MMA Junkie reports that TUF 7 this year will have 32 fighters instead of the regular 16:
According to a source close to the show, “The Ultimate Fighter 7” will start with 32 cast members — not the usual 16 — and every one of them will have to fight as soon as the show begins. The 16 winners earn a spot in the house, and the 16 losers are sent packing for home.
Those fights will likely be televised at a breakneck speed, meaning the season’s first couple episodes should include 16 fights in total. That’s a far cry from past seasons of the reality series, when the first fight of the season sometimes didn’t take place until a second or even third episode.
Looks like the advertising pitch for TUF this season will be twice as many fights. I of course like this, I don’t give a s— about Big Brother drama among fighters.
TUF will likely be longer this year too, rather than the standard 12 weeks, unless they do 2 fights a week every week. This could push Quinton and Forrest’s fight back into late Summer.