Dana White announces the return of The Ultimate Fighter

UFC president Dana White said during a Reddit AMA on Wednesday that The Ultimate Fighter reality television show will be returning “soon.”

It was assumed by many that The Ultimate Fighter was dead after the show flamed out in recent years, with low television ratings and little support from fans and media. When White introduced the Contender Series, it seemed like a natural progression from TUF, and many thought it was an indication the UFC would be doing away with TUF for good.

Not so, says White. In an AMA on the MMA subreddit, the UFC president said that TUF is not only returning, but it’s coming back “soon.”

Reddit user: Is TUF totally dead or is it coming back? I really fucking miss it
Dana White: TUF is coming back SOON.

The Ultimate Fighter was one of the biggest drivers for the UFC in the mid-2000s and was responsible for finding a number of star fighters that entered the UFC, such as Forrest Griffin, Rashad Evans and Michael Bisping, all of whom eventually made it to the UFC Hall of Fame. For many years TUF was must-watch TV, but in recent years it became stale.

Many fans and media were calling for the end of TUF, and for a while, it seemed like that would be the case considering the show hasn’t had a new season since 2018. After taking the entire 2019 off, it appears as though 2020 or 2021 could see the return of The Ultimate Fighter. It will be interesting how fans react to this news as support for the show really dwindled the last few seasons. But perhaps the UFC has some changes up its sleeve to keep the show fresh and entertaining for a new era of UFC fans on ESPN.

Do you agree with Dana White bringing back The Ultimate Fighter?