Dana White announced at the end of the UFC 158 prelims on FX that Ronda Rousey would coach opposite the winner of the Cat Zigano/Miesha Tate match on the next season of The Ultimate Fighter. Another twist is that the show would feature both male and female 135 pound fighters.
In a move that might be seen as a grasp at drawing fans for the ailing ratings of the TUF franchise, the UFC will utilize Rousey and the added male/female living in a house dynamic to draw ratings.
One would have to think that most would be pulling for Tate to win to set a Rousey-Tate coaches show to draw that extra heat.
Joe Rogan’s expression when White announced it was priceless.
Payout Perspective:
Although no confirmation yet, it’s likely that the Rousey season of TUF would be on FX to garner some crossover viewership. If Fox-Zuffa wait until this fall to air it on FS1, there’d be less to possibly obtain from it. Obviously, this show is another shot at grabbing ratings and there’d be built in tension from the women coaching men and women sharing the same house as men. The anticipated hope of friction between Jon Jones and Chael Sonnen has really fizzled this season as they have been able to get along throughout this season. For the UFC’s part, TUF 18 is a good way to utilize Rousey and capitalize on her fame. We shall see if it equates to a revitalized TUF.
I think its a good decision by the UFC, it should be a good mix of fighters/drama/stories plus its a huge way to promote Ronda and hopefully a Ronda/Tate rematch.
IMo Fox is the way to go, they wont do it but if they put TUF on Fox and then the finale as a Fox card with Ronda/Tate as the main event that would be big but Ronda appears to be a PPV draw so she wont be on free tv.
Still think they would be better off on Fox for this season, even on say a bad night like Friday at 9 or 10pm you have to figure they could do 2 million viewers an episode which is better than they will get on FX on any night.
Anyway my interest just shot up for the next season, def more interested in this than Bellators TUF show thats for sure.