The Ultimate Fighter 1
The Ultimate Fighter 1 – Season Recap
The Ultimate Fighter is the brainchild of UFC President Dana White. Season 1 begins with an introduction to the 16 MMA fighters who will be competing throughout the season and their 2 coaches (Randy Couture and Chuck Liddell). The fighters are then taken to the house they’ll share with each other. Liddell and Couture pick their teams before the episode ends.
The physical challenges begin in Episode 2 as the fighters are divided by weight class. The teams compete with the losing team eliminating 1 fighter. Team Couture loses the first challenge and sends Chris Sanford home. Beginning in Episode 3, fighters are eliminated by bouts. Team Couture loses Lodune Sincaid. Despite one of Liddell’s fighters being sent over to Couture to even the teams in Episode 4, Team Couture continues suffering losses as Alex Karalexis is sent home. Episodes 5 and 6 focus on a personality conflict between Chris Leben and Josh Koscheck and a bout is organized to decide who will leave the show. In the end, Leben loses and storms off in a rage.
In Episode 7, Liddell sends another fighter to join Couture to even the teams. At the end of the episode, Team Liddell suffers its first loss and Bobby Southworth is eliminated. Episode 8 begins with White informing the cast that Nathan Quarry, who sustained injuries in an earlier episode requires surgery. He’s removed, but picks an eliminated fighter, Leben, to take his place. Team Liddell loses another fighter, Josh Rafferty, to elimination. In Episode 9, Liddell’s losses mount as Alex Schoenauerface is eliminated in a bout with Forrest Giffin.
Episode 10 marks the beginning of the semi-finals during which teammates must fight each other for elimination. Chris Leben fights Kenny Florian, Diego Sanchez is matched with Josh Koscheck, Stephan Bonnar battles Mike Swick and Sam Hoger faces Forrest Griffin. Florian defeats Leben at the end of the episode.
Sanchez defeats Koscheck at the beginning of Episode 11 and is scheduled to fight Lorian next. Bonnar beats Swick and Griffin trounces Hoger during Episode 12 as the season nears its finale. The final episode is shown on Spike TV and lasts nearly 3 hours. Eliminated fighters return to fight again. Sanchez beats Florian to win a 6-figure UFC contract deal. Fans wait anxiously for Season 2 of The Ultimate Fighter to begin.