'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
An institution in the UFC returns in 2021, as the promotion announces the return of The Ultimate Fighter.
Making its debut back in 2005, the Ultimate Fighter is a reality television series that features professional mixed martial artists living and competing together with the goal of earning a six-figure contract to fight in the UFC.
All in all, there have been a total of 28 iterations of The Ultimate Fighter, including ten international versions of the tournament.
Throughout its multiple seasons, the reality show has produced a number of stars and future world champions, including Forrest Griffin, Rashad Evans, Michael Bisping, Rose Namajunas, Kamaru Usman, TJ Dillashaw, Robert Whittaker, and many others.
The 2021 version is expected to return in March, and is currently holding virtual auditions until November 13th. The season will feature men’s bantamweight and middleweight competitors. No announcement has been made regarding who will be the season’s coaches.
The series will air exclusively on ESPN+
The announcement was made right before the middleweight main event bout between Uriah Hall and Anderson Silva at UFC Vegas 12. Fittingly enough, Hall himself is a veteran of The Ultimate Fighter, competing and making it all the way to the finals of Season 17.
How The Ultimate Fighter Season 1 altered the course of the UFC’s history
One of the most often-told stories is how the maiden season of The Ultimate Fighter helped save the UFC.
The debut season, which aired in 2005, starred Randy Couture and Chuck Liddell as head coaches and featured arguably the most iconic cast of competitors, including the likes of Forrest Griffin, Stephan Bonnar, Diego Sanchez, Kenny Florian, Chris Leben, Josh Koscheck, and more.
The light heavyweight finale, which featured Griffin and Bonnar, became one of the most iconic bouts in the promotion’s history. That fight is said to have revitalized the UFC and helped it grow into the MMA powerhouse that it is today.
In fact, in a 2014 interview with Fox Sports, UFC President Dana White believed that the whole The Ultimate Fighter Season 1 cast should be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame.
"I think that’s a must. I think that entire season should be inducted. Without a doubt that group of people are all game changers," White told Damon Martin.
"I’ve thought about the whole cast should be (in the hall of fame). Even the Canadian Jason Thacker — without the group of people that we had and the way the synergy worked and the way things went down, that season really launched everything,” White added.
Season 1 also gave birth to White’s now-iconic “Do you want to be a fighter?” speech.
