Brock Lesnar and Junior Dos Santos named "The Ultimate Fighter 13" coaches

[Deezy]

After months of speculation and more than a dozen rumored names, UFC president Dana White today announced heavyweight contenders Brock Lesnar and Junior Dos Santos will be coaches on the upcoming 13th season of "The Ultimate Fighter."

White made the announcement during a media call.

"The Ultimate Fighter 13" debuts March 30 on Spike TV, and a live finale is slated for June 4. The coaches meet in a season-ending fight in June, possibly at UFC 131 in Toronto.

Although initially announced as a middleweight and welterweight season of the UFC's long-running reality series, MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) reported earlier this week that producers instead opted to make "TUF 13" a welterweights-only show. Production begins this month in Las Vegas. In an elimination round of fights, 28 hopefuls will fight for 14 official cast spots. The show uses a 32-slot tournament, which includes two "wild card" picks who earn a second life in the quarterfinals.

Over the past couple months, many UFC veterans had been rumored for potential "TUF 13" coaching slots, including Frankie Edgar, Gray Maynard, Frank Mir, Shane Carwin, Wanderlei Silva, Chael Sonnen, Chris Leben, Brian Stann, Dominick Cruz, Urijah Faber, Anthony Pettis, Jose Aldo and others. Ultimately, though, officials went with the big men, Lesnar and Dos Santos.

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.

Lesnar (5-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC) is a former titleholder who lost his belt to current champ Cain Velasquez in October. The former WWE star has emerged as the UFC's top pay-per-view draw, and his inclusion in "TUF" should translate to big ratings.

Dos Santos (12-1 MMA, 6-0 UFC), meanwhile, recently claimed top-contender status by posting a 6-0 record in the UFC. Recent wins have come over Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic, Gilbert Yvel, Gabriel Gonzaga and Roy Nelson.

"TUF" debuted in 2005 and proved a ratings hit. It also helped the UFC's and MMA's move into the mainstream. Since the debut season, the show has launched the career of more than 100 UFC fighters, and past cast members Forrest Griffin, Rashad Evans and Matt Serra went on to win UFC titles.

Perfect way to promote your newest up and coming potential superstar, pitting him against your biggest draw is only going to make Dos Santos' stock rise ten fold.

Also a good way to promote Brocks book.

win/win for everyone.

Thoughts?

 

[The New F'n Show]

I think this is brilliant as long as JDS delivers in the fight which he should. Brock promotes his book and draws fans, JDS gets more publicity and the fighters get some guys who have had different roads to the top. Definitely a win-win.

 

[Troy]

Fantastic news. I was wondering what would happen with JDS after his management declared he would fight before Cain Velasquez returned from injury. Great choice of opponent since Lesnar is still a massive name and it will be a tough fight to pick a winner for.

Great promotion for the heavyweight division with this TUF. JDS isn't that well known and he will become a big name after this season. Lesnar will be able to sell some more books and possibly get some more people to like him.

 

[Deezy]

Also a way to take away peoples interest in Strikeforces HW Grand Prix. and Keeps Brock from doing Wrestlemania.

Dana White is one shrewd businessman.

 

[Troy]

I hadn't actually thought about either of those things but now that you mention it Dana White is a very shrewd businessman. It is genius to do this to firstly ensure that people now know that Brock won't be doing WM and also to direct interest away from the Strikeforce tournament which has a great list of HW fighters on it. I am more interested in TUF now than the Strikeforce tournament.