After a lengthy hiatus, The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) is set to make its highly-anticipated return. Season 29 of the longstanding reality show will feature current Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski and Brian Ortega as coaches.
The show will premiere on June 1, 2021 on ESPN+, and now the promotion has unveiled the first trailer for your viewing pleasure.
One the show wraps, Volkanovski and Ortega will collide in a 145-pound title fight sometime this year. The two were set to throw down at UFC 260 before the fight was canceled after Volkanovski — winner of 19 straight — tested positive for COVID-19.
As for Ortega, he earned his second title shot after defeating Chan Sung Jung at UFC Fight Island 6 in Oct. 2020. Prior to the win, “T-City” lost to former division champion Max Holloway, which is the first and only loss of his MMA career.
Volkanovski, meanwhile, is 9-0 inside the Octagon with his last two wins coming against the aforementioned Max Holloway. He also has impressive wins over ex-division champion Jose Aldo and former title contender, Chad Mendes.
TUF 29 will air on ESPN+ every Tuesday night.