Importance of T.U.F.
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Importance of T.U.F.
Mchubb316
6/22/08 8:57:39PM
I want to know what everyone thinks the importance of The Ulitimate Fighter has become to young fighters. Without the show where do you think some of the more well known fighters from the show would be now? Do you think that Forrest Griffen would be fighting Rampage on the 5th if the show did not exist? How hard would it have been for guys like Koscheck, Leben, Florian, Stevenson, Bisping, Jardine, Evans, Blake Bowman.....(just kidding about Bowman) to be discovered by the UFC and put in to the mix? I think the show has served its purpose to this point, by discovering new and exciting fighters, with a big upside, and giving them a shot they would not have had otherwise. What is your take on this? Thank you for reading, and for any and all replies.
seanfu
6/23/08 12:44:56AM
A lot of the guys from the first two seasons were guys that were personally called up by the UFC so a lot of them would still have gotten a shot.
The exposure wouldn't have been there and I think there might have been a few guys that needed an extra fight or two before taking on some of the top10's but the first two seasons were just exposure for the sport.
After those seasons though they started getting more into the tryout phase and those guys probably wouldn't have cotten a crack at a contract except maybe Hamill, Bisping, Herman, etc- favorites.
Some of the secrets like Grove and Starnes probably would've been either lost to other organizations or taken an extra couple years.
Every season brings in new tralents and secret weapons. Look at Matnard- he's like 4-0 and a total beast. The show can act as a tester for guys like Hill who turned out to be a good invesment.
People complain that the talent has gone down but after producing the first 3 rich seasons how much more experienced developed talent is there?
What's left after the initial 3 seasons that had middleweights is what we just had- CB Amir and others. Young guys with little experiance and raw talent.
TUF the circus act or not it has proven to produce talent again and again.
The exposure wouldn't have been there and I think there might have been a few guys that needed an extra fight or two before taking on some of the top10's but the first two seasons were just exposure for the sport.
After those seasons though they started getting more into the tryout phase and those guys probably wouldn't have cotten a crack at a contract except maybe Hamill, Bisping, Herman, etc- favorites.
Some of the secrets like Grove and Starnes probably would've been either lost to other organizations or taken an extra couple years.
Every season brings in new tralents and secret weapons. Look at Matnard- he's like 4-0 and a total beast. The show can act as a tester for guys like Hill who turned out to be a good invesment.
People complain that the talent has gone down but after producing the first 3 rich seasons how much more experienced developed talent is there?
What's left after the initial 3 seasons that had middleweights is what we just had- CB Amir and others. Young guys with little experiance and raw talent.
TUF the circus act or not it has proven to produce talent again and again.
The-Don
6/23/08 7:30:02PM
I agree.. some good talent.. I just wish whenthey were casting they looked for the best fighters period.. not the best fighters who are more likely to cause conflict in the house... YOu get a group of fighters together regardless there will end up being conflict...