite this, he was able to continue in the competition and ultimately won after defeating
Al Iaquinta Al Iaquinta (born April 30, 1987) is an American former professional mixed martial artist who competed in the lightweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, having once challenged for the Lightweight championship belt. A professional ...
at the finale. The live season aired at the same time as TUF Brazil, which was the first regional version of the show. That season was coached by
Vitor Belfort Vítor Vieira Belfort (; born 1 April 1977) is a Brazilian professional boxer and retired mixed martial artist who competed for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he fought in the Heavyweight, Light Heavyweight, and Middleweight d ...
and
Wanderlei Silva Wanderlei César da Silva ( , , ; born 3 July 1976) is a Brazilian former mixed martial artist who competed in Japan's Pride Fighting Championships and the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He holds the record for the most wins, knockouts, ...
and featured featherweights and middleweights. This season featured a scrambling of the teams, as seven of the Team Vitor fighters had won for only one of the Team Wanderlei fighters. The finalists for the show were Rony "Jason" Mariano Bezerra and
Godofredo Pepey Godofredo Castro (born July 2, 1987), better known as Godofredo Pepey, is a Brazilian mixed martial artist who currently fights in the lightweight division of Brave Combat Federation. A professional MMA competitor since 2003, Pepey has also compe ...
in the featherweight division and Cezar "Mutante" Ferreira and
Daniel Sarafian Daniel Sarafian Gantman (born 21 August 1982 in São Paulo) is an Armenian-Brazilian mixed martial artist who last competed in 2018. A professional since 2006, Sarafian has formerly competed for the UFC, Bellator, Absolute Championship Berkut, a ...
in the middleweight division. However, Sarafian was forced to withdraw from the finale, making him the first and (to-date) only finalist to ever withdraw through injury. He was replaced by Sergio "Serginho" Moraes, the man he had defeated via KO in the semi-final round. The eventual winners were Bezerra and Ferreira, with both winning via decision.


Seasons


Main seasons

A. For this season instead of coaches, prominent trainers and UFC fighters acted as advisors.
B. Tito Ortiz was replaced in the final episode by
Rich Franklin Richard Jay Franklin II (born October 5, 1974) is an American businessman and retired mixed martial artist. He is best known for competing in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, where he is a member of the UFC Hall of Fame and a former UFC Midd ...
.
C. This season is the first to feature a gym vs. gym format as each team is composed of fighters from the same gym and their head coaches are also the teams' head coaches.
D. There was no individual tournament for the season. After a round of 12 fights, divided into points (the first four fights were 25 points, the next 50 and the last were 100 points), American Top Team emerged victorious and won $200,000. Then, each team picked a representative to fight at the finale for $300,000 and the tournament trophy.
E. Saul Rogers was scheduled to be part of the finale, but was pulled due to Visa issues and was replaced by Ryan Hall.
F.
Sijara Eubanks Sijara Jihan Eubanks ( ; born April 27, 1985) is an American professional mixed martial artist who competed in the women's bantamweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Background Eubanks was born and raised in Springfield, Massac ...
was scheduled to be part of the finale, but was pulled on the day of the weigh ins for medical reasons and was replaced by Roxanne Modafferi.
G. Brad Katona was originally on Team Chandler, but switched to Team McGregor in the semi-final round.


International versions

These versions did not have a stand-alone The Ultimate Fighter final. H.
Daniel Sarafian Daniel Sarafian Gantman (born 21 August 1982 in São Paulo) is an Armenian-Brazilian mixed martial artist who last competed in 2018. A professional since 2006, Sarafian has formerly competed for the UFC, Bellator, Absolute Championship Berkut, a ...
was scheduled to be part of the finale, but was injured and replaced by Sergio Moraes.
I.
Santiago Ponzinibbio Santiago Ponzinibbio (born September 26, 1986) is an Argentine mixed martial artist currently competing in the Welterweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He also works as a UFC color commentator for the UFC Spanish broadcas ...
was scheduled to be part of the finale, but was injured and replaced by Leonardo Santos.
J. For this season
Cung Le Cung Le (; born May 25, 1972) is an American actor, former professional mixed martial artist, Sanshou fighter and kickboxer. Le is perhaps best known in mixed martial arts for competing in Strikeforce, holding a record of 7–1 with the organi ...
served as a mentor and chief coach.
K. Hailin Ao left the show after the 4th episode for personal reasons. His staff took over his duties.
L.
Anderson Silva Anderson da Silva (; born 14 April 1975) is a Brazilian mixed martial artist and professional boxer. He is a former UFC Middleweight Champion and holds the record for the longest title reign in UFC history at 2,457 days. This started in 2006 ...
was removed from the show on episode 3 due to his failed pre-fight drug test for
UFC 183 ''UFC 183: Silva vs. Diaz'' was a mixed martial arts event held on January 31, 2015, at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Background The event was headlined by a middleweight bout between former UFC Middleweight champion Anderson Silv ...
. He was replaced by
Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira (, born 2 June 1976), better known as Minotauro or Big Nog, is a Brazilian retired mixed martial artist. He competed in the heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is a former Inter ...
.


Impact


Post-show success

''The Ultimate Fighter'' has created many successful fighters. As of October 2019, ten TUF contestants have won UFC titles. However, some fighters have also had success in the sister promotions
World Extreme Cagefighting World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) was an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion founded in 2001. It was purchased by Zuffa, LLC, the parent company of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), in 2006. In its final incarnation, it was mad ...
(WEC) or
Strikeforce Strike Force may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Games *Strike Force (video game), ''Strike Force'' (video game), a 1991 arcade game *''Commandos: Strike Force'', a 2006 video game *''Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce'', a 2009 video game *' ...
. The following fighters have competed for a UFC, Strikeforce or WEC championship: ;Season 1 ;Season 2 ;Season 3 ;Season 4 As part of season four,
Travis Lutter Travis Lutter (born May 12, 1973) is a retired American mixed martial artist who won '' The Ultimate Fighter 4'' reality show. He is a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Carlos Machado. Background Lutter was born and raised in Gann Vall ...
and Matt Serra received automatic and immediate title shots, though non-winners can also compete for titles. Lutter was scheduled to compete for the
UFC Middleweight Championship Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) champions are fighters who have won UFC championships. Historical notes At the time of the UFC's inception in 1993, mixed martial arts was not sanctioned in the United States, and did not include weight class ...
at UFC 67: All Or Nothing, but weighed in over the limit. He still competed against the champion and lost a non–title fight. ;Season 5 ;Season 13 ;Season 14 ;Season 15 ;Season 17 ;Season 18 ;Season 20 Season 20 was the first season of ''The Ultimate Fighter'' to crown a champion. All fighters of the season were competing to win the inaugural
UFC Women's Strawweight Championship Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) champions are fighters who have won UFC championships. Historical notes At the time of the UFC's inception in 1993, mixed martial arts was not sanctioned in the United States, and did not include weight class ...
. Most of the competitors from the division came from TUF 20. ;Season 21 ;Season 23 ;Season 24 The winner of Season 24 won a fight with Demetrious Johnson. Tim Elliott won the tournament and fought Johnson for the main event on the finale. ;Season 26 All fighters of the season were competing to win the inaugural
UFC Women's Flyweight Championship Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) champions are fighters who have won UFC championships. Historical notes At the time of the UFC's inception in 1993, mixed martial arts was not sanctioned in the United States, and did not include weight class ...
. Most of the competitors from the division came from TUF 26. ;The Smashes Robert Whittaker was scheduled to defend his
UFC Middleweight Championship Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) champions are fighters who have won UFC championships. Historical notes At the time of the UFC's inception in 1993, mixed martial arts was not sanctioned in the United States, and did not include weight class ...
against
Yoel Romero Yoel Romero Palacio (born April 30, 1977) is a Cuban professional mixed martial artist and former freestyle wrestler who currently competes in the Light Heavyweight division. Romero formerly competed in the Middleweight division of the Ultimate ...
at UFC 225: Whittaker vs. Romero 2. However, Romero weighed in over the limit. Whittaker would go on to win a non-title fight. ;Brazil Season 2 ;Brazil Season 3 ;Latin America


T.U.F. winners who have fought each other

Many of the TUF winners have gone on to fight each other. *
Rashad Evans Rashad Evans (born September 25, 1979) is an American retired mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist who competed in the Light Heavyweight (MMA), Light Heavyweight division. Evans started his professional MMA career in 2003, and was the Heavyw ...
(season 2 winner) def.
Michael Bisping Michael Gavin Joseph Bisping (; born 28 February 1979) is an English former mixed martial artist, sports commentator, analyst, and actor. He competed in the middleweight and light heavyweight divisions of the Ultimate Fighting Championship ( ...
(season 3 winner) -
UFC 78 ''UFC 78: Validation'' was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), that took place on November 17, 2007, at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. ''Validation'' was the first UFC event held in New Jers ...
*Rashad Evans (season 2 winner) def.
Forrest Griffin Forrest Griffin (born July 1, 1979) is an American retired mixed martial artist and former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. He was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2013 and is the Vice President of Athlete Development at the UFC Performan ...
(season 1 winner) -
UFC 92 ''UFC 92: The Ultimate 2008'' was a mixed martial arts (MMA) pay-per-view event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) on December 27, 2008 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Background The main event featured UFC Ligh ...
*
Diego Sanchez Diego Sanchez (born December 31, 1981) is an American professional mixed martial artist who currently competes on the Super Lightweight division of Eagle Fighting Championship. A professional competitor since 2002, Sanchez is most known for his ...
(season 1 winner) def.
Joe Stevenson Joseph Christopher Stevenson (born June 15, 1982) is a retired American mixed martial artist fighting out of Hesperia, California. Coached by (UFC Hall of Famer) Matt Hughes, Stevenson rose to prominence by becoming The Ultimate Fighter 2 Welt ...
(season 2 winner) -
UFC 95 ''UFC 95: Sanchez vs. Stevenson'' was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) on February 21, 2009, at The O2 Arena in London, United Kingdom. Background The event was broadcast live for viewers in Europe and ...
*Joe Stevenson (season 2 winner) def.
Nate Diaz Nathan Donald Diaz (born April 16, 1985) is an American mixed martial artist and professional boxer who is currently a free agent. Diaz is most known for his time spent fighting in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he fought for ov ...
(season 5 winner) -
TUF 9 Finale ''The Ultimate Fighter: United States vs. United Kingdom'' is the ninth installment of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) produced reality television series ''The Ultimate Fighter''. It began production in January 2009, and began airing on ...
*
Mac Danzig Mac Danzig (born January 2, 1980) is an American mixed martial artist, who competed as a lightweight in several MMA promotions, most notably the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He was the winner of The Ultimate Fighter season six. Background Da ...
(season 6 winner) def. Joe Stevenson (season 2 winner) -
UFC 124 ''UFC 124: St-Pierre vs. Koscheck 2'' was a mixed martial arts pay-per-view event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on December 11, 2010 at Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The event was the fourth that the Ultimate Fighting Cham ...
*Mac Danzig (season 6 winner) def. Efrain Escudero (season 8 winner) -
UFC 145 ''UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans'' was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship. It was the 9th UFC event of the year, and took place on April 21, 2012 at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. Background The event was init ...
* Robert Whittaker (Smashes winner) def.
Colton Smith Colton Smith may refer to: * Colton Smith (fighter) Colton Smith (born August 14, 1987) is an American former mixed martial artist who competed in the Lightweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Smith is best known for competing ...
(season 16 winner) -
UFC 160 ''UFC 160: Velasquez vs. Bigfoot 2'' was a mixed martial arts event held on May 25, 2013, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Background The main event was a rematch between former UFC Heavyweight Champion Cain Velasquez and Ant ...
*
Court McGee Court McGee (born December 12, 1984) is an American professional mixed martial artist who currently competes in the Welterweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. A professional competitor since 2007, McGee mostly fought in local pr ...
(season 11 winner) def. Robert Whittaker (Smashes winner) - UFC Fight Night: Condit vs. Kampmann 2 *
Michael Chiesa Michael Keith Chiesa (; born December 7, 1987) is an American professional Mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist and sports analyst who currently competes in the Welterweight (MMA), Welterweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship ( ...
(season 15 winner) def. Colton Smith (season 16 winner) - UFC: Fight for the Troops 3 *
Norman Parke Norman Parke (born 22 December 1986) is a mixed martial artist from Northern Ireland. A professional MMA competitor since 2006, Parke has fought for the Ultimate Fighting Championship, UFC, Absolute Championship Berkut, Konfrontacja Sztuk Walki ...
(Smashes winner) drew. Leonardo Santos (Brazil 2 winner) - UFC Fight Night: Shogun vs. Henderson 2 *Diego Sanchez (season 1 winner) def.
Ross Pearson Ross Pearson (born 26 September 1984) is a retired English mixed martial artist and professional boxer. A 26-fight veteran of the UFC, he was a three-time "Fight of the Night" winner and was the lightweight winner of The Ultimate Fighter 9. B ...
(season 9 winner) - UFC Fight Night: Henderson vs. Khabilov *Leonardo Santos (Brazil 2 winner) def. Efrain Escudero (season 8 winner) - UFC Fight Night: Bigfoot vs. Arlovski *
Antônio Carlos Júnior Antônio Carlos Coelho de Figueiredo Barbosa Júnior (born 16 March 1990), also known as Antônio Carlos Jr. and professionally by his nickname Cara de Sapato (as well as its English translation Shoeface), is a Brazilian mixed martial artist wh ...
(Brazil 3 winner) def.
Eddie Gordon Eddie Gordon (born Edmund Richard Gordon; 9 February 1959 in Biggin Hill, Farnborough, Kent) is an English music journalist, producer, DJ and music business personality. Early life Born in Biggin Hill, Gordon was raised in Gravesend, Kent. H ...
(season 19 winner) - UFC Fight Night: Machida vs. Romero *
Ryan Bader Ryan Bader ( ; born June 7, 1983) is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the Heavyweight division of RIZIN. He previously competed for Bellator MMA where he was the Bellator Heavyweight Champion, and still holds the record for th ...
(season 8 winner) def.
Rashad Evans Rashad Evans (born September 25, 1979) is an American retired mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist who competed in the Light Heavyweight (MMA), Light Heavyweight division. Evans started his professional MMA career in 2003, and was the Heavyw ...
(season 2 winner) -
UFC 192 ''UFC 192: Cormier vs. Gustafsson'' was a mixed martial arts event held on October 3, 2015, at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. Background The event was the fourth that the promotion has hosted in Houston, and the first since UFC 166 in 2013 ...
*
Ross Pearson Ross Pearson (born 26 September 1984) is a retired English mixed martial artist and professional boxer. A 26-fight veteran of the UFC, he was a three-time "Fight of the Night" winner and was the lightweight winner of The Ultimate Fighter 9. B ...
(season 9 winner) def.
Chad Laprise Chad Laprise (born July 23, 1986) is a retired Canadian professional mixed martial artist who competed for the UFC in the Welterweight division. A professional competitor since 2010, Laprise won '' The Ultimate Fighter Nations: Canada vs. Austral ...
(Nations: Canada vs. Australia winner) - UFC Fight Night: Hunt vs. Mir *
Kamaru Usman Kamarudeen Usman (born May 11, 1987) is a Nigerian-American professional mixed martial artist, former freestyle wrestler, and graduated folkstyle wrestler. He currently competes in the Welterweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championsh ...
(season 21 winner) def.
Warlley Alves Warlley Alves (born 4 January 1991) is a Brazilian mixed martial artist who competed in the Welterweight and Middleweight divisions of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. A professional MMA competitor since 2011, Warlley made a name for himsel ...
(Brazil 3 winner) - UFC Fight Night: Bader vs. Nogueira 2 *
Elias Theodorou Elias Theodorou (May 31, 1988 – September 11, 2022) was a Canadian mixed martial artist. He competed for the UFC in the Middleweight division where he was ranked 13th until his release, and won '' The Ultimate Fighter Nations: Canada vs. Austr ...
(Nations: Canada vs. Australia winner) def.
Cezar Ferreira Cezar Jesus Ferreira (born February 15, 1985), better known in his home country Brazil as Cezar Mutante, is a mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist currently competing in the Light heavyweight (MMA), light heavyweight division. A professional ...
(Brazil winner) - UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Browne *
Kelvin Gastelum Kelvin Gastelum (born October 24, 1991) is an American professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the welterweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Gastelum earned a contract with the UFC after winning '' The ...
(season 17 winner) def.
Michael Bisping Michael Gavin Joseph Bisping (; born 28 February 1979) is an English former mixed martial artist, sports commentator, analyst, and actor. He competed in the middleweight and light heavyweight divisions of the Ultimate Fighting Championship ( ...
(season 3 winner) - UFC Fight Night: Bisping vs. Gastelum *
Tatiana Suarez Tatiana Yadira Suarez Padilla (born December 19, 1990) is an American professional mixed martial artist and former wrestler who currently competes in the women's Strawweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). She was the straw ...
(season 23 winner) def.
Carla Esparza Carla Kristen Esparza (born October 10, 1987) is an American former professional mixed martial artist and wrestler who most recently competed in the women's Strawweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), in which she is the fo ...
(season 20 winner) -
UFC 228 ''UFC 228: Woodley vs. Till'' was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that was held on September 8, 2018 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. Background The event was headlined by a UFC Welterweight ...
*
Michael Chiesa Michael Keith Chiesa (; born December 7, 1987) is an American professional Mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist and sports analyst who currently competes in the Welterweight (MMA), Welterweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship ( ...
(season 15 winner) def.
Diego Sanchez Diego Sanchez (born December 31, 1981) is an American professional mixed martial artist who currently competes on the Super Lightweight division of Eagle Fighting Championship. A professional competitor since 2002, Sanchez is most known for his ...
(season 1 winner) -
UFC 239 ''UFC 239: Jones vs. Santos'' was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that was held on July 6, 2019 at T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada, part of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Area. Background A UFC Light Heav ...
*
Julianna Peña Julianna Peña (born August 19, 1989) is an American professional mixed martial artist who competes in the women's Bantamweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where she is a former two-time UFC Women's Bantamweight Champio ...
(season 18 winner) def.
Nicco Montaño Nicco Montaño (born December 16, 1988) is an American mixed martial artist who last competed in the bantamweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). She was the first UFC Women's Flyweight Champion. Background Montaño was bor ...
(season 26 winner) - UFC Fight Night: de Randamie vs. Ladd *Robert Whittaker (Smashes winner) def. Kelvin Gastelum (season 17 winner) - UFC on ESPN: Whittaker vs. Gastelum *Nate Diaz (season 5 winner) def.
Tony Ferguson Anthony Armand Ferguson Padilla (born February 12, 1984) is an American professional mixed martial artist where he is a former Interim UFC Lightweight Champion. A professional since 2008, and was signed to the UFC from his '' The Ultimate Fi ...
(season 13 winner) -
UFC 279 ''UFC 279: Diaz vs. Ferguson'' was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on September 10, 2022, at the T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada, part of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Area, United States. ...
*Michael Chiesa (season 15 winner) def. Tony Ferguson (season 13 winner) - UFC on ABC: Sandhagen vs. Nurmagomedov


See also

* The Ultimate Surfer


References


Further reading

* * * * *


External links


Ultimate Fighter Official SiteSpike TV's Ultimate Fighter page
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Ultimate Fighter, The 2005 American television series debuts 2000s American reality television series 2010s American reality television series 2000s American sports television series Ultimate Fighting Championship television series Spike (TV network) original programming Mixed martial arts mass media Mixed martial arts television shows 2010s American sports television series