TUF 10 Sucked: Here's Why and How To Fix It

This is the tenth season of The Ultimate Fighter.  The UFC’s can’t miss weekly reality show is losing its luster, and fast!  To be honest, you could probably say that it lost it a long time ago. 

This season was supposed to be the one that generated the most popularity, was to be the unveiling of Kimbo, and the search for the next Brock.  The UFC called up NFLers, former UFCers, and up and comers to provide depth into the heavyweight division. 

What they got was slow, amateur-ish, and generally boring fighters that did nothing to bolster that division.

To begin, the worst thing the UFC could do for this season was over-exaggerate every move that Kimbo made.  So, I ask you this, is anyone else tired of every teaser being Kimbo is coming back on the next episode?  Yea me too.

One could say that this season just lacked the flair that UFC fans long for.  Others would consider this season one of the most beneficial for the organization simply do to the numbers and viewing popularity.

Before I continue I want to share with you a hand full of names.  Diego Sanchez, Forrest Griffin, Josh Koscheck, Kenny Florian, Mike Swick, Nate Quarry, Kieth Jardine, Joe Stevenson, Rashad Evans, Marcus Davis, Michael Bisping, and a whole lot more have came from the show.  Those are names from the first three seasons alone.

TUF 10 sucked.  Sure, it had its moments, but it was not very good.  The main reason TUF seems to be going downhill, is because of the talent level of the fighters accepted into the house. 

When TUF 1 began the number of MMA gyms, fighters, and athletes in the sport was a fraction of what it is today.  Around every corner there is a fight gym, with a fight team, that claims they are grooming a future UFC champ.  The sport is more popular now that is has ever been, maybe the UFC needs a better recruiting staff…

Another reason TUF 10 sucked was that Rampage was a terrible coach.  Rampage is/was (whatever) a great fighter, but even he admits he is not a coach.  The guys they put on the show are green at best. 

They need to be groomed by the best the UFC has to offer, but not in terms of talent.  TUF is the most important part of these fighters careers, why not have someone that have the ability to not only lead these fighters, but provide them the proper expertise they deserve?

Dennis Rodman is one of the best rebounders and most charismatic players in NBA history.  The NBA would not put him in place to coach a team of first round draft picks for six weeks.

Another reason why many feel that TUF 10 was stagnant at best, was that they didn’t give them anything new.  The UFC finally took away the “fight to get into the house”, and went back to giving fans time to learn the fighters.  Part of the reason season 1 was great was due to the challenges.  Bring them back!

Ideas?  I am a firm believer that you should not complain if you don’t have any ideas to fix it.

1.  Bring back the challenges.  Don’t use the same ones over and over.  There are hundreds of training games and competitions, use them.  The scarecrow competition between Matt Hughes, Joe Stevenson, Rich Franklin, and Jorge Gurgel is one of the most remembered TUF moments ever.  I am not saying kill the fighters, but provide more competition for fans to root for.

2.  Another moment that fans remember is the treadmill test.  Chris Leben passed it with a hangover, thousands of prospective MMA fighters can’t pass it at top form…  Get back to that!  Show the MMA world what the top guys do behind the scenes.  Truly test your competitors.  A coach telling a fighter that he is his top pick, no matter what he does in the pre-team testing is garbage.

3.  The coaches don’t have to fight.  Now I understand it, by having them coach they market a fight throughout the entire TUF show.  It is good at times, but the season is about the fighters, not the coaches.  Imagine how the show would go if the coaches were Mark Dellagrotte and Robert Drysdale.  You could even get crazy and Put something like Pat Miletich vs. Bar Rutten.  Why not have some of the world’s best (real) MMA coaches do what they do best?

There are three ideas on how they could make the show better than the tenth season.  I know that each idea could be what-if’ed to death, and each have some holes, but they could work.

TUF 10 will forever be remembered as the season of Kimbo, terrible fights, and the fight that never was (Rashad vs. Rampage).  TUF 11 could be GSP vs. Hardy but I am rooting against it. 

11 needs to provide MMA fans with something new, fresh, and re-energized.  TUF is a recruiting tool!  If the UFC doesn’t allow the show to change with the fighters, then it will continue to decline.