White Confirms TUF To Start Filming In November

Photo by Brandon Magnus/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

The next season of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) is almost upon us and filming is expected to begin this November, according to UFC president Dana White.

TUF, which debuted in 2005 and helped propel UFC into the mainstream, hasn’t had a season since 2018. The reality show has produced some of the most memorable names in the sport, but hasn’t been the best avenue for new talent for UFC in quite some time. Instead, Dana White’s Contender Series seems to be shouldering most of that load.

Regardless of a recent lack of talent and declining ratings, UFC is looking to reprise TUF for the first time in the ESPN era. The COVID-19 pandemic has certainly thrown some plans off, but filming is set to begin next month.

“When I get home,” said White during a Friday media scrum when asked about a date for filming. White is currently in Abu Dhabi to round out the latest events on “Fight Island,” which end after next weekend’s UFC 254 PPV card.

The only issue for UFC is that they currently don’t have coaches lined up for the next season of TUF, which seems like it would be a problem. The promotion tried to land the services of rivals Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov, but Khabib claims he wouldn’t coach TUF opposite “Notorious” for all the money in the world.

Not to worry. White is adamant that two coaches will be found in time and also acknowledged that this is an obstacle often hurdled while setting the show up.

“Not yet, we don’t have anybody yet,” White said. “We’ll let this thing plays out. I mean there’s been times where we’ve had the coaches days before we were getting ready to film.”

With McGregor and Khabib off the table, who would you like to see coach the next season of TUF? Jorge Masvidal vs. Colby Covington? Israel Adesanya vs. Jon Jones?

Sound off!