Fed Up With "The Ultimate Fighter"

by Luke Thomas on Mar 30, 2009 4:46 PM EDT in News Comment 41 comments

Tuf9_medium I knew I wasn't the only one:

I’m not sure what’s more troubling: that the juvenile hall antics sell the show, or that the show has yet to evolve beyond them. With several more seasons contracted, "TUF" risks a greater sin by simply becoming repetitive and stilted. Even the primal humor in "Jackass" grows stale after a few seasons. (You’ve seen one staple gun to the testicles, you’ve seen them all.)

Even more unsettling: to think that the real paradigm shift in this sport’s young history was the conceit of showing fighters one step from hurling feces at each other like monkeys -- that this perversion of sportsmanship is what it took for a mass audience to take notice of an otherwise complex and beautiful thing. MMA was apparently beyond anyone’s interest until its participants began peeing on pillows for basic cable.

Was this really the secret saving grace of combat sports? Does our culture really need actual, literal poo to fertilize a sprouting athletic event? Correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t recall any footage of Muhammad Ali taking a dump in an opponent’s toilet tank.

The idea that this sort of behavior is necessary for the show to succeed is little more than a poverty of imagination. Worse, the idea that this is all somehow forgivable because it's neatly packaged within the confines of a reality show is wishful thinking. There is opportunity cost to airing these sorts of images and creating these impressions. There is no such thing as a free lunch.

I will give this new season of the reality show the benefit of the doubt early on, but if Spike and the UFC continue to traffic this lowest common denominator dreck, the gloves come off.

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I am cautiously optimistic about Season 9 for some reason. Dan Henderson seems like the type to instill some dicipline in the house.

Keep firing Assholes!

by Ubernoober on Mar 30, 2009 4:49 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I agree.

Besides, I just DVR every episode and just watch the fights. For people who don’t like the drama of the show, I suggest they do this as well. It’s nice to have a weekly fight to watch if that is what the show boils down to.

Sherdog is a known UFC hater site. It doesn’t shock me that they are bashing the show already.

by AlwaysRelaxing on Mar 30, 2009 7:36 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Obviously you don’t need a systemic bias to see that TUF sucks.

by smoogy on Mar 30, 2009 8:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Sucks?

At the end of the day, the purpose of the show is to build future stars for the UFC. It more serves it purpose and does a great job it it. That means it far from sucks.

I’ve been hearing these same complaints since Season 4. If people hate it so much, then why continue to watch?

I watch the fights. And I know when the show is over, TUF creates 3 to 5 good fighters who will be around 2+ years with varying levels of success.

by AlwaysRelaxing on Mar 30, 2009 8:19 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

At the end of the day, the purpose of the show is to build future stars for the UFC. It more serves it purpose and does a great job it it. That means it far from sucks.

That seems like it serves a purpose for someone other than the person who thinks it sucks while neither eliminating the fact that someone thinks it sucks nor the reasons millions of fans stay away.

That means its doing a continually poorer job of what you state its intended for, since people have gotten bored of the Dana White’s House of Alcoholic Self-Hate and Punishment.

Yet another reason it sucks.

by asa on Mar 31, 2009 7:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

What’s sickening is that this show would be an absolute blast if it focused much much more on the training and fighting and maybe a little insight into each fighters life rather than the fucking GARBAGE that they force us to watch. I for one don’t care to watch a bunch of idiots locked into a house getting drunk and doing pranks… I’d rather watch MMA. This show should have taken the route the Contendor did minus the edited fights. I felt an actual connection to some of the fighters on that show, with these guys most of the people who come out of the show I want to see lose.

by Roccy on Mar 30, 2009 4:56 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Of course, the UFC has built their business on the fact that most fans don’t feel the same way you do. Their cards are filled with the recognizable fighters they create every season on this show.

by Jonathan Snowden on Mar 30, 2009 5:02 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

So are lower level MMA shows across the country. Jesse Taylor just won the KoC 185 belt. Putting ‘UFC Veteran’ or ‘As Seen On Spike’ is a ritual practiced by just about every MMA org on Earth at this point.

by subo on Mar 30, 2009 5:25 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

I simply can’t fly my outrage flag over this. I don’t believe it’s harmed the sport (ie, using stupid shit to divert eyes from everything else on cable), I don’t believe it will be that bad this season with a prude like Bisping running one team and a guy with Olympic-caliber discipline running the other, and I’m watching for the damn fights.

by subo on Mar 30, 2009 5:00 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

I think one thing Zuffa could do to improve TUF is bring in a higher caliber of fighters to the show. I became an MMA fan as a result of TUF 1 and one of the nice things was watching the fighters on that show develop into top contenders. The thing that made TUF 1 so successful was the ability to follow the contestants after the show was over. Now it’s just a bunch of guys acting like jackasses for 12 episodes, having one fight on Spike TV and getting cut. There’s no reason to watch the show anymore.

by Andy R on Mar 30, 2009 5:02 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Poverty of talent

That first season was an aberation with a wealth of talent because it was the first time the UFC let down the ladder for the amateurs to climb up. At this point, with rival leagues and the sports explosion, I doubt there’s as much “unknown” talent out their to choose from.

"It's like a flying knuckle sandwich." --Rogan
"And many men have eaten it." -- Goldy

by thetakeover on Mar 30, 2009 5:07 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

True, but there are legitimate prospects out there. Part of the problem is the contract for winning the show isn’t all that great. It would be nice if Zuffa would provide incentives to get better quality prospects who are actually serious about fighting on the show. Obviously you’re right in that there isn’t the same level of undiscovered talent out there, but it’s not like Zuffa and Spike have been trying all that hard to find it.

by Andy R on Mar 30, 2009 5:19 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Repetitive and stilted?

TUF is already repetitive and stilted. At this point, I only watch in the hopes that I’ll see some good fights. Everything else is useless. I don’t even bother to watch when it airs anymore. I usually just catch the fights on the internet the next morning while I’m getting ready for work.

by pud333 on Mar 30, 2009 5:09 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

"a poverty of imagination"

Best quote in the article, but it would have been even better if you ended with:

“I say good day to you, sir. I SAID GOOD DAY!”

"I'm AJB and I endorse this nut-puncher."

by AJB on Mar 30, 2009 5:12 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

Finally, I get to use it!

A man should never waste an opportunity to keep his mouth shut.

by iiowyn on Mar 30, 2009 8:19 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

This might be my favorite lolcat-esque picture ever.

"I see him beating Anderson Silva. I see him picking him apart. Him at a 131 years old...(trails off)." - Tito on Belfort at Affliction:DOR

by Rundownloser on Mar 31, 2009 2:47 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

All they need to do to fix TUF

is let them read and watch TV and maybe XBOX or something instead of forcing them to act like barbarians for entertainment. That’s IT. And yet i think they’ll never do it as long as they’re on Spike TV. Sad, really.

by pumaman on Mar 30, 2009 5:16 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Yeah...

the fact that they can’t even read books is sad. I mean, I get it…you don’t want to sift though hours of guys reading for content for the reality show. But seriously, let the guys read a damn book or two and put more focus on the training.

I do think we’ll see them have a video game console in the next season where they’ll be allowed to play the new UFC game.

Contributing Editor - BloodyElbow.com - SBNation's mixed martial arts headquarters.

by Brent Brookhouse on Mar 30, 2009 5:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I’ll bet they’ll actually get to BRIEFLY play with UFC Undisputed in THIS season.

by pumaman on Mar 31, 2009 2:04 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

They’re following the Real World MTV model, where those producers found out that TV and even books took away from the drama. And apparently in MTV land, drama gets ratings. So when you have a bunch of guys with nothing to do, seclusion from their families and loads of alcohol, you get TUF. I understand why they do it. I just wish they’d stop.

by pud333 on Mar 30, 2009 6:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

One thing that bugs me is when Dana will say that these fighters were “acting like fucking children” or something of that nature after the house has been destroyed. Honestly, what do they expect these fighters to do with no tv, books, telephone, or any real form of entertainment? What also bugs me is when Dana will say something like “we provide alcohol because we believe you guys are mature enough.” It is just such obvious b.s because if these fighters cause some sort of trouble due to alcohol, it IS the fighters’ fault, but it is also the fault of those that are providing the alcohol (Zuffa, Spike). I just don’t understand how these fighters can get reprimanded for something that Spike and Zuffa obviously condones and encourages.

by chrisbboy82 on Mar 30, 2009 6:50 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I wonder how much pull the UFC/ZUFFA actually has over what happens with the show. Dana has said repeatedly that he thought the concept for this season was stupid, and he’s also talked about other things he’d “like to see done differently”. I think much of the “reality show” crap that turns off a lot of existing fans is there because of Spike. I mean, it certainly fits the “Manswers” paradigm.

"I'm AJB and I endorse this nut-puncher."

by AJB on Mar 30, 2009 7:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

One would presume

that spike tv is taking the majority of the financial risk and keeping a majority of the final say in major production decision making. We can be sure Dana has some pull, but we can’t be sure how much.

This is why I actually think a fan letter-writing campaign could make a difference. Remember that time the fans got a spike UFC telecast extended to 3 hours?

However, I believe that deep down, the fans are not motivated to affect this change.

by pumaman on Mar 30, 2009 8:16 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

"I will give this new season of the reality show the benefit of the doubt early on, but if Spike and the UFC continue to traffic this lowest common denominator dreck, the gloves come off."

Luke,
If your gloves stayed on throughout last season I doubt they will ever come off. At this point the only reason to watch the show is to be able to say that one witnessed the moment that TUF did permanent damage to the sport of MMA.

"Stop smiling you are about to be punched in the face !"

by Warhand on Mar 30, 2009 5:28 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

The only way it is good for the sport is the amount of cash it draws from the casual fan.

It is forwarding brand recognition, albeit in a mannerism that makes most people cringe at the thought of the show.

The ways I’d like to see the show improve are:

1) Focus more on the training regiment, give detailed explanations on why they do these work outs and what a good result is, and hell make a chart for people to follow to track them as they progress through the show and get better.

2) Have more amusing events. Rampage vs Forrest in basketball, Mir/Nog in soccer, Shamrock/Tito played pool, etc. These events show the character of the fighters in a different light that most fans never see.

3) Stop giving them alcohol, they are professional athletes, not fraternity brothers.

4) Never make another TuF nationalist show (country vs country) it is ridiculous in general.

5) Have the trainers on the show break down technical attacks and defences, make graphics, make tutorials on Spike website, get the casual fan interested in learning more and becoming more knowledgable.

This is a fairly short list, but overall it would improve the show and the fan that watches it, I just hope they are not watching it purely to see people jerk off in sushi and piss in fruit, or else there is nothing that can save this show.

by DirtyML on Mar 30, 2009 5:37 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I heard this throughout the last season. The show could be so much more than it is. In the end Spike is marketing this show to the same kids that love “The Real World”.

"Stop smiling you are about to be punched in the face !"

by Warhand on Mar 30, 2009 5:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I suffered through last season mostly because Nog is one of my favorite fighters, but I got really depressed twice and neither of them had to do with all the awful practical jokes they were pulling.

1) It is almost criminal how little of Anderson Silva they showed. Here’s a guy who is having trouble breaking through with a mainstream audience and they have him on screen for 3 minutes or so, and those 3 minutes were probably the best of the entire season. If they had built that episode around the pure joy Anderson seemed to have training with the guys, doing Bruce Buffer imitations and generally trying to fire everyone up when they were tired they could have pulled in some more fans for him…instead we got a couple of minutes of him and then 40 minutes of Junie being drunk and stupid for the umpteenth time.

2) Maybe it was just me, but they seemed to make all the rituals Nog made his team go through look silly and stupid, rather than celebrate that in this house of juvenile pranks and chaos he tried to instill some sort of sense and order. Personally I thought it was great that Nog didn’t treat the guys any differently than he would someone who trains at his gym, but instead Spike chose to play up the drama of the other team mocking a legend of the sport. Too many coaches seem to hate being on TuF or treat it as some sort of distraction they go through to kill time until their fight that it was refreshing to see a coach truly take an interest in not only creating better fighters but making sure they represent the sport he loves well at all times.

I fully expect this season to be the worst yet. Locking guys in a house full of booze is bad enough, involve national pride and it’s going to be a powder keg just waiting to explode.

by Lyrias on Mar 30, 2009 5:56 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

If you thought the lack of Silva was bad, then try and find Machida in the show. Yes he was there but only in peripheral shots.

A man should never waste an opportunity to keep his mouth shut.

by iiowyn on Mar 30, 2009 8:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I wish TUFF would

go back to having challenges and stuff like in the first ones. That would leave less time for the ignorant shit.

by Wookalarman on Mar 30, 2009 5:57 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I Love TUF

With all its faults…I cant wait.

I think some of the die hards take it was too seriously.

by banter on Mar 30, 2009 6:10 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

They probably do but......

at the same time the formula has been the same pretty much since it started. Yes, they added that these fighters have to fight to get into the house and now they are adding this nation vs nation motif, but for the most part it is no different from the last seasons. We will obviously get: the Chris Leben/Junie Browning character, possibly the George Sotiropoulos/Felipe Nover fighter who looks to be the favorite to win the whole thing but doesn’t, some sort of urine,/feces/sperm, some training footage but not a lot, etc. The TUF formula could definitely use some tweaking after sooooo many seasons of the same thing.

by chrisbboy82 on Mar 30, 2009 6:59 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I would like to see TUF talk more about each of the fighters backgrounds, where they train, etc. Learning the background of the fighters will help fans of the show get to know them better and either learn to love or hate different fighters based off of more than just their time in the house.

They do this a little bit now, but I’d like more.

by polevaultking on Mar 30, 2009 6:15 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Of course the antics on TUF will upset the hard core MMA fan but let’s face it, the show is no longer geared to them / us. (as many people have already mentioned) The show is all about looking to get good ratings for Spike and introduce the casual fans to new fighters, so that they will buy upcoming UFC PPVs. It is no longer about finding “The Ultimate Fighter”. You have to remember that controversy sells, and emotional response sells. Just look at the format of other reality TV shows. When the producers are able to get an emotional response good or bad, love or hate, from the audience they have a ratings gold mine. Do I enjoy watching grown men consume each others bodily fluids? Of course not, but I sure as heck wanted to tune in to see if Junie got beat down, and I sure as heck want to see if he gets beat down this Wednesday. By increasing my interest in wanting to watch the next episode the network has succeeded. If we were subjected to watching 12 episodes of grown men watching TV, reading books and eating salads, and training I’m sure interest with the casual fan and even the hard core fan (let’s be honest) would wane and we would change the channel. That would be the huge failure from the networks point of view.

by pharmboy on Mar 30, 2009 6:54 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

The last season was awful, but the others were ok.

If this season continues the garbage from last season, I may join with the unhappy masses. But one bad season is not enough to get me to freak out.

by Lynchman on Mar 30, 2009 7:06 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

TUF and the Decline of Morality in MMA and its Fanbase

I think it’s an interesting argument to make that many current MMA fans would not be if not for Bobby Southworth calling Chris Leben a fatherless bastard and Josh Koscheck spraying water on him as he tried to sleep in the front yard of the original TUF house (which is the more accurate depiction of things than to say that it’s because Leben peed on someone’s pillow).

Still, I can’t get worked up into the same lather as some of you over the antics we’ve seen throughout the history of TUF. To me, it’s a show for entertainment’s sake that also has fighting.

I’m sympathetic to those who feel the sport is walking a fine line and that at any moment it may fall to the side where the naysayers and more importantly those in positions of authority will cast an eye of contempt of the sport. And yet, I can’t help but notice that the loudest cries against the show, after eight seasons, continue to come from withing the hardcore MMA community.

I think at some point the restatement of the argument becomes the stick with which so many dead horses have been beaten. If you find the show truly offensive to the point where you cannot stand to watch the preceding 42 or so minutes leading up to the fight at the end of each episode, then there are plenty of options to avoid that time, including not watching the show at all. Ultimately, if enough viewers agree that the show is lacking in the same way that folks like Luke feel it is and indicate as much with their remotes, it will go away.

"BJ on the BE" - Kierkegaard

by Brett Jones on Mar 30, 2009 7:23 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I only watch the fights, the coaching, and the trash talk. I “record” them and skip everything poo related. It’s disgusting, I don’t want to see men eating each other semen on tv or anywhere else, no sir!

by spectaa on Mar 30, 2009 8:30 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

As I’ve stated before, the problem isn’t ratings or even the silly antics. The problem has to do with the UFC wanting to sell their version of MMA as a big time, serious sport, but not cracking down on behavior that makes the sport – and the UFC in particular – appear amateurish. The argument that TUF is fine, because it hasn’t seemed to hurt the sport yet is fraught with holes. That’s like a person driving a nail with their head instead of utilizing a hammer, because their head hasn’t started to bleed yet. Both a human head and a hammer will get the job done, but the hammer is generally easier on the body. In other words, they could do a lot of stuff with TUF. There is no need to go down with the ship. Even if you enjoy the antics, it’s hard to argue that the format hasn’t become trite, and probably will continue to depend on contrived and stupid drama to boost ratings.

I’m on record as not liking the path that TUF has taken. That club is not all that exclusive. Good day, sir.

by Cannon Jacques on Mar 30, 2009 8:56 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

Nicely done, Jacques. We approve.

"I'm AJB and I endorse this nut-puncher."

by AJB on Mar 31, 2009 12:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I’d rather drink turpentine and piss on a brush fire than watch an entire episode of TUF. The best process for me is to record, fast-forward to training segments and fights, then move on.

If you are entertained by the antics, then that is your business. Just not my cup of tea.

by Farthammer on Mar 30, 2009 9:46 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Outrageous idea: How about including some MMA?

I have to agree, I’m totally turned off by the “jackass” reality-show concept.

You know what might be good though? Actually teaching the audience something about MMA. Spend 5 minutes every episode and teach people some technique – like how important footwork is in the striking game, or how to control your opponent while you’re trying to synch in a triangle.

This educates your viewers, which is good for the long-term popularity of the sport.

I’ve always thought what make a better show would be following a signed fighter from the contract signing to training to the actual fight. A little like ufc primetime, but a little less edited.

by FrancisC on Mar 30, 2009 11:53 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Not that the people producing the show will actually care, but I’ll toss in my two cents anyway. Read if you want, flame if you must.

For starters, losing the house would be a good idea. Having a bunch of ‘alpha males’ locked up without anything to do is practically begging for all kinds of garbage. There is no way that many egos will fit into such a confined space without some friction. A lot of friction.

It’s not like they couldn’t make quality TV with the training, fight prep, fights themselves – plus actually giving us some reason to care about the fighters. Some actual background stuff, an actual chance for the guys to talk instead of some token “Imma gonna kick his ass” before the fights…

Then again, it’s not like UFC or Spike will give a toss. If anything, they’ll just amp the jackassery.

by lhasafi on Mar 31, 2009 2:45 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs