Īiring after World Wrestling Entertainment's flagship show WWE Raw, The Ultimate Fighter's debut episode was able to garner a 57% retention rate in viewers from Raw, which was double the usual rate for Spike TV. Hecht credits Kevin Kay and his editorial collaboration with the UFC for highlighting the show's story lines, which he believes helped drive its ratings success. He was also not a fan of the grappling aspects of MMA, but the UFC rebuffed his suggestion to change the rules of the sport to accommodate striking. Hecht saw K-1 as a safer bet, given it had more international notoriety. Hecht was impressed by the UFC's celebrity following, its plan to acquire and consolidate smaller promotions into the UFC, and with Dana White's ability to be a "Vince McMahon"-like personality. Weeks later, Hecht met with Lorenzo Fertitta in Las Vegas. Hecht flew to Japan to meet with the head of K-1, but the meeting did not go well. In the end, Spike narrowed its choices down to the UFC and K-1.
Spike TV founder Albie Hecht began a search to find programming with broad appeal that the network could afford. ĭuring the early days of Spike TV, the channel wanted sports programming, but had no budget for sports licensing fees.
The series was aired on Spike TV as a last resort measure to gain mainstream exposure for mixed martial arts (MMA). The Ultimate Fighter was originally an experimental series financed by the former owners of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta III. Many winners have gone on to compete for UFC championships with some becoming UFC champions.Ĭontents The show has undergone multiple format changes since its inception, including the introduction of the wildcard bout. Many current and past UFC fighters are alumni of the show, with some competitors going on to become coaches in future seasons. Because of this success, The Ultimate Fighter was regarded as instrumental to the survival and expansion of the UFC and mixed martial arts into the mainstream. Stephan Bonnar fight in the first season drew millions of viewers to the show and launched the sport into the mainstream. Each season features either one or two weight classes in the tournament.
To date, there have been twenty nine seasons of the show, two per calendar year. The series debuted on January 17, 2005, with its first episode, " The Quest Begins".
The show features professional MMA fighters living together in Las Vegas, Nevada, and follows them as they train and compete against each other for a prized six-figure contract with the UFC. It previously aired for fourteen seasons on Spike TV.
The Ultimate Fighter is an American reality television series and mixed martial arts (MMA) competition produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). ProductionĮxecutive producerĬraig Piligian of episodesġ50+ (including 23 live Ultimate Finales) Starringĭana White, UFC RosterĬountry of origin The Ultimate FighterĬreated byĬraig Piligian, Frank Fertitta III, Lorenzo Fertitta, Dana White Nomber_key:000590Īmerican reality series and MMA competition