The “Ultimate Fighter” Season 10 falls apart early
It’s safe to say that Ultimate Fighting Championship President Dana White is in an enviable position at the moment. He’s the head of the premier organization in a rapidly growing sport. Revenue for UFC pay-per view events have eclipsed those of boxing and pro wrestling for countless months, and the videogame UFC Undisputed 2009 has sold millions of copies within one year of its release.
Though the future is currently looking fantastic for White, he has to have some concern in the back of his mind. His show The Ultimate Fighter, which was a launching pad for the company’s recent success, is losing steam because of a couple unfortunate instances.
The Ultimate Fighter is a reality show in its tenth season on Spike TV based on mixed martial arts competition. This season features former Light heavyweight champions Quentin “Rampage” Jackson and “Sugar” Rashad Evans coaching two teams of eight heavyweights that compete weekly until one winner earns a six-figure contract with the UFC. TUF 10 shattered ratings records for Spike when it debuted early last month.
The main draw to the show is the inclusion of internet street fighting phenomenon Kimbo Slice as a contestant. Because of Jackson and Evans’ well documented feud, having them going head-to-head as coaches seemed like another great move for success. Even better for White and his brand, the rivalry was set to culminate in the main event of UFC 107 December in Memphis.
What seemed like a flawless formula to push the UFC even further into the mainstream fell apart early into the airing season. First, Jackson announced on September 22 through his website that he was retiring from MMA in order to pursue an acting career.
His bout with Evans was set to be delayed until early 2010 because of Jackson’s commitment to filming the motion picture adaptation of ‘The A-Team’. News of his retirement was a shock to critics and fans alike, confirming rumors of a strained relationship between Jackson and the UFC.
Despite the disappointment of no longer seeing him compete, no one can blame Rampage for wanting a career of memorizing lines instead of risking early onset dementia every time he stepped into the Octagon.
He’s an incredibly charismatic and genuinely funny person, which was shown this season and when he coached TUF 7. Because of his resume and marquee potential Jackson could main event for virtually any organization if he chooses to fight again.
Another reason why this season of TUF has suffered is the lack of compelling fights. The first episode’s fight of Abe Wagner versus Jon Madsen was underwhelming, aside from Wagner’s cut that exposed his skull and resembled a botched study on phrenology. The bout in the second episode that featured James McSweeney’s majority decision over Wes Shivers was extremely sluggish and at times unwatchable.
But perhaps most damaging was Slice’s second round TKO defeat at the hands of International Fight League champion Roy Nelson.
Slice was featured prominently in the show’s promotion and him losing his first fight seems like a potential disaster for the rest of the season. With the finale not being held until December 5, there’s still some time for TUF to progress and pick up momentum. There’s still a crop of hungry fighters who want chance to display their skills, and watching the constant bickering between Evans and Jackson is still entertaining. With all the initial hype surrounding the show now gone, this could be a great opportunity for breakout stars to emerge.
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