We are getting close to wrapping up the Ultimate Fighter Season 6 and I wanted to take a look back at all of the fighters that were pardoned from The Ultimate Fighter during the past six seasons to see where they presently stood in MMA. Some of these fighters were removed from the show willingly or due of injury while others were yanked off television at the hands of an angry Dana White. I did not include fighters who did not make it past Week 1 because there’s nothing to really take from their performance on the show. In the end, we can determine if The Ultimate Fighter was a stepping stone for fighters or merely advertising for the UFC. Then we’ll take a look at how these guys stack up to the ex-TUF fighters who are still in the UFC.
Noah Inhofer: This spectacled fighter seemed like he had a chance to shine as a TUF 3 contestant back in 2005, but things quickly changed after he received a message from his girlfriend stating that there were some problems back home. Inhofer decided he wanted to leave immediately and end his stint as an Ultimate Fighter to be with his friends and family. This is where the famous Dana White “do you wanna be a fighter†speech comes back to the show after the first season. Although White was able to paint a very sharp picture of a possible career-ending decision to Inhofer, this didn’t stop him from leaving and the now ex-UFC fighter went on the record after departing the show to defend his actions.
“People say that they would give up everything for the ones they love. I feel honored that I actually got to do that, not that she was the lone reason,” Inhofer said in an interview Thursday afternoon. “The point is, I knew she was hurting, and I’m not the kind of person that could let that go. It would have been selfish of me to know she was going through these hard times without me being by her side.”
It wasn’t just all about leaving the show either. Inhofer claims that the producers added some drama to the situation as well.
“All of the things on there happened, but they’re taken out of context,” he said. “Also the producers can find things in order to push you in a certain direction.
“If you had a TV show where everyone got along, people wouldn’t watch it.â€
Back on the show, Dana White was heard telling viewers that he hopes Inhofer ends up marrying his girlfriend because she is the reason why he isn’t in the UFC anymore. Once we look at the bigger picture, was it worth it for the light-heavyweight’s fighting career? Well, according to his post-TUF fighting record, probably not. In his two recent bouts, Inhofer went 1-1 in two smaller organizations. On his MySpace page, the South Dakota native says he is in college and also still in a relationship. Is it the same girl? But then again, does it really matter to Noah Inhofer?
Matt Hamill: You couldn’t a blind UFC fighter, but you could be the next worst thing; deaf. Matt Hamill has proven that physical handicaps can be overcome with just a little perseverance. As a contestant in The Ultimate Fighter 3, Hamill enjoyed the attention he received from coach and Team Punishment leader, Tito Ortiz. Along with this attention came the hatred from fellow TUF 3 teammate, Michael Bisping. Unfortunately, Hamill eliminated himself before he could fight Bisping and their recent fight left viewers wanting more. He talks more about it here.
The show had some interesting twists and turns but it was a great experience for me and I wouldn’t give it up for anything else. I made it to the semi-finals and won. But I wasn’t allowed to move on to the finals because yes, I got injured during a practice session where I hurt my elbow but still fought in the semi-finals. I fell into “unconciousness” at some point during the fight and don’t remember it at all, not even winning. I arrived to the hospital after the fight where I was in a “semi-coma” for 13 hours. They didn’t say that on the show. When I was released from the hospital, I still had no idea what had happened and I didn’t know I had been eliminated until I came back to the practice session. It was a big upset for me. I was ready and willing to fight in the finals. I was injured and I did win the semi-finals, even with my injury. If the doctor had okayed me to fight in the finals I believe I would be holding the contract in my hands right now instead of Mike Bisping.
Bisping went on to win the Ultimate Fighter with a win against Josh Haynes while Hamill fought Jesse Forbes on the undercard. The Bisping vs. Hamill fight finally emerged at UFC 74. While Bisping edged Hamill due to a controversial split decision, Hamill says he is ready to avenge his loss and come back as a contender in the light heavyweight class after he recovers from his current injuries.
Stay tuned for Part 2 with more dropouts from two recent seasons and a deeper look into the power of Dana White.
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I do still love MMA and have...
