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The Ultimate Fighter is a reality television series and mixed martial arts (MMA) competition, originating from United States, and produced by Spike TV and the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). On this show, professional MMA fighters that have yet to make a big name for themselves are situated in a house outside of Las Vegas, Nevada and compete against each other for the title of The Ultimate Fighter, winning a six-figure, multi-fight contract with the UFC.
For the first four seasons, prospect UFC fighters were selected in two weight classes. The fighters are divided into two teams, irrespective of weight class, each team coached by a current UFC headliner. The teams then compete (in a manner which varies by season) to determine which team would have the right to pair one of their own fighters against an opponent of their choice in the same weight class to an MMA match, the loser eliminated from competition. At the end of a season, the two remaining fighters of each weight class are placed in a single-elimination tournament, where the title of Ultimate Fighter is awarded to the winner. From season five to season seven, all fighters competed are in the same weight class.
The show features the daily preparations each fighter makes to train for competition and the interactions they have with each other living under the same roof. Day-to-day events on the show are overseen by UFC president Dana White.
With the exception of the season finales, fights on The Ultimate Fighter are sanctioned by the Nevada Athletic Commission as exhibition matches and do not count for or against a fighters professional record. This is done to keep the results from going public before the air date.
[edit] Seasons
- The Ultimate Fighter: Team Nogueira vs. Team Mir (September 17, 2008 - December, 2008) Light heavyweights and Lightweights[1]
- The Ultimate Fighter: Team Rampage vs. Team Forrest (April 2, 2008 - June 21, 2008) - Middleweights[2]
- The Ultimate Fighter: Team Hughes vs. Team Serra (September 19, 2007-December 8, 2007) - Welterweights
- The Ultimate Fighter 5 (April 5, 2007—June 23, 2007) - Lightweights
- The Ultimate Fighter 4: The Comeback (August 17, 2006—November 11, 2006) - Middleweights and welterweights
- The Ultimate Fighter 3 (April 6, 2006—June 24, 2006) - Light heavyweights and middleweights
- The Ultimate Fighter 2 (August 22, 2005—November 5, 2005) - Heavyweights and welterweights
- The Ultimate Fighter 1 (January 18, 2005—April 9, 2005) - Light heavyweights and middleweights
[edit] The six-figure contract
The winners of the first three seasons of The Ultimate Fighter competition, and certain runners-up depending on their performance in their competition finals, receive the touted "six-figure" contract to fight in the UFC. These contracts are specifically three-year contracts with a guaranteed first year. Each year consists of three fights, the first year's purse per fight consist of $12,000 guaranteed with a $12,000 win bonuses (a maximum of $24,000 per fight), the second year's purse per fight is $16,000 with a $16,000 win bonus (a maximum of $32,000 per fight) and the third year's purse per fight is at $22,000 with a $22,000 win bonus (a maximum of $44,000 per fight). A TUF winner who goes 9-0 can earn $300,000 total on the contract, but only $150,000 is guaranteed for all three years if 9 fights are fought.[3]
Those that have not won the competition can still fight in the UFC. Their contracts however are not the same as the six-figure deal above.
[edit] TV Ratings
Ep 3: 1.1 HH Rating
The Ultimate Fighter 5 (Saturday, June 23/07; 9pm-midnight): 2.6 million viewers; 3.0 rating/Men 18-34 (834,000 viewers); 2.6 rating/Men 18-49 (1.4 million); 2.0 household rating. Peak Audience: 3.4 million viewers at 11:30pm. Ratings Info
[edit] Future plans
On May 12, 2008, Spike TV announced plans for a eighth season of The Ultimate Fighter. The show will feature former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir and current UFC interim heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira as coaches.[4] The show will return to the original format featuring two weight classes, Lightweight and Light Heavyweight.
[edit] TUFFEST 25 Moments
On October 23, 2007. Spike TV aired an episode of TUF, entitled TUFfest 25 Moments in which the producers and viewers chose the best moments in The Ultimate Fighter History (seasons 1 through 5)
[edit] References
[edit] External links
United States
