The Ultimate Fighting Championship announced the competing coaches for both of the upcoming seasons of “The Ultimate Fighter.”
Facing off for season sixteen of the reality series will be heavyweights Shane Carwin (12-2) and Roy ‘Big Country’ Nelson (17-7) who start filming this September.
Meeting as opposing coaches for the TUF: The Smashes series in Australia will be hometown fighter George Sotiropoulos (14-4) and season nine “TUF” winner Ross ‘The Real Deal’ Pearson (13-6).
UFC president Dana White announced the coaches for TUF 16 in a release earlier today, which also included comments from both fighters:
White:
“This is going to be a very interesting dynamic between these two heavyweights. They both have huge punching power and great chins but, outside of the Octagon, they couldn’t be more different. These two have been going at it on social media for a while and don’t seem to like each other very much, but they are going to be seeing a lot of each other during this series and I guarantee it’ll make for great TV.”
Carwin:“I also asked to coach against Roy Nelson. The fans know how I like to conduct myself both in and out of the Octagon, and I respect every fighter, coach, official and fan in the UFC. But I cannot respect a man like Roy Nelson – because he shows no respect himself. He is a keyboard warrior who doesn’t have the guts to talk trash to my face, but now he’s going to have to be in the same room, the same gym and finally the same Octagon as me.”
Nelson: “When I found out I was going to be a TUF coach I was like ‘Wow me!’ When I found out I was coaching against Shane Carwin I was so happy to get a chance to compete against this guy. As for being in the same room as him, I try not hang out with people that make me feel icky on the inside but, to coach TUF, I will make an exception.”
During last nights UFC on FUEL TV 4 post fight broadcast, White also revealed the “TUF: The Smashes” coaches:
White revealed the TUF: The Smashes coaches for the upcoming season of the show, which pits Australian fighters against a team from the UK: “The coaches will be [Ross] Pearson and [George] Sotiropoulos. They will fight at the end of it.”
Sunderland, England’s Pearson won TUF 9 as a lightweight, then dropped to featherweight late last year. Sotiropoulos was a TUF 6 standout.