On Tuesday afternoon UFC President Dana White announced the two opposing coaches for season 13 of “The Ultimate Fighter.” Coaching opposite one another will be heavyweights Brock Lesnar (5-2) and Junior “Cigano” dos Santos (12-1).
Filming for The upcoming season will air on March 30 while filming begins at the end of this month. Both fighters will meet in the octagon in June and the winner will then move on to face the current champ Cain Velasquez for the heavyweight title.
“It’s gonna be a very interesting six weeks of filming,” said White during a media teleconference Tuesday. “These two will coach, then they’ll fight, and the winner of the fight will fight Cain Velasquez when he’s healthy.”
“The guy’s a former world champion, he’s beat guys and held the title,” said White of Lesnar. “No matter what his record is, what the guy has accomplished in the short amount of time that he’s been in MMA is incredible. He’s obviously got a lot that he can teach, and not only him, but the staff that he has around him have a lot to teach young, up and coming guys, and that’s what it’s really all about.”
“Junior dos Santos is a young, up and coming guy,” said White of dos Santos. “He’s been knocking everybody out, comes off a three round war with “Big Country” (Roy Nelson) and I love when guys do that because it’s good for them, it’s good experience, it gets them in better shape and it takes them to another level. And to put this guy on the shelf for a long time is ridiculous, and much credit to him for not wanting to go on the shelf.”
Lesnar is coming off a title loss to Velasquez last October at UFC 121, while dos Santos earned his seventh straight victory by defeating Roy Nelson by unanimous decision at UFC 117.
HT: Photo and quote via UFC.com