Roy Nelson served as a coach on The Ultimate Fighter 16, but he won’t be competing against opposing coach Shane Carwin at the season finale on Saturday. Instead, due to a Carwin injury, Nelson is set to meet replacement opponent Matt Mitrione.
Nelson and Mitrione both joined the UFC after participating on The Ultimate Fighter 10. Mitrione was submitted in the quarterfinals of that season’s tournament, while Nelson went on to win the competition. However, Mitrione has made significant strides as a fighter in the years since.
The Ultimate Fighter 16 featured a welterweight tournament, with Colton Smith and Mike Ricci winning several fights to get to the point where they are now. At Saturday’s finale, Smith and Ricci will compete for a guaranteed six-figure contract with the world’s premier MMA organization.
With another season of the UFC’s reality series in the books, let’s take a look at some Bleacher Report staff predictions for the finale’s entire main card.