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The Ultimate Fighter Season 31 cast has been officially revealed.
The MMA community quickly became re-interested in The Ultimate Fighter when Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler were announced as the newest coaches. Nearly two months before the show airs, the list of contestants has been announced:
“Bantamweight: Hunter Azure, Timur Valiev, Brad Katona, Mando Gutierrez, Trevor Wells, Carlos Vera, Rico DiSciullo, and Cody Gibson”
“Lightweight: Jason Knight, Roosevelt Roberts, Kurt Holobaugh, Austin Hubbard, Nate Jennerman, Lee Hammond, Landon Quinones, Aaron McKenzie”
The TUF 31 roster features a variety of prospects and former UFC fighters. Although each contestant has an intriguing story, several stand out. Lee Hammond is one prospect to keep an eye on. The 26-year-old holds a 5-0 professional record, and he was reportedly a late addition due to his affiliation with McGregor.
Meanwhile, Jason Knight, Roosevelt Roberts, and Timur Valiev are veterans with a solid chance of going all the way. With that said, Brad Katona is the fighter to watch. Katona won TUF 27 and was later cut after two consecutive UFC losses. ‘Superman’ won four fights outside the promotion to earn another chance at the big show.
The Ultimate Fighter has dropped off over the years, but the new roster of fighters could lead to one of the best seasons yet.
Take a look at the records of The Ultimate Fighter Season 31 cast below:
Dana White reveals Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler became rivals during The Ultimate Fighter Season 31
Although the TUF 31 roster is intriguing, the MMA community is focused on Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler as the coaches. While some people thought Chandler would ignore McGregor's antics, Dana White confirmed that things escalated quickly. He had this to say during the UFC 285 post-fight press conference:
“Chandler and Conor were very respectful to each other, and then some things started escalating that you’ll see on the show. They do not like each other now. A lot of s*** went down on Friday.”
The UFC president continued by saying:
“There was a lot of s*** that went down on Friday, yeah. I don’t look at stuff that’s good for the show or things like that. Whatever happens, happens. The stuff that just happened shouldn’t have happened and I’m getting old. I would have been in there sooner back in the days but not good.”
The first episode of TUF 31 will air on May 30, with a new episode released every Tuesday. Once the season is done airing, McGregor and Chandler will fight on a date that hasn’t been officially announced. The highly-anticipated matchup is expected to take place at lightweight.
