Kimbo to be on TUF10!!

[TripleB]

Wow, Suga Rashad, Rampage Jackson, and Kimbo Slice all on TUF 10!!

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/news;_ylt=AtJVwUy3R.uNfyDENwVZ7n49Eo14?slug=ki-kimbo060109&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

[Drooke]

That is crazy BBB! Thanks for posting this I hadn't seen it.

 

The ratings will be through the roof for this next season's TUF as they alluded in the article.

 

Great move by the the UFC imo.

 

 

[MattM]

Dana needs some ratings for the show so he puts Rampage back and adds Kimbo.  I'm sure he feels Kimbo wont make it through the show but its worth the ratings he will give them for a few weeks.  I don't like ratings coming before having talented fighters, but Dana can at least rest easy that the show only has to produce one decent fighter after all the ratings are covered.

[Drooke]

I agree with ya Matt.  I used to be an active member  on a forum by the name of UFC  (edited for the youth in the room) that had a poster that gained such noteriety that he was included in a TUF.  His name was blake bowman (he also posted @sherdog) and was a joke.  At least kimbo (imo) has a little bit more of credibility.

 

 

[MattM]

Well I guess we will see if Kimbo is set up as a Browning/Lebon ratings getter or if he will actaully try to prove Dana wrong and take things seriously dispite others on the show that will probably try to provoke him.

 

By the way, I caught the Salton Sea on the internet tonoght.  Not to bad of a flick.  Not quite a Usual Suspects, the Machinist, Memento, Frailty, etc. type ending but a decent twist to it none the same.  Certainly worth a cool point for the recomendation or for living by that type of place.  Looks like an entertaining location if art imitates some of real life.

[Drooke]

Quartet of NFL vets to join Kimbo Slice on UFC's "The Ultimate Fighter 10" cast

by Dann Stupp on Jun 02, 2009 at 8:15 pm ET

While the controversial Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson has stolen the spotlight by joining the show's cast, "The Ultimate Fighter 10" will be unique for another reason: the number of additional cast members who once competed in the National Football League.

 

Sources close to the cast members have exclusively told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) at least four former NFL players have been selected to compete on "The Ultimate Fighter 10," a heavyweights-only season of the UFC's reality series that debuts Sept. 16 on Spike TV.

 

The list includes Marcus Jones, Matt Mitrione, Brendan Schaub and Wes Shivers.

 

Barring injury or any last-minute replacements, all are expected to join Ferguson, a former bare-knuckle brawler and YouTube legend who became the biggest star of the now-defunct EliteXC promotion, in the UFC's 16-man tournament.

 

Yahoo! Sports' Kevin Iole broke the news on Monday that the show would include Ferguson, who's 14-second loss to late replacement Seth Petruzelli at a 2008 CBS-televised event sparked the eventual financial collapse of one of the UFC's biggest rivals. Although heavily criticized by UFC President Dana White in recent years, Ferguson agreed to join the UFC's reality show in an attempt to prove his legitimacy in MMA.

 

The UFC's popularity reality competition series debuted in early 2005 and has launched the careers of more than 100 UFC fighters. The upcoming 10th season is the first to feature heavyweight fighters since "TUF 2" aired in late 2005. However, the top heavyweights from that season ? winner Rashad Evans, Keith Jardine, Mike Whitehead and Petruzelli, for example ? later dropped to the light heavyweight division.

 

However, with the addition of Ferguson and the former NFL players, who are all true heavyweights, this season could further stock a once-depleted UFC heavyweight division that recently has been reinvigorated with the additions of promising newcomers such as Shane Carwin, Cain Velasquez, Junior Dos Santos, Chris Tuchscherer, Mike Russow and others.

 

Here's the crop of football-players-turned-MMA-fighters you're likely to see on "The Ultimate Fighter 10" in September:

 

Marcus Jones, the 1996 first-round draft pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, enters "TUF" with a 4-1 professional MMA record, which includes four first-round victories via stoppage (with an average time of just 91 seconds per win). Three of the wins came via TKO and one via submission.

 

The 35-year-old played football at the University of North Carolina, where he was a four-time letterman, an All-American and the 1995 ACC Defensive Player of the Year. The 6-foot-6 defensive tackle played six NFL seasons with the Bucs. In his best season, 2000, he ranked eighth in the league with 13 sacks. He spent two additional seasons with the Buffalo Bills (but didn't play in the regular season) before giving up the sport. Soon after, he joined instructor Rob Kahn at Gracie Tampa and eventually made his professional MMA debut in 2007.

 

Matt Mitrione, who had a nine-game stint with the New York Giants in 2002, will be one of the season's least-experienced fighters (on paper, anyway). He has no professional fights, according to the major fighter databases, though he reportedly has fought as an amateur.

 

The 30-year-old Illinois native was an All-Big Ten defensive tackle for Purdue University. He went un-drafted after his senior year in 2000 but still earned his way into the NFL as a free agent. In addition to the Giants, the 6-foot-4 Mitrione spent some time with the Minnesota Vikings (though he didn't appear in any regular-season games for the team) before leaving the NFL in 2006.

 

Brendan Schaub, a 6-foot-4 fullback for the University of Colorado who spent some time with (but didn't play for) the Buffalo Bills, is 4-0 as a professional MMA fighter. He's often compared to his longtime training partner, undefeated UFC heavyweight Shane Carwin. Like Carwin, Schaub has made quick work of his opponents since turning pro in 2008. In four professional fights, he has four first-round TKOs, and the average length of each fight is just 59 seconds.

 

The 26-year-old Colorado native played for the Arena Football League's Utah Blaze before focusing solely on MMA. Schaub, the son of a second-degree Tae Kwon Do black belt, is a Golden Gloves boxing champion and the 2008 Colorado Open Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Absolute Advanced Grand Champion. He currently trains with Greg Jackson's renowned Team Jackson camp in New Mexico and T's KO Fight Club in Colorado.

 

Wes Shivers, who had a short NFL stint with the Atlanta Falcons in 2000, is 0-1 as a professional and 4-0 as an amateur, according to MMA.tv's fighter database. (However, his record is listed as 6-0 in some places). The muscular 6-foot-7 fighter is well versed in grappling and Muay Thai and previously competed as a super heavyweight before a lack of available opponents prompted a move down to heavyweight.

 

The 32-year-old Team Hammer Hill fighter was a standout offensive lineman at Mississippi State University. The Tennessee Titans drafted him in the seventh round of the 2000 NFL Draft. After playing three games with the Falcons in 2000, he left the NFL and focused on his MMA career.

 

In addition to Jones, Mitrione, Schaub and Shivers, a fifth football vet earned a spot on the cast but was forced to give it up. If it weren't for an injury suffered just prior to the show's taping, former Texas Tech stand-out lineman and Indianapolis Colts practice-squad member Rex Richards would also be on the show.

 

However, a source close to the fighter told MMAjunkie.com that Richards suffered a partial MCL tear just five days before he was set to leave for Las Vegas. Doctors couldn't clear him to compete, so he was forced to give up his spot in the "TUF" house.

 

 

 

 

Matt, I definately met the most eclectic group of people that I have ever been around in my life.  And that was almost 15 years ago.

[MattM]

Starting to sounds like the "I'm already semi-famous for something else but want to try my hand at MMA now" show.

[Drooke]

For me I think (in a way) it is showing the progression of MMA in the US.

 

The individuals that are getting involved in MMA, from all walks of life, are staggering.  Just this past weekend a town next to where I live just had an event that sold out the armory ( sidenote a former crawfordville wrestler and current wabash wrestler J Tribbet won his bout).  It is such a popular sport its progress seems to be snowballing at a continually faster rate.

 

I think we will be amazed in the next 10 years at the skill and performance level of the athletes that are getting involved in the sport today.

 

Pretty exciting imo. 

 

But, who knows maybe the replacement for the Colt practice team member Rex Richards will in fact be Jose Canseco.

[AJ]

Is Kimbo doing play-by-play?  I sure hope he is not fighting!!!!

[Drooke]

Kimbo doing PBP is something that I would definately tune in for.

 

Nah, it is legit AJ.  It's gonna be a crazy season.

[MattM]

Is Kimbo doing play-by-play?  I sure hope he is not fighting!!!!

 

You would seriously rather hear his play by play!?!?!

[TripleB]

Kimbo is only doing pbp if it's on ppv, every other word out of his mouth is an explicative.

[JakeandBreighton]

Schaub at least has 2 good backgrounds. I still think it would be neat to have a season where each person is from one background, i.e boxing, TKD, karate, BJJ, wrestling, judo and such, so people can see the different styles and how they have evolved.

[MattM]

Kimbo is only doing pbp if it's on ppv, every other word out of his mouth is an explicative.

 

So Dana will indeed be his co-host then!

[Drooke]

Well I guess we will see if Kimbo is set up as a Browning/Lebon ratings getter or if he will actaully try to prove Dana wrong and take things seriously dispite others on the show that will probably try to provoke him.

 

By the way, I caught the Salton Sea on the internet tonoght.  Not to bad of a flick.  Not quite a Usual Suspects, the Machinist, Memento, Frailty, etc. type ending but a decent twist to it none the same.  Certainly worth a cool point for the recomendation or for living by that type of place.  Looks like an entertaining location if art imitates some of real life.

 

I am so jealous of your internet connection it's rediculous. 

[awood2]

 

PBP!?  I will never forget his comments after his loss on TV.  "The after party is still on..."

[awood2]

PBP!?  I will never forget his comments after his loss on TV.  "The after party is still on..."

 

I do like that this is a HWT TUF.  They have to find someone to compete with Lesnar.  Kimbo is going to like watching a train wreck.  Of course, in the background you have Rampage back!  This will be a TUF that I will not miss.

[Drooke]

I I've always had a bit of a soft spot for Kimbo knowing that he was training with Bas before the Seth P. fight.  In my mind it ment that he was actually trying to dissuade all the "haters" and prove to the world he was taking mma seriously.

 

and now....

 

Bas Rutten has ?zero respect? for Kimbo Slice

June 20, 2009 by Cory Brady 

Filed under Bas Rutten, Breaking News, Kimbo Slice

 

Things had been going so well for so long between the two.

 

Bas Rutten had been Kimbo Slice, aka Kevin Ferguson?s number one and most vocal supporter since the very beginning of the former YouTube brawler?s professional fighting career.

 

The divide was formed between the trainer and the student right around the time of the now infamous bout between Kimbo and Seth Petruzelli where Slice was flattened in mere seconds in front of millions of viewers on network television.

 

?He just turned into a different guy, he didn?t need to do the things that I told him to do,? explained Bas in a recent interview with Fighters Only Magazine. ?He wasn?t going to go to the ground, you know? The day before the [Petruzelli] fight, I told him I wanted to go over heel hooks and escapes, and he said ?Nah, its not going to go to the ground

 

?I said ?Ha, I like that attitude ? but what if it does go to the ground?? but he said ?Its not going to go?. So I said OK, but don?t let me tell you ?I told you so? if he snaps your [expletive] leg in half. He said ?I don?t know if that?s a good thing for you to be telling me mentally before a fight? I said ?I don?t think its a good thing for you not to be doing what I tell you before the fight?.?

 

Any questions lingering as to whether Rutten and Kimbo will one day come to an understanding can be put to rest right now. Bas will never end up in Kimbo?s corner again under any circumstances.

 

?I misjudged him, he turned into a whole different person,? said Rutten. ?I told him a few weeks ago, I had a sit down with him. I told him that he was an ***great guy*** and that I have zero respect [for him] and I can?t train people that I have no respect for. Can?t ever.?

 

That being said, I'm looking forward to the new season of tuf.

[Drooke]

Size Matters: The Ultimate Fighter Season Ten Roll Call

June 23, 2009 by Cory Brady 

@ fiveouncesofpain.com

 

We are currently three weeks deep into the taping of the upcoming tenth season of Spike TV?s The Ultimate Fighter. This season is set to feature nothing but the big boys as sixteen larger than life warriors will be duking it out to determine the king of the heavyweight Ultimate Fighter crop.

 

The Ultimate Fighter: The Heavyweights could already be considered the most highly anticipated show of the series largely in part of the recent announcement that none other than Kevin Ferguson, aka Kimbo Slice was expected to enter the shark tank.

 

The timing couldn?t be any better. I don?t think that I?m alone in saying that the most recent season of the show was the most lackluster of the series to date. Never have I been as unengaged with a season of TUF before season nine.

 

The most successful television show in mixed martial arts needed a drastic change, or a makeover in a sense. It needed something, and it looks like it has found its answer in the form of sixteen mammoth sized brawlers willing to put their bodies on the line in the pursuit of their dream to become a UFC heavyweight.

 

A full list of the men expected to appear on the tenth season of The Ultimate Fighter was recently released by the popular U.K. newspaper, The Sun. Among them are four former professional football players, a portly wrecking machine, a thugged out Internet sensation, UFC veterans and MMA rookies alike, The Ultimate Fighter: The Heavyweights is sure to have quite the variety of personalities and schools of thought.

 

Come along as I try to help you make some sense of who these guys are, and what they?re all about. Let?s kick things off with the Internet sensation from Miami.

 

*Kimbo Slice: You know his resume. Former porn star bodyguard out of Miami turned YouTube brawler superstar. 6′2″, about 230 pounds, 35 years of age, massive beard, heavy hands, glass jaw. He was told by UFC President Dana White that the only chance he had of fighting in the UFC was if he made it through a season of The Ultimate Fighter. You have to give props to Kimbo for humbling himself and manning up to the challenge. Without a doubt, all eyes will be on Kimbo during the tenth season.

 

*Roy Nelson: Appearances can often be deceiving, especially in the case of Roy ?Big Country? Nelson. Sporting a 13-4 record and a pot belly that would make Tank Abbott jealous, Nelson is my hands down favorite to win the tenth season. The plus sized heavyweight brawler doesn?t make a habit of letting his size slow him down. He is explosive, fast, has heavy hands, and a lot of people have no idea that he is actually a black belt in Jiu-Jitsu. He?s dropped his last two bouts to the likes of Andrei Arlovski and Jeff Monson, but the bout with ?The Snowman? could have easily gone either way. Prior to those defeats Nelson was coming off of a five fight win streak in the IFL, knocking out four of his five victims.

 

*Marcus Jones: If it wasn?t for the over-qualified Nelson making the cast for the tenth season of The Ultimate Fighter, Jones would be my tentative favorite for the upcoming show. Jones has kind of been flying under the radar since making the transition to mixed martial arts from professional football back in October of 2007. A first round draft pick in the 1996 NFL Draft, Jones started and finished his professional football career as a defensive tackle for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Jones has a world of potential and has been described by many as having freakish, inhuman strength. He has been doing his fight training at Gracie Tampa with Rob Kahn so you know his submission defense should be up to par. At 6′6″ and 260 athletic pounds Jones will be a serious force to be reckoned with in the house.

 

*Wes Shivers: Another one of the four total former NFL football players to make the cast this season. Shivers is 6′8″ and walks around near the 300 pound mark. He was drafted by the Tennessee Titans but ended up with the Atlanta Falcons where he played briefly during the 2000 season before leaving the sport to pursue a career in fighting. He is known for his knockout power and went undefeated as an amateur before recently being knocked out as a pro by Brad ?Mongo? Tidwell in late 2008.

 

*Scott Junk: A mountain of a man. The 6′1″, 265 pound Scott Junk is yet another of the heavyweights on this season that will be testing the scales. He holds a 6-2 record with his lone two defeats coming to former UFC heavyweight champion Ricco Rodriguez in Junk?s MMA debut and Christian Wellisch in his last bout that took place at UFC 76. Junk lost in his octagon debut by way of heel hook in the first round. Junk has also competed in kickboxing for the K-1 promotion where he wound up going 0-2.

 

*Jim York: A native of Invercargill, New Zealand, it?s not difficult to assess how ?Big? Jim York acquired his nickname. This 33 year old brawler stand at 6′1″ and tips the scales at the 260 pound mark. He brings a 10-2 record to the show with one of his losses coming in his professional debut and the second defeat going to Yoshihiro ?Kiss? Nakao at Sengoku in May of 2008. York bounced back from that loss in his most recent outing where he stopped James ?Colossus? Thompson by TKO in a brutal back and forth affair at a Sengoku event held in March of 2008.

 

*Wes Sims: Zero wins and three defeats in the UFC. It?s no mystery as to how Sims wound up on this season of The Ultimate Fighter and that was to stir the pot and hopefully piss Kimbo off. Kimbo is a relatively docile man by nature that prefers for his fists to do the talking. Being docile and respectful does nothing for ratings though. They?re going to need for someone to get underneath Kimbo?s skin to force a reaction and boost ratings in the process. Sims is without question that man. He made his controversial octagon debut back at UFC 43 where he was disqualified for illegally stomping on future heavyweight champion Frank Mir?s head several times during their bout. Sims made his return at UFC 46 only to get knocked out by Mir in the rematch, and Mike Kyle sent him packing permanently with a first round knockout at UFC 47. If there?s one thing Sims is good at it?s being loud and obnoxious when need be. Just don?t say I didn?t tell you so if there ends up being some serious drama involving Sims during the tenth season of The Ultimate Fighter.

 

*Matt Mitrione: Played for the New York Giants during the 2002 season and spent some time with the Minnesota Vikings just prior to leaving the NFL. It appears as though Mitrione has had some amateur experience but has yet to record his first fight as a professional. He currently trains with UFC heavyweight veteran Jake O?Brien.

 

*Mike Wessel: Another man with prior UFC experience, Wessell accepted his first and only prior fight with the UFC on less than one week?s notice and came up on the losing end of a second round TKO at the hands of Antoni Hardonk. Prior to his octagon debut Wessel had strung together an unblemished record of 6-0. He had signed a four-fight deal with the UFC just before his fight with Hardonk and his decision to compete on the tenth season of The Ultimate Fighter. He was a former strength & conditioning coach for the University of Arkansas? football program before ultimately deciding to pursue his fighting career full time.

 

*Justin Wren: Justin is the youngest fighter on the tenth season at just 22 years of age. This standout former wrestler entered the world of fighting after becoming injured while competing in the Olympics. He is currently 6-1 as a professional with five of his wins coming by either knockout or TKO and the left over victory coming by way of submission. Wren currently trains with UFC veteran and Jiu-Jitsu black belt Travis Lutter.

 

*Jon Madsen: Madsen makes his home at The HIT Squad training with former UFC welterweight champion Matt Hughes and UFC veteran Robbie Lawler. He has had just one professional fight up to this point in his career and it went well for him, knocking out Cody Griffen in the very first round at Crossroads Combat Challenge 3 in May of 2008.

 

*Brendan Schaub: Brendan was a fullback for the University of Colorado before going on to spend a brief amount of time with the Buffalo Bills. Schaub eventually played for the Arena Football League?s Utah Blaze before making the decision to train full time in mixed martial arts. He has put together an impressive record of 4-0 with four first round TKO?s in lightning quick fashion. He was the 2008 Colorado Open Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Absolute Advanced Grand Champion on top of becoming a Golden Gloves boxing champion. He has been a long time training partner to UFC heavyweight title contender Shane Carwin and has spent some of his time training out of Greg Jackson?s MMA in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Schaub is another guy with the potential to go all the way this season.

 

*Zak Jensen: Known as a powerful wrestler with knockout ability, Jensen has put together a record of 7-3 during his time fighting professionally. He has suffered losses to the likes of Brad Imes and Mike Whitehead during the course of his career. Jensen?s most recent appearance saw him knocking out Matt Hirsch in the first round at Brutaal: Fight Night on February of 2008.

 

*Darrill Schoonover: Schoonover is one of the early favorites to win the whole thing just based on his impressive 10-0 record alone. Finishing half of his fights by knockout and the other half by submission, this imposing 23 year old Texan showed in his most recent fight that he has what it takes to get the job done in the later rounds as he stopped the highly touted Rex Richards by TKO in the fourth round of their battle that took place at Shark Fights 4 in May of 2009.

 

*Abe Wagner: Wagner fights out of Nebraska and currently holds a professional MMA record of 6-2. He?s currently riding a three fight win streak with his most recent victory coming in the form of a split decision over Sherman Pendergrast at VFC 25 in December of 2008.

 

*Tom Blackledge: Blackledge is a tougher than nails Brit that makes a serious habit of finishing his fights. Sporting a record of 8-6, Blackledge has finished four of his wins by either TKO or knockout, and the remaining four by tapout. He recently bounced back from a two fight losing skid that included a defeat at the hands of UFC veteran Stefan Struve by catching Tatsuya Mizuno in a rear-naked choke in the first round of their M-1 Challenge bout that took place in April of 2009.

 

Quite frankly, the possibility of Kimbo winning this season of The Ultimate Fighter is not a possibility. Roy Nelson may appear similar to some of the guys that Slice assaulted during his Internet boxing days but he?s a whole different animal. Nelson would handle Kimbo in any manner he sees fit. Knockout, submission or ground and pound, it?s not even close.

 

Let?s throw Nelson right out of the equation. It makes no difference for Kimbo. Marcus Jones takes his lunch money from him, Schoonover embarrasses him and Schaub turns him into a highlight reel.

 

On the other side of that coin there should definitely be a fight or two that Kimbo can win in the house. I?d give him a good chance against guys like Jim York, Scott Junk, Wes Sims and MMA rookie Matt Mitrione. However, I wouldn?t bet a dime on Kimbo against anyone in the house at this point.

 

As much as the upcoming tenth season seems like it?s all about Kimbo, it?s really not. It?s about showcasing some of the best up and coming talent the heavyweight division currently has to offer and hopefully add some credibility to the promotion?s biggest weight class.

 

The UFC?s heavyweight division seems exciting and fresh right now with fighters like Brock Lesnar, Frank Mir, Shane Carwin, Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos that all have the potential to take the weight class by the horns. However, it?s just a matter of about a year before the weight class sorts itself out and there will be another need for some fresh blood for the UFC to buld up. Fresh faces such as Marcus Jones, Darrill Schoonover and Brendan Schaub could very well lead that charge into the next decade.

 

[Drooke]

A little more info on the Heavy's...

 

Check out the full cast below (records provided by Spike TV).

 

Zak Jensen (11-2): The 6-foot-4, 265-pound 26-year-old Jensen was a collegiate wrestler and football player at Northern Illinois University and Augsburg College. After college, he found success in "Tough Man" competitions and Golden Gloves competitions and eventually made the move to MMA in 2007.

 

Marcus Jones (4-1): The 6-foot-6, 260-pound 35-year-old Jones is the most prolific of the show's NFL quartet. While playing defensive end at the University of North Carolina, Jones was an All-American and the 1995 ACC Defensive Player of the Year and became the 1996 first-round draft pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After eight successful years in the NFL, he joined Gracie Tampa and made the transition to MMA.

 

Scott Junk (6-2): The 6-foot-1, 265-pound 30-year-old Junk was a former Division II All-American football player at Southwest Oklahoma State. After college, Junk began training in mixed martial arts, earning his way into the UFC in 2007. Junk, who took the fight on less-than-two-weeks' notice, suffered a first-round submission loss to Christian Wellisch.

 

John Madsen (3-0): The 6-foot, 240-pound 29-year-old Madsen grew up in South Dakota, where he earned all-conference and all-state honors in football, wrestling and track. After defeating current UFC champion Brock Lesnar in a high-school wrestling match, Madsen went on to earn a Division II wrestling national championship at South Dakota State University. Madsen currently trains at Matt Hughes' H.I.T. Squad.

 

James McSweeney (12-4): The 6-foot-4, 230-pound 28-year-old Englishman McSweeney started with a striking background, beginning his training in kickboxing at 6 years old before moving to Thailand to train full-time. After amassing a 136-9 combined record in multiple kickboxing organizations, McSweeney moved in with former UFC champion Rashad Evans and now trains full time at Greg Jackson's MMA in New Mexico.

 

Matt Mitrione (0-0): The 6-foot-3, 275-pound 30-year-old was a two-position football All-American while in high school. After attending Purdue University and earning All-Big Ten honors, Mitrione played six seasons in the NFL as a member of the New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings. Following a devastating injury, Mitrione returned to his childhood passion of combat sports and began training with UFC veterans Chris Lytle and Jake O'Brien. 

 

Roy Nelson (14-4): The 6-foot-1, 265-pound 33-year-old was born and raised in Las Vegas, training in martial arts from an early age while playing football, baseball and wrestling. After turning pro, Nelson surprised many opponents with his less-than-impressive physique. "Big Country" earned the now-defunct IFL's heavyweight crown, before suffering recent losses to notables Jeff Monson and Andrei Arlovski.

 

Demico Rogers (4-0): The 6-foot-4, 235-pound 27-year-old was a stand-out wrestler and football player while attending high school in his native Washington. Rogers began training jiu-jitsu as a means of staying in shape, and after winning a local mixed martial arts tournament, he began to focus on the sport as a potential career.

 

Brendan Schaub (4-0): The 6-foot-4, 240-pound 26-year-old credits the Jean Claude Van Damme movie "Bloodsport" as his inspiration to pursue martial arts. Growing up in Colorado, Schaub was an all-state athlete in both football and lacrosse. Schaub went on to play fullback at the University of Colorado before later playing in the Arena Football League and earning a spot on the Buffalo Bills' practice squad in the NFL. Schaub remained active in tae kwon do and jiu-jitsu, and he currently trains at T's KO Fight Club and Jackson's MMA.

 

Darill Schoonover (10-0): The 6-foot-2, 250-pound 24-year-old Schoonover grew up in Texas and began training in jiu-jitsu, judo and submission grappling at 17. After graduating high school, Schoonover entered the Army, serving two years in the armed forces. Schoonover remains on active reserve while pursuing a career in teaching, though with 10-stoppages wins in 10 trips to the cage, mixed martial arts may quickly take precedence.

 

Wes Shivers (3-1): The 6-foot-7, 285-pound 32-year-old Shivers grew up in Mississippi, earning a scholarship to play football at Mississippi State University. Shivers earned all-SEC honors before playing in the NFL with both the Tennessee Titans and Atlanta Falcons. Shivers followed his football career with a four-year stint in law enforcement. Shivers continues to train in Mississippi, including with UFC veteran Alan Belcher.

 

Wes Sims (22-12-1): The 6-foot-10, 260-pound 29-year-old Sims originally planned to pursue a career in professional wrestling before UFC Hall of Famer Mark Coleman convinced "The Project" to take a shot at mixed martial arts. Sims earned his way into the UFC in 2003, dropping back-to-back outings to current UFC interim champion Frank Mir. Sims currently runs a gym in his native Ohio.

 

Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson (3-1): The 6-foot-1, 235-pound 35-year-old Ferguson needs little introduction to hardcore or casual MMA fans. The streetfighting YouTube sensation played football at the University of Miami before working as a bodyguard, earning extra money with his bareknuckle brawling exploits. A four-time veteran of the now-defunct EliteXC, Fergsuon last fought in a now-infamous loss to Seth Petruzelli.

 

Abe Wagner (6-2): The 6-foot-4, 265-pound 29-year-old Wagner grew up in Wisconsin, excelling in both football and basketball while in high school. Wagner played linebacker at Michigan Tech University, earning a degree in mechanical engineering. Wagner began training in mixed martial arts in 2005.

 

Mike Wessel (6-1): The 6-foot, 255-pound 31-year-old Wessel was raised in Ohio, eventually playing his way onto the University of St. Francis football team. Wessel played briefly in the Arena Football League before accepting a position as the strength and conditioning coach at the University of Arkansas. Wessel suffered his first professional defeat at the hands of Antoni Hardonk in his lone UFC appearance at UFC 92 in December 2008.

 

Justin Wren (10-1): The 6-foot-3, 264-pound 22-year-old Wren was a two-time high-school national champion wrestler in his native Texas, earning a spot on the Iowa State University wrestling team before an injury forced him to take a year off and recover. During his time away from wrestling, Wren focused his energy on mixed martial arts training, eventually electing to turn pro. Wren trains in Texas with "The Ultimate Fighter 4" champ Travis Lutter, and he plans on moving to Las Vegas to train full-time with current UFC interim champ Frank Mir.

 

I am really looking forward to the 10th season of TUF.

[MattM]

At least over half the fighters have over 8 fights under their belt.  That experience factor (even if its against weak opponents) is something I feel was lacking from many season of TUF.