The Ultimate Fighter 7 debuts on April 2 and features fighters from the middleweight division. For the first time in the history of the show, there will be 32 fighters instead of the normal 16 in the tournament. Also, every fighter will fight before earning a spot in the infamous 'house.' The coaches are UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton "Rampage" Jackson (29-6) and the first-ever Ultimate Fighter, Forrest Griffin. The two coaches will square off for the title at UFC 86 in July, but they will coach their teams on the show first. It looks like it should be a great season, and I can't wait until it debuts. The cast is according to Yahoo! writer Dave Meltzer's blog, fiveouncesofpain.com. Here is the link.
David Baggett (4-2) - Looks like a submission fighter, as all 4 of his wins are via that method. He fights with Kimura Fight Team, which is based out of Florida. He is listed at 205 pounds on Sherdog.com, so he may be one of the bigger fighters in the house.
Paul Bradley (5-0) - An excellent wrestler who was a high school champion and wrestled at Iowa. He trains at C-4, but has ties to the Miletich Fighting Systems. Only one of his pro fights has gone to a decision, and he has 2 KOs and 2 submissions.
Matt Brown (5-6) - He trains with Team Jorge Gurgel out of Columbus, Ohio, but he is listed as a welterweight on Sherdog. He'll have to jump 15 pounds to fight on the show. He has 3 big name losses (Chris Lytle, Mikey Gomez, Pete Spratt), and has been submitted 5 times. He's also just 5-7, so he may be a guy that leaves early.
Steve Byrnes (6-1, 0-1 UFC) - A former Marine based out of Hawaii who hasn't fought in almost 2 years because of injury. He is just 28 years old and is an experienced grappler.
Steve Byrnes
Erik Charles (0-0) - I couldn't find much on him except for the fact that he is out of New York and is a pro boxer. He trains with the CNY MMA team.
John Clarke (5-2) - Another fighter that is listed at 205 on Sherdog. He fights out of Connecticut and has 3 (T)KOs and 3 submissions.
Daniel Cramer (0-0) - I wasn't able to find much on him either except for a clip of him destroying some guy in a jiu-jitsu fight. Click on his name to see it.
Tim Credeur (9-2) - He seems to be one of the more experienced fighters on the show, and he is a submission fighter. He's also a BJJ black belt under Rodrigo Medeiros. He fights with Gladiator Academy out of Louisiana, and he owns notable wins over Lance Everson and Liam McCarty. He looks like an early favorite to make it far.
Tim Credeur
Mike Dolce (3-4) - A veteran of the IFL (1-3 there) who fought on Matt Lindland's Wolfpack team. Fights with Team Quest out of Oregon, which is one of the top teams in the world (he doubles as the team's conditioning coach). He possesses extreme KO power in his right hand but has some work to do on the rest of his game; 31 years old.
C.B. Dollaway (6-0) - One of the most recognized fighters on the cast, and another favorite to make it far. He's fought in some bigger organizations, including Mark Cuban's HDNet Fights. 4 of his wins are via (T)KO. He fights with Arizona Combat Sports and is just 24 years old.
C.B. Dollaway
John Hall (3-3) - He's affiliated with the Warrior Spirit team, and looks to be a submission fighter. He has a notable loss to UFC MW Chris Leben (18-4), and has just one fight since 2003.
Gerald Harris (6-2) - A former IFL fighter (0-2) who wrestled in college at Cleveland State. He is just 28 years old and is one of the favorites on the show. Reminds me of a MW version of UFC fighter Rashad Evans.
Gerald Harris and Mike Dolce
Nick Klein (3-0) - Couldn't find much on him other than the fact that he has only been a pro fighter since Jan. 2007. All 3 of his wins are via submission.
David Mewborn (4-0) - Has only been fighting for a little over a year, fought 5 times in 2007 (1 No Contest). Looks to be well-rounded.
Mike Marrello (7-1-1) - Fights with Team Curran, and is a submission fighter that has fought in the King of the Cage organization. 5 of his wins are via submission.
Jeremy May (5-5) - Looks like a submission fighter with few notable wins.
Prince LaDonas Mclean (4-5) - An Ohio-based fighter who has suffered 5 consecutive losses after winning his first 4. Maybe a Muay Thai fighter?
Aaron Meisner (2-0) - A young fighter with 3 first round KO wins. Looks like a sleeper, but his BJJ is yet to be tested. Trains with Daddis Fight Camp out of Philly.
Reggie Orr (4-5-1) - A 24-year-old King of the Cage vet. A Muay Thai and BJJ fighter that trains with Millenia Fight Team out of California. Turned pro six years ago, but has been training for over a decade.
Matthew Riddle (0-0) - Former national HS wrestling champion who took second in the NAGA World's competition after only a few months of submission training. He could be a guy to look out for.
Jeremiah Riggs (1-0) - Has trained with Strikeforce MW champion Frank Shamrock and was set to join Shamrock's IFL team before they were disbanded by the league for failing to ever win a matchup. He's "just a freakin' crazy country boy," according to MMAJunkie.com. He should be interesting.
Dante Rivera (10-2) - 33-year-old Renzo Gracie disciple from New York with experience in the IFL. Submission fighter.
Dante Rivera getting his hand raised
David Roberts (5-7, 0-1 UFC) - Fought at UFC 20 and lost to Marcelo Mello. He's friends with Rampage, and actually introduced him to the sport. He's on a 5-fight losing streak, and this could be his last chance to make it back inside the octagon. He has fought some top competition, including Joe Stevenson and Akira Shoji.
Nick Rossborough (0-0) - Couldn't find much on him. A smaller fighter with a submission background maybe?
Amir Sadollah (0-0) - Undefeated amateur fighter who will make his pro deubt on the show. Based out of Virginia and seems to be a Muy Thai fighter; 27 years old.
Pat Schultz (5-1-1) - Sityodong kickboxer who has trained with Mark DellaGrotte. Fights out of Boston, taekwando black belt.
Brandon Sene (2-0) - A former Marine and is just 26 years old. He trains with Gracie Tampa, so you know his BJJ is solid.
Dan Simmler (0-0) - A talented jiu-jitsu fighter who has trained with Matt Serra and has won medals in world competitions. His success in MMA will hinge on the development of his striking. He owns his own gym, Simmler Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, which is based out of Massachusetts. He was a semi-finalist to make the cast of TUF 3.
Jesse Taylor (6-2) - A wrestler from San Diego who trains with Team Quest. 3 of his wins are via (T)KO and he's just 25 years old.
Cale Yarbrough (0-0) - Couldn't find anything on the former NASCAR driver turned MMA fighter (although I don't think they are the same guy), which means I'm picking him to win.
John Wood (6-3) - Another NASCAR name. Looks like a well-rounded fighter. Fights out of Vegas with Las Vegas Combat Club. Decent record, fighting mostly in small Vegas-based orgs.
Luke Zachrich (7-1) - Yet another Ohio fighter who trains with Team Extreme out of Cincinnati. He's an accomplished grappler and has fought in organizations like King of the Cage and Fightfest.
My picks:
Final: Gerald Harris vs. C.B. Dollaway
Winner: C.B. Dollaway
Surprise: David Roberts makes it to the semis.
David Baggett (4-2) - Looks like a submission fighter, as all 4 of his wins are via that method. He fights with Kimura Fight Team, which is based out of Florida. He is listed at 205 pounds on Sherdog.com, so he may be one of the bigger fighters in the house.
Paul Bradley (5-0) - An excellent wrestler who was a high school champion and wrestled at Iowa. He trains at C-4, but has ties to the Miletich Fighting Systems. Only one of his pro fights has gone to a decision, and he has 2 KOs and 2 submissions.
Matt Brown (5-6) - He trains with Team Jorge Gurgel out of Columbus, Ohio, but he is listed as a welterweight on Sherdog. He'll have to jump 15 pounds to fight on the show. He has 3 big name losses (Chris Lytle, Mikey Gomez, Pete Spratt), and has been submitted 5 times. He's also just 5-7, so he may be a guy that leaves early.
Steve Byrnes (6-1, 0-1 UFC) - A former Marine based out of Hawaii who hasn't fought in almost 2 years because of injury. He is just 28 years old and is an experienced grappler.
Steve Byrnes
Erik Charles (0-0) - I couldn't find much on him except for the fact that he is out of New York and is a pro boxer. He trains with the CNY MMA team.
John Clarke (5-2) - Another fighter that is listed at 205 on Sherdog. He fights out of Connecticut and has 3 (T)KOs and 3 submissions.
Daniel Cramer (0-0) - I wasn't able to find much on him either except for a clip of him destroying some guy in a jiu-jitsu fight. Click on his name to see it.
Tim Credeur (9-2) - He seems to be one of the more experienced fighters on the show, and he is a submission fighter. He's also a BJJ black belt under Rodrigo Medeiros. He fights with Gladiator Academy out of Louisiana, and he owns notable wins over Lance Everson and Liam McCarty. He looks like an early favorite to make it far.
Tim Credeur
Mike Dolce (3-4) - A veteran of the IFL (1-3 there) who fought on Matt Lindland's Wolfpack team. Fights with Team Quest out of Oregon, which is one of the top teams in the world (he doubles as the team's conditioning coach). He possesses extreme KO power in his right hand but has some work to do on the rest of his game; 31 years old.
C.B. Dollaway (6-0) - One of the most recognized fighters on the cast, and another favorite to make it far. He's fought in some bigger organizations, including Mark Cuban's HDNet Fights. 4 of his wins are via (T)KO. He fights with Arizona Combat Sports and is just 24 years old.
C.B. Dollaway
John Hall (3-3) - He's affiliated with the Warrior Spirit team, and looks to be a submission fighter. He has a notable loss to UFC MW Chris Leben (18-4), and has just one fight since 2003.
Gerald Harris (6-2) - A former IFL fighter (0-2) who wrestled in college at Cleveland State. He is just 28 years old and is one of the favorites on the show. Reminds me of a MW version of UFC fighter Rashad Evans.
Gerald Harris and Mike Dolce
Nick Klein (3-0) - Couldn't find much on him other than the fact that he has only been a pro fighter since Jan. 2007. All 3 of his wins are via submission.
David Mewborn (4-0) - Has only been fighting for a little over a year, fought 5 times in 2007 (1 No Contest). Looks to be well-rounded.
Mike Marrello (7-1-1) - Fights with Team Curran, and is a submission fighter that has fought in the King of the Cage organization. 5 of his wins are via submission.
Jeremy May (5-5) - Looks like a submission fighter with few notable wins.
Prince LaDonas Mclean (4-5) - An Ohio-based fighter who has suffered 5 consecutive losses after winning his first 4. Maybe a Muay Thai fighter?
Aaron Meisner (2-0) - A young fighter with 3 first round KO wins. Looks like a sleeper, but his BJJ is yet to be tested. Trains with Daddis Fight Camp out of Philly.
Reggie Orr (4-5-1) - A 24-year-old King of the Cage vet. A Muay Thai and BJJ fighter that trains with Millenia Fight Team out of California. Turned pro six years ago, but has been training for over a decade.
Matthew Riddle (0-0) - Former national HS wrestling champion who took second in the NAGA World's competition after only a few months of submission training. He could be a guy to look out for.
Jeremiah Riggs (1-0) - Has trained with Strikeforce MW champion Frank Shamrock and was set to join Shamrock's IFL team before they were disbanded by the league for failing to ever win a matchup. He's "just a freakin' crazy country boy," according to MMAJunkie.com. He should be interesting.
Dante Rivera (10-2) - 33-year-old Renzo Gracie disciple from New York with experience in the IFL. Submission fighter.
Dante Rivera getting his hand raised
David Roberts (5-7, 0-1 UFC) - Fought at UFC 20 and lost to Marcelo Mello. He's friends with Rampage, and actually introduced him to the sport. He's on a 5-fight losing streak, and this could be his last chance to make it back inside the octagon. He has fought some top competition, including Joe Stevenson and Akira Shoji.
Nick Rossborough (0-0) - Couldn't find much on him. A smaller fighter with a submission background maybe?
Amir Sadollah (0-0) - Undefeated amateur fighter who will make his pro deubt on the show. Based out of Virginia and seems to be a Muy Thai fighter; 27 years old.
Pat Schultz (5-1-1) - Sityodong kickboxer who has trained with Mark DellaGrotte. Fights out of Boston, taekwando black belt.
Brandon Sene (2-0) - A former Marine and is just 26 years old. He trains with Gracie Tampa, so you know his BJJ is solid.
Dan Simmler (0-0) - A talented jiu-jitsu fighter who has trained with Matt Serra and has won medals in world competitions. His success in MMA will hinge on the development of his striking. He owns his own gym, Simmler Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, which is based out of Massachusetts. He was a semi-finalist to make the cast of TUF 3.
Jesse Taylor (6-2) - A wrestler from San Diego who trains with Team Quest. 3 of his wins are via (T)KO and he's just 25 years old.
Cale Yarbrough (0-0) - Couldn't find anything on the former NASCAR driver turned MMA fighter (although I don't think they are the same guy), which means I'm picking him to win.
John Wood (6-3) - Another NASCAR name. Looks like a well-rounded fighter. Fights out of Vegas with Las Vegas Combat Club. Decent record, fighting mostly in small Vegas-based orgs.
Luke Zachrich (7-1) - Yet another Ohio fighter who trains with Team Extreme out of Cincinnati. He's an accomplished grappler and has fought in organizations like King of the Cage and Fightfest.
My picks:
Final: Gerald Harris vs. C.B. Dollaway
Winner: C.B. Dollaway
Surprise: David Roberts makes it to the semis.
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