As is well-known by now, UFC stars Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler are coaching the latest season of The Ultimate Fighter.
What hasn’t been known until this point is just who would be fighting on the show. That changed on Saturday night, with UFC officials revealing the latest TUF roster via press release.
Expected to air this summer, The Ultimate Fighter 31 is set to feature bantamweight and lightweight fighters. In an interesting twist, the format will feature veterans and prospects, meaning multiple former UFC fighters will feature on the show.
Among them, former Ultimate Fighter winner Brad Katona will feature on the bantamweight side, alongside UFC vets Hunter Azure, Cody Gibson, and the superbly talented Timur Valiev, whose release by the promotion last June had seemed extremely premature, given he had just one loss in the company.
On the prospect side, Dana White’s Contender Series alum Mando Gutierrez, who lost to teenage sensation Raul Rosas Jr. on the show, are among those featured.
At lightweight, veterans include Jason Knight, who found success with BKFC after exiting the UFC, as well as Kurt Holobaugh and Austin Hubbard. Landon Quinones, a Titan FC regular, and Nate Jennerman, an LFA and PFL alum, are among the prospects.
The Ultimate Fighter 31 will launch on May 30, 2023 on ESPN and ESPN+ in the U.S., running weekly each Tuesday. Below is the full cast list for this latest TUF season.
MEN’S BATAMWEIGHT (135)
Mando Gutierrez | 26 | 8-2 | East Lansing, Mich.
Trevor Wells | 27 | 8-3 | Temecula, Calif.
Carlos Vera | 35 | 12-3 | Falls Church, Vir.
Rico DiSciullo | 36 | 11-2 | Somerville, Mass.
Cody Gibson | 35 | 19-8 | San Luis Obispo County, Calif.
Timur Valiev | 32 | 18-3 | Moscow, Russia
Hunter Azure | 30 | 10-3 | Phoenix, Ariz.
Brad Katona | 31 | 12-2 | Dublin, Ireland
MEN’S LIGHTWEIGHT (155)
Landon Quiñones | 27 | 7-1-1 | Sunrise, Fla.
Aaron McKenzie | 26 | 11-2-1 | Oklahoma City, Okla.
Nate Jennerman | 30 | 16-5 | Sheboygan, Wis.
Lee Hammond | 26 | 5-0 | Dublin, Ireland
Austin Hubbard | 31 | 15-6 | Denver, Colo.
Roosevelt Roberts | 29 | 12-3 | Lathrop, Calif.
Kurt Holobaugh | 36 | 19-7 | Franklinton, La.
Jason Knight | 30 | 22-7 | Lucedale, Miss.
