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Oh, is it that time of year again?

Here in Japan, the cherry blossoms are falling gently from the trees. Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, people from different countries are trying to pound each other into unconsciousness while someone films them taking a dump. Ah yes, the new season of the Ultimate Fighter.

Wait, that doesn't work, as filming wrapped up ages ago. Damn. Anyway.

The theme for this season: Country vs. country, which is, in my book, a pretty good idea. I kind of stopped being interested after Season 1, which was the best in my opinion, but the inclusion of a couple of loud mouthed, big hearted, Princess Bride-quoting Englishmen definitely piqued my interested in Season 3.

Quite often I found myself perched on my chair in front of the computer screen, heart pounding in my throat as I willed Bisping on to glory. To give him his dues, he rarely faltered, and one of the first true English MMA hereos was born.

Let's not forget Ross, the Samwise Gamgee to Bisping's Frodo, who, despite being about as skilled as a plank of wood, had a very funny accent and a big, possibly artificial heart.

And Junie "The Amazing Imbecile" Browning definitely had me watching the last season, if only to see just how far he could go before Dana finally had to let him go.

I digress.

Whether or not this season of the Ultimate Fighter really will be the (direct quote from Dana White) "superest most mega awesome, punch-tastic, much better than the last one, blow your mind out, rip off your shoes and shit on your toes, stamp-on-your-spine and crack your clavicle, bone-melting, eye-ball poppin', nose-bleedin', gay-offendin', beer-drinkin', furniture-crushin', turd-hidin', bestest most amazing season EVAR", I will definitely be watching.

First impressions:

• England looks rubbish. For all the cutaways, the background shots, the best they could do was a few street signs and lamp posts. What the hell? Surely there is something more interesting to film up North?
• Michael Bisping is beginning to get Large Head Syndrome, a sure sign that he is become a well-established MMA fighter.
  
• Americans do not like the Liverpudlian accent. Come to think of it, I may not like it either. I think it might be the strongest link between modern speech and when we were cave-dwelling dinosaur-rats, though. Very gutteral.
• Bisping yelling out to his fighter "DO NOT GO TO THE GROUND. DO NOT GO TO THE GROUND!" backs up Fightlinker's theory about Britain's "no-jitsu."
  
• Dan Henderson and Rich Franklin said about three words in the whole show. They looked so bored I thought they'd slip off their chairs mid-snore and slam onto the cold, hard floor, wipe the drool off their mouths, pick themselves up, mumble something about coffee and trombones before falling back to sleep.
  
• People from the North of England can get away with talking about fighting because of the accent. People from the South, with kind of neutral, poncey accents (like me) just sound silly. "Well I'm going to ground and pound him followed by a nice game of lawn bowling perhaps topped off with a submission and a cup of Lady Grey." Londoners I'm undecided on.
  
• Alex Reid looks like Frank Shamrock.
  
• Alex Reid sounds like an extra in a Guy Ritchie movie.
  
• Alex Reid needs to fight more and say "woo" less.
  
• Alex Reid will be the surprise mystery guy they bring back later when someone gets kicked off for burning the house down / punching a horse / fighting / throwing a cameraman in the pool / headbutting Dana White.
  
• There was some talent on display, which was nice.
• Some people will be killed instantly by the first American they come across. Severe suckitude.
• Andre Winner is a winner!
  
• Wondering how the British fighters will handle rattling round a house with free alcohol after a loss... recipe for disaster, methinks. Recipe for awesome alcohol-based violent entertainment, Dana White thinks!
• The yanks looked terrible in the preview of episode 2.

Definitely pumped for this new series. Only one thing left to say...

Go Team UK!