Here's the info on the new crop of UFC hopefuls that will be on TUF 3. If you could help me out on any missing info, and the last names of the few I’m missing that’d be great! (Note the records I list, some of which are a little fishy, come from the Spike TV website)
Link to TUF 3 page-
http://www.spiketv.com/#shows/ultima...howDescription
Light Heavywieghts-
Kristian (Kris) Rotharmel-
http://www.sherdog.com/fightfinder/f...?fighterID=949
From- New Orleans, LA
Record- 4-2
Wt.- 205
Age- 33
Team-
Notes- holds a loss to Jeremy Horn. Kristian's dad was killed in Hurricane Katrina.
Matt Hamill-
From- Cincinnati,OH
Record-
WT.- 205
Age-
Team- Jorge Gurgel
Notes- Matt is deaf. 2004 NCAA Division 3 Hall of Fame inductee. First US wrestler to win gold medlas in freestyle and greco at the 1997 wolrd games for the deaf. 3x NCAA division 3 champion at the National Technical Institute for the deaf. Has been featured in SI and NCAA News. 1997 Deaf Sports Federation Athlete of the year. Trains with Rich Franklin.
Michael "The Count" Bisping-
http://www.sherdog.com/fightfinder/f...ighterid=10196
From- Liverpool, England
Record- 10-0
WT.- 205
Age- 26
Team- Wolfslair Gym
Notes- holds a win over fellow TUF 3 Brit, Ross Pointon.
Tait Fletcher-
http://www.sherdog.com/fightfinder/f...fighterid=8174
From- Los Angeles, CA
Record- 3-1
WT.- 205
Age- 34
Team- 10th Plantet Jiu-Jitsu
Notes- Trains under Eddie Bravo, and with Joe Rogan.
Josh "Bring the Pain" Haynes-
http://www.sherdog.com/fightfinder/f...fighterid=6254
From- Medford, OR
Record- 17-4
WT.- 205
Age- 28
Team- Team Quest
Notes- His oldest son diagnosed with brain cancer at birth. His biggest win is over Delon Williams.
Noah Inhofer -
http://www.sherdog.com/fightfinder/f...ighterid=11378
From- Yankton, South Dakota
Record- 22-4
WT.- 205
Age-24
Team-
Notes- currently attending University of South Dakota to become a special ed. teacher. Has a loss to fellow TUF 3 fighter Mike Nichols.
Jesse Forbes-
http://www.sherdog.com/fightfinder/f...ighterid=13453
From- Tempe, AZ
Record- 2-0
WT.- 205
Age- 21
Team- Arizona Combat Sports
Notes- 2x all-state wrestler in high school. trains with Drew Fickett.
Mike Nichols-
http://www.sherdog.com/fightfinder/f...ighterID=11278
From- Denver, CO
Record- 3-1
WT.- 205
Age- 34
Team-
Notes- 2005 pan-am games jiu-jitsu gold medalist. Holds a win over fellow TUF 3 fighter Noah Inhafer.
Middleweights-
Kalib Starnes-
http://www.sherdog.com/fightfinder/f...fighterid=8095
From- Vancouver, BC, Canada
Record- 8-0-1
WT.- 185
Age-
Team- Revolution Fight Team
Notes- #2 ranked MW in Canada. Biggest win is over Jason MacDonald.
Danny Abbadi-
From- Amman, Jordan (moved to Brooklyn, NY; now lives in Orlando, FL)
Record- 2-1
WT.- 185
Age- 28
Team- Victory Martial Arts
Notes- also holds a 14-1 pro kickboxing record.
Soloman Hutcherson-
http://www.sherdog.com/fightfinder/f...fighterid=5342
From- Racine, WI
Record- 10-2
WT.- 185
Age-
Team- Freestyle Academy
Notes- went to a NC with Jon Fitch. Also has a loss to Jorge Rivera.
Ross “The Gladiator” Pointon-
http://www.sherdog.com/fightfinder/f...fighterid=6541
From- Stokeontrent, England
Record- 4-6
WT.- 185
Age- 28
Team- The Gladiator Gym
Notes- holds a loss to fellow TUF 3 Brit Mike Bisping
Ed “Short Fuse” Herman-
http://www.sherdog.com/fightfinder/f...fighterid=6561
From- Portland, Or
Record- 14-2
WT.- 185
Age-25
Team- Team Quest
Notes- holds wins over Nick Thompson, Dave Menne, and Brian Ebersole. Has a loss to Joe Doerksen.
Rory “Version 2.5” Singer-
http://www.sherdog.com/fightfinder/f...fighterid=3525
From- Athens, GA
Record- 9-5
WT.- 185
Age- 30
Team- The Hardcore Gym
Notes- Forrest Griffin’s main trainer. Has competed in Pride.
Mike Stine-
http://www.sherdog.com/fightfinder/f...fighterid=9266
From- Long Island, NY
Record- 3-0
WT.- 185
Age- 27
Team- Tiger Schulmann
Notes-
Kendall “Spider” Groves-
http://www.sherdog.com/fightfinder/f...ighterid=10126
From- Maui, HI
Record- 7-3
WT.- 185
Age- 23
Team- Cobra Kai
Notes- trains under Marc Laimon.
My thoughts on this season? I see Bisping, and Herman as my early favorites. Kris, Matt, and Josh are sure to be fan favorites with there inspirering stories, Matt especially being deaf. It will be interesting to hear from the Brits, in the uber-americana TUF house. And with such great competition like Bisping, Starnes, Herman, Groves, Haynes, Fletcher and the like, I was very surpised to see so many names I didn’t know on the roster. It just makes me think what an even greater line-up it could have been with guys like Jeff Joslin and Matt Horwich on the show, who were both curiously left-out.
Also, I find it alitte conspicuous that so many of the fighters have very strong ties to people in power in the UFC, Singer is well-known to be Forrest Griffin’s former trainer, and Griffin had a hand in the casting process this season. Kendall Groves is a top student of TUF coach Marc Laimon. Tait Fletcher, is very good friends, and student of UFC employees’ Eddie Bravo and Joe Rogan. Although all of those guys are good fighters, and could’ve made it on the show without their UFC ties, it just makes me wonder if some people are being passed up, because other fighters have relationships with people connected to the UFC.
UFC'S new crop: TUF 3 fighters
