The Ultimate Fighter Season 10 OutlookSeason 10 of the Ultimate Fighter will feature Rashad Evans and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson as coaches. Naturally, the two will square off at the end of the year to settle their score. Also in this season are heavyweight fighters, the first time since season 2. Cast members will include Kimbo Slice, Wes Sims and Roy “Big Country” Nelson. Let’s look at these five people using the fabled pro/con system. The aim here is to determine whether or not the UFC made good choices for their struggling reality show. Roy Nelson Pro: He’s had a lot of experience in the IFL and other mid-level MMA shows. The hardcore fans will certainly know who he is. Most recently, Dana White has demanded that prospective contestants have at least one pro MMA fight to their record. So, his presence will help legitimize the Ultimate Fighter. Con: He doesn’t have a camera-friendly physique. Luckily for him, the Blob’s inclusion in the latest X-men movie will help viewers acclimate to his body-type. Allegedly, this was the main reason why he’s on the Ultimate Fighter and not currently fighting for the promotion. Of course, the fact that he’s already considered worthy of a contract means he might be a bit too much for the newcomers on the show. Wes Sims Pro: Much like Roy Nelson, Sims has had some experience with tough competition. He’s best known for PRIDE-stomping Frank Mir in the head. While that’s not a great thing to be known for, it does show that he’ll bring in long time followers of the UFC. He could easily be a heavyweight version of Junie Browning – a guy that uses his anger to make up for a lack of skill. Much like Browning, he could be a favorite to win the show, provided he keeps his ego in check. Con: For the same reason he’s considered a good reality show star, he’s also a bad ambassador for the sport. Given the way he got DQ’d against Mir, it’s a wonder he was brought back into the UFC fold at all. Perhaps Dana brought him in just to prove a point, which brings us to… Kimbo Slice Pro: Kimbo was the pride and joy of EliteXC. He’s largely responsible for that company’s ground-breaking deal with CBS. Mind you, after Kimbo was knocked out in 14 seconds by a last-second replacement, the company went bankrupt…but that’s beside the point. Before EXC, his claim to fame was his street fights on youtube. He’s got a very rough personality to match his fighting-style. Needless to say, he’s going to be a ratings draw. Con: Dana White bashed Kimbo and EXC right until the company went under. He feels that Kimbo represents all the negative stereotypes about MMA fighters. He also jokingly invited Slice to the Ultimate Fighter, given that he wasn’t good enough for a contract. Well, it appears that Kimbo called his bluff. Regardless of how Kimbo does on the Ultimate Fighter, Dana should consider what sort of image his company is obtaining through their reality show. Dana’s blatant favoritism of Junie Browning in season 8 showed that he was willing to forgive unprofessional behavior IF you were an interesting character. Given Kimbo’s inclusion in this season, Dana’s posturing about what makes a “real” UFC fighter seems quite hypocritical. Now, on to the coaches... Click here to continue to The Ultimate Fighter Season 10 Outlook pt. 2
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