What If: TUF Edition

Written by Trevor Lane

Every day there are decisions made that will change the course of history.  There’s no way of knowing just how those decisions will turn out; we can only do what we think is right and hope for the best. 

This applies to all areas of life, but in the sports world those crucial moments really stick out.  Looking back, we can’t help but wonder what things would be like today had things gone a little differently. 

What if the ball bounced just a fraction of an inch higher toward Bill Buckner?  What if the Hornets decided not to trade Kobe Bryant?  What if Roberto Baggio’s penalty kick had gone under the bar rather than over? 

We’ll never know the answers to these questions, but that won’t stop us from speculating.  Just like all the other major sports, MMA also has its fair share of “what if” moments. 

It would take years to examine all of them, so instead I’m going to focus on the “what if” moments from what has arguably been the driving force behind the UFC’s popularity explosion: The Ultimate Fighter. 

What If Stephan Bonnar Had Won TUF 1?

The fight that started it all.  Stephan Bonnar and Forrest Griffin not only stole the show at The Ultimate Fighter Season One finale, but they may have put on the greatest fight in MMA history. 

Drawing on sheer will and determination, the two men slugged out a brutal three rounds that left no clear winner.  The judges, with the unenviable task of scoring the bout, came back with a unanimous decision for Griffin 29-28, making him the TUF 1 Light Heavyweight champ.  

Bonnar was also awarded a UFC contract by Dana White because the fight was so competitive.

Since then, Forrest has gone on to become a UFC champion and arguably the most beloved fighter in all of MMA. 

Bonnar, on the other hand, has had a mediocre career full of setbacks, and seems to be perpetually stuck in Griffin’s shadow. 

Had things gone Bonnar’s way that night, it could very well be him in Forrest’s place today.  While Forrest’s personality would have likely won over fight fans just the same, the repercussions of the judges’ decision will forever haunt Stephan Bonnar. 

What If Manvel Gamburyan Hadn’t Dislocated His Shoulder?  

Season Five of TUF featured Manvel “The Anvil” Gamburyan and Nate Diaz matched against each other in the finale. 

Both fighters were very experienced, with Nate having a reach and height advantage, but Manny was considerably stronger.

For the first round and a half Manny easily controlled the fight, then while attempting a takedown, his shoulder dislocated and he was forced to tap out. 

Diaz became the TUF Season Five champ and has gone on to submit some of the best fighters in the division, while his attitude has earned him a reputation as one of the UFC’s bad boys. 

Manny hasn’t enjoyed the same level of success, and has to wonder what could have been had his shoulder stayed in place. 

What If Jesse Taylor Hadn’t Gone Out That Night?

TUF  Season Seven saw Jesse Taylor advance to the finals to face Amir Sadollah after he defeated Tim Credeur in the semi-finals. 

Unfortunately, after the show wrapped, Taylor went out for a night in Las Vegas, got drunk, kicked out the window of a limousine, and screamed that he was a UFC fighter at hotel security.

Dana White decided to remove Taylor from the finale, and his spot was eventually given to CB Dolloway. 

Jesse was given a chance to redeem himself one month after the finale when he was set to fight none other than his replacement, CB Dolloway.  Dolloway won, and after some unfortunate comments by Taylor about the UFC, Taylor found himself released from his contract. 

The downward spiral all started with one unfortunate night out.  It’s very possible that had Jesse Taylor not gone out that night, he would be the TUF Season Seven champion.

What If Nate Quarry’s Ankle Wasn’t Injured?

Nate “Rock” Quarry was the early favorite to become the Middleweight champion for TUF Season One until one false step brought his hopes and dreams crashing down. 

Quarry injured his ankle in practice when a teammate fell into him.  As a result, he was forced out of the competition. 

While he has had a solid career since then, including a title shot against middleweight champ Rich Franklin, we can only wonder what could have beenif he had gone on to face off against Diego Sanchez instead of Kenny Florian. 

Florian, a lightweight masquerading as a middleweight to get on the show, wound up being outmatched by the much bigger Sanchez (although ironically Sanchez himself recently dropped to the lightweight division). 

This is a problem that Quarry, a true middleweight, wouldn’t have.  Sanchez would have had a much tougher time taking down Nate, and Quarry’s striking ability is very dangerous. 

Had his ankle not been injured, Quarry would have had an excellent shot at winning the whole thing.  And speaking of Diego Sanchez…

What If Jon Fitch Wasn’t Cut From TUF One?

That’s right. Jon Fitch was scheduled to be on TUF Season One.  In fact he quit his job, packed his bags, and was about to get on a flight to Las Vegas when his cell phone rang.

On the other end was a producer informing him that there had been a restructuring of the show and that he had lost his spot. 

Currently, Fitch is one of the best wrestlers in the UFC.  Hindsight is 20/20, but how did a talented young fighter like him get cut? 

Rumor has it that the UFC was all set to bring Fitch onto the show when they were turned on to another young ground and pound expert named Diego Sanchez. 

They decided that Diego was the way to go, and they cut Fitch at the last minute. 

Diego went on to win TUF 1, and looked to be a contender in the UFC’s middleweight division...that is, until he fought a bigger, stronger wrestler named Jon Fitch.

While Fitch got his revenge in the end, he still isn’t as big of a name as Diego Sanchez.  Had he not been cut, it’s possible that Fitch would have gotten all the hype and fanfare that Diego received coming off the show.  In fact, we may have never heard of Diego Sanchez at all.     

All it takes is a simple twist of fate, and everything is changed.

You can find more of Trevor Lane's work at MMAMadness.com