This week is packed full of mixed martial arts action, as the Ultimate Fighting Championship will present two cards this week — the season finale of TUF Nations and UFC on Fox 11 — as well as the premiere of the newest season of The Ultimate Fighter. While the live cards will certainly grab the fans’ attention, this season of TUF seems to have fight fans more captivated than usual due to the sheer amount of talented fighters that are on the show’s roster. This list, and the rivalry between Frankie Edgar and B.J. Penn, should make this season enticing.
Looking at the list of middleweights and light heavyweights, there are a few that stand out immediately:
Former Bellator welterweight champion Lyman Good has found his way into the TUF House, and stands out as an early favorite to take home this season’s six-figure contract. Good was quietly released from Bellator when his contract ended, and it’s an interesting turn to see him brought into the UFC through this method rather than directly being given a fight.
Dhiego Lima is another name that should grab attention as the season progresses. One year younger than his brother, Douglas Lima – who is fighting for Bellator’s welterweight title on Friday at Bellator 117 – Dhiego is another fighter who will come into the house with a large amount of hype behind him.
Adrian Miles, Cathal Pendred, and Hector Urbina are also among the more experienced fighters who will be a part of this season. On paper, The Ultimate Fighter: Edgar vs Penn seems to have the potential to create a class of graduates comparable to the ones that the earlier seasons created once they were over.
The dynamic between Edgar and Penn will also be important to watch. Penn is already a superstar who has fans throughout the world of mixed martial arts. Edgar, on the other hand, though a favorite among hardcore fans, has never been able to obtain the superstar status the UFC wanted for him while he was lightweight champion. As a featherweight, he’s still considered one of the best in the sport, but due to the UFC’s need for bigger draws, this is the right time to feature him on the reality show.
There’s an old pro wrestling phrase called “giving someone the rub,” where an upcoming star is placed with a big name in the hopes that the fans will latch on to the developing prospect. While Edgar is far from being considered a prospect, this is a clear example of the UFC using a similar tactic with the goal in hopes of creating another star.
Tonight’s debut of The Ultimate Fighter: Edgar vs Penn is one of the many points of mixed martial arts action for fight fans this week. When things are all said and done, this season just might be a kickoff point for the creation of the new stars that the organization is in dire need of.
