So the 23rd season of The Ultimate Fighter premiered on FS1 last night, and though we have long since stopped being what you’d call “regular viewers,” that doesn’t mean we can’t occassionally highlight some of the more memorable/brutal moments from the long-running reality show.
A prime example: The light heavyweight matchup between Khalil “The Warhorse” Rountree vs. Muhammed “Mo Muscle” DeReese, which ended with some of the most horrific (and legal!) soccer kicks you will ever see.
So the 23rd season of The Ultimate Fighter premiered on FS1 last night, and though we have long since stopped being what you’d call “regular viewers,” that doesn’t mean we can’t occassionally highlight some of the more memorable/brutal moments from the long-running reality show.
A prime example: The light heavyweight matchup between Khalil “The Warhorse” Rountree vs. Muhammed “Mo Muscle” DeReese (Ed note: solid nicknames selection all around, fellas), which ended with some of the most horrific (and legal!) soccer kicks you will ever see.
Described as a classic “striker vs. grappler” matchup by Dana White, the first round of Rountree vs. DeReese was largely controlled by the latter’s heavy, if mostly ineffective top game.
“What’s crazy is the judges will actually give the round to (DeReese), when I actually think that (Rountree) won it,” remarks The Baldfather in-between rounds, proving once again why he should stay as far away from a judge’s table as humanly possible.
Of course, the judges would be taken out of the equation early in the second round when Rountree proceeded to drop DeReese with some HEAVY leather, then unleash a pair of absolutely bru-tal soccer kicks to the body that forced Herb Dean to wave off the fight.
Check out the full fight below (the finishing sequence starts at the 6:20 mark).
You just gotta love the diversity of reactions that Rountree’s finish provided here: DW is awe-struck, Gadelha is cheering it on, and Joanna Champion looks like she just saw her BFF get hit by a bus.
The UFC has uploaded a slew of fights from last night’s premiere to its Youtube page, but if you’re like us, you’ll use this time to discuss how much Claudia Gadelha can GET. IT.
During the UFC Fight Night 81: Dillashaw vs. Cruz event at the TD Garden in Boston, Mass. on Sunday evening, UFC announced the coaches for the next season of The Ultimate Fighter.
The 23rd season of the regular Ultimate Fighter series, not counting the various international TUF seasons, will be coached for the second time in history by women fighters, as UFC Women’s Strawweight Champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk and the number one contender in the division, Claudia Gadelha, will be the opposing coaches for the upcoming season, which will air on FOX Sports 1 (FS1).
Following the live announcement on FOX Sports 1 last night, UFC issued the following press release with all of the important information regarding plans for TUF 23.
UFC® CHAMPION JOANNA JEDRZEJCZYK AND TOP-CONTENDER CLAUDIA GADELHA COACH LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT AND STRAWWEIGHT HOPEFULS ON THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER®
New season debuts Wednesday, April 20 on FS1
The Ultimate Fighter® will put mixed martial arts’ global dominance on display again as UFC® strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk will coach opposite No. 1 contender Claudia Gadelha. The coaches will lead a group of eight light heavyweights and eight strawweights who will compete for a UFC contract and the title of The Ultimate Fighter.
The Ultimate Fighter®: Team Joanna vs. Team Claudia will kick-off on FS1 on Wednesday, April 20 with a two-hour season premiere airing at 10 p.m. ET as 32 competitors fight for one of 16 slots – eight in each weight class – available to be coached by two of the sport’s best. The season will continue with 11 one-hour shows Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET. The series is the highest rated and most watched original program since the network’s inception in August 2013.
Poland’s first UFC champion, Jedrzejczyk (11-0, fighting out of Olsztyn, Poland) stormed onto the scene in 2014 with her first Octagon® appearance. Since then, she’s gone on to win five straight, won the strawweight title, cemented her place on the top pound-for-pound list and is widely considered as one of the best strikers in the sport. She’ll now lend her expertise to the next generation of athletes who hope to follow in her footsteps and one day wear UFC gold themselves.
Gadelha (13-1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) trains at the renowned Nova Uniao gym, home to former champions Jose Aldo & Renan Barao. The Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist hopes to get another crack at current strawweight champion, Jedrzejczyk, who provided Gadelha with the only blemish on her record – a three-round split decision loss in late 2014. Their contrasting styles should provide for an entertaining season between the two teams. The Brazilian’s comfort zone is on the canvas and will provide a stark contrast to the Pole’s highly skilled striking attack brings a completely different skillset to the show.
The series culminates on live on FS1 Friday, July 8 in Las Vegas as part of International Fight Week and will be headlined by Jedrzejczyk and Gadelha in a championship bout for the strawweight world title.
During the UFC Fight Night 81: Dillashaw vs. Cruz event at the TD Garden in Boston, Mass. on Sunday evening, UFC announced the coaches for the next season of The Ultimate Fighter.
The 23rd season of the regular Ultimate Fighter series, not counting the various international TUF seasons, will be coached for the second time in history by women fighters, as UFC Women’s Strawweight Champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk and the number one contender in the division, Claudia Gadelha, will be the opposing coaches for the upcoming season, which will air on FOX Sports 1 (FS1).
Following the live announcement on FOX Sports 1 last night, UFC issued the following press release with all of the important information regarding plans for TUF 23.
UFC® CHAMPION JOANNA JEDRZEJCZYK AND TOP-CONTENDER CLAUDIA GADELHA COACH LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT AND STRAWWEIGHT HOPEFULS ON THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER®
New season debuts Wednesday, April 20 on FS1
The Ultimate Fighter® will put mixed martial arts’ global dominance on display again as UFC® strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk will coach opposite No. 1 contender Claudia Gadelha. The coaches will lead a group of eight light heavyweights and eight strawweights who will compete for a UFC contract and the title of The Ultimate Fighter.
The Ultimate Fighter®: Team Joanna vs. Team Claudia will kick-off on FS1 on Wednesday, April 20 with a two-hour season premiere airing at 10 p.m. ET as 32 competitors fight for one of 16 slots – eight in each weight class – available to be coached by two of the sport’s best. The season will continue with 11 one-hour shows Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET. The series is the highest rated and most watched original program since the network’s inception in August 2013.
Poland’s first UFC champion, Jedrzejczyk (11-0, fighting out of Olsztyn, Poland) stormed onto the scene in 2014 with her first Octagon® appearance. Since then, she’s gone on to win five straight, won the strawweight title, cemented her place on the top pound-for-pound list and is widely considered as one of the best strikers in the sport. She’ll now lend her expertise to the next generation of athletes who hope to follow in her footsteps and one day wear UFC gold themselves.
Gadelha (13-1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) trains at the renowned Nova Uniao gym, home to former champions Jose Aldo & Renan Barao. The Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist hopes to get another crack at current strawweight champion, Jedrzejczyk, who provided Gadelha with the only blemish on her record – a three-round split decision loss in late 2014. Their contrasting styles should provide for an entertaining season between the two teams. The Brazilian’s comfort zone is on the canvas and will provide a stark contrast to the Pole’s highly skilled striking attack brings a completely different skillset to the show.
The series culminates on live on FS1 Friday, July 8 in Las Vegas as part of International Fight Week and will be headlined by Jedrzejczyk and Gadelha in a championship bout for the strawweight world title.
