| The Ultimate Fighter | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Created by | Craig Piligian Frank Fertitta III Lorenzo Fertitta Dana White |
| Starring | Dana White UFC roster |
| Country of origin | United States |
| No. of seasons | 33 |
| No. of episodes | 150+ (including 23 live Ultimate Finales) |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | Craig Piligian Gary DeFranco |
| Running time | 60 minutes |
| Production companies | Pilgrim Films & Television Zuffa |
| Original release | |
| Network | Spike TV (2005–2011) FX (2012–2013) Fox Sports 1 (2013–2018) UFC Fight Pass (2014–present) BT Sport (2015–2023) TNT Sports (2023–present) ESPN+ (2021–2025) Paramount+ (since 2026) |
| Release | January 17, 2004 (2004-01-17) – present |
The Ultimate Fighter is an Americanreality television series andmixed martial arts (MMA) competition produced by theUltimate Fighting Championship (UFC)[1] andPilgrim Media Group is expected to air onParamount+ in 2026. It previously aired for fourteen seasons onSpike TV. The show features professional MMA fighters living together inLas Vegas, Nevada, and follows them as they train and compete against each other for a prized six-figure contract with the UFC. The series debuted on January 17, 2005, with its first episode, "The Quest Begins". To date, there have been thirty one seasons of the show, two per calendar year, some years having only one season. Each season features either one or two weight classes in the tournament.
The historicForrest Griffin vs. Stephan Bonnar fight in the first season drew millions of viewers to the show and launched the sport into the mainstream. Because of this success,The Ultimate Fighter was regarded as instrumental to the survival and expansion of the UFC and mixed martial arts into the mainstream. Many current and past UFC fighters are alumni of the show, with some competitors going on to become coaches in future seasons. The show has undergone multiple format changes since its inception, including the introduction of the wildcard bout. Many winners have gone on to compete for UFC championships with some becoming UFC champions.
The Ultimate Fighter was originally an experimental series financed by the former owners of theUltimate Fighting Championship (UFC),Lorenzo andFrank Fertitta III. The series was aired onSpike TV as a last resort measure to gain mainstream exposure formixed martial arts (MMA).[2]
During the early days of Spike TV, the channel wanted sports programming, but had no budget for sports licensing fees. Spike TV founderAlbie Hecht began a search to find programming with broad appeal that the network could afford. In the end, Spike narrowed its choices down to the UFC andK-1. Hecht flew to Japan to meet with the head of K-1, but the meeting did not go well. Weeks later, Hecht met with Lorenzo Fertitta in Las Vegas. Hecht was impressed by the UFC's celebrity following, its plan to acquire and consolidate smaller promotions into the UFC, and with Dana White's ability to be a "Vince McMahon"-like personality.[3]
Hecht saw K-1 as a safer bet, given it had more international notoriety. He was also not a fan of the grappling aspects of MMA, but the UFC rebuffed his suggestion to change the rules of the sport to accommodate striking. Hecht creditsKevin Kay and his editorial collaboration with the UFC for highlighting the show's story lines, which he believes helped drive its ratings success.[3]
Airing afterWorld Wrestling Entertainment's flagship showWWE Raw,The Ultimate Fighter's debut episode was able to garner a 57% retention rate in viewers fromRaw, which was double the usual rate for Spike TV.[4] It is believed by some[who?] that WWE'sVince McMahon had to approveThe Ultimate Fighter followingRaw, but this is incorrect. According to Hecht, McMahon did not have the final say, but given his stature andRaw's' importance to Spike TV at the time, the network wanted McMahon to "be on board" with the program lineup. At the time, Hecht believes the WWE did not see the UFC as a challenge.[3]
Thelive finale for the first season saw the historic bout ofForrest Griffin vs. Stephan Bonnar. Now widely regarded as the most influential fight in MMA history,[5] the bout took place in what was the first ever MMA event on live and free television.[5] The bout ended in a unanimous decision victory for Griffin and led to the show's renewal on Spike TV.[2] Regarding the success of the show, UFC presidentDana White said, "It's amazing to think.... how close we came to not being here today. If it weren't for what these guys did, I don't know if there would even be a UFC. I'll never forget these guys. Ever."[2]
The renewal of the show saw UFC produce two more series, before subsequent renewals. In order to garner more attention for the sport,The Ultimate Fighter utilizes gimmicks: one notable example, in the ninth season, employed a country vs. country theme, with the United States competing against the United Kingdom. These gimmicks enabled the UFC to appeal to fans that had been recently introduced to the sport during UFCs penetration into the European market.[6]The Ultimate Fighter also drew record viewing figures for Spike TV when YouTube sensationKimbo Slice participated in the tenth season. Slice's fight against veteranRoy Nelson attracted viewers to the sport, drawing an audience of 6.1 million, making it one of the most viewed MMA fights in history.[7]
As part of a new broadcasting relationship between the UFC andFox Sports,The Ultimate Fighter moved toFX beginning in season 15.[1] Season 14 was the final season of the series to air on Spike, who considered the relationship to be "incredibly beneficial in building both our brands.”[8] In September 2013, the series moved to Fox's new mainstream sports networkFox Sports 1.[9]
Because of the need to keep the fight results secret until the airing of the episode, each fight onThe Ultimate Fighter is officially an "exhibition", and as such does not count towards the fighters overall record.[10][dubious –discuss]
For the first four seasons, prospective UFC fighters from two different weight classes were selected to compete. The fighters are divided into two teams,[11] irrespective of weight class, with each team coached by a current UFC headliner. The teams then compete (in a manner which varies by season), with the loser being eliminated from the competition. Often, incentives are provided for the team of a winning fighter. This can include the right for their team to select the next matchup, in order to pick off fighters from the opposing team by selecting favourable matchups.[12]
At the end of a season, the two remaining fighters of each weight class are placed in a single-elimination fight atUltimate Fighter Finales, such asThe Ultimate Fighter 1 Finale where the title of Ultimate Fighter is awarded to the winner.[13] Seasons five to seven and ten to twelve have featured fighters from just one weight class each, with the other seasons focusing on two weight classes.
The show features the daily preparations each fighter makes to train for competition at the UFC training center,[11] and the interactions they have with each other living under the same roof. Day-to-day events on the show are overseen by UFC presidentDana White.[14]
With the exception of the season finales, fights onThe Ultimate Fighter are sanctioned by theNevada Athletic Commission as exhibition matches and do not count for or against a fighter's professional record.[15] This is done to keep the results from going public before the air date. However, going into the semi-final stage of each series, fights are scheduled for the full professional three rounds, as opposed to two rounds (with the possibility of a sudden victory round) for all stages prior.[16] Though officially exhibition fights, the UFC chooses to record the results of semi-final matchups. For example, the seventh season winnerAmir Sadollah has one more win on his UFC record[17] than on his official record[18] due to his victory in his season's semi-final round.
The first six seasons featured sixteen fighters, in either one or two weight categories.[19] The first two seasons, however, were very different from each following season. The original format forThe Ultimate Fighter saw each team compete in challenges, such as hoisting their respective coach up on their shoulders and sprinting down a beach,[20] or a team tug-of-war.[21] These challenges resulted in eliminations of fighters who hadn't fought, until late in the season when the challenge incentive was to select the next fight where fighters would be eliminated, having lost the fight. In the first two seasons, fighters would also leave the house for good upon losing and this often resulted in odd numbers for teams, which forced the moving of fighters to opposing teams.[22]
Beginning in season four, fighters were no longer removed from the house after losing their fights and did not switch teams except in extraordinary cases, such as being kicked off a team by the head coach.[23] In the seventh season, instead of the usual sixteen fighters, thirty-two fighters participated. This new rule introduced a preliminary fight, in order to get into the house, which gave the coaches an early evaluation.[19][24]
The final change to date was the introduction of the "wild card" for seasons 11–13. In seasons 11 & 12, 28 fighters competed in the preliminary round, with the winning fourteen entering the house. A "wild card" bout would take place at the end of the "round-of-fourteen" featuring two of the losing fighters. The winner of the wild card bout would then be included in the quarterfinal round of eight fighters.[25] This format proved highly successful for middleweight fighterKris McCray, who took part in season 11's wild card bout. Having lost his opening match in the house, he won the wild card bout to reach the quarter-finals and went on to win his next two bouts, reaching the tournament final.[26] The wild card bout was instituted one last time in season 13, which only featured 14 fighters in the house & no preliminary fights.
The winners of the first three seasons ofThe Ultimate Fighter competition, and certain runners-up depending on their performance in their competition finals, receive the touted "six-figure" contract to fight in the UFC. These contracts are specifically three-year contracts with a guaranteed first year.[27] Each year consists of three fights, the first year's purse per fight consists of $12,000 guaranteed with a $12,000 win bonus (a maximum of $24,000 per fight). The second year's purse per fight is $16,000 with a $16,000 win bonus (a maximum of $32,000 per fight) and the third year's purse per fight is at $22,000 with a $22,000 win bonus (a maximum of $44,000 per fight).[27]
A TUF winner who goes 9–0 can earn $300,000 total on the contract, but only $150,000 is guaranteed for all three years if nine fights are fought.[27] Some TUF competitors who did not win the series were also offered UFC contracts, although not on as attractive terms.[28]
With the exception of seasons 2, 4, 11, 13, 15, 16, 22, 31, 33 and season 1 of TUF: Brazil the coaches fought each other after the conclusion of the show. Season 2 featuredRich Franklin andMatt Hughes, who were in different weight categories, eliminating the possibility for a post-season fight. Season 4 saw multiple guest coaches take the lead, differing from other seasons with two clearly designated coaches.[29] Season 22 did not feature a fight between coachesConor McGregor andUrijah Faber since McGregor was theUFCInterim Featherweight Champion and had an automatic title unification withFeatherweight ChampionJosé Aldo next. As such, these seasons did not feature their respective coaches in competition. Season 11 coachesTito Ortiz andChuck Liddell's fight was cancelled due to Ortiz's need for neck fusion surgery.[30] Season 13 saw the fight betweenBrock Lesnar andJunior dos Santos cancelled after Lesnar was diagnosed with his second bout ofdiverticulitis.[31] 2012 saw the cancellation of a bout between season 15 coachesDominick Cruz and Urijah Faber, due to a torn ACL for Cruz.[32] In addition, the expected fight between the TUF: Brazil coachesVitor Belfort andWanderlei Silva did not occur after Belfort sustained a broken hand while preparing for the fight.[33] Season 16 was supposed to feature a fight between coachesRoy Nelson andShane Carwin, though this was also cancelled after Carwin suffered a knee injury.[34]
In addition to the seasons which did not feature post-season fights between the coaches, several seasons have been impacted, forcing postponements. Due to injuries to the season six coachesMatt Serra andMatt Hughes, their fight was postponed. Serra suffered a herniated disc in his lower back and Hughes later suffered a torn MCL before the fight finally took place atUFC 98.[35] The fight between season ten coachesRashad Evans andQuinton Jackson took place atUFC 114 with Rashad Evans winning by unanimous decision.[36] The fight was postponed by five months due to Jackson'sA-Team filming commitments and his temporary decision to retire from fighting.[37]
Though rarely taking place at the live finales, the coaches' fights are an important part of each season ofThe Ultimate Fighter. With each season effectively hyping the fight and the individuals for multiple weeks,[38] the fights are usually the focal point of the pay-per-view event in which they are featured. The coaches' fights have resulted in the following matchups and results:
The first season ofThe Ultimate Fighter was the last attempt by the UFC to capture public interest in the sport. The Stephan Bonnar and Forrest Griffin bout saved the sport according to many journalists and Dana White. Despite his loss, Bonnar was also awarded a coveted contract live on the air, after White declared that "There were no losers in this fight." Griffin and Diego Sanchez are also regarded as the original Ultimate Fighters, after their wins at the finale.[51]
The second season saw welterweights and heavyweights compete, featuring coachesRich Franklin andMatt Hughes. The final sawRashad Evans defeatingBrad Imes andJoe Stevenson defeatingLuke Cummo.[52]
The third season highlighted the long-standing rivalry betweenTito Ortiz andKen Shamrock.[53] It was also the first season to feature competitors from outside of North America, after the addition ofMichael Bisping and Ross Pointon. The season saw a format change, when the team-games were eliminated in favour of a conventional knockout style tournament format.[53] The final fights sawMichael Bisping become the first non-American winner, defeatingJosh Haynes andKendall Grove defeatEd Herman.[54]
The fourth season was different from others before it, as it was the "comeback" season. Past UFC fighters who hadn't had the success they were expected to have, were invited back, to compete in the show, with the winner receiving a guaranteed title shot.[55] This season was also the only one to date to not feature team coaches. Instead, the show had guest coaches each week.[55] The final sawMatt Serra defeatChris Lytle andTravis Lutter defeatPatrick Côté to receive their guaranteed title shots.[56]
The fifth season was coached byJens Pulver andB.J. Penn, as the company attempted to kickstart the lightweight division.[57] The show featured many of the future stars of the lightweight division such asNate Diaz,Joe Lauzon,Gray Maynard,Matt Wiman andCole Miller. Despite the fact that Team Pulver won 5 out of the first eight fights, the 3 fighters who made it through the quarterfinals on Team Penn are still in the UFC which areGray Maynard,Matt Wiman andJoe Lauzon while Cole Miller,Manvel Gamburyan, and Nate Diaz from Team Pulver are still in the UFC. The final was contested byNate Diaz and Manvel Gamburyan, with Gamburyan falling to a shoulder injury early on.[58]
Former winnerMatt Serra returned to the show in the sixth season to coach alongsideMatt Hughes and oversaw a group of welterweight fighters.[59] The final saw veteranMac Danzig defeatTommy Speer to becomeThe Ultimate Fighter, before he dropped to the lightweight division.[60] Arguably, onlyGeorge Sotiropoulos has gone on to have any success post-TUF, having gone on a 7 fight win streak after The Ultimate Fighter,[61] while season winner Danzig has hovered around the .500 mark since his season win.[62]
The seventh season saw another format change, as fighters had to compete to be official castmembers. Instead of the usual 16 fighters, the season had 32 fighters after Dana White claimed that he was tired of fighters coming onto the show for airtime.[63] This season was coached by UFC Light Heavyweight championQuinton Jackson and challengerForrest Griffin, the first season's winner. The season's final was due to be competed betweenAmir Sadollah, who hadn't competed in a professional fight before the show, andJesse Taylor. However, Taylor was kicked off the show after filming had completed, when he kicked the window out of a limousine in Las Vegas.[63] His slot was taken byC.B. Dollaway who defeatedTim Credeur for the right,[63] but Sadollah won in the final to becomeThe Ultimate Fighter.[64]
The eighth season was coached by UFC Interim Heavyweight championAntônio Rodrigo Nogueira andFrank Mir, with lightweights and light heavyweights being the focus for the season.[65] The show was largely dominated by the actions of Junie Browning, who would regularly get drunk and act in an aggressive manner towards his fellow castmates.[66] The two fights at the final sawEfrain Escudero defeatPhillipe Nover andRyan Bader defeatVinny Magalhães.[67]
The ninth season saw a United States vs. United Kingdom theme for the show, withDan Henderson andMichael Bisping coaching the respective sides.[68] The two sides contrasted, with the UK side showing close friendship (with many coming from Team Rough House), whilst the US team appeared fractured.[69] The lightweight final saw Team Rough House teammatesAndre Winner andRoss Pearson face off for the contract, with Pearson coming out on top via decision. The welterweight final sawJames Wilks defeatDaMarques Johnson via submission in the opening round, handing the UK team a 2–0 victory.[70]
The tenth season was the first season to feature only heavyweights and was largely built around the internet sensationKimbo Slice and formerNFL players.[71][72] The two coaches were former UFC Light Heavyweight champions Quinton Jackson andRashad Evans who squabbled throughout the entire season, hyping their eventual fight further. However, midway through the airing of the season, it was announced that Jackson was filmingThe A-Team, as its lead characterB. A. Baracus, leading to the postponement of the coaches' fight.[73] The season also featured several former NFL players, with one -Brendan Schaub - making the final of the show. Additionally, the season was occasionally criticised after the cardio of the heavyweights came into question.[74] The final saw MMA veteranRoy Nelson andBrendan Schaub, with Nelson winning via first-round knockout.[75]
The eleventh season saw former UFC Light Heavyweight championsTito Ortiz andChuck Liddell coach the two teams.[76] Unlike previous seasons, the number of competitors in the house was reduced to 14, with 7 progressing to the quarter-finals. An eighth was added via a "wildcard" bout - a bout between two losers from the round of 14.[77] The slots went toKyacey Uscola andKris McCray, which saw McCray win via submission. McCray would then go on to avenge his earlier defeat, in the semi-finals, defeating Josh Bryant.[78] The season was blighted by injuries to multiple competitors, such as the withdrawal ofNick Ring, after he required knee surgery. AfterRich Attonito pulled out of the competition, his quarter final place was taken byCourt McGee.[79] Court McGee and Kris McCray met in the final, where McGee would win via submission to becomeThe Ultimate Fighter.[80]
The twelfth season saw the UFC Welterweight championGeorges St-Pierre coach alongside former opponent and number one contender to the title,Josh Koscheck.[81] The season saw the continuation of the wildcard format and 14-man tournament bracket. The show's number one pick was Marc Stevens, who would go on to lose in one of the quickest submissions (via guillotine choke) in the show's history.[82] The wildcard slots went to Marc Stevens and Aaron Wilkinson, with Wilkinson handing Stevens his second successive guillotine choke loss.[83] The show was dominated by Josh Koscheck's attempts to annoy Georges St-Pierre, with St-Pierre's paramedic getting involved in the arguments with Koscheck.[82] The finale was a match betweenJonathan Brookins andMichael Johnson on December 4, 2010, which resulted in Brookins winning via unanimous decision.[84]
The thirteenth season was coached by formerUFC Heavyweight championBrock Lesnar andJunior dos Santos, who would later go on to win the same title. This season featured welterweights and removed the elimination bouts to get into the house, with 14 fighters immediately gaining entry into the house.[85] The first day of training sawMyles Jury pull out of the competition with a knee injury.[85] The wildcard made another appearance, with Javier Torres and Chuck O'Neil getting the slots, leading to a submission victory for O'Neil. The final of this season sawTony Ferguson defeatRamsey Nijem via KO in the first round.[86]
The fourteenth season featuredbantamweights andfeatherweights for the first time, withMichael Bisping coaching for the second time, withJason Miller opposing him. The cast was considered to be one of the most notable in several seasons of the Ultimate Fighter,[87] perhaps owing to this season being the first for the weight classes. Fighters once again had to compete to get into the house, but during the preliminary round, Dana White announced end-of-season bonuses for the best knockout, submission and fight. The awards went toJohn Dodson,Dennis Bermudez andDustin Pague vs.Louis Gaudinot respectively.[88] The eventual winners of the season wereJohn Dodson (who defeatedT.J. Dillashaw at bantamweight) andDiego Brandao (who defeatedDennis Bermudez at featherweight).[89]
The fifteenth season was the first season to air on FX and moved to a live format. The season was coached byUFC Bantamweight championDominick Cruz andUrijah Faber and featured the lightweight division. The entry fights consisted of just one round, as opposed to the usual two with the possibility of a sudden death victory. During the first week in the house,Michael Chiesa - one of the participants - was told that his father had died.[90] Despite this, he was able to continue in the competition and ultimately won after defeatingAl Iaquinta at the finale.[91] The live season aired at the same time asTUF Brazil, which was the first regional version of the show. That season was coached byVitor Belfort andWanderlei Silva and featured featherweights and middleweights. This season featured a scrambling of the teams, as seven of the Team Vitor fighters had won for only one of the Team Wanderlei fighters. The finalists for the show wereRony "Jason" Mariano Bezerra andGodofredo Pepey in the featherweight division andCezar "Mutante" Ferreira andDaniel Sarafian in the middleweight division.[92] However, Sarafian was forced to withdraw from the finale, making him the first and (to-date) only finalist to ever withdraw through injury. He was replaced bySergio "Serginho" Moraes, the man he had defeated via KO in the semi-final round.[92] The eventual winners were Bezerra and Ferreira, with both winning via decision.[93]
^ A. For this season instead of coaches, prominent trainers and UFC fighters acted as advisors.
^ B. Tito Ortiz was replaced in the final episode byRich Franklin.
^ C. This season is the first to feature a gym vs. gym format as each team is composed of fighters from the same gym and their head coaches are also the teams' head coaches.
^ D. There was no individual tournament for the season. After a round of 12 fights, divided into points (the first four fights were 25 points, the next 50 and the last were 100 points), American Top Team emerged victorious and won $200,000. Then, each team picked a representative to fight at the finale for $300,000 and the tournament trophy.
^ E. Saul Rogers was scheduled to be part of the finale, but was pulled due to Visa issues and was replaced by Ryan Hall.
^ F.Sijara Eubanks was scheduled to be part of the finale, but was pulled on the day of the weigh ins for medical reasons and was replaced by Roxanne Modafferi.
^ G. Brad Katona was originally on Team Chandler, but switched to Team McGregor in the semi-final round.
These versions did not have a stand-alone The Ultimate Fighter final.
^ H.Daniel Sarafian was scheduled to be part of the finale, but was injured and replaced by Sergio Moraes.
^ I.Santiago Ponzinibbio was scheduled to be part of the finale, but was injured and replaced by Leonardo Santos.
^ J. For this seasonCung Le served as a mentor and chief coach.
^ K. Hailin Ao left the show after the 4th episode for personal reasons. His staff took over his duties.
^ L.Anderson Silva was removed from the show on episode 3 due to his failed pre-fight drug test forUFC 183. He was replaced byAntônio Rodrigo Nogueira.
The Ultimate Fighter has created many successful fighters. As of October 2019, ten TUF contestants have won UFC titles. However, some fighters have also had success in the sister promotionsWorld Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) orStrikeforce. The following fighters have competed for a UFC, Strikeforce or WEC championship:
| Result | TUF Competitor | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | Joe Stevenson | B.J. Penn | Submission (rear naked choke) at 4:02 of round 2 | UFC 80 | January 19, 2008 | For the vacantUFC Lightweight Championship.[109] |
| Win | Rashad Evans | Forrest Griffin | TKO (punches) at 2:46 of round 3 | UFC 92 | December 27, 2008 | For Griffin'sUFC Light Heavyweight Championship.[45] |
| Loss | Rashad Evans | Lyoto Machida | KO (punches) at 3:57 of round 2 | UFC 98 | May 23, 2009 | Lost hisUFC Light Heavyweight Championship.[110] |
| Loss | Keith Jardine | Luke Rockhold | TKO (punches) at 4:26 of round 1 | Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Jardine | January 7, 2012 | For Rockhold'sStrikeforce Middleweight Championship.[111] |
| Loss | Rashad Evans | Jon Jones | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 145 | April 21, 2012 | For Jones'UFC Light Heavyweight Championship.[112] |
| Result | TUF Competitor | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | Michael Bisping | Luke Rockhold | KO (punches) at 3:36 of round 1 | UFC 199 | June 4, 2016 | For Rockhold'sUFC Middleweight Championship. |
| Win | Michael Bisping | Dan Henderson | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 204 | October 8, 2016 | Defended hisUFC Middleweight Championship. |
| Loss | Michael Bisping | Georges St-Pierre | Technical Submission (rear naked choke) at 4:23 of round 3 | UFC 217 | November 4, 2017 | Lost hisUFC Middleweight Championship. |
As part of season four,Travis Lutter and Matt Serra received automatic and immediate title shots, though non-winners can also compete for titles. Lutter was scheduled to compete for theUFC Middleweight Championship atUFC 67: All Or Nothing, but weighed in over the limit. He still competed against the champion and lost a non–title fight.[113]
| Result | TUF Competitor | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | Matt Serra | Georges St-Pierre | TKO (punches) at 3:25 of round 1 | UFC 69 | April 7, 2007 | For St-Pierre'sUFC Welterweight Championship.[114] |
| Loss | Matt Serra | Georges St-Pierre | TKO (knees to the body) at 4:45 of round 2 | UFC 83 | April 19, 2008 | Lost hisUFC Welterweight Championship.[115] |
| Loss | Patrick Côté | Anderson Silva | TKO (knee injury) at 0:39 of round 3 | UFC 90 | October 25, 2008 | For Silva'sUFC Middleweight Championship.[116] |
| Result | TUF Competitor | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | Manny Gamburyan | José Aldo | KO (punches) at 1:32 of round 2 | WEC 51 | September 30, 2010 | For Aldo'sWEC Featherweight Championship.[117] |
| Draw | Gray Maynard | Frankie Edgar | Draw (split) | UFC 125 | January 1, 2011 | For Edgar'sUFC Lightweight Championship.[118] |
| Loss | Gray Maynard | Frankie Edgar | KO (punches) at 3:54 of round 4 | UFC 136 | October 8, 2011 | For Edgar'sUFC Lightweight Championship.[108] |
| Loss | Nate Diaz | Benson Henderson | Decision (unanimous) | UFC on Fox: Henderson vs. Diaz | December 8, 2012 | For Henderson'sUFC Lightweight Championship. |
| Result | TUF Competitor | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | Tony Ferguson | Kevin Lee | Submission (triangle choke) at 4:02 of round 3 | UFC 216 | October 7, 2017 | For the interimUFC Lightweight Championship. |
| Loss | Tony Ferguson | Justin Gaethje | TKO (Punch) at 3:39 of Round 5 | UFC 249 | May 9, 2020 | For the interimUFC Lightweight Championship. |
| Result | TUF Competitor | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | Al Iaquinta | Khabib Nurmagomedov | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 223 | April 7, 2018 | For the vacantUFC Lightweight Championship. Iaquinta initially made weight (155.2 lbs) for his bout againstPaul Felder, but was ineligible to win the title. |
| Result | TUF Competitor | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | Kelvin Gastelum | Israel Adesanya | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 236 | April 13, 2019 | For the interimUFC Middleweight Championship. |
Season 20 was the first season ofThe Ultimate Fighter to crown a champion. All fighters of the season were competing to win the inauguralUFC Women's Strawweight Championship. Most of the competitors from the division came from TUF 20.
| Result | TUF Competitor | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | Kamaru Usman | Tyron Woodley | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 235 | March 2, 2019 | For Woodley'sUFC Welterweight Championship.[119] |
| Win | Kamaru Usman | Colby Covington | TKO (punches) at 4:10 of round 5 | UFC 245 | December 14, 2019 | Defended hisUFC Welterweight Championship. |
| Win | Kamaru Usman | Jorge Masvidal | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 251 | July 12, 2020 | Defended hisUFC Welterweight Championship. |
| Win | Kamaru Usman | Gilbert Burns | TKO (punches) at 0:34 of round 3 | UFC 258 | February 13, 2021 | Defended hisUFC Welterweight Championship. |
| Win | Kamaru Usman | Jorge Masvidal | KO (punches) at 1:02 of round 2 | UFC 261 | April 24, 2021 | Defended hisUFC Welterweight Championship. |
| Win | Kamaru Usman | Colby Covington | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 268 | November 6, 2021 | Defended hisUFC Welterweight Championship. |
| Loss | Kamaru Usman | Leon Edwards | KO (head kick) at 4:04 of round 5 | UFC 278 | August 20, 2022 | Lost hisUFC Welterweight Championship. |
| Loss | Kamaru Usman | Leon Edwards | Decision (majority) | UFC 286 | March 18, 2023 | For Edwards'UFC Welterweight Championship. |
| Result | TUF Competitor | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | Khalil Rountree Jr. | Alex Pereira | TKO (punches) at 4:32 of round 4 | UFC 307 | October 5, 2024 | For Pereira'sUFC Light Heavyweight Championship. |
| Loss | Tatiana Suarez | Zhang Weili | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 312 | February 9, 2025 | For Zhang'sUFC Women's Strawweight Championship. |
The winner of Season 24 won a fight with Demetrious Johnson. Tim Elliott won the tournament and fought Johnson for the main event on the finale.
| Result | TUF Competitor | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | Tim Elliott | Demetrious Johnson | Decision (unanimous) | The Ultimate Fighter: Tournament of Champions Finale | December 3, 2016 | For Johnson'sUFC Flyweight Championship. |
| Draw | Brandon Moreno | Deiveson Figueiredo | Draw (majority) | UFC 256 | December 12, 2020 | For Figueiredo'sUFC Flyweight Championship. |
| Win | Brandon Moreno | Deiveson Figueiredo | Submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:26 of round 3 | UFC 263 | June 12, 2021 | For Figueiredo'sUFC Flyweight Championship. |
| Loss | Brandon Moreno | Deiveson Figueiredo | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 270 | January 22, 2022 | Lost hisUFC Flyweight Championship. |
| Win | Brandon Moreno | Kai Kara-France | TKO (body kick and punches) at 4:34 of round 3 | UFC 277 | July 30, 2022 | For the vacant interimUFC Flyweight Championship; Kara-France was also a TUF competitor. |
| Win | Brandon Moreno | Deiveson Figueiredo | TKO (doctor stoppage) at 5:00 of round 3 | UFC 283 | January 21, 2023 | For Figueiredo'sUFC Flyweight Championship. |
| Win | Alexandre Pantoja | Brandon Moreno | Decision (split) | UFC 290 | July 8, 2023 | For Moreno'sUFC Flyweight Championship; Moreno was also a TUF competitor. |
| Win | Alexandre Pantoja | Brandon Royval | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 296 | December 16, 2023 | Defended hisUFC Flyweight Championship. |
| Win | Alexandre Pantoja | Steve Erceg | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 301 | May 4, 2024 | Defended hisUFC Flyweight Championship. |
| Win | Alexandre Pantoja | Kai Asakura | Technical Submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:05 of round 2 | UFC 310 | December 7, 2024 | Defended hisUFC Flyweight Championship. |
| Win | Alexandre Pantoja | Kai Kara-France | Submission (rear-naked choke) at 1:55 of round 3 | UFC 317 | June 28, 2025 | Defended hisUFC Flyweight Championship; Kara-France was also a TUF competitor. |
| Loss | Alexandre Pantoja | Joshua Van | TKO (arm injury) at 0:26 of round 1 | UFC 323 | December 6, 2025 | Lost hisUFC Flyweight Championship. |
All fighters of the season were competing to win the inauguralUFC Women's Flyweight Championship. Most of the competitors from the division came from TUF 26.
| Result | TUF Competitor | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | Nicco Montaño | Roxanne Modafferi | Decision (unanimous) | The Ultimate Fighter: A New World Champion Finale | December 1, 2017 | For the inauguralUFC Women's Flyweight Championship; Modafferi was also a TUF competitor. |
| Loss | Lauren Murphy | Valentina Shevchenko | TKO (elbows and punches) at 4:00 of round 4 | UFC 266 | September 25, 2021 | For Shevchenko'sUFC Women's Flyweight Championship. |
Robert Whittaker was scheduled to defend hisUFC Middleweight Championship againstYoel Romero atUFC 225: Whittaker vs. Romero 2. However, Romero weighed in over the limit. Whittaker would go on to win a non-title fight.[120]
| Result | TUF Competitor | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | Robert Whittaker | Yoel Romero | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 213 | July 8, 2017 | For the interimUFC Middleweight Championship. |
| Loss | Robert Whittaker | Israel Adesanya | KO (punches) at 3:33 of round 2 | UFC 243 | October 6, 2019 | Lost hisUFC Middleweight Championship. |
| Loss | Robert Whittaker | Israel Adesanya | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 271 | February 12, 2022 | For Adesanya'sUFC Middleweight Championship. |
| Result | TUF Competitor | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | Thiago Santos | Jon Jones | Decision (split) | UFC 239 | July 6, 2019 | For Jones'UFC Light Heavyweight Championship. |
| Result | TUF Competitor | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | Paulo Costa | Israel Adesanya | TKO (punches) at 3:59 of round 2 | UFC 253 | September 27, 2020 | For Adesanya'sUFC Middleweight Championship. |
| Result | TUF Competitor | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | Yair Rodríguez | Josh Emmett | Submission (triangle choke) at 4:19 of round 2 | UFC 284 | February 12, 2023 | For the interimUFC Featherweight Championship. |
| Loss | Yair Rodríguez | Alexander Volkanovski | TKO (punches) at 4:19 of round 3 | UFC 290 | July 8, 2023 | For Volkanovski'sUFC Featherweight Championship. |
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