5 best moments in Ultimate Fighter history
5. Do You Wanna Be a @*$#ing Fighter? – Dana White, Every Season Dana White’s infamous speech, a version of…
5. Do You Wanna Be a @*$#ing Fighter? – Dana White, Every Season
Dana White’s infamous speech, a version of which has been delivered every season since, either to the entire cast or an individual fighter, kicks off the list.
While the speech is vintage Dana White – what with the numerous F-bombs in a short amount of time – it’s also a very true decree about what it takes to be a fighter and the realities that come with it. As glamorous and awesome as you and I may think it looks, it’s still a job and you have to want it.
As Chris Leben said after hearing the speech, If the President of the UFC can’t get you fired up…
4. Who Won? He Did? – Solomon Hutcherson, Season 3
Hutcherson and Season 3 middleweight winner Kendall Grove formed Team Dagger, an alliance between the two to share information and just be boys long before Jamie Yager and company rolled out The Minority Report on Season 11.
Anyway, Hutcherson spent the better part of the season talking all kinds of junk, with much of it directed at Rory Singer. Admittedly, Singer is an odd cat and an easy target in a house full of alpha male, Type-A personalities. The two met in the quarterfinals, with Hutcherson detailing at length how he was going to pound on Singer and advance to join Grove in the semis. That didn’t happen.
3. Matt Serra vs. Marc Laimon – Season 4
This was a verbal battle and one that cemented my love of Matt Serra. Honestly, I’m eagerly awaiting his video blog for his upcoming fight at UFC 119 because the entertainment it provides is better than most primetime programming on television these days.
The cast is given the opportunity to watch UFC 60, where Matt Hughes defeats Royce Gracie much to the chagrin of Serra, who has studied with the Gracies and earned his black belt under Renzo Gracie.
2. Scott Smith vs. Pete Sell – Season 4 Finale
This was an actual fight from Season 4 and it was tremendous.
These two just stood in there banging away on each other, exchanging smiles and high-fives mid-fight. The bout moved to the second round, and Sell caught Smith with a left to the mid-section. Joe Rogan called it as a shot to the floating rib, some have called it a liver shot; either way, it obviously hurt like hell as Smith buckles over, wincing and grabbing at the impacted area.
As Sell charges in for the finish – KABLAMMO! – Smith shows why he is known as Hands of Steel, dropping Drago with a stiff right right on the button for what is still one of my favorite knockouts of all-time.
1. Introducing Chris Leben
When every subsequent season features someone trying to steal the spotlight in some way, shape or form outside of the cage, they’re following in the footsteps of the original bad boy of The Ultimate Fighter, Chris Leben.
Thought he lost both of his fights during the season, Leben made an indelible impact on the program. It started with his peeing – sorry, spritzing – on Jason Thacker’s pillow while the Canadian was in the shower, and kept rolling as the booze kept flowing.