Spike TV officials today unveiled the group of 28 lightweight fighters who will compete on the upcoming 12th season of "The Ultimate Fighter."
The show, which features UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre and title-challenger Josh Koscheck as coaches, debuts Sept. 15 on Spike TV.
Cast members – who come from the U.S., Ireland and England – are as young as 21 and as old as 35, and notables include J.J. Ambrose, Jonathan Brookins, Mike Budnik, Nam Phan, Ariel Sexton and others who have big-stage experience.
As with the most recent season of the UFC's long-running reality series, "TUF 12" uses a 32-slot, 28-man tournament format. The group was cut in half by an immediate elimination-round of fights, and the remaining 14 fighters comprise the show's official cast. Two of the 14 fighters who lose in the first round get second chances in the tournament's second round as "wild card" picks. (Kris McCray, who competed on "TUF 11," was the show's runner-up after capitalizing on his wild-card status.)
See the complete list of "TUF 12" competitors below.
And for the latest on "The Ultimate Fighter 12," stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of MMAjunkie.com.
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J.J. Ambrose
Fighting out of: Santa Clara, Calif.
Gym: American Kickboxing Academy
Record: 12-2
Age: 23
Paul Barrow
Fighting out of: Tampa, Fla.
Gym: Gracie Tampa
Record: 2-0
Age: 24
Jason Brenton
Fighting out of: Grand Junction, Colo.
Gym: Eighth Street Impact Boxing
Record: 6-0
Age: 23
Jonathan Brookins
Fighting out of: Orlando, Fla.
Gym: Gracie Barra Orlando
Record: 11-2
Age: 24
Mike Budnik
Fighting out of: Broken Arrow, Okla.
Gym: Triton
Record: 8-4
Age: 35
Alex Caceres
Fighting out of: Miami, Fla.
Gym: Young Tigers Foundation
Record: 4-2
Age: 21
Sako Chivitchian
Fighting out of: Glendale, Calif.
Gym: Gokor/Gene Le Bell/Hayastan MMA
Record: 5-0
Age: 26
Joseph Duffy
Fighting out of: Donegal, Ireland
Gym: Falcon Martial Arts
Record: 7-0
Age: 22
Pablo Garza
Fighting out of: Fargo, N.D.
Gym: Academy of Combat Arts
Record: 7-0
Age: 26
Toby Grear
Fighting out of: Los Angeles
Gym: True Warrior
Record: 7-4-1
Age: 30
Dan Head
Fighting out of: Sharpsville, Ind.
Gym: Indiana Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy
Record: 6-2
Age: 23
Michael Johnson
Fighting out of: Springfield, Mo.
Gym: Springfield Fight Club
Record: 8-4
Age: 24
Amir Khillah
Fighting out of: Kalamazoo, Mich.
Gym: Jeremy Horn’s Elite
Record: 6-4
Age: 30
Jeff Lentz
Fighting out of: Lanoka Harbor, N.J.
Gym: Kurt Pellegrino MMA Academy
Record: 6-1
Age: 21
Sevak Magakian
Fighting out of: Glendale, Calif.
Gym: Hayastan MMA/Main Event
Record: 8-3
Age: 24
Steve Magdaleno
Fighting out of: Torrance, Calif.
Gym: VMAT MMA Gym
Record: 5-1
Age: 28
Andy Main
Fighting out of: Boonton, N.J.
Gym: AMA Fight Club
Record: 4-1
Age: 21
Cody McKenzie
Fighting out of: Metaline, Wash.
Gym: Fancy Pants Fight Team
Record: 10-0
Age: 22
T.J. O'Brien
Fighting out of: Prole, Iowa
Gym: Round Kick MMA
Record: 13-3
Age: 23
Spencer Paige
Fighting out of: Watertown, N.Y.
Gym: Central New York MMA
Record: 5-2
Age: 24
Nam Phan
Fighting out of: Garden Grove, Calif.
Gym: Ma Du Academy
Record: 15-7
Age: 27
Mike Richman
Fighting out of: Rosemount, Minn.
Gym: Minnesota Fight Factory
Record: 8-0
Age: 24
Dane Sayers
Fighting out of: Fargo, N.D.
Gym: Academy of Combat Arts
Record: 7-1
Age: 22
Ariel Sexton
Fighting out of: San Jose, Calif.
Gym: Renzo Gracie Academy
Record: 6-3
Age: 28
Marc Stevens
Fighting out of: Lorraine, N.Y.
Gym: Team Balance/Relson Gracie Academy
Record: 12-5
Age: 24
Kyle Watson
Fighting out of: St. Louis
Gym: The Hit Squad
Record: 13-6-1
Age: 30
Ran Weathers
Fighting out of: Albquerque, N.M.
Gym: Greg Jackson’s MMA Academy
Record: 13-5
Age: 28
Aaron Wilkinson
Fighting out of: Manchester, England
Gym: Wolfslair MMA Academy
Record: 6-3
Age: 23
Source: http://mmajunkie.com/news/20146/meet-th ... eights.mma
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