Spike TV confirms 32-man "TUF 14" cast

[keithlewis]

Spike TV officials today announced the show officially is in production and revealed some of the show specifics.

www.MMAjunkie.com subsequently confirmed some additional details for this season, which kicks off Sept. 21 on Spike TV.

Today's announcement stated the cast will feature 32 fighters who immediately competed in an elimination round of fights. The winners got a spot in the "TUF" house, and the losers weren't sent home. UFC officials nixed the elimination round with "TUF 13," which was met largely with disappointment.

MMAjunkie.com has confirmed that with 32 fighters, the recently adopted wild-card picks and wild-card fight have been eliminated from the tournament. Eight fighters will compete in the featherweight division, and eight fighters will compete in the bantamweight division.

The seventh, eighth, ninth seasons, 11th and 12th seasons of the show saw the use of the elimination round, and "TUF 11" then saw the implementation of second-chance wild-card entries into the quarterfinals. For "TUF 14," the elimination round remains, but the wild-card picks are gone.

"TUF 14" features UFC middleweight contender Michael Bisping and Strikeforce transplant Jason "Mayhem" Miller as coaches. Following the UFC-WEC merger earlier this year and the implementation of new weight classes, 135-pounders and 145-pounders are featured on "TUF" for the first time ever.