Ultimate Fighter Live on FX Coaches Announced!

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Las Vegas, Nevada (USA) – The Ultimate Fighting Championship announced today that The Ultimate Fighter, the longest-running sports reality show on television, is moving to FX this March with an exciting, new live format.

The Ultimate Fighter LIVE debuts on Friday, March 9 as part of a two-hour season premiere beginning at 9 p.m. ET/PT. The show will then air for one hour at 10 p.m. ET/PT every Friday for 13 weeks on FX. UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz and “The California Kid” Urijah Faber will serve as coaches on the upcoming season, with lightweight and welterweight contestants competing for two, six-figure UFC contracts.

This past Saturday, The Ultimate Fighter concluded its run on SPIKE TV as 2.5 million viewers tuned in to watch the season 14 finale headlined by Michael Bisping battling Jason “Mayhem” Miller in a middleweight contest. The event was the highest rated and most watched TUF Finale since TUF 10 in 2009, and was the No. 1 program on cable among M18-49 and M18-34 (No. 2 in A18-49). In addition, season 14 was up +121 percent with A18-34 compared to the previous season. The strong ratings prove that the show has tremendous momentum heading into its highly anticipated arrival on FX.

“We’re producing ground-breaking television with The Ultimate Fighter LIVE and we can’t wait to kick this season off with FX in March,” UFC President Dana White said. “It’s going to be can’t-miss TV. Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber are two incredible personalities who also happen to be two of the best fighters in the world. They genuinely dislike each other and I expect this to make for the best season yet.”

“We believe that Dana and Lorenzo (Fertitta), along with Executive Producer Craig Piligian, have come up with exciting new changes to the format of The Ultimate Fighter that will expand and grow the series,” said Chuck Saftler, Executive Vice President, FX Networks. “The fact that the fights at the end of each episode will now be televised live is certain to create a sense of urgency for UFC fans. Furthermore, the move of TUF to Friday nights will provide a great ratings boost to the network.”

The rivalry between coaches Cruz and Faber dates back to March 2007, when Faber handed Cruz his first and only professional loss in a 145-pound bout. The 26-year-old Cruz avenged that loss this past July, defeating Faber by unanimous decision to retain the bantamweight crown in a Fight of the Year candidate. With the series now even, Cruz and Faber look to settle the score as TUF coaches, followed by a title fight in mid-2012 inside the Octagon.

BJPenn.com


Hell yes!!!

I don't see a ton of drama coming out of these two, so it should be another good season that focuses on talent and some good fights.

Dana's gotta see something I don't but we will see.

Yeah I'm not real pumped about this for some reason. I feel like I should be, but it's just kinda "meh" to me.

Oh well, I hope they have some good talent to follow up this last season with. The last couple of times I can remember WW's being on the show seemed like there was a serious lack of consistent talent for some reason.

Triggerman99 wrote:

Yeah I'm not real pumped about this for some reason. I feel like I should be, but it's just kinda "meh" to me.

Oh well, I hope they have some good talent to follow up this last season with. The last couple of times I can remember WW's being on the show seemed like there was a serious lack of consistent talent for some reason.

100% agree with all of this.

100% disagree with all of that! I'm pumped!

Didn't they just fight?
Not really that pumped.

^
Yep,
but this is the rubber match their 1 and 1;
also it will be for the strap again.

I can't see there being too much disrespect/fighting amongst the coaches.

I hope the talent is there this time, I think the TUF product is way better when they make the guys fight to get into the house; that way there are no flakes who miss their girlfriends and shit
who end up leaving the house.

Not too excited about the coaches, but I'll watch anyway. I like Cruz, but I could care less about Faber.... he's going to get beat again.