UFC Spotlight

This week's UFC spotlight is on the current season of The Ultimate Fighter.

Okay, so it may not be quite like the first season where Randy Couture and Chuck Liddell were opposing coaches. And maybe it isn't as good as season three, during which coaches Tito Ortiz and Ken Shamrock constantly went at each other. It certainly isn't season four, in which Matt Serra won the tournament to get a title shot against Georges St. Pierre which he quickly turned into a title change. This season doesn't have those fireworks, but it's still worth watching, and here's why:

1. BJ Penn and Jens Pulver. The coaches, two of the most heralded Lightweights in the history of the UFC, will finish the season with a legitimate fight. These guys fought before, with Pulver winning a decision, and they simply do not like one another. Penn fueled the flames when picking teams by asking the fighters to raise their hand if they didn't want any part of Pulver's team. Pulver retaliated by taking the first 5 wins, but Penn has returned with the most recent 3. It has been a subtle back and forth all season, but is just as entertaining as prior seasons.

2. Dana White. With the increased exposure of the UFC, Dana White has inexplicably turned into a raging nutcase. Not that this is a bad thing for the ratings; some of the best moments have come when Dana kicks a fighter out of the house for not making weight (episode 5) and explodes on a "fired" Team Penn member for not wanting to join Team Pulver (episode 7).


3. Joe Lauzon. Easily the most talented fighter on this season, Lauzon, a Team Penn member, actually beat Jens Pulver earlier in his career. That's right: one of the fighters beat the opposing team's coach by KO in 48 seconds, in a match in which Lauzon was the 7 to 1 underdog. If that doesn't spell good television, then I don't know what does. Lauzon has won his last four fights and is 14-3 overall.

SpikeTV was smart enough to put the show on Thursday nights, meaning it won't compete with any of the WWE's brands or American Idol. They're counting on the fact you don't have anything better to do on a Thursday night at 10 PM. And let's be honest...you don't.