TUF: Team Canada vs Team Australia Discussion Thread

[David]

The rosters have been announced for both sides, and look something like this;

 

Welterweights for Team Canada

 

Oliveir Aubin-Mercier 4-0 -- Montreal, QC

Matthew Desroches 4-0 -- Fredericton, N.B.

Kajan Johnson 19-10 -- Montreal, QC

Chad Laprise 7-0 -- London, ONT

 

Middleweights for Team Canada

 

Luke Harris, 10-2 -- St. Albert, AB

Nordine Taleb, 8-2 -- Montreal, QC

Elias Theodurou, 8-0 -- Toronto, ONT

Sheldon Westcott, 8-1 -- St. Albert, AB

 

Team Australia welterweights:

 

Chris Indich, 6-1 -- Perth

Jake Matthews, 6-0 -- Melbourne

Brendan O'Reilly, 5-0 -- Brisbane

Richard Walsh, 7-1 -- Sydney

 

Team Australia middleweights:

 

Vik Grujic, 6-2 -- Melbourne

Daniel Kelly, 6-0 -- Melbourne

Tyler Manawaroa, 10-0 -- Brisbane

Zein Saliba, 4-0 -- Sydney

3 of the Canadian guys are from Tri-star apparently, and Mercier & Taleb are both highly regarded from what I hear. Personally, I'll be rooting for Team canada all the way. I fully expect them to come out on top with the level of talent they're producing there at the moment.

 

Oh, and the coaches are Patrick cote & Kyle Noke. Not the most exciting bout we'll see as a coach vs coach finale, but there you go.

[wandshogun09]

Nordine Taleb's the only name I recognise there. He's a Tri-Star fighter, lost to Zaromskis in Bellator, beat Pete Sell.

 

Cote vs Noke doesn't grab me at all. I think the actual fight will be good, they both usually bring it in the cage. But for TUF, these guys are going to Carwin this up. Especially Noke. Even though he was on a whole season of TUF before, I can't even remember anything about him on there. He's beige as fuck.

 

Maybe it'll be a surprise. The country vs country seasons of TUF have been really good in the past. But I can't see me watching much of this when I didn't even stick with the last TUF Brazil which had Big Nog. There's too much TUF these days. TUF China is coming soon as well with a weird set up where Cung Le is playing Dana White and there's no opposing coaches.

[David]

Whilst I agree as far as the coaches fight goes, the actual season itself should be good (although I'd rather have seen team Canada vs either the USA or Brazil if i'm honest). I wonder who Cote will be bringing in to help coach with him? He's still with BTT Canada in Montreal, right?

[wandshogun09]

I think he is yeah. Even though they're not on the same team, you know GSP will be popping in at some point.

 

I think where the country vs country TUFs will hit a bit of a wall is the language barrier. I mean, you could do say TUF: Russia vs Mexico with Khabib Nurmagomedov and Gilbert Melendez coaching for example. No doubt the fights would probably be great. But how would the teams interact at the house? Plus they'd have to subtitle most of them as well. I'd watch it with the right guys (really liked the Belfort vs Wand TUF Brazil for example) but the TV companies probably don't want a show full of subtitles and guys who can't understand each other.

 

One thing I'm a bit puzzled by with these recent and upcoming TUFs as well - the weight classes. This Canada vs Australia one is welterweights. The China one will be welterweight and featherweight. I'm sure I read either the Penn vs Edgar or Wand vs Chael TUF will be middleweights as well.

 

These are already stacked divisions. Surely 125 is the division that most needs fresh talent. 185 and 170 in particular are already bursting at the seams. Yet nearly every TUF now is 185 and 170.

[David]

Yeah, he's with BTT (I'm already repping!).

 

I think that the UFC are starting to get a bit stricter with who actually earns contracts after the season is over, and rightfully so. The emphasis should be to win the contract, not to think that you can get beaten but come in and fight for the UFC anyway.

[PowerButchi]

Aren't UFC running House Shows soon for lack of a better term though?

[Shane O' Mac Version 2]

Yeah, he's with BTT (I'm already repping!).

 

I think that the UFC are starting to get a bit stricter with who actually earns contracts after the season is over, and rightfully so. The emphasis should be to win the contract, not to think that you can get beaten but come in and fight for the UFC anyway.

Yeah, about 3 or 4 years ago, it was getting to the stage where practically the whole cast got at least a couple of fights in the UFC. Then we had the super shit TUF 16 where I think only Colton Smith and Mike Ricci were kept on.

 

The reason for so many MWs and WWs is that the average male MMA fighter tends to be around that size. The UFC may need more flyweights, but there's just not that many at the elite level.

[wandshogun09]

The reason for so many MWs and WWs is that the average male MMA fighter tends to be around that size.

 

Yeah I understand that, it's also the reason we don't get heavyweights on TUF much. But when they announce the TUF tryouts, don't they specify the weight division(s) they're looking for? Why do they keep calling for MW and WW? They're the divisions they least need talent in. They're not going to find flyweights if they're only asking for middleweights and welterweights to try out. Take China for example. Surely the average Chinese bloke isn't 185. You'd think they'd be able to assemble a cast solely of 125/135lbers for that. Yet they're doing TUF China with 145/170. 170 again. When they really crack Asia and Mexico I think we'll start to get an influx of talent in the smaller weight classes.

 

The UFC may need more flyweights, but there's just not that many at the elite level.

 

Which begs the question, why introduce the division. If there wasn't enough depth, why not hold off until all the little Mexican and Chinese fighters come through? Like I say, it should pick up in the next 2-3 years. Hopefully TUF China will be a huge success and there will be loads of talent coming up. TUF Mexico is supposed to happen next year as well so hopefully between them we'll see 125 get a lot stronger soon. It's not that there's not good fighters at flyweight, there's just not enough right now. And the UFC barely promote them. Who knew who John Moraga was before he fought for the title? The UFC plucked him from the prelims and stuck him in a main event title fight on FOX. It turned out to be a good fight but a lot of people didn't give a shit going in because they didn't know who the fuck he was.

[jimufctna24]

Aren't UFC running House Shows soon for lack of a better term though?

How do you mean?

 

If you mean shows that could be non-TV, than yes. The rumor is they will be aired online, such is the schedule the UFC plan to undertake, they plan to pursue online means for some minor cards rather than put them on FOX.

 

I personally think they are stretching their product too much, and they should be concentrating on the quality of their show, not increasing the quantity. But I speak from a viewers perspective, I am not a economist, neither do I know outright how much profit the UFC gains.

 

I do think they overestimate the demand that is out for UFC content though.

[bono]

Will this be on bt sport?

[David]

This starts tonight in Canada. Anyone know the situation for UK television?

[KingOfMetal]

Aren't UFC running House Shows soon for lack of a better term though?

How do you mean?

 

If you mean shows that could be non-TV, than yes. The rumor is they will be aired online, such is the schedule the UFC plan to undertake, they plan to pursue online means for some minor cards rather than put them on FOX.

 

I personally think they are stretching their product too much, and they should be concentrating on the quality of their show, not increasing the quantity. But I speak from a viewers perspective, I am not a economist, neither do I know outright how much profit the UFC gains.

 

I do think they overestimate the demand that is out for UFC content though.

 

Weren't they going to be running a few shows that would be exclusive to the UFC-Fight Pass thing they launched last year. Like you say, rather than put a lackluster card on FOX they put it online through Fight Pass, and even then if you want to see it you have to pay whatever fees that entails.

[Egg Shen]

this is exclusive to Fight Pass, not sure if BT has it all? in hoping decent rips go up tomorrow.

 

ive given up on TUF China.

[Shane O' Mac Version 2]

So, just watched the debut of TUF: Nations. The Smashes, it ain't. Obviously, SPOILERS to follow.

 

Noke and Cote both said "we're not here for fame, we're here for you guys", and while that's an admirable approach for their teams, it doesn't make good TV. Also, the Aussies seem a bit more bland than the last bunch, all-business approach, which from a competition aspect, I understand, but this is still reality TV. Kajan seems like the only one on set with a personality, although it's early days, of course.

 

Seems like the welterweights on this season will be dropping straight to lightweight if they make it to the UFC, weighing 166 and 168 pounds, very short as well for the division. The middleweights didn't look that large either.

 

And just as I feared, the skill discrepancy between Canada and Australia is immense. You've got a thriving scene in Canada, and one of the best gyms in the world in Tristar. By contrast, I hardly ever hear about local MMA shows in Australia, living about an hour away from Sydney, and while the individual martial arts like karate and tae kwon do are big here, I don't know of any dedicated MMA gyms or schools, just a couple that might include MMA as a side thing. I'd love to see my countrymen take over the UFC, but the talent pool isn't there. I was surprised when they announced the show, I figured they must have found a lot of talent in the Smashes auditions, but judging by what they showed of the training and sparring, their records, and Brendon's abysmal performance, I don't think I'll have a lot to be excited about this season.

 

One cool thing was the new Canadian house, I love the foresty feel to the place. Looking forward to the coaches challenge shown in the season preview where they shoot stuff.

[David]

I'm well amped for the show, as it looks as though there's less twats and more actual fighters to be seen. Canada should run away with it though.