Changes that should be made:
1. Do away with all the silly bullshit that goes in the house. Instead of showing all
4th grade drama show us the fighters training. I'd much rather see some
techniques/drills being taught/used by world class fighters/trainers instead of 2
retards arguing over who ate the last banana. Put a tv & radio in the house and
let the fighters relax.
2. Cast fighters not attention whores. How can a world class BJJ player or all-
american wrestler be passed over for some guy who shows up to the audition
with a fucking boombox and 1/2 ass fighting abilities.(seen this on the UG)
3. Do away with the teams. These guys are there to fight not make friends.
4. Do away with the coaches fight @ the end of the show. Especially after the last
2 seasons. Stop overshadowing the premise of the show with these phony ass
feuds/rivalries between coaches.

IMO, these changes would be a good start. Sorry if I wrote the same thing as other people but there's no fucking way i'm reading all those comments while I got a steak burrito waiting for me to come make love to it.

@macreadysshack
hahahahahaha... i did see your post later... i was in a hurry, cuz i was at work, so as you said, i didn't have time to read all the posts. i had a feeling i'd probably end up saying what someone else said.

ok now i'll go back to hiding in the bushes waiting for you to say something so i can run in and blurt out the same thing as my own!

Your gonna get hit
your gonna get knocked out

There can be no other song, even my kids know it, you hear that tune, your pulse starts racin, its FIGHT TIME,
I reckon they should change it from a cage to a thunderdome, and then have the fights to the death, now that will rate, oh and have more ring girls and make them naked.

Socal Tot Says:
Fri, 06/18/2010 - 03:05

THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR
THE ULTIMATE IS WHAT'S IN STORE
BEAR WITNESS TO THE FITNESS
OF THE MODERN WARRIOR
AND...

(Sing it fellow Potatoes!)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
love it great post.
yeah I will sing along, I don't care if it's old, it fits the show, and I dig it.

and it goes BOOM another hit is landed
BOOM another hit is landed

the stealth of a sniper
the strength of a viper
the training
the challenge
the ultimate fighter

you're gonna get hit
you're gonna get knocked out
you're gonna feel it
this is the ultimate

you're gonna get hit
you're gonna get knocked out
you're gonna feel it
this is the ultimate

Have them run through an obstacle course while Gina Carano shoots them down with a tennis ball cannon.

Mark Kerr and Pat Smith, FTW.

X ARM IS AWESOME

THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR
THE ULTIMATE IS WHAT'S IN STORE
BEAR WITNESS TO THE FITNESS
OF THE MODERN WARRIOR
AND...

(Sing it fellow Potatoes!)

Ohh man a featherweight or bantamweight season would be awesome, especially since the UFC is so blatantly blurring the line between itself and the WEC anyway. I would love to see Miguel Torres try and coach some guys. And the lighter weights are more exciting (to the untrained viewer) anyway since the guys move around more and at a quicker pace.

First off I did really enjoy the article and Viva's suggestions. I also enjoyed about half the suggestions posted in response because after I got through about half my attention span tuned out like it does during an episode of TUF when I get up to play with the cat or something because I'm so bored and the show just become background noise. That said I have some Ideas of my own.

1. Please for the love of GOD listen to agentsmiths suggestion and kill that theme song. Please I beg of you. I am almost certain I have developed a brain tumor from having heard it so many times. I know it doesn’t sound medically possible but I have to believe it’s true. I’d rather have a silent montage of the opening credits than hear that song.
2. If they are going to stick to the current format I think they need to make one major change. I would like to see the fighters, fight there way onto the show of course, but then fight there way onto a team. For example they have to choose a coach they want to train with of the two picked for the season and get another fighter to agree to fight them who wants to go on the opposing team. Force them to work it out who they will fight and who they will fight for. Yeah some guys will get the shaft and sometimes everyone will want to fight for one coach and not the other, (which requires Dana to choose fairly matched coaches instead of lame one sided Shamrock Ortiz season), but you give them a one week deadline to set up a “mock contract” through an on staff manager to fight another fighter balancing out the two teams. Whoever can’t work out the business end of that and doesn’t have someone signed to fight with them goes home simple as that. First off it forces guys to taste and go through the management and negotiation end of what is a cut throat business in where you seldom get to fight who you want to when you want to. The next benefit is you know they want to be on the team of the coach they picked and it challenges the coach to deal with the hand dealt because if all of their fighters lost their fight to be put on said coaches team… Well they at least know their weakness, but it also requires them to make up for it in quality training and conditioning of their fighters. It also can set up for some significant Cinderella stories emerging from the fighters who initially lost.
3. Next is that right after the first fight to just get on the show each coach gets one pick to choose two fighters that lost but showed heart to stay on as their reserve fighters training on the team in the event of injuries or douchbagism to jump in and take the spot. No showing up because someone got booted then training 3 days and fighting. Let them get the full benefit because even if they aren’t used at least they got top notch training and TV time and potential to show up on an undercard based on their attitude and work ethic.
4. I agree with an added incentive for being able to finish a fight in a specific manner but I’d like to take it one step farther. If you finish the fight you get $1,000. If you call out what you will win by specifically like they go to Dana and say I’m going to win by triangle choke and they do it then they get $5,000. If they ask Dana to call if for them, (meaning he decides how he wants to see them finish it), and they pull it off $10,000. And last but not least if they call it how they will end it and then call the round they will finish it in then they get $30,000. You want to see some good fights you watch the guy calling the knockout in the first as it closes in on 30 seconds left to win that 30 grand and you will see some bombs being thrown.
5. GET RID OF THE ALCOHOL. If you’re really looking for the next generation of fighter stop giving them vices. Let the coaches bring the booze over to let a fighter celebrate a win if they thinks that’s the right thing to do.
6. Ultimately I think that if a format change is an option then I’d like to see like the top 8 camps that have elite fighters in the UFC go out and find raw talent and train them with the film more like the 24/7 lead up to the fight shows and follow the 6 fighters in the 6 camps week to week for a 6 or 8 week training camp then have them in three fight night events like an extended tournament with the third crowning the winner of the final two the new Ultimate fighter. Just an idea. You get to see inside the top training camps for MMA as well as watch a fighter grow in the most ideal circumstances culminating in a series of three free fight events to crown a champion.

How about just cutting out all the bullshit and have a show about fighting? Seriously fuck the drama, house trashing, drunk crying, and all the other frat boy bullshit. Just show me 4-5 two round fights a show and I'd be real fucking happy. Come to think why even call it TUF Lets just have a UFC Grand Prix that lasts for a TV season.

@dranokills,
Talk about not working in reality, what is in it for the guys from season 1 and 2? What is their prize? Most of them are already in the UFC or established so why would they take a step back? Why would the coaches gamble? Again, that will not inspire them it will just make them not take the job. I do however like the idea of taking them out to get boozed up, that always leads to someone being a complete ass and keeping them locked up makes no sense.

None of those ideas are worth a shit, none of them would work in reality. I hate to be the voice of reason but while funny as they can be, those are just not viable options to many setbacks and screwups I can see in them.
this is a real plan:
Take the final 8 of season 1, and season 2, and make it a good one call it TUF; the reunion season.
and no matter who the coaches are they don't fight...that's stupid really. make it worth their while make it the winning coach gets a 6 figure paycheck for a job well done, and the losing coach gets NOTHING. Now that is a way to inspire someone.
there will be teams, but at no time is anyone safe from fighting a frind or team-mate. Joe silva needs to be there from day one, and when Silva tells Dana to put 2 fighters together it happens.
also no more stuck in a house, every week at least once or twice these guys get taken out in public, and boozed up, see what kinda shit they get into, like real life.
and when someone loses they go home, no more of this losing twice and still sitting around talking shit to everyone who already beat your ass, I don't want to see some 2 time loser like kaycey running his mouth again, fucking go home and work at mcdonalds you useless fucking non fighter.
now hows THAT for a season?

Allow the fighters to bring their WAGs and turn the show into "TUF meets TEMPTATION ISLAND"!

@Nut Pouncer

Your point in that first paragraph is a very good one. How can these guys possibly perform the way we want them to without recovery?

Your last idea: "With that said, How about they allow the winner of TUF to choose the next actual UFC opponent of the opposing teams head coach?"

. . . is hilarious. That would potentially be some very funny shit . . . Okay, I've won TUF, now I want Rich Franklin to cut down the tallest tree in the forest wiiiiith . . . a herring!

First of all, I think that the hardcore fans of TUF need to wake up and realize a few things.

-Over the six or so weeks of this competition these fighters are training their asses off ALL THE TIME. Take your favorite UFC fighter and ask him if he trains at 100% right up until fight day and then is back at it the very next day. For Christ Sake, McCray from this season fought 6 times!!! That is a full contact fight EVERY tuesday with absolutely zero training down time. It is absurd that we as fans look at this as some sort of lack of cardio when they gas in the second round. I cant even list how many UFC fighters i have heard say that they take the last week up until their fights to allow there body to recover. Get some perspective.

-Although I would like to see more training technique, we as relative hardcore fans need to realize that the show is hype. They use the show to build up fighters or fights so that they can promote them in the future. Honest question: Would you feel the same way you do now about Jamie Yager if you only saw him training hard and fighting? If they didnt show you all the "Real World" aspects of the show would you have that same opinion as you do now? What about the other fighters that came through TUF? Forrest Griffin? Diego Sanchez? Chris Leben? Junie Browning? War Machine? the list goes on and on...good or bad the bullshit on that show does allow you a little insight as to the the character of the fighter. Something that eventually leads you to follow a fighter later in their career. To this day, I still come to this site and see articles about War Machine and his stupidity and yet idiots like Ken Shamrock were 10X the fighter he will ever be....

In the end the only people asking if TUF has run its course are us - the hardcores. The show gets solid ratings and isnt going anywhere as long as the UFC wants it to stay. Yes, in a way that is disappointing, but it is what it is.


With that said, How about they allow the winner of TUF to choose the next actual UFC opponent of the opposing teams head coach?

justscrappin. that running man idea seems awfully familiar...

lol!

Viva pinata...you know if a quarter fits in the slot...the smaller coins will as well. Congrats on the contribution playa.

What if I have two dimes and nickel? Or 25 pennies? Or 5 nickels? Or a dime and 3 nickels? Or okay I am done.

Well isn't that a coinky dink? I happen to have a roll of quarters right here. So how many quarters is it per bust?

@ Macreadyshack and Mofo:

Genius... Now, fight on for the credit!



But seriously... Send this idea to Dana... It needs to happen...


PS: my mother-in-law sucks dick for quarters

Harold Howard vs. Joe Son......winner gets a reduced sentence? Or real life Running Man ....they try to escape from a secure compound while being chased by guys hunting them for sport?

"Sadly, Joe Son and Harold Howard will not be available."

Ha! Yeah, so sad.

@Mofo Way to steal my idea, douchebag. j/k, nobody can be expected to read all these long goddamn posts . . . Seriously, though, I think this would be a good show.

You said:
"Or they could return to the first days of UFC and just pit one martial art against another. That's still an awesome idea and will never get old. When the UFC evolved, I was SO PISSED. I was like, awwww shit, now all these mofos fight the same way! I wanna see the sumo bum rush the kickboxer again. I wanna some impossibly huge dude get sub'd like a bitch by some pencil neck again. All that awesome shit from the first few UFCs. Make a show outta that! MMA has gotten boring on that level."

I said (BEFORE YOU DID, YOU IDEA-THEIVING BASTARD):
"How about a season that only includes people who have been very successful in specific combat sports and show their progression in the MMA game over the season. Get a badass Judo guy that's only done Judo, get a boxer, kickboxer, hell, get JKD guy in there, wu shu, kung-fu, karate, savate, pent jak silat . . . whatever. Just make sure they're top notch athletes in their respective styles and want to learn the complete game. Leave out wrestling and BJJ 'cause their specialized games would dominate those other poor bastards - we already know this. In fact, it could be any combat style except the big three that contribute the most to MMA . . . we'd lose Muay Thai guys that way but let the Western style kickboxers in.

It would be a throwback to the spirit of the UFC in days of yor and we wouldn't have a bunch of old guys in there.

Seeing those guys evolve their styles with world class trainers would be awesome. It would be goddamn Bloodsport and I'd watch that shit.'

Viva - WTF, you write a piece for CP and it contains no mention of the Mexican hot pocket or the Alaska pipeline? You've sold out, friend. You just went from Raw to Dr. Doolittle. (Just kidding, good job)

Get Off Me said the words American Idol auditions and my head exploded.

Now THAT is a GOOD IDEA. Idol does nothing but show losers and crazies for the first few weeks. How awesome would it be if TUF just showed up in your town, 1,000 deluded wackos lined up on the sidewalk, and then two by two they just come in and fight? Most would have no skill, but you know you'd love to watch those crazy brawls.

That would be more like Fight Club. Sweet.

Or they could return to the first days of UFC and just pit one martial art against another. That's still an awesome idea and will never get old. When the UFC evolved, I was SO PISSED. I was like, awwww shit, now all these mofos fight the same way! I wanna see the sumo bum rush the kickboxer again. I wanna some impossibly huge dude get sub'd like a bitch by some pencil neck again. All that awesome shit from the first few UFCs. Make a show outta that! MMA has gotten boring on that level.

@chowens : i stopped reading at your comment. this is easily the smartest thing anyone's said in this thread, and the rest of you losers need to pay attention. i would actually watch tuf again if they did a bantam/feather season.

Hey if we are going gimmicky all I have to say is....................


Kumite! Kumite! Kumite!

Going the gimmicky way though..listen to this. Someone else mentioned watching too many 80's asian/action movies...so here it is. Based loosely on the Game of Death with Bruce Lee. So they get an up and coming mma fighter...who is known for being well rounded but not great at any one thing. He fights his way up a tiered fighting pagoda. He would fight an unknown fighter that has one discipline that they are pretty much world class in. He would fight them for one 5 minute round. He then would try and guess what their strength is from that 5 minute round...and be allowed to train with one the best trainer's in the world in that discipline for like 2-4 weeks. He would then have a real 3 round fight with that fighter again...and try to show his improvements in that particular discipline...while using his previous skills to bring out that fighter's weaknesses. It would force the star of the show...to put his ego aside and really focus on an area that he wasn't super strong in. They could even make one round striking and one round grappling..then a third round everything. This could obviously be tweaked to include a few guys trying to make it to the end...and the breakdown of how the rounds should be fought. The end of the season one of the main fighters will have worked their way up to the top of the pagoda...to fight kareem abdul jabaar.....kidding, they would fight a really well rounded legitimate champion. Anderson Silva would be my example as a "final boss" fight. Yes this is like a kick ass video game played out in real life...of course hot women would be included like feature an up and coming model as the ring girl...and tons of endorsements for the equipment included in the discipline specific training. Pretty elaborate..but I bet it would become pretty sweet between hardcore and casual fans alike.

Social tot...I said the same thing. Give someone who has been training a while..but has a full time job and a family, an opportunity to get paid to train full time. Nothing crazy...just give him like a guaranteed 40k a year salary...let him train with a full time mma camp...and see how he progresses in a year. Let him fight the regional shows and then move up to the mid-tier promotions..then hopefully get a shot at the big time.

I didn't read any of my fellow Potato nation comments. For several reasons One of which is Tuff should be canceled like you need to catch aids and die. I enjoy seeing up and coming fighters get there shot. I don't always watch it for the entertaining crazy shit that you do obviously. If I wanted to watch crazy shit I'd go turn on my DVR and flip back to the Season of Survivor were it was the Races verse each other. Aside from that shut the fuck up booo! no more guest bullshit from him.

Man v. Animal combat would spice things up.

Seriously, though, a documentary style show featuring up-and-coming UFC fighters in their native habitats would actually be more interesting. Clearly being a pro fighter is a tough gig, and I'm sure generates plenty of drama on its own.

So, follow a few fighters in the same weight class training, dealing with their military service, working at Costco, whatever, and then air a fight night style card with those fighters. Sure, we lose the weekly 2-round fights, but let's be honest, most of those fights are terrible. As a replacement, we could see some sparring sessions and footage of these fighters' pre-UFC fights .

I think they need to develop some raw talent and rather than winning a UFC contract, the winner gets a scholarship of sorts to attend a big league MMA camp.

Maybe do something with the Marine Corp- the guys getting out who want to get into MMA. Have a contest of some sort where the winner gets financial backing to go to one of the camps to train MMA. If the guy pans out, he'll get invited to a UFC event at a later date.

glassjawsh>> Hmmm. I say pick a niche, become an expert, ???, profit. Maybe ASTRA or JEWELS?

@cecils_pupils

Great idea! They could leave a hammer there next to a collection of vases, desks, tables, ladders and chairs. Actually this makes me think, should all semi final matches be conducted under Hell in a Cell rules? Yes, yes they should.

@ Rex13 - my jokes are lame and I don't believe in facebook so the only think i have to fall back on are my bedroom eyes. think that'll be enough to get something posted?

Nice article Viva Hate... nice work homie.

I think they install cheap doors on purpose so that when it gets destroyed the destroyer doesn't hurt himself. I say take it one step further - have a section of the gym with breakable doors and stuff where it's Okay to break shit... it's a great way to let off some steam.

They should just have them show up for 2 weeks earlier then the show starts, and strictly do cardio for 3-4 hours a day. Hard cardio, intense cardio. Then when they get on the show and start filming maybe these guys wont gas out in 30 seconds.

So those were my thoughts on your idea, but I've just had a brainwave myself.

6 Weeks
32 Open Weight Fighters
All against all
1 Mountain
1st to make it to the top and scream "ARRRGGGHHHH!" with their arms raised and flexed in the air wins

I'm talking a brawl up a mountain, though any natural or man-made object of increasing elevation would work just as well, hell maybe just have a one-off special with all the fighters brawling it out in a single elevator, last man standing wins

...and no, I have not watched too many 80's/Asian action films

I don't have TV so I actually can't really weigh in on this one.

That being said, Viva Hate seems to have collected a good amount of improvements. JT Money could always join the PsychWard season too though, eh?

Get Off Me Says:
Thu, 06/17/2010 - 11:57

I'm in for the OG's only if El Guapo(not CP El Guapo) was on the cast.


In a way, each of us has an El Guapo to face. For some, stand-up might be their El Guapo. For others, a lack of jiu-jitsu might be their El Guapo. For us, El Guapo is a big, dangerous man who wants to kill us. But as sure as my name is Frank Shamrock, the people of Team Metalmouth can conquer their own personal El Guapo, who also happens to be *the actual* El Guapo!

I guess the winner of the "Crazies" season would be the one who didn't start a fight in the house, throw dangerous brittle matter at someone, start a fire, bust up a limo or casually rape someone. In this case, I reckon Paul Daley could win, at least his infringements would still be IN the ring!

GUI-uh-Teen just triggered an idea for me . . .

How about a season that only includes people who have been very successful in specific combat sports and show their progression in the MMA game over the season. Get a badass Judo guy that's only done Judo, get a boxer, kickboxer, hell, get JKD guy in there, wu shu, kung-fu, karate, savate, pent jak silat . . . whatever. Just make sure they're top notch athletes in their respective styles and want to learn the complete game. Leave out wrestling and BJJ 'cause their specialized games would dominate those other poor bastards - we already know this. In fact, it could be any combat style except the big three that contribute the most to MMA . . . we'd lose Muay Thai guys that way but let the Western style kickboxers in.

It would be a throwback to the spirit of the UFC in days of yor and we wouldn't have a bunch of old guys in there.

Seeing those guys evolve their styles with world class trainers would be awesome. It would be goddamn Bloodsport and I'd watch that shit.

These are a little too gimmicky for me. I'd rather the UFC use a season of TUF to help introduce the merging of the WEC and feature bw and fw fighters. For as awesome as the WEC is, there are loads of new, top quality fighters that the casual fan doesn't know, which would solve the saturation of quality guys who won't get mauled after the show ends.

It just seems counter productive to whine about the boring in-house antics and then want to introduce a bunch of head cases. What's the point?

It's too bad the USA vs. UK season was a dud, because that was a good idea. I'd love to see them revisit this format and maybe even broaden it....camp versus camp? Get AKA and XC and Greg Jackson and whoever else to bring their best and go at it. Not unlike what the IFL did but less gay. The whole idea of picking teams based off a limited viewing never really made sense to me. This year, Chuck basically just googled guys and picked the ones with the best records...and it turned out to be a really good strategy. That's pretty lame.

TUF is still arguably the best reality show on tv because there's no voting or immunity or whatever. You just scrap and the loser gets bounced. I'd personally avoid going the freakshow route because to me...those have been the biggest letdowns that TUF has ever produced (see Kimbo Slice).

I'm in for the OG's only if El Guapo(not CP El Guapo) was on the cast.
Good observations and insight Viva, but I really believe TUF is like American Idol, it's a can't miss when they do auditions, then it cools down and builds up towards the Finale, perhaps something does need to be done in between to keep the audience interested....not just promises with no delivery(Kimbo...he's coming back..no he's not sorry).

@ El Virtuoso Barrista Hey, do you f***ers wanna be fighters or not? You gotta decide right now. Are you a f***ing fighter? Jump in the Komodo Dragon pit or GTFO! F***ing pu**ies!

@ Viva Hate:


Great article... I liked how you backed your ideas up with legitimate reasons!

Although it is extremely far-fetched, a hall-of-fame/farewell season would be interesting. Its semi-related to the old-school legend concept you had, only it would star Liddell, Couture, Royce, Sevrn, Shammy, Hughes, and others whom I have forgotten... Each hall of famer fights someone from their weight class (ex: Gracie/Hughes II or Couture/Liddell XXVI)... We can have these fights become some sort of excuse to have a sideshow/exhibition without having to worry about actual rankings, cause as we all know, every single UFC hall-of-famer is irrelivent in any title picture. Also, instead of having guys fight in a tournament structure, they can just fight one big fight in the finale while having a chance to bid farewell to us fans, win or lose. So, for the most part, the season would just be training in teams while we all listen to Royce's confessionals about how Gracie Jiu-Jitsu is far more superior than everything ever invented... Challenges and other crazy shit, of course, would be included as well...


This is just me rambling some random uncollected ideas which are (extremely) subject to modification. But yeah, something needs to be done to perk up the show... It has really hit a plateau lately...


RIP
Ken Caminiti

I think they should focus more on what it takes to be a MMA fighter. In the earlier seasons, I remember guys struggling to cut weight, I remember watching them learn specific submission defenses, etc. Now it looks like they show up, do jumping jacks, bitch & moan and then fight.

I think a 'young and hungry' season would be good. Get guys who are well established in small organizations and bring them in (like Roy Nelson or some kick boxers).

Why do they have to fight in the octagon? Why can't we have on location fights on the beach, on a cliff, or over a pit of spikes?

Think about the possbile Spike TV tie-ins when a dude gets uppercut off the brigde onto giant spikes! The downside of that, of course, is fighting Reptile on short notice.

If they do an old timers season, there's got to be an episode where each contestant attempts to break Lee Murray out of Morroccan prison. The winner gets half of whatever's left in his stashed Securitas lockbox. AND we get 'lightening' back which sets up the street fight challenges ... Perfection.

Who here wouldn't love to see Don Frye skulking through prison hallways choking guards and kicking in Murray's door? I'm sure Murray would be pleased.

Magnum fucking P.I. X 1000

Bowlingotter, That sir is a great idea. The ones in the article are just stupid.

@bowlingotter love the idea of a tournament.

@PortlandMMA,
Krazy Horse/Kid Kaos was actually on my mind as one of the mental/legal issue fighters, damn do I wish he had fought in the UFC. I think they could just use all mentally unstable MMA fighters not just the mentally unstable past UFC fighters.

Good job Viva hate. I think they should get Krazy horse in the competition some how, it could only help ratings. I actually didn't think this season was that exciting but it seems like it produced a few more legit fighters then some previous seasons.

Here's an idea:

So what about this: Instead of using a played-out reality show with house antics, the UFC just crafts a Bellator-esque tournament?

The perfect platform already exists: The WEC. Pick a weight-division that is no longer in the WEC, we'll say MW. Start a MW tournament under the WEC banner.

Then on upcoming WEC cards showcasing incredible FW and BW bouts, we also get a tournament fight where a fighter is eliminated, and the bracket continues, climaxing in a Finals match that could share a card with a FW or BW title bout in the WEC. Winner gets a UFC contract. We still get the prospects, the pressure, and the big payoff, but no more annoying reality show, and always sharing a card with a host of other great fights.

They should do something with the WEC, coaches could be champs in feather and bantam, gets people to know them which would generate buzz for title fights, the fighters could easily be of a decent level due to the low exposure of the lighter weights currently.

However this would probably be dependant on the UFC folding the WEC in, which doesnt seem to be likely, but seems to make sense, as it could add 2 more title fights, and title fights help sell UFC cards

Speaking to the article: i think "The OGs" could actually work, and dovetail nicely with a whole new division: The Legends/Masters/Has-Beens division.

C'mon, y'all. Who wouldn't wanna see a Sakuraba v Couture matchup? Or Gracie v Shamrock 3? They can use Liddell to launch it. Coleman is back in. Frye returns. Someone get Marco Ruas on the phone. Fuck it, someone drag Tank out of the bar. Why let Impact have all the nostalgia?

As much as I would like for this show to be more exciting, you really can't move away from the reason this show exists and thats to see if these fighters are good enough to be in the UFC, when you start adding people who don't belong here and challenges where fighters can possibly get hurt you might as well call it the Real World UFC, instead of focusing on all the drama they should go more into detail on how they train, maybe even have guest coaches make a visit and help out, but I do like the idea of having incentives for fighters who finish the fights KO or submission, give them more of a reason to finish the fight instead of doing just enough to win.

Actually, I thought this season was a definite step up from last season. The fights were better, the in-house bullshit and drama was kept to a minimum, and as far as some of the fights being hump-fests, that's a complaint about MMA in general these days.

But here's my list of suggestions for TUF, in no particular order:

1) Install stronger doors. Seriously, the doors at the TUF gym break apart easier than a balcony railing in an old western movie. Unless that's the idea, of course.

2) Get a new theme song. "Nu-metal" was already tired when TUF started in 2005, and a generic song extolling the "fitness of the modern warrior" is lame as shit. No need to have a custom-made theme, just license some cool tune.

3) I've said it before and I'll say it again: kill the team format entirely. Fighting is not a team sport, and especially not in an elimination tournament where the odds are high that at least someone will end up fighting one of their "teammates". Make it every man for himself, and have an impartial staff of trainers for everybody like they did in season 4. The guys will naturally form into cliques and such anyway, and if anything I'd expect even more rivalry and drama. All we'd lose is the coaches' fight at the end, which is the only purpose that the whole team format really serves anyway, is to sell the coaches' fight.

I like TUF the way it is and hope they don't cancel it anytime soon. The only issue I have, is that none of the fighters finish their fights. They all seem content riding out a decision victory via smothering.

They need to add more compelling fighters or heels though. The Junie Browning Season was easily one of my favs. More in-house drama leads to better fights and better season finale fights.

Anyone remember that fight in the backyard in Season 5?

From Wiki:
After a night of heavy drinking, Marlon Sims and Noah Thomas get into an argument and a fight in the backyard of the house, which ended with Sims slamming Thomas on his head on concrete. After the fight, the two call a truce and promise to settle the matter at the Finale. When White gets wind of the confrontation, he makes a personal visit to the house and lectures the cast about how he tried to change the image of the UFC from mindless brawling to legitimate athletic competition, and how this fight damages his efforts. He immediately expels both Sims and Thomas from the house, as well as Allen Berube, who instigated the match and told them they would not get kicked out for fighting.

That was awesome.

I know tl;dr

Thank you to BG for the opportunity to spew some insane ramblings!

CP SpecOps, WHOOOOORAAHHHHH!

I like TUF the way it is and hope they don't cancel it anytime soon. They need to add more compelling fighters or heels though. The Junie Browning Season was easily one of my favs. More in-house drama leads to better fights and better season finale fights.

Anyone remember that fight in the backyard in Season 5?

From Wiki:
After a night of heavy drinking, Marlon Sims and Noah Thomas get into an argument and a fight in the backyard of the house, which ended with Sims slamming Thomas on his head on concrete. After the fight, the two call a truce and promise to settle the matter at the Finale. When White gets wind of the confrontation, he makes a personal visit to the house and lectures the cast about how he tried to change the image of the UFC from mindless brawling to legitimate athletic competition, and how this fight damages his efforts. He immediately expels both Sims and Thomas from the house, as well as Allen Berube, who instigated the match and told them they would not get kicked out for fighting.

That was awesome.

I know tl;dr

The Invasion continues by the Potato Nation Army. Way to represent the SpecOps yo!

***

If anyone else wants to get noticed on CagePotato:

1) Establish yourself as a funny bastard in the comments

2) Join the Potato Nation Army Facebook page

3) ???

4) Profit

I say introduce steroids into the house and watch as the roid rage makes for good TV

Great Idea. Get a bunch of crotchety old men to piss and moan about failed careers and then stumble around the ring at the end of each episode. I'm in.


First!