The UFC and Spike TV held an open casting call at The Marriott Seattle Airport Hotel in Seattle, Washington, on April 6, 2009. The casting called for mixed-martial artists in the middleweight, light-heavyweight and heavyweight divisions. On the day of tryouts, 250 potential fighters appeared including UFC & International Fight League fighters and former National Football League football players. Notable applicants included NFL veterans Herbert Goodman & Rex Richards, UFC veteran Rob Yundt, and IFL veteran Aaron Stark.[3][4] As with the previous season, all applicants at the tryouts were required to have a professional MMA record.[5]
This season did not feature an elimination round as the past three seasons had. All competitors invited to Las Vegas for the show's taping participated in the entire season.[6]
Only 15 fighters are lined up until Dana White introduced internet street fighting sensation, Kimbo Slice.
The fighters divided up and trained separately with Rashad Evans and Quinton Jackson for evaluations.
White flipped a coin (silver for Rampage, gold for Rashad). The winner of the coin toss chose to either pick the first fighter or decide the first two match ups. The winning fighter's team had to win both fights to keep control of the fight match ups.
Evans won the coin toss and decided to pick the first fighter. This meant that Jackson got to pick the first fight.
Coach
1st Pick
2nd Pick
3rd Pick
4th Pick
5th Pick
6th Pick
7th Pick
8th Pick
Rashad
James McSweeney
Brendan Schaub
Justin Wren
Jon Madsen
Roy Nelson
Darrill Schoonover
Matt Mitrione
Mike Wessel
Rampage
Kimbo Slice
Abe Wagner
Demico Rogers
Wes Sims
Scott Junk
Wes Shivers
Marcus Jones
Zak Jensen
Jackson matches Wagner against Madsen.
Jon Madsen defeated Abe Wagner via unanimous decision after two rounds.
At the end of the episode, it is seen that the gash on Wagner's head is so deep, that the medic treating him can see his skull.
Episode 2: All About Survival
Roy Nelson had a discussion with Rashad Evans and the gold team's coaches about his attitude and whether he really wanted to train with the team.
Jackson matched James McSweeney against Wes Shivers.
Team Rashad went past their allotted training time, into the silver team's training time. Quinton Jackson approached Evans and jokingly asked the team to leave.
James McSweeney defeated Wes Shivers by majority decision after two rounds.
Evans matched Nelson against Kimbo Slice.
Episode 3: The Enemy
Keith Jardine appeared at Team Rashad's training session, in support of his friend's team.
Rashad Evans and Quinton Jackson had an argument over the scheduling of the match against each other. James McSweeney joined the argument and Evans pulled him away.
Marcus Jones again struggled in training, this time complaining of an apparent knee injury. Despite this, Jones expressed his desire to compete in the next fight.
Roy Nelson defeated Kimbo Slice by TKO (strikes) at 2:01 in the second round.
Episode 4: Snitch
Marcus Jones was shown sweating profusely, prompting concerns that he would not be able to fight.
Rashad Evans informed his team of the likely choices for the remaining fights.
Justin Wren disagreed with Evans' choice of fight in him against Scott Junk, owing to their friendship.
Matt Mitrione told Team Rampage the planned matches, which led to him becoming a pariah to the rest of his team, who subsequently labelled him as a snitch.
Evans matched Brendan Schaub against Demico Rogers.
Brendan Schaub defeated Demico Rogers by submission (anaconda choke) at 3:17 in the first round.
After the fight, Quinton Jackson did not meet with Rogers; instead, Evans gave him some words of encouragement.
Episode 5: Rude Awakening
Matt Mitrione injured his shoulder in training, but wished to fight soon, leading Team Rashad to question whether his shoulder was legitimately injured or merely sore.
Rashad Evans, in discussion with his assistant coaches, worried about putting Mitrione in the fight and continuing their undefeated streak.
Zak Jensen also became an outcast in the house after being accused of masturbating in the communal bathroom and passing out during practice.
Evans matched Justin Wren against Wes Sims.
Marcus Jones believed that Evans promised him the next fight and becomes very emotional when he is not picked.
Justin Wren defeated Wes Sims by submission (arm triangle choke) at 1:34 in the first round.
Following the match, Quinton Jackson walked away from the cage without checking on his fighter.
Later, in the locker room area, Evans approached Jackson about this, which led to them having another verbal confrontation.
Episode 6: 16 Sharks
Phil Nurse, stand up coach for Georges St-Pierre and Evans, came to help his student at Team Rashad's training practice.
Rashad Evans matches Darrill Schoonover against Zak Jensen.
Quinton Jackson kept calling Schoonover "Titties" and during the fight announcement, Schoonover started swearing at Jackson, leading to a verbal confrontation between the two.
Team Rampage gave Jensen the nickname "Linderman" and Wes Sims started a poll of when Jensen would have a breakdown.
During a training session, Jensen suffered a large cut over his eye. It gets stitched up but there was some concern whether he can fight or wants to fight.
Tiki Ghosn hired an artist to draw a picture of Team Rashad. They hang it in the training center, but Evans took it down before anyone on his team could see. Team Rampage later presented it to the gold team gift wrapped.
Darrill Schoonover defeated Zak Jensen by submission (triangle choke) at 2:29 in the first round.
Episode 7: Voices In My Head
Rashad Evans announced the final two preliminary fights: Matt Mitrione vs. Scott Junk and Mike Wessel vs. Marcus Jones.
Evans and Quinton Jackson continued their war of words, with Evans claiming that Jackson quit on his fighters, not the other way around.
Wes Sims and James McSweeney created a bet as to when Mitrione will break down or snap, much like the previous weeks' bet about Zak Jensen.
During a training session, Jon Madsen and Mitrione nearly came to blows during sparring.
What happened was that Mitrone was told about Madsen saying that he was going to slap him behind his back. He then decided to go out 100%, more than what the coaches instructed.
Evans then approached Mitrione, questioning if he would have the same aggressive temper during the fight.
Matt Mitrione defeated Scott Junk by majority decision after two rounds.
Following the match, Jackson walked away from the cage, flung a water bottle, and destroyed a door leading to the locker room area.
Episode 8: One Soldier Left
Brendan Schaub drew an insulting caricature of Marcus Jones. Mike Wessel later adds "sucks balls" to the bottom of the picture, which angered Jones.
Darrill Schoonover again squared up to Quinton Jackson over his repeated "titties" jibes.
Marcus Jones defeated Mike Wessel by submission (armbar) at 0:50 in the first round.
Jones ends up being the first and only Team Rampage member to make it into the quarterfinals.
Dana White and the two coaches met with each quarter-finalist to find out who their preferred opponent in the next round was.
The quarterfinal fights were announced as:
Roy Nelson vs. Justin Wren
Brendan Schaub vs. Jon Madsen
James McSweeney vs. Matt Mitrione
Marcus Jones vs. Darrill Schoonover
Rashad Evans offered Team Rampage members the chance to train with him and later, he and Jackson clash once more.
Episode 9: Rattled
Matt Mitrione complains of severe headaches and nausea as a result of his match with Scott Junk. Some believed that he may have had a concussion and may not be able to continue in the tournament. He was sent to the hospital to get a medical evaluation.
As a practical joke, Quinton Jackson and his assistant coaches put chickens in the cars of the Team Rashad coaches.
Dana White visited the house and talked with Mitrione and has him claim that if the doctor clears him to fight, he will fight in his quarterfinal match.
Roy Nelson defeated Justin Wren by majority decision after two rounds.
Episode 10: Gut Check
Matt Mitrione said that the doctor who examined him said he had swelling of the brain as a result of his fight against Scott Junk. There is discussion among Team Rashad coaches as well as other fighters about whether Mitrione will be able to continue in the tournament.
Kimbo Slice had issues with his knee. He had an MRI done and an examination by a doctor. Slice was missing cartilage in his knee and faced the possibility of needing an operation.
The coaches challenge is 2 vs. 2 beach volleyball. Team Rashad defeated Team Rampage, earning Rashad Evans $10,000 and the gold team's fighters $1,500 each.
Evans talked with Mitrione and asked him if he wanted to fight. Mitrione was unable to give him a straight answer. Evans called White about the situation.
Dana White talked with all of the fighters in the training center. He told them that fighters get hurt and fighters fight hurt, but none of them are being forced to fight. He told Mitrione that they will not know if he is medically cleared to fight until the next day; if he is medically cleared, he needed to decide whether he wanted to fight.
Brendan Schaub defeated Jon Madsen by KO (punch) at 1:39 in the second round.
Episode 11: Road to the Finale
Note: This episode aired in the United States as a two-hour episode.
Dana White wanted to talk with fighters for a possible replacement for Matt Mitrione.
White at first talked to Kimbo Slice who complained of knee problems and did not think he could fight to his fullest. Options were given to Slice, such as cortisone shots and other treatments, to improve the arthritis in his knee. However, he turned down the treatment and the possible fight.
Mitrione talked on the phone with his doctor and said he wanted to fight. The doctor cleared him to fight.
Scott Junk was having problems seeing following his fight. The doctor told him there were two small tears in his retina and that he must have surgery or he may go blind. There were questions about whether or not he will be able to fight again.
Marcus Jones took the news about Junk personally. He told Mitrione to give a reason to hit him and claimed that he killed Junk's career.
Junk got an update that the eye surgery was a success and he could start training again in two months time.
At the weigh-in, Mitrione and McSweeney got in each other's faces, and the Englishman shoved Mitrione away.
James McSweeney defeated Matt Mitrione by submission (guillotine choke) at 3:38 in the first round.
Marcus Jones defeated Darrill Schoonover by TKO (punches) at 2:37 in the first round.
The semifinal matches consisted of three, five-minute rounds. The semifinal matches were announced as:
Roy Nelson vs. James McSweeney
Marcus Jones vs. Brendan Schaub
McSweeney locked a claustrophobic Zak Jensen in the bathroom. After being let out, Jensen attacked McSweeney who put him in a standing guillotine choke until he calmed down.
Roy Nelson defeated James McSweeney by TKO (strikes) at 4:13 in the first round.
Brendan Schaub defeated Marcus Jones by TKO (punches) at 2:11 in the first round.
TV ratings
"TUF 10" episode No. 1: 4.1 million viewers
"TUF 10" episode No. 2: 2.9 million viewers
"TUF 10" episode No. 3: 5.3 million viewers (peak: 7.25 million with DVR viewing)
"TUF 10" episode No. 4: 2.8 million viewers (peak: 4.89 million with DVR viewing)
This card featured was the finals from The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights in the Heavyweight division. It also featured the official UFC debut of Kimbo Slice.
A previously announced bout between Rousimar Palhares and Lucio Linhares was moved to UFC 107.[10] Linhares was a replacement for Alessio Sakara who had to pull out due to rumored visa issues.[11]
Frankie Edgar was expected to face Kurt Pellegrino on the card,[12] but Pellegrino was forced to withdraw due to an injury.[13]Matt Veach, who was previously scheduled to fight Mark Bocek on the event's undercard was named as Edgar' new opponent.[14]
The following is the reported payout to the fighters as reported to the Nevada State Athletic Commission. It does not include sponsor money or "locker room" bonuses often given by the UFC and also do not include the UFC's traditional "fight night" bonuses.[16]
Roy Nelson: $16,000 ($8,000 win bonus) def. Brendan Schaub: $8,000
Matt Hamill: $46,000 ($23,000 win bonus) def. Jon Jones: $20,000
Kimbo Slice: $25,000 (no win bonus) def. Houston Alexander: $13,000
Frankie Edgar: $46,000 ($23,000 win bonus) def. Matt Veach: $5,000
Matt Mitrione: $16,000 ($8,000 win bonus) def. Marcus Jones: $8,000
James McSweeney: $16,000 ($8,000 win bonus) def. Darrill Schoonover: $8,000
Jon Madsen: $16,000 ($8,000 win bonus) def. Justin Wren: $8,000
Brian Stann: $30,000 ($15,000 win bonus) def. Rodney Wallace: $6,000
John Howard: $14,000 ($7,000 win bonus) def. Dennis Hallman: $15,000
Mark Bocek: $30,000 ($15,000 win bonus) def. Joe Brammer: $5,000
