Near misses on TUF

[BrunswickMAF]

What fighters missing out on TUF would have completely changed a season?

I'm thinking seeing Chael Sonnen on the first season would have been interesting and completely changed things. Also I believe Kurt Angle was almost on season 10 and that would have been interesting to see how that would have changed that season too.

Any others you think would completely change a season?

 

[Papasmurf45619]

Ben Henderson and T wood on the godawful U.S. team on tuf 9

 

[EndlessCritic]

How would Chael Sonnen on the first season have changed things? Sonnen already lost to Forrest Griffin in 2003.

Nobody even remotely cared about Chael Sonnen until he upset Okami.

 

[eiyuu]

Eddie Alvarez on Season 2

 

[sonhow]

Wasnt Fitch close to get on tuf 1? Might have won the whole thing. He did beat prime Diego via split in the future.

 

[ChinaMMABlog]

Ben Henderson and T wood on the godawful U.S. team on tuf 9

Were they supposed to be on TUF or something?

 

[ChinaMMABlog]

Eddie Alvarez on Season 2

was this even a possibility?

 

[ChinaMMABlog]

What fighters missing out on TUF would have completely changed a season?

I'm thinking seeing Chael Sonnen on the first season would have been interesting and completely changed things. Also I believe Kurt Angle was almost on season 10 and that would have been interesting to see how that would have changed that season too.

Any others you think would completely change a season?

Was Chael signed up for TUF 1 at some point?
Never heard that.

 

[Linelo]

Paul Abell-US PRESSWIRE
Jon Jones Was Turned Down for TUF, Chael Sonnen Passed Up TUF 1
MCKINLEY NOBLE
NOVEMBER 25, 2012

Could Jon Jones or Chael Sonnen have won a season of The Ultimate Fighter?

That's a question mixed martial arts fans will undoubtedly be asking themselves now, as the coaches of TUF 17 recently revealed to MMA Junkie that they were once both under consideration for the show's early seasons.

According to Jones, he was allowed to tryout at one session, but ultimately wound up disqualified from casting due to the fact that he was only 20 years old at the time:

"I tried out for 'The Ultimate Fighter' back when I was 20 years old," Jones said. "I remember making it through the first round and then approaching a table to grapple for the second round and having Dana—I think himself, I remember him being at the table—saying, 'Man, you're too young. You're 20 years old, and you have to be 21 to apply for this show, but we're going to let you roll anyways. But you can't go much further than this.' I was like, 'Alright.' I was rolling and having a great time, and that was it. That was the end of the scenario."

https://www.google.com/amp/s/syndic...for-tuf-chael-sonnen-passed-up-tuf-1.amp.html

Bader won that season.

 

[VaselineSweep]

Jones trying to get some fans by picking Bader up lol

 

[cade187]

If Kurt Angle had’ve gone into MMA instead of wrestling he could have been a monster, but by Tuf season 10 he was already too old to make any kind of an impact. He probably would have gotten wrecked on the show for ratings. His only chance of getting a win was if they paired him against Kimbo.

 

[StewDogg11]

Were they supposed to be on TUF or something?

I know for sure Bendo was and he obviously would’ve probably won the whole thing. Can’t remember why he didn’t make the cut.

 

[thewilks]

If Kurt Angle had’ve gone into MMA instead of wrestling he could have been a monster, but by Tuf season 10 he was already too old to make any kind of an impact. He probably would have gotten wrecked on the show for ratings. His only chance of getting a win was if they paired him against Kimbo.

I remember him talking some form of crap about Chuck. Nothing crazy, but he said something like he would smash him because Chuck has never wrestled, and there's a video of Chuck reacting to it in shock because he indeed was a D-1 wrestler.

I agree with both your points, Angle would have gotten crushed at that point, but man would he have smoked some fools if he went straight into MMA.

 

[BrunswickMAF]

How would Chael Sonnen on the first season have changed things? Sonnen already lost to Forrest Griffin in 2003.

Nobody even remotely cared about Chael Sonnen until he upset Okami.

Honestly, I totally forgot that he was fighting at LHW at that time. I was thinking more how would he have impacted the MW tournament.

 

[AWilder]

How would Chael Sonnen on the first season have changed things? Sonnen already lost to Forrest Griffin in 2003.

Nobody even remotely cared about Chael Sonnen until he upset Okami.

Agreed, also Chael wasn't the talker he is today. Much like Colby he started as a quiet "yes sir I'll fight whoever they give me" kind of guy.

 

[eiyuu]

was this even a possibility?

I can't see why not.

Alvarez was fighting in smaller orgs in 2005. I saw him fight twice in Atlantic City at Euphoria MFC. Unless Euphoria had him in an exclusive contract, which is doubtful.

I mean they had Dan Cristison on that season of TUF and he fought in Euphoria MFC in AC as well.

 

[ChinaMMABlog]

I can't see why not.

Alvarez was fighting in smaller orgs in 2005. I saw him fight twice in Atlantic City at Euphoria MFC. Unless Euphoria had him in an exclusive contract, which is doubtful.

I mean they had Dan Cristison on that season of TUF and he fought in Euphoria MFC in AC as well.

I was too vague.

What I was asking was if Eddie was actually in the running to be on TUF.

 

[eiyuu]

I was too vague.

What I was asking was if Eddie was actually in the running to be on TUF.

Well that's basically what this thread is about, right? Near misses on TUF.

I mean, Alvarez SHOULD have been in consideration for TUF seeing as how he was 7-0 at the time.

Only way to be certain is if anyone has the short list of fighters Dana White was considering for that season.

 

[sampuncher]

Jimmie Rivera just missed out on a season. So did Costas Philippou.

PVZ on TUF 20 missing out because of her age aswell.

 

[Travis Alexander]

Jeremy “Half man Half amazing” Williams almost went on Tuf 1! He would have absolutely MAULED the competition. For those that don’t know he is a World Champion pro boxer with almost 50 fights and holds world records for fastest HW knockout of all time, and most ammy Knockouts of all time. Oh yea and was a state champion wrestler in H.S. Plus he’s 8-0 pro MMA fighter (I think 6-0 at time of taping).
Jeremy didn’t do it because he felt the offer was beneath him as he was a paid sparring partner for Tito’s guys in Big bear and at Legends gym (owned by Randy and Bas) he wanted the opportunity to fight Chuck not get coached by him.