Is TUF still relevant?

Less relevant now than before for a couple of reasons.

In the early seasons, there weren't nearly as many regional shows. Now it seems like they are everywhere and all the time. If you are decent, the UFC will most likely find you based on your performance on the regional circuit.

Secondly, UFC has tons of room on prelims now that they are hosting many more shows per year. So it's easier to get a call from UFC now than it was before. The whole "This is my one chance to make it" from the early seasons is not true. Put together a good run in the regional shows and you'll get noticed and can easily get called for a prelim fight on some UFC on Fox undercard.

I feel like that wasn't necessarily the case 10 years ago.

(On an entertainment level, the pranks and drama and usual storylines that get repeated over and over have caused it to lose entertainment value.)
 
TUF hasn't been relevant since the street fight they had years ago outside the house.

Oh yeah and mexican tuf is god-awful none of the fighters have any personality.
 
Nicco being a champ doesn't make TUF relavent. It was a fake belt given to try and make the show relevent.
Agreed and liked but I lol'd at how you had two chances to spell relevant and butchered both in different ways
 
I still enjoy it, think they should space it out a little more to allow for better talent. Majority of the TUF competitors don't stick around for long. I think they should scrap the international versions.
 
I haven't watched a season of TUF since season 4.
 
Is tuf relevant?
The last PPV featured a tuf runner-up retaining his title. And a featured bout of Costa vs Hall both of whom are from TUF
We're a little ways out from Whittaker vs Gastulem, but that is literally Tuf smashes, 2012 winner vs Tuf 17, 2013 winner for the 185 title and they'll coach the next season of TUF.
The next two cards will feature at least 5 former TUF participants in featured bouts per event. But a lot of fans are more interested in fake drama than anything else and stopped watching the show when that aspect was toned down.
 
TUF went downhill after TUF 4.
Why TUF 4? What made you choice that one? 5 was a flop but 6 brought in a ton of top level lightweights that hung around for years and were big names. 7 and 8 were entertaining. 13 or 14 brought in the feather and bantam weights who were top level and 15 was one of the most talent rich TUF's ever, as well as being super entertaining.
 
I still enjoy it, think they should space it out a little more to allow for better talent. Majority of the TUF competitors don't stick around for long. I think they should scrap the international versions.
That's one of the problems, they don't stick around long enough. I watch this show and get to know and love the fighters, and then they bring 3 into the UFC. And I think, couldn't they have brought in a few more instead of single fight eliminating them. You have got my interest, and then you don't take advantage of it.
The internationals are probably good for them, it brings in a different audience (and probably one that is still excited for TUF). However they aren't for us to watch. I did watch a number of them but I'm going to stick to english ones in the future, I don't think there is any downside to them except that their coaches don't fight for a while.
 
Is tuf relevant?
The last PPV featured a tuf runner-up retaining his title. And a featured bout of Costa vs Hall both of whom are from TUF
We're a little ways out from Whittaker vs Gastulem, but that is literally Tuf smashes, 2012 winner vs Tuf 17, 2013 winner for the 185 title and they'll coach the next season of TUF.
The next two cards will feature at least 5 former TUF participants in featured bouts per event. But a lot of fans are more interested in fake drama than anything else and stopped watching the show when that aspect was toned down.
Good response. When it occurred to me that there were a number of TUF champions I also thought about the Whittaker Gastulem fight, but there are really a lot of high level TUF fighters, always have been even though there were a few years of weak seasons.
 
Anyone who doesn't watch TUF is a casual.
 
The show produces legit fighters but the format is not relevant anymore.
 
I will always watch TUF, no matter the coaches, weight class and gimmick surrounding it.

I often go back and revisit older seasons now and then on the fight pass, some great fights on the shows
 
It's one of the only shows out now that test the contestants physically, mentally and emotionally.
 
I will always watch TUF, no matter the coaches, weight class and gimmick surrounding it.

I often go back and revisit older seasons now and then on the fight pass, some great fights on the shows

I do the same.
 
Dead horse has been decomposing for years.

Update: Just bones now.
 
I often hear that TUF isn't relevant anymore. And it appeared that way for a while, the first few seasons made future champs and then there was a dead zone. But recently it has become very relevant again.
As of Nov 4th 2017, after TJ and Rose took their titles and before GSP beat Bisping there were 5 TUF alum UFC Champions.
1. Michael Bisping Middleweight Champ
2. Robert Whittaker Interm Middleweight Champ
3. Tony Ferguson Interm Lightweight Champ
4. T.J. Dillashaw Bantamweight Champ
5. Rose Namajunas Woman's Strawweight Champ

GSP beat Bisping to bring it down to 4, but then Nicco Montano won the Flyweight Champ to bring it back to 5.
And Finally Tony got injured and stripped. So we currently stand at 4.
I understand Nicco was a guaranteed title for TUF. But compared to the number of non-TUF fighters who fight in the UFC verus TUF fighters each year and the total number of belts TUF fighters are doing well above average.


I remember watching regularly up to Jones vs Sonnen then stopped. I don't know why but I lost interest in tuf after that I even skipped Mcgregor vs Faber and only tuned back into Stipe and DC because I really like both fighters. Regardless of weight class I'll be watching this one too because of Robert and Kelvin and I think it's great because I can still remember watching both of them become the winners of their seasons so I can't wait
 
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