Plot Synopsis

Each season, between 14 and 32 of the best up-and-coming mixed martial artists from around the world compete for a six-figure contract with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Starting with Season 15 -- when the series moved from Spike to FX -- there were 16 fights during the season premiere episode, with the 16 survivors broken into two teams of eight. The same format was used for Season 16. For Season 17, which premiered on Tuesday, January 22, 2013 at 8pm ET, the series moved to Tuesday nights on FX, with only 28 fighters competing in season-opening elimination bouts. THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER changed networks again, this time moving to Fox Sports 1 for Season 18, which featured two female coaches -- Ronda Rousey and Miesha Tate -- for the first time ever. The series has aired on Fox Sports 1 since. Each season, the series features a different weight class and number of fighters: Season 1 (eight middleweights; eight light heavyweights); Season 2 (nine welterweights; nine heavyweights); Season 3 (eight middleweights; eight light heavyweights); Season 4 (eight welterweights; eight middleweights); Season 5 (16 lightweights); Season 6 (16 welterweights); Season 7 (16 middleweights); Season 8 (16 lightweights and 16 light heavyweights); Season 9 (16 lightweights and 16 welterweights); Season 10 (16 heavyweights); Season 11 (28 middleweights); Season 12 (28 lightweights); Season 13 (14 welterweights); Season 14 (16 bantamweights and 16 featherweights); Season 15 (32 lightweights); Season 16 (32 welterweights); Season 17 (28 middleweights); Season 18 (16 male bantamweights; 16 female bantamweights); Ultimate Nations (eight male middleweights; eight male welterweights); Season 19 (16 middleweights; 16 light heavyweights); Season 20 (16 female strawweights); Season 21 (16 welterweights).

Season 19, THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER: TEAM EDGAR VS. TEAM PENN, debuted on Wednesday, April 16, 2014 at 10pm ET/7pm PT on Fox Sports 1. In the new season, a group of 16 middleweights and 16 light heavyweights battle for a spot on the team of either former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar or two-division champion BJ Penn. The two-hour season premiere aired immediately following THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER NATIONS welterweight and middleweight finals, the coaches' fight and an exciting headliner between No. 5-ranked middleweight Michael Bisping (25-5) and No. 8-ranked Tim Kennedy (17-4), which starts at 7pm ET/4pm PT from Quebec City, Canada.

THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER returned for its 20th season, THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER: A CHAMPION WILL BE CROWNED, on Wednesday, September 9, 2014 from 10pm-Midnight ET/7-9pm PT on Fox Sports 1. The new season features sixteen 115-pound ladies, many of whom have overcome unthinkable tragedies and struggles, on their journey to the first-ever UFC women's strawweight championship belt. Among the cast is a therapeutic wilderness guide for teens; a childhood bullying victim who now works with troubled youth; a former Russian orphan whose adopted father died one year after bringing her to America; and a fighter born addicted to heroin, who later shattered her spine, skull and shoulder after falling down three stories, prompting doctors to predict she'd never walk again.

Fox Sports 1 premiered the 21st season of THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER on Wednesday, April 22, 2015 at 10pm ET/7pm PT. The new season features American Top Team -- a team of fighters founded in 2001 -- taking on the Blackzilians, a gym founded by four former members of American Top Team who defected to start their own team. The two teams, whose gyms sit just 20 minutes away from each other in South Florida, are comprised of eight rising welterweight contenders sharing a house in South Florida -- but in one of the many changes for this new season of the show, the fighters will still work, train and spar with the coaches and teams at their home gyms. The fights take place in the two opposing gyms and not a neutral location so each week one of the fighters looking to get a win steps into enemy territory. The winning team retains control and home gym advantage as the series moves forward each week.

On Wednesday, September 9, 2015 from 10pm-Midnight ET, Fox Sports 1 premiered the 22nd season of THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER with Conor McGregor and Urijah Faber each coaching a team of lightweights from Europe and America, respectively. The season opens with 32 competitors fighting for a chance to be on one of the teams, and after the first bouts 16 of those fighters move into The Ultimate Fighter house, where they compete for the chance to earn a contract with the UFC in the season finale on December 11 in Las Vegas.

THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER: TEAM JEDRZEJCZYK VS. TEAM GADELHA, the 23rd season of TUF, premiered on Wednesday, April 20, 2016 from 10pm-Midnight ET on Fox Sports 1, with Joanna Jedrzejczyk and Claudia Gadelha coaching a group of 32 light heavyweight men and strawweight women. The season culminates in TUF finale on Friday, July 8 from Las Vegas, one night before UFC 200 takes place. Jedrzejczyk and Gadelha will face off in the five round main event with the strawweight title on the line.

Season 24 of THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER premiered on Wednesday, August 31, 2016 from 10pm-Midnight ET/7-9pm PT on Fox Sports 1, with Joseph Benavidez and Henry Cejudo coaching a group of 16 flyweight champions from around the world. The winner earns a UFC contract, a Harley-Davidson motorcycle and an immediate title shot against current UFC champion Demetrious Johnson in a live finale scheduled for December 3 at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.

Season 25 of THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER premiered on Wednesday, April 19, 2017 from 10pm-Midnight ET/7-9pm PT on FS1, immediately following a two-hour special, "The Best of the Ultimate Fighter: 25th Season Anniversary Special," which features the best moments from the show's first 24 seasons. In this milestone season, 14 former cast members -- all of whom have previously been on the series -- compete for redemption in the tournament comprised of welterweights and the largest cash prize in the show's history. The competitors are coached by bantamweight world champion Cody Garbrandt and No. 2 contender TJ Dillashaw.

The 26th season of THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER premiered on August 30, 2017 at 10pm ET/7pm PT on FS1. For the second time in series history, this season introduces a new weight class and crowns a new champion. At the helm are No. 3 lightweight Eddie Alvarez and No. 6 Justin Gaethje, who assume the coaching responsibilities for THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER: A NEW WORLD CHAMPION. when they mentor 16 flyweights competing for the inaugural UFC women's flyweight championship.

THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER: UNDEFEATED, the 27th season of the series, premiered on Wednesday, April 18, 2018 at 10pm ET/7pm PT on FOX Sports 1, featuring eight unbeaten lightweight and eight unbeaten featherweight fighters coached by heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic and light heavyweight champion and FOX Sports analyst Daniel Cormier.

THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER: HEAVY HITTERS, the 28th season of the series, premiered on Wednesday, August 29, 2018 at 10pm ET/7pm PT on Fox Sports 1. Season 28 features two new coaches --- UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker coach opposite No. 4 ranked contender Kelvin Gastelum -- who lead eight men's heavyweights and eight women's featherweights. Each tournament winner earns a six-figure UFC contract.

Season 29, THE RETURN OF THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER: TEAM VOLKANOVSKI VS. TEAM ORTEGA, sees UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski and No. 2 contender Brian Ortega coach men's bantamweights and middleweights for a coveted UFC contract. The eight bantamweights include: Daniel Argueta (age: 27; record: 5-0; hometown: Chicago, IL), Brady Hiestand (21; 4-1; Spokane, WA), Dustin Lampros (26; 5-0; Deerfield Beach, FL), Vince Murdock (30; 11-6; Sacramento, CA), Mitch Raposo (22; 5-0; Fall River, MA), Joshua Rettinghouse (31; 16-5; Spokane, WA), Liudvik Sholinian (30; 9-1; Kiev, Ukraine), and Ricky Turcios (27; 10-2; Houston, TX). The middleweights are: Aaron Phillips (29; 5-1; Kotzbue, AK), Andre Petroski (29; 5-1; Philadelphia, PA), Bryan Battle (26; 4-1; Charlotte, NC), Ryder Newman (25; 3-1; Las Vegas, NV), Tresean Gore (26; 3-0; Decatur, GA), Miles Hunsinger (30; 7-0; Las Vegas, NV), Kemran Lachinov (30; 10-3; West Springfield, MA), and Gilbert Urbina (25; 6-1; Rio Grande Valley, TX). Season 29 premieres on Tuesday, June 1, 2021 at 9pm ET/6pm PT on ESPN+.

THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER: TEAM PENA VS. TEAM NUNES, the 30th season, premiered on Tuesday, May 3, 2022 at 9pm ET/6pm PT on ESPN+, with coaches UFC bantamweight champion Julianna Pena and featherweight champion Amanda Nunes, who go head-to-head to help their teams win a UFC contract. Season 30 features eight men's heavyweights (265 lbs.) and eight women's flyweights (125 lbs.), who compete live each week.

The 12-episode 31st season, known as THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER: TEAM MCGREGOR VS. TEAM CHANDLER, premiered on Tuesday, May 30, 2023 at 10pm ET/7pm PT on ESPN and ESPN+. This season could be the biggest in the show's history, as former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion Conor McGregor and No. 5 ranked lightweight contender Michael Chandler go head-to-head as coaches. The show will feature a dynamic cast consisting of both returning veterans and up and coming prospects in the men's bantamweight (135 lbs.) and lightweight (155 lbs.) divisions, who have put everything else in their lives aside for the chance to pursue their UFC dreams.

THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER: TEAM GRASSO VS. TEAM SHEVCHENKO, the 32nd season of THE ULTIMATE FIGHTERS, debuted on Tuesday, June 4, 2024 at 10pm ET/7pm PT on ESPN and ESPN+. Season 32 is highlighted UFC flyweight champion Alexa Grasso coaching opposite former champion and No. 1 contender Valentina Shevchenko, as the two prepare to square off for the third time at a future date. The new season features the most international cast ever assembled for the show, with 14 nations being represented by the 16 rising prospects in the men's featherweight (145 lbs.) and middleweight (185 lbs.) divisions, who have put everything else in their lives aside to pursue their UFC dreams.
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On Tuesday, August 20, 2024 at 10pm ET/7pm PT, ESPN premiered the season finale of THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER: TEAM GRASSO VS. TEAM SHEVCHENKO. In the season ender, Team Grasso's Mairon Santos and Team Shevchenko's Zygimantas Ramaska face uncertainty in their featherweight match. Team Grasso's Guillermo Torres and Team Shevchenko's Edwin Cooper Jr. cut weight in case they are called on as replacements.