In an effort to once again switch things up once again, it appears as though the UFC will be making the next season of The Ultimate Fighter an all-star season, rather than bringing in a new group of contestants to compete on the show.
MMAJunkie broke the news, revealing that the promotion is targeting an ‘all-star- welterweight lineup for the 25th season. The past season of the show was certainly a different one, and in the eyes of many, was the change fans were hoping for. In this past season the promotion brought in flyweight champions from various other MMA promotions, with the winner getting a fight with UFC flyweight kingpin Demetrious Johnson. Ultimately, UFC vet Tim Elliot earned his way back into the promotion as he won the season.
When Elliot met ‘Mighty Mouse’ in the Octagon, he nearly finished the champ with a submission in the first round, however Johnson showed his championship heart as he came back to win a unanimous decision.
According to Champions.co the rumored roster is as follows:
Johnny Nunez
Dominic Waters
Jesse Taylor
Joseph Stevenson
Gilbert Smith
Julian Lane
Edward Gordon
Dhiego Lima
Kajan Johnson
James Krause
Zak Cummings
Mehdi Baghdad
Gerald Harris
Justin Edwards
Seth Baczynski
Michael Ricci
Jamie Yager
Hector Cervantes
Edward Ellis
Junie Browning
Ramsey Nijem
Hayder Hassan
Thomas Gallicchio
Some notable named include Joe Stevenson, who was released by the UFC in 2011 after four consecutive losses. From 2005-2011, Stevenson fought in the UFC 16 times, however a recent 2-fight win streak on the regional scene has marked somewhat of a career resurgence.
In addition, Jesse Taylor, who was a standout on season 7 of The Ultimate Fighter, advancing to the finale before being caught on a security camera kicking out the window of a limo and being belligerent towards hotel employees. As a result of his actions, Taylor was kicked off the show by UFC President Dana White.
Other notable names include Mike Ricci and Ramsey Nijem, who both made their way to the finals before ultimately losing in the Finale.