The Ultimate Fighter was an instrumental force during the UFC's explosion of popularity in the early 2000s, shining a spotlight on fighters such as Randy Couture, Chuck Liddell, Tito Ortiz and Ken Shamrock, who coached MMA hopefuls in a season-long competition in which the participants shared a house for several weeks.
Over the course of 29 seasons -- all of which can be seen on ESPN+ -- the show has produced fighters such as Forrest Griffin, Nate Diaz, Tony Ferguson and Kelvin Gastelum, among many others. Each season there also is tension between coaches building up to a big fight of their own. Fans get to see it all play out behind the scenes.
The Ultimate Fighter's 30th season features a coaching matchup of UFC women's bantamweight champion Julianna Peña and the woman she beat for the title, longtime two-division champ Amanda Nunes. After the season, they will meet in a rematch of the stunning upset Peña pulled off in December to secure the belt.
This season's TUF competition is at heavyweight and women's flyweight.
How to watch The Ultimate Fighter on ESPN+
August 6: UFC Fight Night on ESPN+ -- TUF Finals: The four finalists compete for a UFC contract.
July 19: Episode 12: Life or death: Flyweights Juliana Miller and Kaytlin Neil fight to decide who will face Brogan Walker in the TUF live finale.
July 12: Episode 11: Time to come alive: Heavyweights Mohammed Usman and Eduardo Perez clash to determine who advances to the live TUF finale against Zac Pauga.
July 5: Episode 10: Throw nasty stuff: Flyweights Laura Gallardo and Brogan Walker face each other to determine who will advance to the TUF live finale.
June 28: Episode 9: Bring your lunchbox: Heavyweights Jordan Heiderman and Zac Pauga face each other in the first semifinal fight of the season.
June 21: Episode 8: Make it ugly: Still recovering from a knee injury, flyweight Brogan Walker must now enter the Octagon against Hannah Guy to determine who advances to the semifinals. Dana White decides the matchups for the upcoming semifinal fights.
June 14: Episode 7: Crush your dreams: Heavyweight Jordan Heiderman faces Chandler Cole, who must overcome an arm injury sustained at practice.
June 7: Episode 6: We meet again: Flyweights Claire Guthrie and Juliana Miller are poised to fight once again, as their previous fight ended with more questions than answers. Both fighters are determined to leave no doubt the second time around.
May 31: Episode 5: Face the Boogeyman: TUF Season 2 alumni, Bobby Maximus returns to the cage after 13 years away, to face Team Nunes #1 pick, Eduardo Perez.
May 24: Episode 4: Opportunity Knocks: Anxiety levels are running high as both Team Peña's, Chantel Coates, and Team Nunes', Brogan Walker, suffer serious setbacks ahead of their flyweight fight. Both teams exhaust all options to meet the requirements for the fight to avoid major consequences.
May 17: Episode 3: Boiling Point: Mohammed Usman, brother of UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman, faces Mitchell Stipe in a long-awaited showdown.
May 10: Episode 2: Time to eat: Team Peña's first pick, Helen Peralta, faces Team Nunes' Kaytlin Neil, for the season's first flyweight matchup.
May 3: Road To The Rematch Episode 1: Season 30 coaches Julianna Peña & Amanda Nunes select their teams of combatants to determine the next Ultimate Fighter.
The coaches
Julianna Peña
Record: 11-4
Age: 32
From: Spokane, Washington
Notable: ESPN's 2021 fighter of the year among women for her upset victory over Amanda Nunes, making Peña the UFC women's bantamweight champion. ... Also owns UFC wins over Sara McMann, Cat Zingano and Jessica Eye. ... Won Season 18 of The Ultimate Fighter, on which she was coached by her friend and training partner Miesha Tate.
Amanda Nunes
Record: 21-5
Age: 33
From: Coral Springs, Florida
Notable: Had won 12 in a row and made five defenses of the bantamweight belt before the loss to Julianna Peña. Still owns the UFC women's featherweight title. ... Has beaten a who's who of women's MMA, including Cris Cyborg, Holly Holm, Ronda Rousey, Miesha Tate, Julia Budd, Germaine de Randamie (twice) and Valentina Shevchenko (twice).
The fighters
Heavyweights
Nyle Bartling
Record: 6-0, TUF record: 0-1 (lost to Zac Pauga by decision in Episode 1)
Age: 29
From: Unadilla, Nebraska
Notable: In six pro bouts and five as an amateur, has a 100% finish rate.
Chandler Cole
Record: 8-3; TUF Record: 0-1 (Lost to Jordan Heiderman in Episode 7)
Age: 27
From: Coeburn, Virginia
Notable: Competed in the 2021 PFL season, losing to eventual finalist Ante Delija.
Jordan Heiderman
Record: 5-0; TUF Record: 1-1 (defeated Chandler Cole in Episode 7, lost to Zac Pauga in Episode 9)
Age: 30
From: Norfolk, Nebraska
Notable: Won his 2018 pro debut via TKO in 11 seconds.
Bobby Maximus
Record: 5-4; TUF Record: 0-1 (Lost to Eduardo Perez in Episode 5)
Age: 43
From: Salt Lake City, Utah
Notable: Returning to The Ultimate Fighter after competing on Season 2 -- in 2005 -- under his given name, Rob MacDonald. He lost to Brad Imes, who went on to face Rashad Evans in the finale. Maximus went on to fight three times in the UFC, going 1-2. ... Has not had a pro fight since 2009.
Zac Pauga
Record: 5-0, TUF Record: 2-1 (defeated Nyle Bartling by unanimous decision in Episode 1, defeated Jordan Heideman at in Week 9, lost to Mohammed Usman in the TUF finals)
Age: 33
From: Denver
Notable: Trains with Curtis Blaydes and Alistair Overeem at Team Elevation. ... After playing running back at Colorado State, spent 2011 on the practice squad of the Houston Texans.
Eduardo Perez
Record: 4-1; TUF Record: 1-1 (defeated Bobby Maximus in Episode 5, lost to Mohammad Usman in Episode 11)
Age: 27
From: Berkeley, California
Notable: Trains at American Kickboxing Academy with Daniel Cormier and Cain Velasquez.
Mitchell Sipe
Record: 5-2, TUF record: 0-1 (lost to Mohammed Usman in Episode 3)
Age: 25
From: Bakersfield, California
Notable: Won his pro boxing debut in 30 seconds.
Mohammed Usman
Record: 7-2, TUF record: 3-0 (defeated Mitchell Sipe in Episode 3, defeated Eduardo Perez in Episode 11, defeated Zac Pauga in the finals)
Age: 32
From: Denver
Notable: Younger brother of UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman. ... Played defensive end at the University of Arizona.
Women's flyweights
Heavyweight fighter Mohammed Usman shares his ambitions and main motivation for competing in The Ultimate Fighter.
Chantel Coates
Record: 2-1
Age: 34
From: Leavenworth, Kansas
Notable: Has the fastest knockout in Invicta FC history (28 seconds, over Ashlynn Kleinbeck in December 2018).
Coates was sent home in Episode 4 due to her inability to make weight for her fight.
Claire Guthrie
Record: 3-1; TUF Record: 0-1 (lost to Juliana Miller by decision in Episode 6)
Age: 26
From: Denver
Notable: Juggles MMA training with work as an accountant.
Juliana Miller
Record: 2-1; TUF Record: 3-0 (defeated Claire Guthrie by decision in Episode 6, Kaytlin Neil in Episode 12, Brogan Walker in the TUF finals)
Age: 25
From: San Diego
Notable: Trains with UFC strawweight -- and TUF alum -- Angela Hill.
Kaytlin Neil
Record: 5-4
Age: 30
From: Lindon, Utah
Notable: Was cheerleading captain in high school, and took up MMA after she didn't make the team in college.
Kathryn Paprocki
Record: 3-2, TUF Record: 0-1 (Lost to Laura Gallardo in Episode 4)
Age: 28
From: Denver
Notable: Lost via decision to undefeated Maria Silva on Dana White's Contender Series in October.
Melissa Parker
Record: 3-1
Age: 35
From: Houston
Notable: 5-0 in pro boxing, where she is IBO women's bantamweight world champion; also a world champion in International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) no-gi competition.
Parker did not get cleared to fight in TUF.
Helen Peralta
Record: 5-2
Age: 33
From: Fairfield, Iowa
Notable: Gave up a career as a professional chef to pursue MMA; 2-0 in bare knuckle boxing.
Brogan Walker
Record: 7-2; TUF Record: 2-1 (defeated Hannah Guy in Episode 8 and Laura Gallardo in Episode 10, lost to Laura Miller in the finals)
Age: 32
From: Upland, California
Notable: Handed UFC flyweight Miranda Maverick her first career loss when they were fighting in Invicta in 2018.
Laura Gallardo
Record: 4-1, TUF Record: 1-1 (defeated Kathryn Paprocki by decision in Ep. 4, lost to Brogan Walker in Episode 10)
Age: 32
From: Indio, California
Notable: Two-time All-American wrestler in college.
Note: Gallardo joined the show in Episode 4, replacing Chantel Coates
Hannah Guy
Record: 4-1 ; TUF Record: 0-1 (Lost to Brogan Walker by decision in Episode 8)
Age: 27
From: Columbus, Mississippi
Notable: Defeated Valerie Loureda in Bellator.
Note: Guy replaced Melissa Parker.
Results:
TUF finals: Mohammed Usman and Julianna Miller win UFC contracts
Episode 12: Julianna Millder def. Kaytlin Neil
Episode 11: Mohammed Usman def. Eduardo Perez by split decision
Episode 10: Brogan Walker def. Laura Gallardo by decision
Episode 9: Zac Pauga def. Jordan Heiderman by TKO2
Episode 8: Brogan Walker def. Hannah Guy by decision (2-0)
Episode 7: Jordan Heiderman def. Chandler Cole by TKO3
Episode 6: Juliana Miller def. Claire Guthrie by decision (2-1)
Episode 5: Eduardo Perez def. Bobby Maximus by TKO
Episode 4: Laura Gallardo def. Kathryn Paprocki by decision (2-0)
Episode 3: Mohammed Usman def. Mitchell Sipe by decision (2-1)
Episode 2: Kathryn Paprocki def. Helen Peralta by decision (2-1)
Episode 1: Zac Pauga def. Nyle Bartling by decision (2-0)