12 Fighters Who Would Be Great TUF Coaches

As fans gear up for another exciting season of The Ultimate Fighter next year, the focus once again turns on to who the coaches are.

The next season will feature featherweight rivals Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber in what will surely be a good season of back and forth banter between the two men.

For years now, the focus of fans has been on the coaches. Although the show is supposed to be about the fighters, the spotlight always ends up being on the coaches.

The men on this list haven't coached on The Ultimate Fighter but would be very interesting to watch.

Anderson Silva

Surely the best fighter in the world could be a halfway decent coach right?

Anderson Silva wouldn't even need to do much coaching on The Ultimate Fighter because most of his teammates (like Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Junior dos Santos) have been coaches before and could help "The Spider."

Besides watching Silva dominate competition even as he ages, it would be nice for the guys competing on the show to have his knowledge passed down to them.

Pat Barry

Sure he doesn't have a great record or any notable coaching talents.

But a season full of Pat Barry would get enough laughs to make it worth everyone's time.

In a show that's dying for ratings, getting someone with the humor of Barry would help keep fans interested.

Also, having Barry as a coach would allow us to witness the coaching techniques of one of the greatest trainers in America, Duke Roufus.

Matt Hamill

Matt Hamill has already competed on The Ultimate Fighter and showed his natural abilities as far as fighting goes.

On the show, we also saw Hamill help out one of his teammates with their upcoming fight.

It was just basic techniques but if Hamill were given the opportunity to pass on his wrestling knowledge, he would surely shine.

I know he's retired, but having Hamill as a coach would also be a good PR move for the UFC with their new audiences.

Alistair Overeem

Alistair Overeem would be an excellent coach on TUF because it's obvious he knows a thing or two about striking techniques.

Depending where he decides to make his permanent home for training, his assistant coaches could be very helpful as well.

It would be interesting to see how he would coach strength and conditioning strategies to his team considering all the scrutiny he receives for his frame.

And who wouldn't appreciate their coach stocking the house with extra lean horse meat? Keep your compression suit Team Mayhem!

Jon Jones

"The Future of MMA" would be a great choice as coach because we would finally be able to see the work behind all the magic that occurs in the Octagon.

Jon Jones needs all the help he can get with his image. Even his own coach, Greg Jackson, thinks he needs more fans.

Given the fact that Jones is one of the most polarizing figures in MMA, fans would tune in to see him succeed or watch his team fail miserably.

Lyoto Machida

Besides Jon Jones, the biggest puzzle in MMA is Lyoto Machida.

Watching him coach on The Ultimate Fighter would give us a look at how Machida trains and maybe put the pieces of the puzzle together.

It'd also be interesting to see how the modern day MMA fighter responds to a more traditional martial arts coach.

Chael Sonnen

Was there any doubt about Chael Sonnen making the list?

The so called, "Best trash talker since Muhammad Ali" would be great TV.

Besides being a big mouth, Sonnen would also have quite a bit of knowledge to share with his guys. He's one of, if not the best wrestler in MMA.

The only problem with having Sonnen as coach is that it would have to be after a few seasons of breaking in the new fans, as most of them would think the UFC is crazy for having a guy like Sonnen on their payroll.

Jon Fitch

Bear with me with picking Jon Fitch. I know he has about as much personality as a brick wall, but the guy is a talented fighter.

Fitch and the AKA coaches would be able to give their team a mass amount of knowledge, not only with wrestling but also with striking.

Having Fitch as a coach would instill a hard working attitude in his team as Fitch walked on the Purdue wrestling team and worked his way to being the team captain.

Benson Henderson

Benson Henderson has a title shot coming up and should he defeat title-holder Frankie Edgar, he'd be great on The Ultimate Fighter.

He's very articulate and intelligent, which would help dissolve the stereotype that fighters are dumber than a box of rocks.

His religious views—though I'm sure would be censored some by the UFC—may also help gather an additional audiences.

It'd be interesting to see if Henderson's "good guy" image would be lost during a season of dealing with a bunch of guys who are stuck in a house for weeks on end.

Brian Stann

Besides being a pretty talented fighter, Brian Stann has a pretty incredible story to share as well.

Having Greg Jackson and other coaches help him, Stann could instill a sense of self discipline. He'd likely be able to give his team some unique and great workouts from his days in the armed services as well.

Like Hamill, having Stann coach would be a great PR move because general audiences could relate and take an interest in him.

Nick Diaz

Nick Diaz's popularity has risen by tenfold since crossing over into the UFC.

We've seen what Diaz can do in a 20-minute press conference, imagine what he could do in six to eight weeks worth of filming.

Like Chael Sonnen, Diaz has more than just a big mouth to offer The Ultimate Fighter. He's a talented fighter and nobody on his team should get tired in their fights.

It'd take a few episodes for audiences to get used to Diaz's brash style but "Don't be scared homie!"

Demetrious Johnson/Joseph Benavidez

Demetrious Johnson has shown a comedic side as well as being a good fighter.

Having Johnson be a coach on TUF boils down to the introduction of the flyweight division. It would be a great introduction into a weight class many MMA fans have no knowledge about.

Besides Johnson (or opposite him), Joseph Benavidez would be a good choice as a coach as well. The guys at Alpha Male have no shortage of swagger and could come across as the cocky bad guys or the lovable good guys.

Assuming both guys make it to the final of the "flyweight tournament," these guys could coach opposite one another and lead to a perfect setup for the first ever UFC flyweight championship match.