The Ultimate Fighter 29 | |
---|---|
Genre | Reality, Sports |
Created by | Frank Fertitta III, Lorenzo Fertitta, Dana White |
Starring | Dana White Alexander Volkanovski Brian Ortega |
Country of origin | United States |
Production | |
Running time | 60 minutes |
Release | |
Original network | ESPN+ |
Original release | June 1, 2021 |
Chronology | |
Preceded by | The Ultimate Fighter: Heavy Hitters |
The Ultimate Fighter 29 (also known as TUF 29) is an installment of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)-produced reality television on ESPN+. [1] The show has been off-air for a few years, following The Ultimate Fighter: Heavy Hitters in 2018 broadcast by Fox Sports 1. [2] The UFC officially announced its return in October 2020. [1]
There were no physical tryouts for this season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, a remote casting took place on November 13, 2020, featuring male bantamweights and middleweights. [3] Current UFC Featherweight Champion Alexander Volkanovski and former title challenger Brian Ortega were announced as the head coaches in early April 2021. [4] They were previously expected to meet in a title bout at UFC 260, but the pairing was delayed due to the champion testing positive for COVID-19. [5]
The full cast was officially announced on April 18, with the show expected to debut on June 1. [6]
Team Volkanovski:
| Team Ortega:
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The Ultimate Fighter is an American reality television series and mixed martial arts (MMA) competition produced by Fox Sports 1 and the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). It previously aired for fourteen seasons on Spike TV. The show features professional MMA fighters living together in Las Vegas, Nevada, and follows them as they train and compete against each other for a prized six-figure contract with the UFC. The series debuted on January 17, 2005, with its first episode, "The Quest Begins". To date, there have been twenty eight seasons of the show, two per calendar year. Each season features either one or two weight classes in the tournament.
Frank James Edgar is an American professional mixed martial artist who competes in the bantamweight of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is the former UFC lightweight champion. After capturing and defending his lightweight title multiple times, Edgar competed at featherweight, challenging for the UFC Featherweight Championship on three occasions. He also competed in collegiate wrestling out of the Clarion University of Pennsylvania, where he was a four-time NCAA Division I National qualifier. As of February 9, 2021, he is #7 in the UFC bantamweight rankings
Brian Martin Ortega is a Mexican-American professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the Featherweight division for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). A professional since 2010, Ortega has also competed in the RFA, where he was the Featherweight Champion. As of July 30, 2020, he is #2 in the UFC featherweight rankings.
Ryan Christopher Hall is an American black belt and instructor in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and a professional mixed martial artist currently competing in the featherweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He is known for a number of competitive achievements, ranging from Mundial and ADCC victories to dozens of Grapplers Quest championships. He is the winner of The Ultimate Fighter Season 22.
Uriah Alexander Hall is a Jamaican-American professional mixed martial artist and former kickboxer. He currently fights in the Middleweight division for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He was the runner up on The Ultimate Fighter: Team Jones vs. Team Sonnen. Prior to his appearance on TUF, Hall competed in Bellator MMA and Ring of Combat, where he saw success in winning the ROC Championship. As of February 15, 2021 he is #9 in the UFC middleweight rankings.
Kelvin Gastelum is an American professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the Middleweight division for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Gastelum has competed for the UFC since he won The Ultimate Fighter 17. As of February 15, 2021 he is #8 in the UFC middleweight rankings.
Raquel Len "Rocky" Pennington is an American mixed martial artist who competes in Ultimate Fighting Championship women's bantamweight division. She has previously fought for Invicta Fighting Championships.
Antônio Carlos Júnior, known professionally by his ring name Cara de Sapato, is a Brazilian mixed martial artist who competes in the Middleweight division and is currently signed to the Professional Fighters League (PFL). Carlos Júnior is most known for his time spent fighting in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he competed in the Light Heavyweight division in addition to Middleweight. A multiple time champion in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Carlos Júnior was World Cup Champion in 2006 and 2x World Champion in 2010. He is the winner of The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil 3 Heavyweight tournament.
Sarah Ashley Moras is a Canadian mixed martial artist who competes in the Bantamweight division. Moras fought in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and she was a contestant on The Ultimate Fighter: Team Rousey vs. Team Tate. Prior to joining the UFC, Moras fought in Invicta FC.
Kamarudeen "Kamaru" Usman is a Nigerian-American professional mixed martial artist, former freestyle wrestler and graduated folkstyle wrestler. He currently competes in the welterweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is the reigning UFC Welterweight Champion. Usman was also The Ultimate Fighter 21 tournament winner. As of March 23, 2021 he is #2 in the UFC men's pound-for-pound rankings.
Alexander Volkanovski is an Australian professional mixed martial artist, currently signed to the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is the current UFC Featherweight Champion. Volkanovski is also a former Australian Fighting Championship (AFC) Featherweight champion. As of March 29, 2021 he is #3 in the UFC men's pound-for-pound rankings.
Ashley Elizabeth Yoder is an American mixed martial artist and competes in Strawweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
Nicco Montaño is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the flyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. She was the inaugural UFC Women's Flyweight Champion.
Gina Marie Mazany is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). She formerly competed in King of the Cage in the Bantamweight division.
Macy Chiasson is an American mixed martial artist (MMA). She was the Women's Featherweight winner of The Ultimate Fighter 28 and currently competes in the Bantamweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). As of March 23, 2021, she is #9 in the UFC women's bantamweight rankings.
Brad Devin Katona is a Canadian mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter who formerly competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship's (UFC) Bantamweight division and he was The Ultimate Fighter season 27 tournament Featherweight winner.
The year 2021 will be the 28th year in the history of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), a mixed martial arts promotion based in the United States.
UFC on ESPN: Whittaker vs. Gastelum was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on April 17, 2021 at the UFC Apex facility in Enterprise, Nevada, part of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Area, United States.
UFC 260: Miocic vs. Ngannou 2 was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on March 27, 2021 at the UFC Apex facility in Enterprise, Nevada, part of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Area, United States.