The choice of coaches has just gone to the dogs. When the show first begun, the guys got to work with two legends, Chuck and Randy. And the concept was always that the rookies were being taught by genuinely great fighters (with the odd aberration, such as choosing Pulver to coach in a season containing a guy who had knocked him out (Lauzon)). After the Rampage-Rashad season, the choices started to go downhill a bit IMO. Brock Lesnar? A big name, sure, but nowhere near rounded enough to be a proper coach. Mayhem wasn't much better, the guy had never previously and has never since proven himself in the organization that runs the show. Cruz-Faber was a great choice because those were the two top guys in the division at the time, and I consider Cruz a p4p-calibre fighter as well as a reigning champion. Belfort and Wandy is acceptable for a Brazilian one since they are both legends for that nation. But basically, my point is that the last two selections have been awful and have really put me off. Carwin-Nelson is bad enough. Nelson is a physical disaster and has been thrashed every time he has fought a top 5 guy (JDS, Mir, Werdum). Carwin got submitted by Lesnar, and is basically just a hulking clubber with no cardio. But this latest one has plumbed depths that TUF never should have. For a show that has had Georges St Pierre, BJ Penn, Dan Henderson, Minotauro Nogueira and Matt Hughes as coaches to now have Ross Pearson and George Sotiropolous? Horrible. A guy who has been subbed by Cole Miller and knocked out by Cub Swanson within his last five fights vs a guy who has been battered in his last two by Dennis Siver and Rafael dos Anjos. Bull****. The best guys in the competition will probably be looking at their coaches thinking they could beat them, or at least understanding they have to try to become a lot better in order to ever reach title-challenging status. They could've still had "The Smashes" with all UK/US fighters but just chose legend coaches or current elites as coaches, I'm sure they'd still have all felt the rivalry anyway. It could still have been called Team UK vs Team Aus. It's lost what it was meant to be all about I think. Not interested in these upcoming seasons. What's next for this show I wonder? Bad Blood: Team Duffee vs Team Russow?
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The coaches aren't as intriguing in the one coming up. The format isn't as entertaining but Dana said they'll be pulling away from it for the upcoming season. At the moment, it doesn't look like its producing the same calibre of fighters but who knows McGee and Brookins could turn a corner. The last batch of small guys could do something big.
Why do the coaches have to fight each other? I know that is a cool concept, but it does not have to apply every time. Injuries also stop it from happening at times, and it hasn't been detrimental to the show in my opinion. Bring back Randy, Hughes, or anyone else that has proven to be a good coach. They don't have to be from the same weight division if they're not fighting each other.
I think the coaches should either be UFC veterans or current elites, so instead of Carwin-Nelson and Pearson-Sotiropoulos, they could've looked at some of the following combinations: BJ Penn-Jon Fitch Nate Diaz-Anthony Pettis Daniel Cormier-Fabricio Werdum Shogun Rua-Rashad Evans Gray Maynard-Donald Cerrone
I like the idea of the coaches fighting each other, but I agree, it does not need to apply every time. For instance, if they'd chosen non-UK and non-Aus coaches for 'The Smashes', the focus would have been even more on the rivalry between the teams.
Its an old concept for me anyway. Reality show bungs on all their whacky behavior. our fuel tv has it on non stop, frankly i'm tired of it might be interested in another comeback show
Another comeback season could be brilliant. I really liked the Serra one. There are a lot of good older fighters who could make a season at 155, with a title shot or a title eliminator fight with a top contender the prize at the end of it.
I bet Travis Lutter now wishes it hadn't. The 'Michael Jordan' of BJJ tapping out after getting caught in a triangle. Oh dear.
I agree. Miller-Bisping was on the TUF platform to sell a **** match up. Carwin-Nelson seems to also be on TUF to get people interested etc because I don't think that right now thats a main event fight or not a main event without a very strong supporting cast. Carwin and Nelson are very much two fighters evolving in their own career. Carwin is trying to find the right striking/grappling balance while pacing himself on stamina and not heart. Nelson is a 205 fighter in a fat suit and has to adjust his weight or risk being a journeymen for the elite.
Honestly, I'd like to see TUF with Munoz and Sonnen as coaches. Their like the big opposite personality wise, but both are superb wrestlers with. Let's see how they can mold the young guns on the show.
yeah sonnen as a coach would be good imo. Pearson-Sotiropoulos? i don't mind this pairing because i really like to watch their fights anyway. i can't think of another aussie guy they could of used as a coach, Sotiropoulos is probably the most well known to fans. i think this particular show isn't one that is that important to the ufc. what i mean is that its not on par with the ones held in america, kinda second tier. i wonder how interested american fans will be with this one? i really didn't like the last series of TUF at all. the amount of footage from the house wasn't enough imo. because of this i didn't know which guys to hate! i'm not interested in watching a load of drunken fighters in the house, however there is more to the house than that. you do end up having your favourites out of the fighters and the ones you can't stand as well. also its good to see what the dynamic is within the house too. you find out who is the extrovert of the house, and also the ones that are quiet. i never thought i'd miss seeing whats happening in the house, but i think that is a reason i didn't like the last series.