(Basically, TUF 17 is ‘Eyes Wide Shut,’ with Chael Sonnen playing the Tom Cruise role.)
USA Today/MMAJunkie has released the 28-member cast list for The Ultimate Fighter: Team Jones vs. Team Sonnen (aka TUF 17), which premieres Tuesday, January 22nd on FX. You can check out the full roster after the jump, but here are a few guys you may already know…
Nik Fekete (5-1, LHW): The New Jersey-bred wrestling savant had the dubious honor of becoming the second Bellator fighter to lose via flying inverted triangle choke. Fekete followed up that defeat with a TKO win over Mark Griffin at Bellator 48 in August 2011, but hasn’t competed since then.
Kevin Casey (5-2, MW): Best known as Heidi and Spencer’s BJJ coach, the rapper/grappler (“rappler”?), and Strikeforce vet has earned three of his five victories by first-round rear-naked choke, but has suffered TKO losses to Matt Lindland and Ikuhisa Minowa.
Zak Cummings (15-3, LHW, listed here as “Zach”): A Missouri-based vet who has made appearances in Strikeforce Challengers, Bellator, and MFC, Cummings kicked off his pro career with a 10-0 streak. Since then, he’s been more notable for losing to Tim Kennedy and losing to Ryan Jimmo.
Tor Troeng (15-4, MW): Remember how Dana White said there was one guy in the TUF 17 cast who “scared the living shit out of everyone” and put all his opponents in the hospital? Well, there are unsubstantiated rumors that it might be this guy, a Swedish vet who has won four straight fights since being submitted by Thales Leites at Superior Challenge 6 in October 2010.
Robert McDaniel (20-6, MW): “Bubba” has only gone to decision once in his long career, and 75% of his wins have come by submission. McDaniel holds stoppage wins over Kala Hose, Kyacey Uscola, and Johnny Rees, and is currently on a six-fight win streak.
And now, the full roster…
Dylan Andrews (16-4-1), 32, Gold Coast, Australia (by way of New Zealand)
Kito Andrews (9-2), 34, Sacramento, Calif.
Luke Barnatt (5-0), 24, Cambridge, England
Leo Bercier (7-2), 31, Great Falls, Mont.
Ryan Bigler (9-3), 28, Yona, Guam
Kevin Casey (5-2), Hawthorne, Calif.
Adam Cella (4-0), 27, Fenton, Mo.
Zach Cummings (15-3), 28, Kansas City, Mo.
Andy Enz (6-1), 21, Anchorage, Alaska
Nik Fekete (5-1), 32, Las Vegas
Kelvin Gastelum (5-0), 20, Yuma, Ariz.
Uriah Hall (7-2), 28, New York City (by way of Jamaica)
Collin Hart (4-1-1), 23, Santa Rosa, Calif.
Clint Hester (7-3), 25, Atlanta
Jake Heun (3-2), 25, Salt Lake City
Mike Jasper (6-0), 29, Camarillo, Calif.
Nicholas Kohring (3-0), 22, Valley Springs, Calif.
Robert “Bubba” McDaniel (20-6), 29, Albuquerque, N.M.
Fraser Opie (10-5), 29, Milton Keynes, England (by way of South Africa)
Mike Persons (3-0), 28, Manteca, Calif.
Jimmy Quinlan (3-0), 26, Metheun, Mass.
Scott Rosa (4-1), 26, Sparks, Nev.
Joshua Samman (9-2), 24, Tallahassee, Fla.
Gilbert Smith Jr. (5-1), Colorado Springs, Colo.
Eldon Sproat (3-1), 27, Molokai, Hawaii
Tor Troeng (15-4-1), 29, Umea, Sweden
Eric Wahlin (5-1), 29, Taylorsville, Utah
Timothy Williams (7-1), 26, Millville, N.J.
Keep in mind that this crew will likely be cut down to 16 by the end of the first episode’s elimination round. If you have info to share about any of the other fighters we didn’t cover, please drop some knowledge in the comments section.