What defines a sport? Some would argue that fighting is what defines hockey. There are those who might say slow and boring defines baseball. When it comes to MMA the answer isn’t so simple as to say “violence”; MMA and its place in the world today are defined by a moment in time when Stephan Bonnar and Forrest Griffin stepped into the ring of the finale of the first Ultimate Fighter season finale and showed us with unbridled violence and will what this sport is really all about. That was back in 2005. Which brings us to where we are now, the fifteenth season of TUF, seven years later. With a new network and a new format, does the show still have the steam drive the UFC machine like it did in the past?
This season, instead of maintaining the standard “Big Brother” format that has been characteristic of every season past (I apologize for the analogy), the producers at FX decided that a live format might help to freshen up the series and breathe into it new life. After the first litmus test, the results were not encouraging. The premiere episode drew 1.5 million viewers, which may not be that bad for a show on a specialty network in general terms – however, this is a show that was generating higher average numbers on a channel with less penetration (re: Spike).
I personally don’t feel as though The Ultimate Fighter has run its course, but when a show has been through fifteen seasons expecting to kick it to a whole new level is a very lofty ambition – often promised, rarely achieved. At a certain point people’s preconceived notions of a show become crystallized and difficult to fracture no matter how much innovate. I believe that this is the cycle that TUF has found itself in.
Does this mean that the UFC and FOX should call it quits on TUF? Not by a mile. The show, as it is, must go on. They maintain a loyal fan base with the show, which accounts for consistent viewership numbers, and it’s a great breeding ground for the new crop of fighters coming into the UFC. I’ll continue to watch with interest, but will I expect my neighbour who thinks UFC stands “Ultimate Food Cook-off” to tune under the guise of a new format? Not so much.
… and that is the last word.
