Newly crowned UFC bantamweight Cody Garbrandt will coach opposite former champion and No. 1 contender TJ Dillashaw on "The Ultimate Fighter" reality series. They will fight for Garbrandt's 135-pound title after the show concludes.
The UFC announced the 25th-season coaching matchup on Sunday, after an initial report by MMA Newsline. The season will begin filming in Las Vegas later this month and debut on April 19. It will feature a "redemption" theme, with contestants who have already fought in the UFC.
Garbrandt (11-0) won the title by defeating Dominick Cruz via decision at UFC 207 in December. Garbrandt, 25, is coming off a monster year in which he went 4-0 with three first-round knockouts.
Originally from Ohio, Garbrandt trains out of Team Alpha Male in Sacramento, which is Dillashaw's former home. They trained together prior to Dillashaw's departure in 2015.
Dillashaw (14-3) now trains out of Ludwig Martial Arts and Team Elevation in Broomfield, Colorado. His former roommate in Sacramento, Justin Buchholz, is now head coach of Team Alpha Male.
Dillashaw won the UFC title in 2014 and successfully defended the belt twice before losing it to Cruz in a narrow split decision in early 2016. Dillashaw is 2-0 since, with convincing wins over Raphael Assuncao and John Lineker.
Right after defeating Cruz for the title, Garbrandt mentioned the possibility of an immediate rematch. He also expressed some interest in fighting featherweight champion Jose Aldo. The UFC ultimately went with the Dillashaw fight.