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Bellator’s Crazy Main Events Will Set It Apart from the UFC

Scott Coker seems to have a winning formula for television success.
The formula goes a little something like this: Fill up a card with great prospects and great style fights. Upgrade your presentation with a mixture of World Wrestling Entertainment and…

Scott Coker seems to have a winning formula for television success.

The formula goes a little something like this: Fill up a card with great prospects and great style fights. Upgrade your presentation with a mixture of World Wrestling Entertainment and PRIDE, tossing in a little bit of rock-concert action on the side. Set yourself apart from the competition by creating custom entrances, lighting packages and music. Give each fighter a memorable and branded identity.

And for the main event, sign two fighters with name value, and pit them against each other. It doesn’t matter if they are old. It does not matter if they were never a champion. The only thing that matters is that they have recognizable names.

And not just to the hardcore mixed martial arts community. They’ll be watching anyway, because that is what they do. They need to be recognizable to the casual fans who tune in once or twice a year, at most. They need to capture the attention of the people who started watching MMA back in the early days of The Ultimate Fighter, or when Brock Lesnar began pulling astronomical pay-per-view numbers.

Those viewers tuned out at some point over the past five years, but it’s easy to bring them back. All you have to do is give them names they recognize.

It worked for Coker‘s first “tentpole” show in Bellator. When he announced that Tito Ortiz and Stephan Bonnar would headline the November 16 show in San Diego, the hardcore community jumped all over it and not in a good way. And yeah, Ortiz and Bonnar had a terrible fight, which is about what you’d expect from two old men far past their primes.

But the ratings showed that fight quality doesn’t really matter to the masses. Ortiz and Bonnar, winded and wounded, peaked at two million viewers. It was the most-watched cable TV fight of 2014, and it was a success regardless of how painful it was to watch.

Now, Coker will attempt to replicate that success with two more old men. One of them is very old. Ken Shamrock, 51, has not competed since 2010. Kimbo Slice, 41, has also been out of mixed martial arts action since 2010, though he stayed somewhat busy by beating a steady stream of cans in barely passable boxing matches.

Slice was never good at mixed martial arts. Like CM Punk, Slice was brought into the UFC because he could bring eyeballs. It did not matter that he was completely out of his element once the fight went anywhere but on the feet. He was an attraction, and the UFC needed him. It got what it needed out of him on The Ultimate Fighter and two subsequent bouts, and then it sent him on his way.

And now Slice is back, ready (along with Shamrock) to help bring eyeballs to a product attempting to differentiate itself from the market leader. Different is good. Former Bellator czar Bjorn Rebney tried to present his promotion as pure sports. The tournament-based format for determining championship fights was novel, and it was different, and it felt like real sports. It felt like all fighters had a real stake in determining their future.

But it was also boring. At the end of the day, mixed martial arts is still a business built on bringing in the largest amount of money possible. It is an entertainment business. It’s all well and good to create intriguing fights between young, talented competitors. But what good do those matchups do if nobody is watching?

The UFC has the greatest roster of mixed martial arts talent in the short history of the sport. It has nearly 600 fighters on a roster that ranges from the greatest fighter in the sport (Jon Jones) all the way down to young prospects earning their stripes on the preliminary card. Talent for talent, there is no way Bellator (or anyone else) can compete with what the UFC offers. And it certainly cannot attempt to present the same style of product as the UFC and hope for any kind of success.

Bellator has to be different. If the UFC is your dependable and rock-solid father, then Bellator is the crazy uncle that shows up completely hammered at the family reunion and hits on the catering staff. You’ll act embarrassed, and you’ll shake your head, but you won’t stop watching, because you have to see what he does next.

Make no mistake about it: There is a good chance that Slice vs. Shamrock will be one of the worst fights you have ever seen. If both men make it to the end of the second round without collapsing, it will be a victory. On that night, the hardcore MMA fan inside you will die a little bit.

But you aren’t Coker‘s target audience. He already has you. With fights like this one, he’s trying to bring in the folks who rarely watch MMA, in the hopes that they’ll tune in and then see something else on the broadcast they enjoy. He’s trying to set his product apart from the UFC to create new fans and bring back old ones.

And if it takes something as ridiculous and over-the-top as a very old former UFC star against a street fighter, well, so be it. At least he’s doing something different.

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Thank You, MMA Gods: Kimbo Slice vs. Ken Shamrock to Headline June 20th Bellator Event

And there’s PLENTY MORE WHERE THAT CAME FROM. (*cries*)

When it was announced that Bellator had signed Kimbo Slice after a five year hiatus from the sport, we were confused.

When we tried handpicking who he should fight for his big debut, we were cautious, but hopeful.

When Bellator broke the news that Slice would be fighting Ken Shamrock — 51 year-old, bare-knuckle boxing, security guard to the stars(ish) Ken Shamrock — earlier today, we fell to our knees and thanked the Gods, for a great blessing had been bestowed upon us.

And there’s PLENTY MORE WHERE THAT CAME FROM. (*cries*)

When it was announced that Bellator had signed Kimbo Slice after a five year hiatus from the sport, we were confused.

When we tried handpicking who he should fight for his big debut, we were cautious, but hopeful.

If you recall, Slice and Shamrock were actually scheduled to fight at Elite XC: Heat back in 2008, until a last-minute cut suffered in pre-fight warm-ups saw Shamrock forced out of the bout. He was replaced by UFC alum (and light heavyweight) Seth Petruzelli, who yadda yadda something something EliteXC collapsed.

This, is the greatest piece of news we have heard in quite some time. Seriously, just when you think that Mickey Rourke’s face will be the weirdest thing you’ll see all week, the MMA Gods make their presence known and just…(*kisses fingers*). According to ESPN, Slice vs. Shamrock will transpire on June 20th and be televised live on Spike TV from St. Louis, Missouri. That being said, only the noobiest of TUF noobs would not do everything in their power to see this thing live. I’m already checking TripAdvisor for the cheapest travel/hotel combo. Does the 10 a.m. Greyhound to Ferguson seem like a good idea?

We’ve been publicly stating our desire to see Bellator go full freakshow (“embrace the crazy,” if you will) for some time now, and one Justin-McCully-in-a-clown-rapist-mask at a time, they have been answering our prayers. But this, this is the pinnacle of it all. This is PRIDE. This is Super Hluk. This is the Coker era.

Bless you, MMA, and bless you, Bellator. Scott Coker is our shepherd; we shall not want.

Dun Dada: Fantasy-Picking Kimbo Slice’s Opponent For His Bellator Debut

(And to think, had Kimbo landed his signature headbutt to the groin that night, EliteXC might still be in operation. Photo via Divulgação.)

By CagePotato reader BJ Last

Welcome back to Sliceworld! The man who took the internet by storm in 2003, turned into a popular MMA circus act in 2007, fell from relevance in 2010, started boxing jobbers in 2012, and everyone sort of forgot about in 2014, is now signed with the second biggest MMA promotion in the world. The only question remaining now — aside from why? and also huh? — is who should be Slice’s first opponent under the Bellator banner? Scott Coker & Co. have two options, as far as I see it:

1) They can try to find Slice a “legitimate” (yes, there’s a reason for air quotes) opponent in an attempt to rebuild him as a genuinely dangerous MMA fighter.

2) They can channel their inner Japanese MMA promotion and go full freakshow.

I’ll tell you what I want (what I really, really want), or at least what I see as the most likely options for each scenario. Let’s start with the “legitimate” opponents…

(And to think, had Kimbo landed his signature headbutt to the groin that night, EliteXC might still be in operation. Photo via Divulgação.)

By CagePotato reader BJ Last

1) They can try to find Slice a “legitimate” (yes, there’s a reason for air quotes) opponent in an attempt to rebuild him as a genuinely dangerous MMA fighter.

2) They can channel their inner Japanese MMA promotion and go full freakshow.

I’ll tell you what I want (what I really, really want), or at least what I see as the most likely options for each scenario. Let’s start with the “legitimate” opponents…

Tito Ortiz – This is the most likely (and probably least interesting) option. Despite what some people think, this fight makes the most sense for Bellator and Ortiz. Bellator gets to have a main event with two name fighters, and could pack the card with other prospects in the hope that people tuning in for this fight will also watch the, you know, talented people on the card. That’s pretty much what Bellator did with their first pay-per-view, and it’ll give Tito a three-fight win streak to carry in against the winner of Liam McGeary vs. Emanuel Newton for the light-heavyweight title.

What’s that? You say Ortiz has already shut down the idea of a potential fight with Slice? Well, methinks that the man who has fought an undersized middleweight and a retired steroid abuser thus far in his Bellator run can be persuaded.

Rematch – James Thompson is currently under contract with Bellator and Seth Petruzelli has said he’d come out of retirement for a rematch. There are only 2 problems with these potential matchups. 1) No one would care who won and 2) There’s no real benefit to Bellator if either Thompson or Petruzelli pick up a win.

Ok, so they’re pretty big problems.

Someone Without a Wikipedia Page – If Bellator wants Kimbo to win so that they have enough footage to hype his next fight, they need to give him the UFC’s CM Punk treatment (or the Sokoudjou Bellator debut treatment), a.k.a an obscure/underskilled opponent. Then again, the last time a promotion had Kimbo face a part-time, semi-retired fighter, it didn’t end well for the promotion. And by not end well, I mean the semi-retired fighter KO’d Kimbo in under 20 seconds, causing the promoter to lose his shit cage-side and eventually sinking the entire promotion. If Bellator wants an opponent they can be sure Kimbo will beat, they’ll need to go the Milwaukee MMA matchmaking route.

Eric Prindle – Just because Bellator could re-use most of the greatest promo video ever.

On Page 2, we get a little more creative with our matchmaking efforts…

Tito Ortiz Brushes Off a Potential Fight With Kimbo Slice, And For Once, He’s In the Right

(Does this man strike you as someone who would trade in his dignity for a quick buck? Didn’t think so.)

By CP Reader Marcos Rego

With plenty of dark clouds hanging overhead this week, I thought it would be best to bring some cheer to the wonderful boys and girls of CP in the only way I know how: A series of jokes about Tito Ortiz disguised as an article. (Think of me as that uncle who gave you your first beer at age 15…but less creepy and allowed to go near public schools).

Repressed childhood memories aside, did you hear?! Tito Ortiz thinks fighting Kimbo Slice makes about as much sense as putting Fritos on a pizza. And for once, he’s right!

(Does this man strike you as someone who would trade in his dignity for a quick buck? Didn’t think so.)

By CP Reader Marcos Rego

Repressed childhood memories aside, did you hear?! Tito Ortiz thinks fighting Kimbo Slice makes about as much sense as putting Fritos on a pizza. And for once, he’s right!

You may remember Kimbo Slice from his infamous Internet days — no, not his street fights, I’m talking about the Internet you’re more familiar with. And you may remember Fritos on a pizza from the people who are absolutely insane. You may as well put shards of glass on my sandwich while you’re at it, you assholes!

Anyways, with Kimbo recently/inexplicably being signed by Bellator last week, hundreds of thousands of tens of dozens of fans have been calling for a fight between Slice and Bellator’s *other* biggest star, “The Huntington Beach People’s Champ.” During an interview with AG Fight (via MMAFighting), however, Tito put the kibosh on a potential fight with Slice, stating “I’m a world champion. Fighting someone like Kimbo is a step down. I don’t wanna fight a street fighter.”

Yes, Tito Ortiz just said that he would rather not jeopardize his credibility to fight someone. As in the same Tito Ortiz who fought Stephen Bonnar in what I wish was the oh, so distant past. (I don’t even have the stomach to get into that horse and jackass show). As in the same Tito Ortiz who dated, married, and put babies in this chick.

I know what you’re thinking, “What’s the big deal, Marcos?” Well, as my girlfriend likes to instruct me after foreplay: This is the part where I take something small and insignificant and try to make something happen inside you.

As of late, the MMA industry has been going through a bit of an identity crisis. It’s at a crossroads, really. Down one road we see a sport that’s legitimized itself with disciplined, harden morals and standards. A sport that earns more than an “Oh, you’re into that UFC stuff?” A sport where its fighters and fans are valued as much as the money it brings in.

Down the other road we see a sport that has bastardized itself into a live-action circus that has what resembles fighting and where entertainment and viewership is achieved with clowns and the occasional this guy.

Sure, Tito Ortiz may be completely bullshitting when he says he plans on taking the rest of his four fights under the Bellator banner seriously. Although he did an extraordinary amount to pioneer our fine sport, God knows he’s no one to champion and martyr himself for its future. Kimbo is going to eventually fight someone anyways — I hear that Seth Petruzelli may be coming out…of retirement — despite it being 2015, which in itself eliminates the possibility that a freak show fight won’t happen.

As long as big time promotions like Bellator and the UFC want to raise awareness the cheap, lazy, easy way, these kinds of fights, and these kinds of “fighters” like Kimbo are going to keep popping up. But every time a Tito Ortiz says no to a Kimbo Slice, it’s a tiny victory for all of us who want this sport to be taken seriously.

It’s a small victory, yes, but still a victory. And how fitting that it comes from the same man who once gave us this pre-fight press conference. My sincerest thanks, you big, broken headed hero.

Examining the Ways Bellator Can Use Newly Signed Superstar Kimbo Slice

Bellator made headlines last week when they decided to sign YouTube street fighter, UFC veteran and pro boxer Kimbo Slice to their roster. It was a move that received mixed reviews from fans, as some were stoked to see the hulking heavyweight return, w…

Slice, whose pro MMA record stands at 4-2, is 40 years old, and if you remember watching The Ultimate Fighter 10, you’ll remember he had knee issues. At this stage in the game, Kimbo won’t be a world-class mixed martial artist, but there’s no doubt that he will draw big attention and entertain fans one way or another.

Since his last fight in 2010, Kimbo took to pro boxing, where he went 7-0 against largely unknown opponents. With that focus being put on boxing, one could assume he wasn’t really working on his ground game much, despite being cousins with judo black belt and Strikeforce veteran Rhadi Ferguson (Kimbo’s real name is Kevin Ferguson).

In what ways can Bellator utilize Kimbo and which ways would work the best? We now examine several possibilities for Bellator’s newest backyard brawler.

Feed Him Cans

Let’s be honest here. The reason we all loved Kimbo during his YouTube days (and even his Elite XC days) is because we loved watching him beat dudes up. Most of the time, they were guys with little fight experience or skill.

That was the best. We watched a hulking man with muscles for days and a beard as thick as a Culver’s milkshake throw fists with bad intentions and knock fools out.

That’s what makes Kimbo a draw, and we shouldn’t be ashamed to admit it.

So, Bellator could do what’s best for Kimbo and the viewing audience by feeding Kimbo lowly competition. I don’t necessarily mean guys with no fight experience. I more or less mean guys that he matches up favorably against and aren’t exactly getting comparisons to Randy Couture in terms of overall skill level.

It worked and drew for Elite XC early on. They threw him Bo Cantrell in his debut, a fighter whose record at the time was 10-9 and has a penchant for getting finished in under a minute. His previous three fights before Kimbo saw Cantrell fall in 55, five and 26 seconds.

They also had him take a way-past-his-prime Tank Abbott, a fellow brawler who was a far cry from his UFC days when he was a feared fighter. In fact, Abbott came out of retirement for that bout, and Kimbo sent him right back where he was.

Bellator has the money and the advertising wits about them to make the fight seem important. It would also be a decent payday for a guy to step up and fight Kimbo, making money he would never make otherwise.

Freak-Show Tournament

I ran this idea by a few of my MMA friends and colleagues to more mixed responses, but the general consensus was that it would be a draw and interesting to watch based on name power. Bellator could put on a heavyweight freak-show tournament, featuring men with more name than either skill or experience.

The names I threw in there are Kimbo, Herschel Walker (who fought under Scott Coker in Strikeforce), Alberto Del Rio, Bob Sapp, Jose Canseco, Ikuhisa Minowa, Jason David Frank and Michael Westbrook. You could use all eight or a combination of the four (if you kept four, stick with Kimbo, Walker, Del Rio and Canseco).

Most of these guys are more names than they are fighters (with the exception of one or two people), and people would tune in to see that.

Walker is a former pro football player for teams like the Dallas Cowboys, Minnesota Vikings and Philadelphia Eagles, as well as a guy who did collegiate track and field and tried his hand at Olympic bobsledding. However, he is a long-time martial artist with a fifth-degree black belt in taekwondo, as well as a 2-0 MMA fighter back in the day with Strikeforce.

Westbrook is similar to Walker, in that he is a former football player—spending most of his career with the Washington Redskins—before a brief stint in MMA. His most famous fight came on the football practice field when he beat up teammate Stephen Davis, but he does hold a 1-1 record in MMA and went three rounds with a young Travis Browne.

Canseco is a former baseball player who’s now most famous for things like exposing steroids in baseball and starring on reality TV. He claims a black belt in karate and taekwondo and had one MMA fight in Japan, where he was promptly defeated by Korean giant Hong-man Choi.

Frank is most recently known for his call-outs of CM Punk, a now-UFC employee. Frank, who was the White Power Ranger, is a highly accomplished black belt in karate who is 1-0 as a pro mixed martial artist.

Sapp and Minowa are the two most experienced fighters in the proposed tournament here. Sapp, known as a large man with little skill, is somehow still a draw in MMA and would be an interesting first-round opponent for Kimbo. Minowa, normally a lighter weight fighter, has made a career off beating larger opponents and being sort of a legendary figure in Japan because of that.

Del Rio might be the most difficult to get, as he is a pro wrestler who recently inked a deal with the upstart Lucha Underground promotion (check it out, wrestling fans). However, for the right money and a blessing from the wrestling promotion (maybe some advertising), Del Rio could be considered and would be an experienced, big name for the tournament (9-5 pro record).

If I were to match up the eight men, here’s how it would play out in the quarterfinals:

Fighter 1	Fighter 2	Reason
Kimbo Slice	Bob Sapp	Matchup of brawlers
Herschel Walker	Michael Westbrook	Football vs. Football
Ikuhisa Minowa	Alberto del Rio	Legend of Japan vs. Legend of Mexico
Jose Canseco	Jason David Frank	Power Hitter vs. Power Ranger

Yes, it would not be the best display of mixed martial arts you’ll find, but I guarantee it would draw eyes and money. Former pro athletes from different sports and mythical characters from the MMA world would be too hard to ignore.

Actual Competition

Now, if Bellator really wants, they can throw him some actual competition. This was done in the UFC, but not to a great result.

Of his opponents, Kimbo’s most legitimate fights were against Roy Nelson on TUF, Matt Mitrione and Houston Alexander, both of which were actual UFC bouts. He went 1-2, with his win against Alexander being universally panned as a stinker.

Nelson and Mitrione are top-20 guys with the UFC, and both had little trouble in putting away Kimbo. Nelson smothered and smashed Kimbo with his heavy ground game, while Mitrione used a variety of techniques on the feet and ground to make Kimbo look foolish.

Bellator would probably not get the most out of the bearded brawler going this route. Putting him in there with guys like Tito Ortiz, King Mo Lawal, Cheick Kongo or any of their top heavier weight fighters would have Kimbo’s momentum from signing killed quickly and painfully.

That’s why I think this is probably not the way to go, at least not for now. The tournament is a fun idea, but at this point, you have to assume that Coker and Co. are going to feed the undisputed king of Internet brawling somebody he can take with ease.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

TUF’s 10-Year Anniversary: The Legacy of the Most Drawn-Out MMA Show In History

(Photo via Getty)

By Alex Giardini

On Jan. 17, 2005, Spike TV aired a new show titled The Ultimate Fighter, which featured 16 combat sports athletes living under one roof in Las Vegas, competing for a six-figure contract with the UFC. What we didn’t know, however, was this exhaustive program was going to last over 20 seasons, complete with the FOX treatment, and plenty of drunken debauchery in between.

Long story short, the Zuffa brass was in serious trouble since their big gamble to buy the struggling Ultimate Fighting Championship wasn’t paying off. Simply put, that Fertitta money was being blown fast, with no real profit or indication of improvement. Spike TV founder Albie Hecht wanted a program that brought in a lot of viewers from all over, presumably because there are only so many reruns of the hyper masculine shows a person could watch.

(Photo via Getty)

By Alex Giardini

With one last ditch to bring this beautiful but often-problematic sport into the mainstream, both Fertitta brothers (Lorenzo and Frank III) were dealt an ace when Hecht flew over to Japan and insulted a gangster running K-1. It resulted in talks falling through with the officials running the kickboxing promotion, and TUF had a home. The show would air directly after WWE Raw (and they say MMA and pro wrestling are only distant cousins).

Anyhow, the show actually ended up being pretty damn good. Today marks the 10th anniversary of the very first episode, led by coaches Chuck Liddell and Randy Couture (who would fight in a rematch for the light heavyweight strap later on that year at UFC 52), Willa Ford, and 16 fighters that became major stars as the sport progressed (most of them, anyway).

The season finale pretty much saved the purchase, as Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar engaged in warfare for three rounds, in a bout widely perceived as the greatest fight of all-time (it got its fair share of competition over the years, for what it’s worth).

More importantly, people started to tune in by the hundred thousands, and the first-ever live MMA event on free television amassed approximately 1,900,000 viewers. The fight was so epic that Spike TV renewed the show for another season, and UFC President Dana White gave both men six-figure contracts for their efforts. Or, maybe he was onto something, seeing how judging would become atrocious in Nevada, and thought maybe Bonnar won (it’s not the boldest of claims if you rewatch the fight).

Sure, 2005 had a lot of big stars throughout the full year, including Liddell, Couture, Rich Franklin, Tito Ortiz, and Andrei Arlovski, but the sport was still pretty freaking niche for it to generate widespread appeal. To be honest, TUF really did save the UFC, and introduces many new fans to the sport known as “TUF Noobs.” If it weren’t for TUF, who knows … maybe Pride would still be around and putting on the best events fight fans would ever see.

As for the first episode titled “The Quest Begins,” this approach seemed refreshing. Later on, we also witnessed Dana White’s epic “Do You Want To Be A F*cking Fighter” rant, Chris Leben extremely drunk and pissing in people’s beds, Josh Koscheck and Bobby Southworth hosing “The Crippler” and calling him “a fatherless bastard,” Southworth killing himself cutting weight and almost getting killed by White when he mouthed off to him, a thief in the house, Bonnar and Diego Sanchez arguing over spilled bathwater, and some pretty good scraps.

Then, it all sort of went downhill from there.

Barring seasons two to four, which were all mildly entertaining, everything from season five onwards felt a little forced. We definitely appreciated the influx of lightweights that emerged from the fifth installment, yet did we really need a season six?

It all came full circle by season seven, and it was then made official that TUF was simply a reality show devoted to drunken mayhem and drama, just like the rest of them. Junie Browning cemented his status as the throne holder of TUF douchbaggery, starting fights with everyone and their mother. Season eight and nine were both snorefests, minus the fact that the Dan Henderson vs. Michael Bisping-led season was the United States vs. England. The show returned with a vengeance in season 10, due to the bitter quarrel between Quinton Jackson and Rashad Evans, and the presence of Internet sensation Kimbo Slice. The brawler, who was mocked by White and then chosen as a participant, was matched up against jiu-jitsu black belt Roy Nelson, which turned out to be his demise. Still, it seemed like the first few episodes were good, and it became boring towards the end.

Season 11 saw Tito Ortiz back out of another fight against “The Iceman,” who nearly destroyed his phone when he heard the news. Season 12 was about a male nurse that was hired by Georges St-Pierre to get into Koscheck’s head, and then came the “chicken salad out of chicken shit” quotes from Brock Lesnar the next year. By season 14, the show had seen better days, and if it weren’t for Diego Brandao’s lunacy and Bryan Caraway’s unwanted shaved head, we couldn’t have cared less that the program produced talents such as T.J. Dillashaw, Dennis Bermudez, and John Dodson.

TUF moved to FX a year later after the relationship between UFC and Spike TV turned sour, implementing a live format. It ran simultaneously with TUF: Brazil, and we’ve been depressed ever since. The show is so stale, they’ve ventured off to places like China and Latin America, turning it into a proving ground for fighters with a two-fight record. With that said, we even got seasons like TUF: Smashes (U.K. vs. Australia), TUF: Canada vs. Australia, and they’ve had multiple seasons in Brazil that only South Americans care about.

I guess that’s the point, since it’s not really designed for us to watch; yet, there’s a reason why good things must come to an end before the plot becomes lost. Can you imagine if Touched By An Angel was still running?

For the past few seasons, the brass teases how the show will be different, and how it’s going to blow you away, and so on. TUF 18 was the first co-ed season, and everyone tuned in because they thought they were getting Big Brother-style sex scenes. Instead, Jessamyn Duke vs. Raquel Pennington and Edmund Tarverdyan vs. Dennis Hallman was the best part of that garbage.

When White said TUF 19 was the worst season ever, you’d think he’d get a clue, however, they salvaged some interest with an all-womens TUF 20, with the inaugural women’s strawweight championship on the line. The problem is the promos were so sexist, and we got more shots of backsides than anything else. The rivalries were okay, however, nothing stood out to convince anyone to continue this putrid offering.

We’re now being told that TUF 21: ATT vs. The Blackzilians is going to be completely different, even though we’re going to ditch it midway into episode two. On the flipside, a string of TUF winners have gone on to claim gold in the Octagon, including Griffin, Evans, Matt Serra, and Carla Esparza, with many blooming prospects like Dodson, Kelvin Gastelum, and Tony Ferguson breaking out as fighters to watch.

On the contrary, some TUF winners aren’t even employed by the UFC anymore, including Jonathan Brookins and Colton Smith, and before his third UFC stint, Efrain Escudero was given the boot, too. With the influx of signees overpopulating the roster, does winning the reality show mean anything anymore? Or, is it about promoting bouts involving the coaches, more than anything?

So, all this to say TUF has been pretty central to the UFC’s growth. Nevertheless, it’s hard to believe MMA fans still watch the damn thing, considering how boring and drawn out it is. Yes, there have been hilarious moments and superb fights (like Matt Riddle vs. Tim Credeur on season seven, Damarques Johnson vs. Nick Osipczak on season 9, among others), but the volume of unworthy footage doesn’t add up in the end.