LAS VEGAS – From the live format to the new broadcaster partner to the surprise one-round fights, Friday's season debut of "The Ultimate Fighter: Live" couldn't have gone any better.
That's according to Dana White.
The UFC president spoke to MMAjunkie.com (
www.mmajunkie.com) after the two-and-a-half-hour season debut, which included 16 live elimination-round fights on FX.
"Going into this thing ... you're always nervous when you do something new and do something different," he told MMAjunkie.com. "We worked long and hard on this show to make sure this came off with no hitches. I'm very happy to with how it came off. It was perfect. Everything went according to plan. There were literally no hiccups whatsoever.
"It's not easy doing this live. Nobody's even done this before, and it could have gone any more perfect."
MMAjunkie.com was on scene for the debut, which took place at the UFC Training Center in Las Vegas. After 14 taped seasons on Spike TV, the UFC's long-running reality series went to a live format with its move to the FOX-owned FX. With UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz and fellow headliner Urijah Faber on hand to scout for next week's team selections, White said they were treated to a stellar night of fights.
And it all started when UFC and FX officials decided to go with one-round fights – instead of the usual two – for the elimination round, which determined 16 official lightweight cast members.
"It wasn't a tough call," White said. "When we came up with the idea, we loved it.
"If you wanted to put every fight live on TV, you had to figure something out, or this show would be God knows how long. The thing is, with the people criticizing, 'Oh, you're only doing one round,' well, almost all the fights were finishes. There were only a few decisions. Those fights were amazing."
Actually, exactly half the fights ended in finishes (which earned the winners surprise $5,000 bonuses). The fights, though, resulted in some upsets with established vets such as James Krause, Dakota Cohrane and Jordan Rinaldi suffering losses. However, largely unknown prospects such as Michael Chiesa and Justin Lawrence made a big splash.
"We've got a lot of guys who are very good, guys who are strong finishers," he said. "I love that. I love guys with killer instincts."
Since its record-breaking 10th season, "TUF" has seen a small but steady ratings decline in recent years. White hopes the UFC's new broadcast partner and its new format will reinvigorate the existing viewership and also bring in new fans. And he thinks Cruz and Faber will lead the charge.
During Friday's broadcast, White and the coaches were a featured attraction. (In fact, when the sound was briefly muted, it was usually because one of the three had accidentally cursed after an exciting finish.)
Sticking with tradition, UFC officials decided against using any commentators during the fight, so it was largely the sounds of the gym intermingled with occasional input from White, Cruz and Faber. And as many viewers noticed, Cruz and Faber – real-life rivals whose feud has been a centerpiece of "TUF: Live" marketing – were largely cordial.
White, though, said a night of fights can make temporary friends out of just about anyone. But behind the scenes, he said their disdain remains as heated as ever.
"They're hilarious," White said. "They hate each other, and they've been digging at each other the whole time they've been here.
"We were talking about which bad words not to say on TV, and Dominick's like, 'What about midget? Can I say midget? 'Cause I know I'm going to be calling him midget at least once or twice.' And then Faber jokes and goes, 'Easy there, big guy who's an inch and a half taller.' That's the kind of stuff that's been going on here. It's pretty funny."
Ratings for the show won't be known for another few days, and it'll take at least a month or two to know if this season will be a hit. But after Friday's super-sized debut and the emergence of 16 quality fighters, White is optimistic.
"We had a damn good night of fights," he said. "It's going to be a fun season."
