The Ultimate Fighter - Reaching the UK Market

 For UK fans of the UFC, The Ultimate Fighter reality show has only really appeared in popular culture. Hard core fans who subscribe to UFC Fight Pass have the chance to view past seasons but the show has never reached the heights of the past.

So why is this season different?

The Ultimate Fighter has been bred off rivalries; Shamrock vs Ortiz, Evans vs Jackson, Jedrzejczyk vs Gadelha to name but a few. 

Volkanovski vs Ortega? You would not be at odds for questioning the rivalry. But let's look deeper. Volkanovski; the Featherweight Champ. Holding two victories over the consensus Featherweight GOAT. Ortega, one of the most dynamic fighters the division has seen, coming off a dominant victory over The Korean Zombie to cement himself as the Number One Contender.

This is without a doubt one of the most intriguing Featherweight fights in recent memory. An Ortega victory gives us the Holloway rematch, provided Max beats Yair Rodriguez. Victory for Volkanovski leaves little doubt that he is in a class of his own and in the GOAT discussion.

Right now the UFC is bigger than boxing, and will continue to be. Bringing The Ultimate Fighter to UK television is a huge step in the right direction. We saw Team Ortega get the first victory of the season, and it is hard to disregard this as anything other than a psychological victory for Ortega from the get go. 

While shows like Dana White's Contender Series may have taken the spotlight until now, The Ultimate Fighter gives a very unique insight into the life of the fighters striving for greatness in the world's biggest promotion. 

As an audience we see the struggle of these young fighters and we want them to succeed. The show also provides hope. It has given us cult heroes like Tony Ferguson, Michael Bisping and Rose Namajunas. The show has proven that it is an essential facet of the promotion.

I personally am thrilled by the return of the show and cannot wait for the entertainment it will bring!

~ James Eakin

Image credits [Top] "When does The Ultimate Fighter Season 29 start and who are the coaches?", Bhavesh Purohit. Available at: https://www.sportskeeda.com/mma/news/tuf/when/the/ultimate-fighter-season-29-start-coaches [Accessed June '21]