They said TUF would never produce another champion

[MeatheadFighter]

The statement is absolutely true for 155 and up. For the lower weight divisions, there was still talent since they had never done a 135/145 TUF before. Context people.

 

[NGute87]

Not even champs, you know how many people on here say cancel TUF, TUF sucks, TUF doesnt produce good fighters, nobody good goes on TUF anymore?

There are 21 top 15 ranked fighters produced from TUF and most of them are from season 10 to 18.

I support TUF. I was just replying to a post.... TUF is great for up and comers to gain publicity and great training. Lots of excellent talent has emerged from TUF. Are you proving a point to me, or am I reading your statements incorrectly?

 

[LNP 101]

Uhh... serra won and lost his belt before rashad.

If only there was a website where one could check these things.

That's why I put a ? after what I said about Serra because I wasn't sure. It's 1 in the morning and I'm using my phone. You really think I was gonna go record hunt?

I guess you got me.

 

[Scamrock]

The statement is absolutely true for 155 and up. For the lower weight divisions, there was still talent since they had never done a 135/145 TUF before. Context people.

It's tougher to break out of you are 155 and up because there are a lot more fighters to navigate through to move up the ranks, but that doesn't mean they still don't produce quality fighters and potential contenders.

Hell, look at Gastelum. He looks good. He is moving up the ranks quickly. But he is only 22. He has all the time in the world.

Look at Warlley Alves from TUF Brazil 3. He was my pick to win it all and here he is in the Finals. I think he looks like a solid UFC fighter right now. He is only 23. It's another guy who looks great already, but has all the time in the world to get better and maybe be a contender some day.

Uriah Hall has the skills and the natural gifts to be a champion. If he can get it together mentally, he has crazy potential.

Then when you consider some of the contenders, like TJ Grant, who a lot of people either didn't really know or thought he was going to be a career midcard WW, but then kept winning and earned himself a title shot (that he never got to cash in on). Look at Matt Brown going from a losing streak against mid-tier guys that had him on the hot seat to winning 7 straight and have people talking about him as a potential contender. Look at Dillashaw tonight. Nobody thought he would win. Even Jon Jones was brought into the UFC as a replacement fighter.

My point is, most people don't look like future champs when they first come to the UFC. We can't really look at the competition now and write them off because we don't know where they will be a few years down the road. Don't forget, Griffin and Evans weren't immediate contenders. It took them both 3 years to get their title shots.