Show: The Ultimate Fighter 17
Debut: Tuesday, January 22nd, 2013
Televised: FX
Coaches: Jon Jones and Chael Sonnen
Cast: Middleweights (185-pounders)
Host: Jon Anik
Format:
-This will start as a 28-man MMA tournament.
-After 14 fighters advance from the elimination round, a Wildcard spot will be open in the first round for the eighth match.
-The elimination round and Wildcard match determines 16 official cast members.
-Coach Jones and Coach Sonnen will draft 2 teams of 8 fighters.
-The show will debut on Tuesday, January 22nd at 8 p.m. ET/PT with a 2-hour episode on FX. Subsequent episodes air Tuesdays on FX at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
-The Ultimate Fighter 17 Finale is set to take place in May 2013 at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.
-The two coaches (Jones and Sonnen) are expected to fight each other in the main event of UFC 159 – Jones vs. Sonnen for Jones’ UFC light-heavyweight title on Saturday, April 27th, 2013 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
Fighters:
-Dylan Andrews (Wellington, New Zealand)
-Kito Andrews (Sacramento, California)
-Luke Barnatt (Cambridge, England, United Kingdom)
-Leo Bercier (Great Falls, Montana)
-Ryan Bigler (Yona, Guam)
-Kevin Casey (Hawthorne, Califorinia)
-Adam Cella (Fenton, Missouri)
-Zach Cummings (Kansas City, Missouri)
-Andy Enz (Anchorage, Alaska)
-Nik Fekete (Las Vegas, Nevada)
-Kelvin Gastelum (Yuma, Arizona)
-Uriah Hall (New York City, New York)
-Collin Hart (Santa Rosa, California)
-Clint Hester (Atlanta, Georgia)
-Jake Heun (Salt Lake City, Utah)
-Mike Jasper (Camarillo, California)
-Nicholas Kohring (Valley Springs, California)
-Robert "Bubba" McDaniel (Albuquerque, New Mexico)
-Fraser Opie (Johannesburg, South Africa)
-Mike Persons (Manteca, California)
-Jimmy Quinlan (Metheun, Massachusetts)
-Scott Rosa (Sparks, Nevada)
-Joshua Samman (Tallahassee, Florida)
-Gilbert Smith Jr. (Colorado Springs, Colorado)
-Eldon Sproat (Molokai, Hawaii)
-Tor Troeng (Umea, Sweden)
-Eric Wahlin (Taylorsville, Utah)
-Timothy Williams (Millville, New Jersey)