Let’s face it, whether you are sick of it or not, The Ultimate Fighter is a big part of UFC history and a way that the company has spread its product to new fans.
That’s true even after over 20 seasons on the air.
The show has produced UFC champions, l…
Let’s face it, whether you are sick of it or not, The Ultimate Fighter is a big part of UFC history and a way that the company has spread its product to new fans.
That’s true even after over 20 seasons on the air.
The show has produced UFC champions, legendary fighters and memorable fights that give it a place dear in all of our hearts. It’s had its ups and downs, but has nonetheless been beneficial to both the company and fighters.
So which seasons had the best fighters?
That is what we must examine right now. Excluding international versions such as TUF Brazil, Latin America, China, Smashes and Nations, we need to take a look at the American portions of the show and see which seasons contributed the most talent.
Without further ado, here are the six best TUF casts in the show’s history.
The UFC made its return to Chicago Saturday night, as UFC on Fox 16 came to audiences live from the United Center.
The card was headlined by a UFC Bantamweight Championship bout between TJ Dillashaw and Renan Barao. It was a rematch from their first en…
The UFC made its return to Chicago Saturday night, as UFC on Fox 16 came to audiences live from the United Center.
The card was headlined by a UFC Bantamweight Championship bout between TJ Dillashaw and RenanBarao. It was a rematch from their first encounter, where a heavy underdog in Dillashaw made a name for himself by upending the longtime champion, Barao.
This time around, nothing was different. Dillashaw completely dismantled Barao, using superior striking and footwork to rout the Brazilian.
It was a devastating loss for Barao, who is now further from the title than ever. He now must go back to the drawing board and figure some things out.
In the meanwhile, here are three fights that Barao can take next in an effort to right the ship.
Dominick Cruz
Dominick Cruz has been away from the cage with injuries. However, if he were to return in the near future, a bout with Barao would seem logical.
Both men have been champions of the division and the best fighters, pound-for-pound. It would be a truly pleasing matchup for both men and a gauge to see if Cruz is ready for a title shot.
Barao at this point is stuck in no-man’s land because Dillashaw is champion. So, the Brazilian will be the measuring stick for anyone who is looking to run at the title.
Cruz is that man and could match up nicely with the former UFC champion.
TakeyaMizugaki
Barao has seemingly fought everyone in the bantamweight division. Just look at his record.
A noticeably absent name from his dossier is TakeyaMizugaki, who has been around just as long as, if not longer than, Barao. That makes an impending matchup one to look out for.
Both men love to strike, which makes this a potential Fight of the Night. Mizugaki is a little more technical, while Barao is far more powerful.
This may be the best matchup to make for Barao. A fight against the seasoned vet will determine how he has recovered from his most recent loss.
Loser of John Lineker vs. Francisco Rivera
UFC 191 on Sept. 5 is home to an absolute barnburner when John Lineker and Francisco Rivera meet. When the fallout settles, the winner will be close to the title picture.
That’s where the loser steps in. Whoever fails to gain victory at UFC 191 would be a great opponent for Barao.
Both guys sling heavy leather and are aggressive. That makes a bout with Barao one that would be fun to watch and interesting to see who succeeds.
There are plenty of options going forward for Barao. This one just happens to be too much fun to overlook.
The UFC made its return to Chicago last night, as UFC on Fox came to audiences live Saturday night from the United Center.
The card was headlined by a UFC Bantamweight Championship bout between TJ Dillashaw and Renan Barao, but also featured a match be…
The UFC made its return to Chicago last night, as UFC on Fox came to audiences live Saturday night from the United Center.
The card was headlined by a UFC Bantamweight Championship bout between TJ Dillashaw and RenanBarao, but also featured a match between Miesha Tate and Jessica Eye in the co-main event.
It was a solid scrap that featured a good mixture of striking and ground work. Eye looked solid early, but it was Tate who hit her stride at the right moments, dropping Eye at a couple points and dominating from top position.
The win looks to put Tate into title contention, though she’s not sure of who she’ll fight next. Champion Ronda Rousey and challenger Bethe Correia will settle that next weekend in Brazil, and Tate will likely fight the winner of that bout.
If it’s a Correia win, it will be a fresh matchup, but one likely on hold for an immediate rematch. If it’s a Rousey win, it sets up a third bout between the two rivals that will still be marketable.
Rousey and Tate first met in Strikeforce when Rouseyarmbarred the title away from the champion. They then rematched in the UFC after a coaching stint on The Ultimate Fighter, where tension was high and it built to a highly anticipated rematch. Rousey again was victorious, though it was the first time anybody had taken her out of the first round before.
Let’s be honest. The beauty of both women make them marketable. It’s also the bad blood and Ronda’s larger-than-life personality that has made her a box-office hit.
So there are many reasons why Tate-Rousey III will draw eyes and money. Big rivalries never die, and both women have to be chomping at the bit to get their hands on one another.
Sure, it’s something we’ve seen before, and the outcome may not change, as Rousey is a wrecking ball.
That said, Tate has been very impressive since their last encounter. She has been picking up big win after big win against top opponents. Some of those women include former title challenger Liz Carmouche, Olympic silver medalist Sara McMann and the aforementioned Eye, who was one win away from the title shot before Tate snagged it from her.
So, does Tate have a chance?
Of course, MMA is a weird sport where anything can happen. Just ask Gian Villante, who was big time in the lead last night before getting sloshed by one huge punch by a trailing Tom Lawlor.
Is Ronda the heavy favorite? Of course, she’s the heavy favorite against whomever she fights.
However, it is a fun matchup, Tate has been Rousey’s best opponent, and there is true heat that will get this bout over with the general viewing public.
That’s a win for the fans, the UFC and both fighters looking for a good payday.
The UFC makes its return to the Windy City, as UFC on Fox 16 touches down in the great city of Chicago on Saturday. The stacked card will take place on network TV in prime time and features a championship rematch in the headliner.
T.J. Dillashaw makes …
The UFC makes its return to the Windy City, as UFC on Fox 16 touches down in the great city of Chicago on Saturday. The stacked card will take place on network TV in prime time and features a championship rematch in the headliner.
T.J. Dillashaw makes his second defense of the UFC Bantamweight Championship against RenanBarao, the man he dethroned to become the king of the hill. It continues a long-running rivalry between Team Alpha Male and Nova Uniao.
Bleacher Report got the band back together to make their fearless picks for this event. So without further ado, James MacDonald, Sean Smith, Scott Harris, Craig Amos and me, Riley Kontek, will lead you through this card with our picks.
July has been a busy month for the UFC, and MMA fans aren’t getting a break anytime soon. That’s because UFC on Fox 16 marks the UFC’s return to Chicago and network TV this Saturday.
The card is headlined by a title fight between TJ Dillashaw and …
July has been a busy month for the UFC, and MMA fans aren’t getting a break anytime soon. That’s because UFC on Fox 16 marks the UFC’s return to Chicago and network TV this Saturday.
The card is headlined by a title fight between TJ Dillashaw and RenanBarao. It is a rematch, as their first encounter saw Dillashaw score a huge upset win to take the title off Barao and intensify the rivalry between Team Alpha Male and Nova Uniao.
The UFC’s venture into Scotland last Saturday was a success in terms of my preliminary predictions record, as I ran a 5-1 tally. Prior to that, Wednesday’s offering saw me pull a perfect 6-0 record. Hopefully, that momentum continues here.
Without further ado, let’s take a look at the preliminary bouts and make some predictions.
The UFC made its debut in Scotland Saturday with UFC Fight Night 72. Headlined by Michael Bisping and Thales Leites, the event had the promise of being an exciting one based on the fighters who graced the card.
The card was chock-full of European talen…
The UFC made its debut in Scotland Saturday with UFC Fight Night 72. Headlined by Michael Bisping and Thales Leites, the event had the promise of being an exciting one based on the fighters who graced the card.
The card was chock-full of European talent, as well as some other great fighters from various non-European countries. The fans were even treated to three fights featuring Scottish mixed martial artists, showing that the sport is growing in that great country.
So, who were the real winners and losers from this event? Let’s examine now from this entertaining fight card.
The UFC made its return to Chicago Saturday night, as UFC on Fox 16 came to audiences live from the United Center.