Tracking the progress of TUF 1 fighters

[oleg_2004]

There is no question that the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ reality series - better known as ‘TUF’ - has been the most influential vehicle for promoting the success of UFC, and to a lesser extent MMA in general, in North America. The careers of most contestants have been boosted like they could have never imagined. Even the ones who never came close to winning were still given a chance to prove their worth in the UFC, and many of the fighters released from the UFC were instantly picked up by smaller organizations simply because of the newly acquired name recognition.

With the show now in it’s seventh season, let’s take a look back at where it all started. The first season of ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ took place in 2005, and featured 8 middleweights and 8 lightheavyweights competing for two ’six figure’ contracts with the UFC. Most of the contestants were virtually unknown in the MMA world at the time, yet all are now very familiar names for most fans. I will start with the light heavyweight division, and examine the middleweights next week.

Read the rest of this article » FightMatrix.com

Part II: Middleweights

[bullhead]

tuf 1 defo had better fighters - all 16 - than in the later tuf seasons, where there was some cans put in to make some easy fights

[potatoe57]

Nice review, the first season of TUF definitley had the deepest talent pool

[Demoslasher]

Originally Posted by bullhead

tuf 1 defo had better fighters - all 16 - than in the later tuf seasons, where there was some cans put in to make some easy fights

uhh, there were some cans in season one aswell...like Jason...

[Jokre]

Originally Posted by bullhead

tuf 1 defo had better fighters - all 16 - than in the later tuf seasons, where there was some cans put in to make some easy fights

Yeah.....because Josh Rafferty and Lodune Sincaide were legit.

[oleg_2004]

Part II: Middleweights

[NHB7]

Originally Posted by Jokre

Yeah.....because Josh Rafferty and Lodune Sincaide were legit.

Look at lodune sincaids record after that. He actually got some pretty decent wins. Better than that bald british dude whose name I've already forgotten.

[bullhead]

the majority of tuf1 fighters have turned out to be really good fighters

[Super John]

Forrest has a title shot, leben's in jail, quarry is being yelled at by matt lindland, koscheck is a top welterweight, diego as well, ken flo a top lightweight, and chris sanford has retired. Defiently the best season.

[txfighter13]

Better than other seasons. cough cough Travis Lutter