TUF 13 – Brock Lesnar and Junior dos Santos named as coaches for reality show (UPDATED)
UFC President Dana White announced today that former UFC heavyweight champion, Brock Lesnar and number one contender, Junior dos Santos will match wits as the coaches of the thirteenth season of “The Ultimate Fighter” reality show.
Following the season, which begins filming this month and begins airing on March 30, Lesnar and dos Santos will then match fists in the Octagon later in 2011.
This will be the first time either fighter has appeared on The Ultimate Fighter, which began airing on Spike in 2005. The last time heavyweights coached the show was during season eight in 2008, when dos Santos’ mentor, “Minotauro” Nogueira, faced off against former champion Frank Mir. This season, the two will coach a host of welterweight hopefuls looking to secure a UFC contract.
One of the biggest success stories of recent years, Brock Lesnar’s rise to the top of the UFC has been well-documented. A former NCAA Division I wrestling champion for the University of Minnesota, Lesnar brought size, speed, and power to the Octagon in 2008, and in only his fourth professional fight, he defeated Randy Couture for the heavyweight crown. After successful defenses against Mir and Shane Carwin, Lesnar lost his belt to Velasquez at UFC 121 last October. Determined to get his championship back, Lesnar knows the quickest way to do so is through dos Santos.
Unheralded Brazilian prospect Junior dos Santos turned into a contender overnight in 2008 when he knocked out highly-regarded veteran Fabricio Werdum in the first round. This spectacular debut was followed by finishes of Stefan Struve, Mirko Cro Cop, Gilbert Yvel, and Gabriel Gonzaga before earning a shot at the heavyweight title with a three round win over Roy Nelson. Yet instead of choosing to wait for Velasquez to return to action, dos Santos will risk his number one contender’s spot by coaching against – and then fighting – Lesnar later this year.
By Michael Pepper. (Follow me on Twitter)
UPDATE…
This from MMAJunkie.com:
White said Velasquez’s recent shoulder surgery and long layoff opened the door for Lesnar and Dos Santos, which then “made all the sense in the world.” However, no interim title will be on the line when the coaches fight, though the winner gets an immediate title shot with Velasquez.
Prop’s to YoMamma
Why not tell us what you think about this story and get your thoughts featured in this week’s Mailbag? Email Mailbag@mmabay.co.uk, start the subject with the word ‘MAILBAG’ and we’ll post our favourites this Friday.
