This coming Saturday, one of the most painfully lackluster seasons of The Ultimate Fighter will finally, finally come to a close.
Heavyweight fighters Roy Nelson and Shane Carwin share plenty of the blame for being dim personalities in a reality show that’s almost solely driven by rivalries and reality television antics, but FX and the UFC are equally to blame for sticking it in a Friday-night death slot.
Now, things may finally turn around.
UFC light heavyweight kingpin Jon Jones (already one of MMA‘s most divisive personalities) will face off against master trash-talker Chael Sonnen for TUF 17 on Tuesday nights next month, in a season that aims to save the ailing TV show. But what happens after they’re done?
Unfortunately, the UFC rarely seems to plan ahead for worst-case scenarios—what if TUF 17 isn’t the roaring success they expect?
Instead of slapping a Band-Aid on the situation, the promotion needs to maintain big names for future TUF seasons on FX. Here’s 10 more fighters that fit the bill.