ultimate fighter american reality television series mixed martial arts competition produced previously aired fourteen seasons spike features professional fighters living las_vegas nevada follows train compete prized contract series debuted january episode quest begins date seasons calendar year season features weight classes tournament historic fight season drew millions viewers launched sport mainstream success ultimate fighter regarded instrumental survival expansion mixed martial arts mainstream current past fighters alumni competitors going coaches future seasons undergone multiple format changes inception including introduction bout winners gone compete championships champions history ultimate fighter originally experimental series financed owners series aired spike resort measure gain mainstream exposure mixed martial arts early days channel wanted sports programming budget sports licensing fees spike founder began search find programming broad appeal network afford end spike narrowed choices flew japan meet head insulted meeting weeks later met las_vegas impressed celebrity following plan acquire consolidate smaller promotions ability mcmahon personality saw safer bet given international notoriety fan aspects rebuffed suggestion change rules sport accommodate striking credits editorial collaboration highlighting story lines believes helped drive ratings success airing world_wrestling_entertainment flagship debut episode able garner retention rate viewers raw double usual rate spike believed wwe vince_mcmahon approve ultimate fighter following raw incorrect according mcmahon final given stature raw importance spike time network wanted mcmahon board program lineup time believes wwe challenge live finale season saw historic bout widely regarded influential fight history bout took place event live free television bout ended unanimous decision victory griffin led renewal spike success president said amazing think close came today weren guys don know forget guys renewal saw produce series subsequent order garner attention sport utilizes notable example ninth season employed country country theme united_states competing united_kingdom enabled appeal fans recently introduced sport penetration european market drew record viewing figures spike youtube sensation participated tenth season slice fight veteran attracted viewers sport drawing audience million making viewed fights history new broadcasting relationship moved beginning season season final season series air spike considered relationship incredibly beneficial building brands september series moved fox new mainstream sports network selection process seasons seasons prospect fighters different weight categories selected compete fighters divided teams weight class team coached current teams compete manner varies season loser eliminated competition incentives provided team winning fighter include right team select matchup order pick fighters opposing team selecting favourable end season remaining fighters weight class placed single elimination fight ultimate fighter finale title awarded winner seasons seven featured fighters weight class seasons focusing weight classes features daily preparations fighter makes train competition training center interactions living roof day day events overseen president exception season fights sanctioned exhibition matches count fighter professional record results going public air date going semi final stage series fights scheduled professional rounds opposed rounds possibility sudden victory round stages prior officially exhibition fights chooses record results semi final example seventh season winner win record official record victory season semi final round changes seasons featured sixteen fighters weight categories seasons different following season original format saw team compete challenges respective coach shoulders beach team war challenges resulted fighters hadn fought late season challenge incentive select fight fighters eliminated having lost fight seasons fighters leave house good losing resulted odd numbers teams forced moving fighters opposing teams beginning season fighters longer removed house losing fights switch teams extraordinary cases kicked team head coach seventh season instead usual sixteen fighters thirty fighters participated new rule introduced preliminary fight order house gave coaches early evaluation final change date introduction wild card seasons seasons fighters competed preliminary round winning fourteen entering house wild card bout place end round fourteen featuring losing fighters winner wild card bout included round fighters format proved highly successful fighter took season wild card bout having lost opening match house won wild card bout reach quarter finals went win bouts reaching tournament final wild card bout instituted time season featured fighters house preliminary fights contract award winners seasons ultimate fighter competition certain runners depending performance competition finals receive touted figure contract fight contracts specifically year contracts guaranteed year year consists fights year purse fight consists guaranteed win bonus maximum fight second year purse fight win bonus maximum fight year purse fight win bonus maximum fight winner goes earn total contract guaranteed years fights fought competitors win series offered contracts attractive terms coaches involvement exception seasons thirteen sixteen season brazil coaches fought conclusion season featured different weight categories eliminating possibility post season fight fourth season saw multiple guest coaches lead differing seasons clearly designated coaches seasons feature respective coaches competition season coaches fight cancelled need neck fusion surgery season thirteen saw fight junior dos cancelled diagnosed second bout saw cancellation bout season coaches torn addition expected match brazil coaches occur sustained broken hand preparing fight season supposed feature fight coaches cancelled suffered knee injury addition seasons feature post season fights coaches seasons impacted forcing injuries season coaches fight postponed suffered disc lower hughes later suffered torn fight finally took place fight season coaches took place winning unanimous decision fight postponed months jackson filming commitments temporary decision retire fighting rarely taking place live coaches fights important season ultimate fighter season effectively fight individuals multiple weeks fights usually focal point pay view event featured coaches fights resulted following results season season season ultimate fighter attempt capture public interest sport bout saved sport according journalists despite loss awarded contract live air white declared fight griffin diego regarded original wins finale second season saw compete featuring coaches final saw defeating defeating season highlighted long standing rivalry season feature competitors outside north_america addition season saw format change team games eliminated favour conventional knockout style tournament format final fights saw non american winner defeating defeat season fourth season different comeback season past fighters hadn success expected invited compete winner receiving guaranteed title shot season date feature team coaches instead guest coaches week final saw defeat defeat patrick receive guaranteed title shots fifth season coached company attempted lightweight division featured future stars lightweight division despite fact team won fights fighters final contested falling shoulder injury early winner returned sixth season coach alongside oversaw group fighters final saw veteran mac danzig defeat dropped lightweight division arguably gone success post having gone fight win streak ultimate fighter season winner danzig mark season win seventh season saw format change fighters compete official instead usual fighters season fighters claimed tired fighters coming season coached light heavyweight champion challenger season winner season final competed hadn competed professional fight taylor kicked filming completed kicked window las_vegas slot taken defeated right won final season eighth season coached champion light focus season largely dominated actions regularly drunk act aggressive manner fellow fights final saw defeat defeat ninth season saw united_states united_kingdom theme coaching respective sides sides contrasted showing close friendship coming whilst team appeared fractured lightweight final saw teammates face contract pearson coming decision final saw defeat submission opening round handing team victory tenth season season feature largely built internet sensation nfl players coaches light heavyweight champions entire season eventual fight midway airing season announced jackson filming team lead character leading coaches fight season featured nfl players making final additionally season occasionally criticised came question final saw veteran nelson winning round knockout eleventh season saw light heavyweight champions coach teams unlike previous seasons number competitors house reduced progressing quarter finals eighth added bout bout round slots went saw win submission avenge earlier defeat semi finals defeating season injuries multiple competitors withdrawal required knee surgery pulled competition quarter final place taken court court met final win submission twelfth season saw champion coach alongside opponent number contender title season saw continuation format man tournament number pick lose quickest submissions choke history slots went handing stevens second successive choke loss dominated attempts getting involved arguments finale match december resulted winning unanimous decision season regional versions thirteenth season coached heavyweight champion junior dos later win title season featured removed elimination bouts house fighters immediately gaining entry house day training saw pull competition knee injury appearance getting slots leading submission victory final season saw defeat round fourteenth season featured time coaching second time opposing cast considered notable seasons owing season weight classes fighters compete house preliminary round announced end season bonuses best knockout submission fight awards went respectively eventual winners season defeated defeated fifteenth season season air moved live format season coached champion featured lightweight division entry fights consisted round opposed usual possibility sudden death victory week house participants told father died despite able continue competition ultimately won defeating finale live season aired time brazil regional version season coached featured season featured teams seven fighters won fighters finalists division division forced withdraw finale making date finalist withdraw injury replaced man defeated semi final round eventual winners winning decision seasons main seasons season instead coaches prominent trainers fighters acted advisors replaced final episode season feature gym gym format team composed fighters gym head coaches teams head coaches individual tournament season round fights divided points fights points points emerged victorious won team picked representative fight finale tournament trophy international seasons scheduled finale injured replaced scheduled finale injured replaced season served mentor chief coach left 4th episode personal reasons staff took duties removed episode failed pre fight drug test replaced impact post success created successful fighters june men woman won titles successfully defended title fighters success sister promotions world extreme following fighters competed championship season season season season season received automatic immediate title shots non winners compete titles scheduled compete championship weighed limit competed champion lost non title fight season season season season season season ultimate fighter crown champion fighters season competing win inaugural women championship competitors division came winners fought winners gone fight season winner season winner season winner season winner diego season winner season winner season winner season winner season winner season winner mac danzig season winner season winner winner season winner court season winner winner fight night season winner season winner fight troops norman winner drew brazil winner fight night henderson diego season winner season winner fight night henderson brazil winner season winner fight night brazil winner season winner fight night season winner season winner season winner nations canada australia winner fight night hunt
The Ultimate Fighter