The Ultimate Fighter 17 - Discussion, Rumors and Results!

[Keithlewis]

FIELD FINALIZED FOR THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER ON FX


TUF Moves to Tuesday Nights; Season Begins With Special Two-Hour Premiere Tuesday, January 22 on FX at 8 P.M. ET/PT. UFC Champion Jon ‘Bones’ Jones and Title Challenger Chael Sonnen To Coach Seven-Man Teams of Middleweights!


Tuesdays just got TUF. On January 22, some of the world’s most talented and determined mixed martial artists will face-off in the most grueling sports tournament on television. Watch as 28 mixed martial arts prospects battle for a coveted spot on the new season of The Ultimate Fighter, which begins with a special two-hour premiere airing at 8 p.m. ET/PT on FX.

The Ultimate Fighter, the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s long-running reality television series, will run for 13 weeks and will culminate in a three-hour finale, live from the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nev. Unlike previous seasons on FX, the one-hour broadcast will now be shown on Tuesday nights at its new regularly scheduled timeslot of 9 p.m. ET/PT.

The 14 successful combatants will be divided into two teams, which will be coached by two of the fiercest rivals in all of sport. UFC light heavyweight champion and MMA superstar, Jon “Bones” Jones will captain one team, while the controversial and charismatic challenger Chael Sonnen will lead the second team into battle in this, the 17th installment of the series.

The coaches will then collide for the light heavyweight title on Saturday, April 27, at UFC 159: JONES vs. SONNEN at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.

Not surprisingly, both Jones and Sonnen will be bringing their trademark self-confidence into their stints as coaches this season on The Ultimate Fighter.

“I thought it would be a good way to share myself with the sport of MMA,” Jones said. “I embrace the role.”

Said Sonnen: “The hottest show on FX is being graced with the greatest talent God ever made: Chael P. Sonnen.’’

The list of finalists in the middleweight (185 pounds) division was trimmed from more than 250 applicant athletes. The fighters - all seeking the opportunity of a lifetime and a six-figure contract from the Ultimate Fighting Championship - hail from the United States, Australia, England and Sweden.

“The quality of guys we have this season in unbelievable,” said UFC President Dana White. “From the fights to get into the house, to every single fight this season, I think the talent is some of the best I’ve ever seen on this show. We’re going to end up with some really good guys in the 185-pound division.”

“The production value has increased, the talent level is at an all-time high, and we have two of the most dynamic personalities in all of the UFC as our coaches,” said Chuck Saftler, EVP of FX Networks. “I’m extremely excited about this season of The Ultimate Fighter and truly believe this could be the show’s best season yet.”

On Jan. 22, the season will launch with 14 gripping elimination scraps. Those victorious in the opening round, or “Fight In”, become official cast members and earn their place in The Ultimate Fighter house in Las Vegas. The winners will be drafted into opposing teams of seven by Jones and Sonnen. Thereafter, cameras will document their activity before and after their training and fights during the season.

Each episode’s winners will advance in the single-elimination tournament until one is crowned The Ultimate Fighter.


The competitors are:

Dylan Andrews (16-4-1), 32, Gold Coast, AUS
Jake Heun (3-2), 25, Salt Lake City, Utah
Hito Andrews (9-2), 34, Sacramento, Calif.
Nicholas Hohring (3-0), 22, Valley Springs, Calif.
Luke Barnatt (5-0), 24, Cambridge, ENG
Mike Jaspar (6-0), 29, Camarillo, Calif.
Leo Bercier (7-2), 31, Great Falls, Montana
Bubba McDaniel (20-6), 29, Albuquerque, N.M.
Ryan Lee Q. Bigler (9-3), 28, Guam
Frasier Opie (10-5), 25, Milton Keynes, ENG
Kevin Casey (5-2), 31, Hawthorne, Calif.
Frederick Persons (3-0), 28, Stockton, Calif.
Adam Cella (4-0), 27, Fenton, Mo.
Jimmy Quinlan (3-0), 26, Metheun, Mass.
Zach Cummings (15-3), 28, Kansas City, Mo.
Scott Rosa (4-1), 27, Sparks, Nev.
Andy Enz, (6-1), 21, Anchorage, Alaska
Josh Samman (9-2), 24, Tallahassee, Fla.
Nik Fehete (5-1), 32, Las Vegas, Nev.
Gilbert Smith (5-1), 30, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Kelvin Gastelum (5-0), 20, Yuma, Ariz.
Eldon Sproat (3-1), 27, Molohai, Hawaii
Uriah Hall (7-2), 28, New York City, N.Y.
Tor Troeng (15-4-1), 29, Umea, SWE
Collin Hart (4-1-1), 23, Santa Rosa, Calif.
Eric Wahlin (5-1), 29, Taylorsville, Utah
Clint Hester (7-3), 24, Atlanta, Ga.
Timothy Williams (7-1), 26, Millville, N.J.


Many of today’s most recognizable names in the UFC have emerged from the TUF series, including, among many others, Forrest Griffin, Kenny Florian, Rashad Evans, and Michael Bisping. Tune-in and watch who will become the next THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER on FX! For more show information, bios, videos and photos, visit ultimatefighter.com and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter under our new name @TUFonFX or on Facebook.com/TUF.

[Keithlewis]

[Keithlewis]

DON’T MISS THE ACTION-PACKED PREMIERE OF THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER TONIGHT ON FX; SEASON BEGINS WITH A SPECIAL TWO-HOUR EPISODE AT 8 PM ET/PT


The world’s longest running sports reality TV series is back as The Ultimate Fighter returns for its exciting 17th season TONIGHT at 8 p.m. ET/PT on FX with a special two-hour premier show.

Featuring UFC light heavyweight champion Jon ‘Bones’ Jones and Chael ‘the American Gangster’ Sonnen as coaches, the premier sees several breathtaking fight finishes – including one of the fastest KOs in the history of the series – as 28 of the world’s best unsigned mixed martial artists collide in 14 fight-in eliminators.

And, for the first time in the eight-year history of TUF, the fighters’ families and friends will be in attendance for the fight-ins as the middleweights throwdown, desperate to earn a spot in the famed TUF House and pursue their dream of a six-figure UFC contract.

Who will be on Team Jones, and who will suit up for Team Sonnen – decisions are made tonight.

Also launching for the premiere is a fantasy bracket style tournament, a competition that challenges players’ skills and strategies. The TUF Tournament, the first of multiple fantasy games on UFC.com/Fantasy, will encourage interactivity between fans, rewarding those earning the most points with their picks, and introducing fans to upcoming fighters.

Many of today’s most recognizable names in the UFC have emerged from the TUF™ series, including, among many others, Forrest Griffin, Kenny Florian, Rashad Evans, and Michael Bisping. Tune-in and watch who will become the next THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER on FX! For more show information, bios, videos and photos, visit ultimatefighter.com and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter under our new name @TUFonFX or on Facebook.com/TUF.

[Keithlewis]

THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER PREMIERE RESULTS


Teams Announced: Jones uses first pick to match Luke Barnatt and Gilbert Smith; Series resumes next Tuesday on FX at regular time of 9 p.m. ET/PT


As the 17th iteration of The Ultimate Fighter kicks off, it doesn’t take long to realize that it’s different than the previous incantations. Besides the production value, and shooting style Dana tells us that this time around friends and family will be around for the elimination fights.

He then goes into the story of UFC 151, the Pay-Per-View that never was, and not-so-subtly states that Jon Jones was scared of Chael Sonnen. The two coaches walk into the gym and meet each other. Sonnen does his usual pontificating about whatever goes on in his head and Jones sits by and politely nods his head and smiles. On the confession cam, Bones tells us, “I don’t really like the guy.”

There are 14 elimination fights to see, and no other time is wasted. Here’s a rundown of the fights.


· Adam Cella, Fenton, Mo., submitted Jake Heun, Salt Lake City, in 1st round

· Zak Cummings, Kansas City, Mo., def. Nik Fehete, Las Vegas by TKO in 1st round

· Kevin Casey, Hawthorne, Calif., submitted Eldon Sproat, Kaunakakai, Hawaii, in the 1st

· Tor Troeng, Umea, Sweden, submitted Scott Rosa, Sparks, Nev., in the 1st

· Clint Hester, Atlanta, Ga., by unanimous decision over Frasier Opie, Milten Keynes, England

· Bubba McDaniel, Albuquerque, N.M. def. Ryan Bigler, Barrigada, Guam by TKO in the 2nd

· Josh Samman, Tallahassee, Fla., def. Leo Bercier, Great Falls, Mon. by TKO in the 1st

· Kelvin Gastelum, Yuma, Arz., by unanimous decision over Kito Andrews, Sacramento, Calif.

· Jimmy Quinlan, Metheun, Mass., def. Mike Persons, Stockton, Calif. by TKO in the 2nd

· Uriah Hall, New York City, by unanimous decision over Andy Enz, Anchorage, Alaska

· Gilbert Smith, Colorado Springs, Colo., submitted Eric Wahlin, Taylorsville, Utah, in the 1st

· Luke Barnatt, Cambridge, Eng., by unanimous decision over Nicholas Kohring, Valley Springs, Calif.

· Dylan Andrews, Gold Coast, Aus., by majority decision over Tim Williams, Millville, N.J.

· Collin Hart, Santa Rosa, Calif., submitted Mike Jaspar, Camarillo, Calif., in the 1st



Team Selections:

*Team Sonnen won the coin toss, electing to pick first. Below are the final rosters, in order each was selected, are:


Team Sonnen:

Luke Barnatt
Uriah Hall
Zak Cummings
Tor Troeng
Jimmy Quinlan
Kevin Casey
Kelvin Gastelum


Team Jones:

Clint Hester
Josh Samman
Bubba McDaniel
Gilbert Smith
Collin Hart
Adam Cella
Dylan Andrews



Team Jones, therefore had the option of the first fight pick and chose Gilbert Smith versus Team Sonnen’s Luke Barnatt. The series resumes next Tuesday, January 29, on FX at 9 p.m. ET/PT (check local listings for Central and Mountain Time) In that episode - “Ambush” – 14 victorious middleweights move into the house, and training begins. A fighter gets emotional after his team shows serious doubts about his readiness. Then Barnatt and Smith face off in the first preliminary fight.

[Keithlewis]

The middleweight tournament begins as Team Jones' Gilbert Smith takes on Team Sonnen's Luke Barnatt! The Ultimate Fighter Team Jones vs Team Sonnen - tonight at 9pm ET/PT on FX!

[Keithlewis]

Courtesy: Dan Downes, UFC.com

We open our first regular episode with the guys arriving at the house after the elimination bouts. Bubba McDaniel feels like a kid again, Luke Barnatt appreciates the upgrade from his budget lifestyle and Gilbert Smith is simply awestruck.

While most of the crew is just excited to be in a fancy house, Josh Samman is worried about the impending fight between Gilbert Smith and Luke Barnatt. He doesn't believe it was a smart pick and seriously questions Gilbert's cardio. Bubba agrees that Smith's endurance seems to be lacking. While teammates sniping each other is nothing new, even Team Jones' coaches have their doubts. They convene a little coaching panel and echo many of the sentiments Josh and others hold.

As for Gilbert himself, he feels that there is a lack of positive affirmation (man, if only he knew what they really thought!) and doesn't appreciate all the criticism. It appears that the pressure of the situation is starting to get to him. Teammate Adam Cella thinks that Gilbert is mentally breaking down. So we're off to a good start.

In the Gym:

Things are a bit more positive in the world of Team Sonnen side. We cut to their training session and Chael introduces us to his coaching staff. He also informs us that he's going to be participating in every workout his team goes through. He's doing this so he can properly understand how the guys feel physically and mentally and figures the best way is to do it himself. Jimmy Quinlan says that the team, "is vibing very well."

While camaraderie seems to be growing on Team Sonnen, Team Jones is already hitting the skids. As Gilbert leaves the room to check his weight, Bubba tells the assistant coaches that Gilbert is a wreck and doubts he'll be able to perform in the Octagon. When Gil returns, his teammates confront him.

Considering past TUF outbursts, you might expect Gilbert's reaction to include bunch of swearing and yelling, "Let me bang, bro!" but that does not occur. Instead, he responds with, "I'm not the one calling the shots" -- not exactly the most convincing of denials. As the coaches listen outside the door, Jon Jones decides to walk in and take charge. He tells Gilbert that he believes in him, knows he can win this fight and he should ignore all the other noise.

Team Jones finally gets down to training. Coach Jones trains Gilbert to use his big overhand left punch to catch the taller Barnatt. As Gil starts getting in the groove and moving, a few teammates start to believe in him. Both Clint Hester and Adam Cella start to envision Gil beating Luke.

Back at the house, Chael Sonnen decides to stop by and say hello. While he may act as if he's merely popping in for a spot of tea, Chael (shockingly) has ulterior motives. He pulls Uriah Hall aside and lets him know that his biggest priority as a coach is getting Hall on to the next round. Looks like Dana and Chael both have a soft spot for Mr. Hall.

Back at Team Sonnen training, we learn a little more about #1 pick Luke Barnatt. Born to a Jehovah's Witness mother and "hippie" father, he has family dynamics that make Honey Boo Boo's look like a Norman Rockwell painting. Coach Sonnen doesn't appear to be too worried about Gilbert Smith negating the 6'6" Englishman's reach.

Meanwhile, Dana White hears about the Team Jones controversy and agrees with them. He has no idea why Jon Jones would choose this matchup. With everyone (save Jon Jones) doubting him, can Gilbert pull it off?

Fight Time:

Round one starts off with a groin shot. Once that uncomfortableness is out of the way, the fighters get down to business. Gilbert follows his training and uses that big overhand left to transition to a takedown attempt. He pushes Luke against the cage and then scores a single-leg. Luke immediately works his way back to his feet and scores a trip takedown of his own. Both fighters get back to their feet and clinch against the fence. Luke tries to work his knees, but Gilbert grabs one and forces him to the ground. Unable to hold him down, both fighters break up and move to the center of the cage with about 1:50 left. Gilbert quickly shoots in, but Luke winds up on top. Luke takes his back, but Gilbert reverses, scrambles and both are back against the cage with less than a minute left. After an ugly jump knee attempt from Barnatt, Gilbert closes the distance, but the round ends.

Gilbert grabs another single-leg attempt as the second round begins, but the two wind up pressed against the fence. Luke tries to scramble and winds up on his back, but Gilbert fails to hold him down. The two return to their feet and Luke answers with another outside trip takedown. He's able to score a few punches and short elbows before they're back standing. Gilbert tries to throw some haymakers, but his energy is gone. Remember Luke's ugly jump knee from round one? He tries it again, and this time it lands perfectly as Gilbert rushes in for the takedown. Barnatt catches Gilbert flush and Luke scores a 2nd-round KO, Vick vs. Cruickshank-style.

Coach Jones is now eating all those nice words he mustered up for Smith. He criticizes him for letting Luke dictate the pace and adds, "Gilbert lost the fight before he even got there." The light heavyweight champ also tests out a new T-shirt slogan when he tells his team that they have to be, "pissed off for greatness." Josh Samman gives us the usual, "I told you so," while Bubba McDaniel is a man of action -- not content to let Team Sonnen decide his fate, he calls out Kevin Casey in the gym after the fight, hopefully goading him into a fight next week.

It doesn't work, and Chael announces that next weeks match will pit teacher's pet Uriah Hall against potential victim Adam Cella. Hall tries to give some pro forma "anything can happen in a fight," but he doesn't seem too worried.

The show closes with a sneak peek into next week's action, which promises one of the craziest finishes in TUF history. Does Adam Cella shock the world? Can Team Jones find some continuity? Will Mrs. Barnatt usurp June Shannon for reality TV gold? Make your predictions in the TUF Fantasy tournament and then find out next week on The Ultimate Fighter!


Results after second episode:


Team Sonnen – coached by UFC light heavyweight Chael Sonnen (1-0):

Luke Barnatt (1-0, defeated Gilbert Smith via TKO in episode 2)
Uriah Hall (0-0)
Zak Cummings (0-0)
Tor Troeng (0-0)
Jimmy Quinlan (0-0)
Kevin Casey (0-0)
Kelvin Gastelum (0-0)



Team Jones – coached by UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones (0-1):

Clint Hester (0-0)
Josh Samman (0-0)
Bubba McDaniel (0-0)
Gilbert Smith (0-1, lost to Luke Barnatt via TKO in episode 2)
Collin Hart (0-0)
Adam Cella (0-0)
Dylan Andrews (0-0)



The series resumes next Tuesday, February 5, on FX at 9 p.m. ET/PT (check local listings for Central and Mountain Time). In that episode – “Embrace the Suffering” – a fighter responds after being called out, coach Chael Sonnen gives advice to a fighter lacking confidence, coach Jones bonds with his team during a house visit and two fighters deliver explosive action in the Octagon.

For more show information, bios, videos and photos, visit ultimatefighter.com and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter under our new name @TUFonFX or on Facebook.com/TUF.

[Keithlewis]

Don't Miss The Most Shocking Finish In TUF History - All New Ultimate Fighter TONIGHT

Team Sonnen's Luke Barnatt earned his team's first win in the tournament, and tonight they look to continue their winning ways when the explosive Uriah Hall takes on Team Jones' Adam Cella! You won't want to miss the most incredible finish in TUF history - The Ultimate Fighter Team Jones vs Team Sonnen, all-new tonight at 9pm on FX!

[Keithlewis]

Courtesy: Dan Downes, UFC.com


The episode opens up in the hallway of the UFC gym as Adam Cella talks to his recently -announced opponent Uriah Hall. Cella points out how much entertainment value the two of them possess and what a great standup fight they’ll have. Hall simply responds, “Maybe.”

As two actual opponents talk amicably, two potential opponents are still at odds. Kevin Casey still hasn’t gotten over Bubba McDaniel calling him out during the previous episode. He tries to tell us that he understands Bubba’s strategy -- as Kevin suffered a cut in his first fight, he may be vulnerable. Still, he's clearly taking it personally. Yes, as difficult as it may be to fathom, TUF contestants often place a high priority on perceived masculinity.


URIAH'S CORNER:

Speaking of dominance issues, back at the house we learn that Uriah Hall has a short fuse. Sitting around the bonfire talking with the housemates, Hall calls someone a “professional cooker.” Josh Samman corrects him, “You mean chef?” We assume Samman didn’t mean it maliciously, but Hall isn’t quite that sure. Now, he doesn't jump up and scream “Let me bang, bro!” but he does talk about his childhood as a Jamaican emigrant. He struggled to learn English, and other kids would make fun of him and call him stupid. Samman’s correction seems to have brought this to the fore. Initially you feel a sense of pathos, but then you hear him talk about his rage and you’re terrified. Note to Josh Samman: Don’t correct Uriah Hall’s grammar, bro.

Cut to the Team Sonnen training session where we learn more about Uriah Hall besides the fact he can be scary. He opines about how martial arts changed his life and helped give him confidence. It puts a human face on the man that many expect to win the season. Plus we see some cool slow motion punching, which is always nice.

Coach Chael Sonnen then levels some high praise on Hall. He states that he’s the best athlete, works the hardest, he has the most talent etc. There is one caveat, though: Chael states that the key to getting Hall to win the whole thing is for him to realize that he doesn’t have to win everything. We catch a glimpse of this as Hall rolls with Kevin Casey. Casey catches him in an armbar, Hall taps, and his ego can’t handle it. He gets visibly upset and can’t seem to let it go. Maybe he’ll use it as a learning experience to improve? Nope. He appears to miss the point when he tells us, “Today I learned to not be nice.” I suppose Chael would have wanted him to learn armbar defense, but hey, you take what you can get.


ADAM'S CORNER:

We cut to Adam Cella who goes on a humble brag-a-thon about how his friends and family always get angry at him because he finishes his opponents in the first round. He also talks about the heating and cooling company his family owns and explains he doesn’t need fighting. “I want to do this, I don’t have to.”

At the Team Jones training session, Bones works one-on-one with Cella to show him a better method of blocking kicks. He also realizes the mental coaching he needs to give Adam and tells us that, “My job is to humanize Uriah.” After the personal training, he works with the entire team to show them ground-and-pound technique. Coach Jones reveals to us that he’s used this elbow technique so many times that, “I know what the human skull feels like the back of my hand.”

As Jones teaches his fighters how to elbow a face, Sonnen teaches Uriah Hall about confidence...kind of. Hall asks Chael how he deals with all the pressure that comes with high-level MMA. Chael’s words of wisdom can pretty much be summed up as "Deal with it." He explains: “Failure is always an option, but it’s a choice.”

Time for weigh-in, which occurs with no controversies. Two things worth noting: 1) Dana is still smitten with Uriah Hall and thinks he can be a star 2) Bubba admires Adam’s cojones.

Back at the house, Jon Jones visits the guys and tries to get to know his team better. He asks, “What does it mean to you to make it in the UFC?” There are a variety of responses. Adam Cella is spurned by doubters (who’d have thought those exist in MMA!?) Bubba looks for redemption after being on a path of destruction. Dylan Andrews thinks about his brothers who had potential to be great athletes but lost their chances because of drugs.


FIGHT DAY:

It’s finally fight day and the combatants have a few more words. Cella realizes the task that lays before him and knows Hall is an intimidating and dangerous opponent. Despite having the odds stacked against him, he believes in himself since, “I always rise to the occasion.” Meanwhile, Hall doesn’t go the normal route of false modesty and states, “I’d be scared of me, too.”

Both fighters trade jabs to begin the first round. Hall then lands a strong low kick. Cella responds with a couple punches, but Hall clinches and muscles him around the cage delivering knees to the body. They break the clinch and Hal throws a cool spin kick...that doesn’t even come close to landing. Cella answers with a kick of his own, but Hall grabs it and takes him down. Cella works from his back and throws up an armbar attempt. Looks like Hall actually did learn a little defense, because he fends off the submission and stands up. The two are back on their feet and Cella follows a jab-cross combo with another kick that Hall grabs. Cella loses his balance, but Hall doesn’t follow up. Instead, he throws another low kick that lands with a solid thud. Hall throws some more left legs against Cella and backs him up further. Cella swings big with his right hand, but Hall clinches him up again. They break and Adam Cella keeps coming forward.

They trade another couple jabs. Then, with six seconds left, Uriah Hall throws another cool spin kick... that will live forever in TUF highlight reels. Cella is out before he hits the ground. Dana White screams, “Holy [expletive]!” before Cella hits the ground, too. After the initial jubilance subsides, things get very quiet. Cella is still out on the ground and you see the concern on everyone’s faces. Eventually he sits up, but he has no recollection at all about what just happened. As Adam heads to the hospital we see the kick replayed again and again and it still doesn’t get boring.

Then it’s time for next week’s fight announcement -- Kevin Casey will face off against Collin Hart. (Vote here for who you think will win.) Bubba doesn’t like it because he’s been angling for a fight with Kevin, but Coach Sonnen says it’s all a part of the strategy. They believe Kevin will take less damage against Hart.

Cut to previews to next week’s episode. Will Kevin Casey’s cut open up again? Can Team Sonnen make it three in a row? Does Dana White hand Uriah Hall a UFC contract before the season even ends? Find out next week on The Ultimate Fighter!


Season at a glance:


Team Sonnen (2-0):

Luke Barnatt (1-0, TKO win over Gilbert Smith in episode 2)
Uriah Hall (1-0, KO'd Adam Cella in episode 3)
Zak Cummings
Tor Troeng
Jimmy Quinlan
Kevin Casey
Kelvin Gastelum


Team Jones (0-2):

Clint Hester
Josh Samman
Bubba McDaniel
Gilbert Smith (0-1, TKOd by Luke Barnatt in episode 2)
Collin Hart
Adam Cella (0-1, KOd by Uriah Hall in episode 3)
Dylan Andrews



Team Sonnen retained control of the next fight pick and chose Kevin Casey to take on Team Jones’ Collin Hart. The series resumes next Tuesday, February 12, on FX at 9 p.m. ET/PT (check local listings for Central and Mountain Time). In that episode – “Sign of Disrespect” – Both teams face off in a spontaneous rap battle at the house. A prank ignites smack talk that carries over to the weigh-in. Then Casey and Hart face off in the third preliminary fight of the season.