The UFC and Spike TV have officially announced the cast for The Ultimate Fighter: Team Liddell vs. Team Ortiz (Season 11), which will air March 31st after UFN: Gomi vs. Florian.
“THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER: TEAM LIDDELL VS. TEAM ORTIZ” CAST IS ANNOUNCED
28 Middleweights To Vie For A Six-Figure Contract With The UFC
Premieres Wednesday, March 31 at 10:00 PM ET/PT on Spike TV
New York, NY, March 1, 2010 – The 11th season of Spike TV’s most popular original series ever, “The Ultimate Fighter,” for the first time will feature 28 of the best up and coming mixed martial artists in the world competing for 14 spots in “The Ultimate Fighter” house. The series boasts a new format, which will be introduced to viewers in the show’s premiere episode. The smash hit will also feature two coaches who need no introduction to mixed martial arts fans, UFC legends Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell and Tito “The Huntington Beach Badboy.” The new season premieres Wednesday, March 31, 2010 at 10:00 PM ET/PT featuring the following cast members:
RICH ATTONITO
Fighting out of: Deerfield Beach, FL / American Top Team
Record: 7-3
Age: 32
A 2001 graduate of Hofstra University in Long Island, Rich Attonito wrestled several different weight classes as a member of the Pride wrestling team including the 167lb. and 197lb. divisions. Attonito has been training with American Top Team since he moved to Florida in 2006. He is the strength and conditioning coach for UFC veteran Luigi Fioravanti.
SETH BACZYNSKI
Fighting out of: Canyon, AZ / Apex MMA
Record: 11-5
Age: 28
Training partner to TUF alums Santino DeFranco (season 9) and Efrain Escudero (season 8 ) at Apex MMA in Arizona, Seth Baczynski is a full-time water inspector at Liberty Water.
CHARLES BLANCHARD
Fighting out of: Coconut Creek, FL / American Top Team
Record: 7-2
Age: 24
A 2-time All State wrester in high school, this single father is a jiu-jitsu brown belt and a published poet.
JOSH BRYANT
Fighting out of: Tulsa, OK / Absolute Combat Alliance
Record: 10-0
Age: 29
A member of the Absolute Combat Alliance camp in Tulsa, OK, Josh Bryant sports a perfect 10-0 professional mixed martial arts record. When not training, Bryant works as a manager for Mazzio’s Italian Eatery in Oklahoma.
CHRIS CAMOZZI
Fighting out of: Denver, CO / Gumm MMA
Record: 11-3
Age: 22
Camozzi is a freestyle fighter from Denver that works as a bouncer in his spare time. Two of his three losses are to TUF alums Jesse Forbes (season 3) and Jesse Taylor (season 7).
BRENT COOPER
Fighting out of: Long Beach, CA / Team Oyama
Record: 5-1
Age: 31
Of Sioux Indian descent, Cooper is a pipeliner by day for Shell Oil, and a devastating striker by night, with four of his five wins coming via TKO.
JACEN FLYNN
Fighting out of: Meridian, ID / No camp
Record: 8-2
Age: 31
Jacen Flynn possesses an 8-2 mixed martial arts record that includes wins over Dennis Kang and Dean Lister. Away from the Octagon™, he is a social worker.
JAMES HAMMORTREE
Fighting out of: Ocala, FL / USA Martial Arts
Record: 4-0
Age: 23
Following one season at Weber International, where he starred on the football team as a linebacker and on special teams, Hammortree left the program in order to become a full-time firefighter in Ocala, FL. The former high school wrestler owns a 4-0 professional record with all four of those bouts taking place in 2009.
JOSEPH HENLE
Fighting out of: Thousand Oaks, CA / Big John McCarthy’s MMA
Record: 3-0
Age: 26
Joseph Henle splits time training at Big John McCarthy’s MMA and working as a substitute teacher and wrestling coach in Thousand Oaks, CA. Henle earned his MBA in Financial Planning from California Lutheran University in ’06. He speaks fluent Japanese.
CHARLEY LYNCH
Fighting out of: Mound, MN / Northway MMA
Record: 6-0
Age: 25
The self-proclaimed baddest man in Minnesota, Charley Lynch owns a 6-0 professional record with zero of his bouts going to decision.
KRIS MCCRAY
Fighting out of: Dumfries, VA / Chute Boxe
Record: 5-0
Age: 28
Son of a military father, Kris McCray was raised in Germany, where he excelled on the soccer pitch and garnered All-Europe honors in high school. In 1999, McCray moved permanently to the United States, where he has served parts of 8 years (6 active, 2 inactive) as a member of the US Army Reserve, while also finding time to earn his Associates Degree in Social Studies from Northern Virginia Community College.
COURT MCGEE
Fighting out of: Orem, UT / Throwdown Elite Fight Team
Record: 9-1
Age: 24
A Brazilian jiu-jitsu artist out of Orem, UT, Court McGee beat “The Ultimate Fighter: United States vs. United Kingdom” runner-up DaMarques Johnson in 2007 by submission
CLAYTON MCKINNEY
Fighting out of: Orlando, FL / Jungle MMA
Record: 4-2
Age: 27
A teammate of TUF (season 8 ) alum Tom Lawlor at Jungle MMA, Clayton McKinney is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu blackbelt that supplements his training by working security at a local bar in Orlando.
KYLE NOKE
Fighting out of: Albuquerque, NM / Jackson’s MMA
Record: 16-4-1
Age: 29
Kyle Noke, from Mooloolaba, Australia, is the former bodyguard of “Crocodile Hunter” Steve Irwin. Currently training with Jackson’s MMA in New Mexico, Noke defeated TUF (season 6) alum George Sotiropoulos in June 2005 and current castmate Kyacey Uscola this past September.
VICTOR O’DONNELL
Fighting out of: Milford, OH / Vision MMA
Record: 8-1
Age: 27
Hailing from Milford, OH, O’Donnell suffered his first professional loss this past September against cast mate Costantinos Philippou. Before that, he had won eight contests, seven of which by submission.
NORMAN PARAISY
Fighting out of: Coconut Creek, FL / American Top Team
Record: 5-1
Age: 23
Norman Paraisy was born and raised Paris, France. The 5-1 Brazilian jiu-jitsu artist left France in order to pursue MMA in the states and is now a member of the American Top Team.
COSTANTINOS PHILIPPOU
Fighting out of: Merrick, NY / Serra-Longo
Record: 5-1
Age: 30
Costantinos Philippou is a former boxer with 3 professional and over 80 amateur fights on his record. The 30-year-old server from Merrick, NY was born and raised in Greece. He currently trains out of the Serra-Longo camp.
GREG REBELLO
Fighting out of: Buzzards Bay, MA / Sityodtong USA
Record: 9-2
Age: 27
Greg Rebello trains full-time at Sityodtong USA in Massachusetts under the watchful eye of Mark DellaGrotte. Currently in peak physical condition, Rebello at one time weighed in over 300lbs before dedicating himself to fitness at the age of 18.
NICK RING
Fighting out of: Calgary, Canada / B.D.P. Martial Arts
Record: 10-0
Age: 30
Nick Ring returned to MMA in May 2009 following a three year stint away from the sport after suffering a devastating knee injury. In that time, Ring boxed professionally to the tune of a 4-1 record with 3 knockouts.
JORDAN SMITH
Fighting out of: Clearfield, UT / Throwdown Elite Fight Team
Record: 10-0
Age: 24
A 7th grade teacher by day, Jordan Smith is a former professional boxer that trains with fellow cast member Court McGee at Throwdown Elite Fight Team.
BEN STARK
Fighting out of: Tamarac, FL / American Top Team
Record: 3-1
Age: 27
Born and raised a practitioner of the Orthodox Jewish religion until the age of 6, Ben Stark began training with American Top Team in Florida as a sophomore in college. When not at the gym, Stark picks up shifts at “The Original Fat Cats,” and also finds time to breed snakes.
LYLE STEFFENS
Fighting out of: Tucson, AZ / Apex MMA
Record: 5-2
Age: 26
Lyle Steffens is a firefighter and an EMT in Tucson, AZ. He trains with fellow cast member Seth Baczynski at Apex MMA.
BRAD TAVARES
Fighting out of: Las Vegas, NV / TapouT
Record: 4-0
Age: 21
At 21, Brad Tavares is the youngest of this season’s cast members. Originally from Hilo, HI, Tavares recently relocated to Las Vegas and trains full-time with TapouT
WARREN THOMPSON
Fighting out of: Marietta, GA / Team Khunpon / Roberto Traven BJJ
Record: 5-0
Age: 23
Warren Thompson, aka “The Kool-Aid Man,” is a muay-thai fighter from Marietta, GA. The volunteer firefighter splits his training in Atlanta between Team Khunpon and Roberto Traven BJJ.
KYACEY USCOLA
Fighting out of: Sacramento, CA / Team Alpha Male
Record: 18-15
Age: 28
Kyacey Uscola joins the cast with 33 professional MMA fights on his record. He trains with Team Alpha Male and Urijah Faber out of Sacramento.
CLEBURN WALKER
Fighting out of: Keller, TX / Team Lutter
Record: 9-3
Age: 26
Born and raised in Texas, Cleburn Walker is a full-time fighter and instructor at Team Lutter. He suffered a recent loss via submission to TUF (season 3) alum Jesse Forbes this past June.
WOODY WEATHERBY
Fighting out of: Hudson, NH / Renzo Gracie / Mickey Wards Boxing Gym & Xtreme MMA
Record: 7-3
Age: 27
The former US Navy officer currently works full-time as a corrections officer for the Hillsborough County jail in Manchester, NH. Weatherby rotates his training between 2 gyms: Renzo Gracie Academy in Derry, NH, and Mickey Wards Boxing Gym & Xtreme MMA.
JAMIE YAGER
Fighting out of: Los Angeles, CA / Kings MMA
Record: 2-1
Age: 25
A standout varsity letterman in baseball and football, Yager was the 2001 Athlete of the Year at South Pasadena High School in California. He picked up training MMA as a hobby, and went straight from training to the professional ranks in February 2008 as part of BET’s Iron Ring, where he defeated his opponent by TKO.
During the six-week taping of “The Ultimate Fighter: Team Liddell vs. Team Ortiz,” the competitors endured a grueling regimen of jiu-jitsu, judo, Muay Thai, karate, boxing and wrestling. The intense competition among the fighters continues after they leave the gym – at the Ultimate Fighter House. These warriors must live together, knowing that any day they might be forced to fight each other in the famed UFC Octagon™.
The two finalists will square off in a live finale on Spike TV, where the winner will be declared “The Ultimate Fighter” and net the six-figure contract and a cash prize. UFC President Dana White will once again serve as host of the series.
After each show, Spike.com users will get exclusive extended footage from each episode and an exclusive video leak of the upcoming episode.
Craig Piligian of Pilgrim Films and Television, Frank Fertitta III, Lorenzo Fertitta, Dana White of Zuffa, LLC, and Kevin Kay of Spike TV are the show’s executive producers. Brian J. Diamond, senior vice president, sports & specials, Spike TV is co-executive producer and Christopher Martello is executive in charge of production for Spike TV.
Payout Perspective:
A cursory glance at the roster should leave most people quite pleased. In comparison to previous seasons, the UFC and Spike seem to have struck a more optimal balance between skill and television appeal. There are a host of fighters on that list with good experience; many of them fighting out of great camps like Jackson’s MMA, ATT, McCarthy’s MMA, etc.
Jake Shields was quoted as saying there could be more than a few solid fighters to come from this crop, and that’s something the UFC needs to keep the talent flowing.
Producers have promised a few tweaks to the format this year, but it would appear that things will largely be left unchanged on a macro level. However, one could argue that better skilled fighters will produce better fights, and in the end that is of maximum benefit to the UFC; not a short-term boost in ratings related to stunts or gimmicks.
I think think should be a season that could create a few good prospects. The worst year for talent was the USA vs UK. I guess it was something that needed done due to the UFC’s own manifest destiny to expand into the UK. But the talent was extremely lacking and the entire shows was taylor made for the UK guys. Even more suprising was noone seemed to have caught on that the show was set up to at very least keep it competitive. UK has very poor wrestling. Its not instill in their society like it is in the US. We have it in almost every school. They dont. Yet the reality show that brought us Koscheck, Dollaway, Rashad Evans, Hamill, Maynard, Jesse Taylor, Bader, Wren, etc. Yet the UK vs USA season didnt even have a high school level wrestler.
I know each season has to have a mix of skilled fighters and cans so there isnt a stalemate and boring fights. The UK season had to be done and getting them all killed by good wrestlers they arent prepared to face would go over well in the UK. BUt it sure put a damper on that season if you were enlightened to what was going on. The UFC has done a real good job of “scripting” TUF to create success. Not really scripting but with the right selection of talent and a good match maker you can add some predictiblity to an otherwise unpredictible show.
Brain Smasher,
I agree they used the US/UK show to promote the UK, but I think you will see less talent come out of last season’s HW roster. Basically Dana had said they had no interest in doing a HW season because of the lack of talent, and as far as I can tell the only reason they did it was to use Kimbo as a ratings grabber and then put Roy Nelson in there to win, and both ended up working out… but beyond those two, I struggle to see who is going to stick around in any capacity in MMA and I see Kimbo going away fairly soon. (Please remind me if I’m missing an obvious prospect on that show that I’m just simply forgetting)
I disagree with last season. I picked Shuab to win before the season started and he was owning Nelson before Nelsons hail mary punch. Shuab has a ton of potential and so do a few others. The UFC can make anyone look good if they choose. THe UK winners will get favorable match ups to try and make them draws. If the HW TUF fighters are given the same treatmeant then they will go far. I agree the HW TUF has less talent but that is the case for HWs across the board. Its the sole reason why its the only division in MMA that one diminsional kickboxers like Cro Cop, 45 year old fighters like Couture, and everyone inbetween like Lesnar and Nelson can have success. But the TUF cast of HWs are no worse than the rest of the HWs. Who knows if there is a champ in the bunch but i will take them over the Yvels, Rizzo, and even Rogers of the world.