Da meteore a campioni UFC: la lista dei vincitori del TUF. Li ricordate tutti?

C’è chi dice che il reality The Ultimate Fighter, lanciato da UFC nel 2005, abbia salvato il destino della promotion.

Fino a quel momento infatti la compagnia stava attraversando un momento difficile e quella prima edizione fu una sorta di trampolino per rilanciare quello che poi sarebbe diventato un brand fra i più importanti al mondo.

Ampi meriti vanno dati soprattutto al main event che mise di fronte Forrest Griffin e Stephan Bonnar. Un match storico che attirò milioni di spettatori e lanciò la promotion nel panorama degli eventi sportivi più seguiti negli Stati Uniti e nel resto del globo.

Il successo di quella stagione indusse successivamente i vertici UFC a investire nel progetto. Una lunga serie di edizioni giunte fino ai giorni nostri e che hanno visto passare innumerevoli fighters.

Alcuni si sono rivelati delle autentiche meteore. Altri sono riusciti addirittura a laurearsi campioni UFC.

Ecco qui di seguito la lista completa in ordine alfabetico. Li ricordate tutti?

Warlley Alves

Season: The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil 3
Year: 2014
Division: Middleweight
Result: Warlley Alves def. Marcio Alexandre Jr. via technical submission (guillotine choke) – Round 3, 0:25

Corey Anderson

Season: The Ultimate Fighter 19
Year: 2014
Division: Light heavyweight
Result: Corey Anderson def. Matt Van Buren via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 1:01

Ryan Bader

Season: The Ultimate Fighter 8
Year: 2008
Division: Light heavyweight
Result: Ryan Bader def. Vinny Magalhaes via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 2:18

Enrique Barzola

Season: The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America 2
Year: 2015
Division: Lightweight
Result: Enrique Barzola def. Horacio Gutierrez via unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 30–26)

Bryan Battle

Season: The Ultimate Fighter 29
Year: 2021
Division: Middleweight
Result: Bryan Battle def. Gilbert Urbina via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 2:15

Michael Bisping

Season: The Ultimate Fighter 3
Year: 2006
Division: Light heavyweight
Result: Michael Bisping def. Josh Haynes via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 4:14

Diego Brandao

Season: The Ultimate Fighter 14
Year: 2011
Division: Featherweight
Result: Diego Brandao def. Dennis Bermudez via submission (armbar) – Round 1, 4:51

Martin Bravo

Season: The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America 3
Year: 2016
Division: Lightweight
Result: Martin Bravo def. Claudio Puelles via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 1:55

Jonathan Brookins

Season: The Ultimate Fighter 12
Year: 2010
Division: Lightweight
Result: Jonathan Brookins def. Michael Johnson via unanimous decision (29–28, 29–28, 29–28)

Macy Chiasson

Season: The Ultimate Fighter 28
Year: 2018
Division: Women’s featherweight
Result: Macy Chiasson def. Pannie Kianzad via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 2:11

Michael Chiesa

Season: The Ultimate Fighter 15
Year: 2012
Division: Lightweight
Result: Michael Chiesa def. Al Iaquinta via technical submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 2:47

Mac Danzig

Season: The Ultimate Fighter 6
Year: 2007
Division: Welterweight
Result: Mac Danzig def. Tom Speer via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1,  2:01

Nate Diaz

Season: The Ultimate Fighter 5
Year: 2007
Division: Lightweight
Result: Nate Diaz def. Manny Gamburyan via submission (shoulder injury) – Round 2, 0:20

John Dodson

Season: The Ultimate Fighter 14
Year: 2011
Division: Bantamweight
Result: John Dodson def. T.J. Dillashaw via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 1:54

Tim Elliott

Season: The Ultimate Fighter 24
Year: 2016
Division: Flyweight
Result: Tim Elliott def. Hiromasa Ogikubo via unanimous decision

Efrain Escudero

Season: The Ultimate Fighter 8
Year: 2008
Division: Lightweight
Result: Efrain Escudero def. Phillipe Nover via unanimous decision (29–28, 29–28, 29–28)

Carla Esparza

Season: The Ultimate Fighter 20
Year: 2014
Division: Women’s strawweight
Result: Carla Esparza def. Rose Namajunas via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 3, 1:26

Juan Espino

Season: The Ultimate Fighter 28
Year: 2018
Division: Heavyweight
Result: Juan Espino def. Justin Frazier via submission (armlock) – Round 1, 3:36

Rashad Evans

Season: The Ultimate Fighter 2
Year: 2005
Division: Heavyweight
Result: Rashad Evans def. Brad Imes via split decision (29–28, 29–28, 28–29)

Tony Ferguson

Season: The Ultimate Fighter 13
Year: 2011
Division: Lightweight
Result: Tony Ferguson def. Ramsey Nijem via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 3:54

Cezar Ferreira

Season: The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil
Year: 2012
Division: Middleweight
Result: Cezar Ferreira def. Sergio Moraes via unanimous decision (29–28, 30–27, 30–27)

Glaico Franca

Season: The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil 4
Year: 2015
Division: Lightweight
Result: Glaico Franca def. Fernando Bruno via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 3, 4:46

Kelvin Gastelum

Season: The Ultimate Fighter 17
Year: 2013
Division: Middleweight
Result: Kelvin Gastelum def. Uriah Hall via split decision (29–28, 28–29, 29–28)

Eddie Gordon

Season: The Ultimate Fighter 19
Year: 2014
Division: Middleweight
Result: Eddie Gordon def. Dhiego Lima via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 1:11

Forrest Griffin

Season: The Ultimate Fighter 1
Year: 2005
Division: Light heavyweight
Result: Forrest Griffin def. Stephan Bonnar via unanimous decision

Kendall Grove

Season: The Ultimate Fighter 3
Year: 2006
Division: Middleweight
Result: Kendall Grove def. Ed Herman via unanimous decision

Ning Guangyou

Season: The Ultimate Fighter: China
Year: 2013-2014
Division: Featherweight
Result: Ning Guangyou def. Jianping Yang via unanimous decision (29–28, 29–28, 29–28)

Ryan Hall

Season: The Ultimate Fighter 22
Year: 2015
Division: Lightweight
Result: Ryan Hall def. Artem Lobov via unanimous decision (30–27, 30–26, 30–26)

Chris Holdsworth

Season: The Ultimate Fighter 18
Year: 2013
Division: Bantamweight
Result: Chris Holdsworth def. Davey Grant via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 2:10

Rony Jason

Season: The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil
Year: 2012
Division: Featherweight
Result: Rony Jason def. Godofredo Pepey via unanimous decision (29–28, 29–28, 29–28)

Antonio Carlos Junior

Season: The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil 3
Year: 2014
Division: Heavyweight
Result: Antonio Carlos Junior def. Vitor Miranda via unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 29–28)

Brad Katona

Season: The Ultimate Fighter 27
Year: 2018
Division: Featherweight
Result: Brad Katona def. Jay Cucciniello via unanimous decision (30–26, 30–26, 30–26)

Chad Laprise

Season: The Ultimate Fighter: Nations
Year: 2014
Division: Welterweight
Result: Chad Laprise def. Olivier Aubin-Mercier via split decision (28–29, 29–28, 30–27)

Zhang Lipeng

Season: The Ultimate Fighter: China
Year: 2014
Division: Welterweight
Result: Zhang Lipeng def. Wang Sai via split decision (29–28, 27–30, 29–28)

Travis Lutter

Season: The Ultimate Fighter 4
Year: 2006
Division: Middleweight
Result: Travis Lutter def. Patrick Cote via submission (armbar) – Round 1, 2:18

Court McGee

Season: The Ultimate Fighter 11
Year: 2010
Division: Middleweight
Result: Court McGee def. Kris McCray via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 3:41

Juliana Miller

Season: The Ultimate Fighter 30
Year: 2022
Division: Women’s flyweight
Result: Juliana Miller def. Brogan Walker via TKO (strikes) – Round 3, 3:57

Erick Montano

Season: The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America 2
Year: 2015
Division: Welterweight
Result: Erick Montano def. Enrique Marin via split decision (28–29, 29–28, 29–28)

Nicco Montano

Season: The Ultimate Fighter 26
Year: 2017
Division: Women’s flyweight
Result: Nicco Montano def. Roxanne Modafferi via unanimous decision (50–45, 49–46, 49–46)

Roy Nelson

Season: The Ultimate Fighter 10
Year: 2009
Division: Heavyweight
Result: Roy Nelson def. Brendan Schaub via knockout (punch) – Round 1, 3:45

Norman Parke

Season: The Ultimate Fighter: The Smashes
Year: 2012
Division: Lightweight
Result: Norman Parke def. Colin Fletcher via unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 29–28)

Ross Pearson

Season: The Ultimate Fighter 9
Year: 2009
Division: Lightweight
Result: Ross Pearson def. Andre Winner via unanimous decision (29–28, 29–28, 29–28)

Julianna Pena

Season: The Ultimate Fighter 18
Year: 2013
Division: Women’s bantamweight
Result: Julianna Pena def. Jessica Rakoczy via TKO (punches, elbows) – Round 1, 4:59

Alejandro Perez

Season: The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America
Year: 2014
Division: Bantamweight
Result: Alejandro Perez def. Jose Alberto Quinonez via unanimous decision (29–26, 29–26, 28–27)

Yair Rodriguez

Season: The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America
Year: 2014
Division: Featherweight
Result: Yair Rodriguez def. Leonardo Morales via unanimous decision (29–28, 29–28, 29–28)

Amir Sadollah

Season: The Ultimate Fighter 7
Year: 2008
Division: Middleweight
Result: Amir Sadollah def. C.B. Dollaway via submission (armbar) – Round 1, 3:02

Andrew Sanchez

Season: The Ultimate Fighter 23
Year: 2016
Division: Light heavyweight
Result: Andrew Sanchez def. Khalil Rountree via unanimous decision (30–25, 30–25, 30–26)

Diego Sanchez

Season: The Ultimate Fighter 1
Year: 2005
Division: Middleweight
Result: Diego Sanchez def. Kenny Florian viva TKO (punches) – Round 1, 2:49

Leonardo Santos

Season: The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil 2
Year: 2013
Division: Welterweight
Result: Leonardo Santos def. William Macario via submission (arm-triangle choke) – Round 2, 4:43

Matt Serra

Season: The Ultimate Fighter 4
Year: 2006
Division: Welterweight
Result: Matt Serra def. Chris Lytle via split decision (30–27, 27–30, 30–27)

Colton Smith

Season: The Ultimate Fighter 16
Year: 2012
Division: Welterweight
Result: Colton Smith def. Mike Ricci via unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 30–26)

Joe Stevenson

Season: The Ultimate Fighter 2
Year: 2005
Division: Welterweight
Result: Joe Stevenson def. Luke Cummo via unanimous decision (29–28, 30–27, 29–28)

Tatiana Suarez

Season: The Ultimate Fighter 23
Year: 2016
Division: Women’s strawweight
Result: Tatiana Suarez def. Amanda Cooper via submission (D’Arce choke) – Round 1, 3:43

Jesse Taylor

Season: The Ultimate Fighter 25
Year: 2017
Division: Welterweight
Result: Jesse Taylor def. Dhiego Lima via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 0:43

Elias Theodorou

Season: The Ultimate Fighter: Nations
Year: 2014
Division: Middleweight
Result: Elias Theodorou def. Sheldon Westcott via TKO (punches, elbows) – Round 2, 4:41

Michael Trizano

Season: The Ultimate Fighter 27
Year: 2018
Division: Lightweight
Result: Michael Trizano def. Joe Giannetti via split decision (29–28, 28–29, 29–28)

Ricky Turcios

Season: The Ultimate Fighter 29
Year: 2021
Division: Bantamweight
Result: Ricky Turcios def. Brady Hiestand via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Kamaru Usman

Season: The Ultimate Fighter 21
Year: 2015
Division: Welterweight
Result: Kamaru Usman def. Hayder Hassan via submission (arm-triangle choke) – Round 2, 1:19

Mohammed Usman

Season: The Ultimate Fighter 30
Year: 2022
Division: Heavyweight
Result: Mohammed Usman def. Zac Pauga via knockout (punch) – Round 2, 0:36

Reginaldo Vieira

Season: The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil 4
Year: 2015
Division: Bantamweight
Result: Reginaldo Vieira def. Dileno Lopes via unanimous decision (29–28, 30–27, 30–27)

Robert Whittaker

Season: The Ultimate Fighter: The Smashes
Year: 2012
Division: Welterweight
Result: Robert Whittaker def. Brad Scott via unanimous decision (29–28, 29–28, 29–28)

James Wilks

Season: The Ultimate Fighter 9
Year: 2009
Division: Welterweight
Result: James Wilks def. DaMarques Johnson via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 4:54