| The Tuesday 11, 2011, UFC CEO Dana White announced Brock Lesnar and Junior Dos Santos will be the coaches for the thirteen edition of The Ultimate Fighter who debuts March 30 on Spike TV.
The final is set for June 4, 2011. The coaches bout possibly ready for UFC 131.
the producers opted to make "TUF 13" a welterweights-only show. Production begins the January 24 in Las Vegas. In an elimination round of fights, 28 hopefuls will fight for 14 official cast spots. The show uses a 32-slot tournament, which includes two "wild card" picks who earn a second life in the quarterfinals.
White said Velasquez's recent shoulder surgery and long layoff opened the door for Lesnar and Dos Santos, which then "made all the sense in the world." However, no interim title will be on the line when the coaches fight, though the winner gets an immediate title shot with Velasquez.
Lesnar (5-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC) is a former titleholder who lost his belt to current champ Cain Velasquez in October. The former WWE star has emerged as the UFC's top pay-per-view draw, and his inclusion in "TUF" should translate to big ratings.
Dos Santos (12-1 MMA, 6-0 UFC), meanwhile, recently claimed top-contender status by posting a 6-0 record in the UFC. Recent wins have come over Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic, Gilbert Yvel, Gabriel Gonzaga and Roy Nelson. |
