Meet The Ultimate Fighter Live Coaches

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This is the true story…of 16 strangers…picked to fight in a cage…train together and have their lives taped…to find out what happens…when people stop being polite…and start fighting.

Yes, it is that time of year again: a time when reality television becomes worth watching, a time where you can see real animosity, real blood, and real ass-kickings, courtesy of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. This is The Ultimate Fighter: Live. Going into its 15th season, critics may wonder how a show that features weekly fights could survive so long, to which we would reply: it’s a show that features weekly fights. Moreover, it’s not just the battles but the war. The winner is awarded a UFC contract, though some of the losers also go on to compete in the octagon. The secret? Non-stop action. Whether you’re seeing fighters beating the crap out of each other in or out of the ring, introductions featuring a door being blasted to bits by bare fists, or merely a bunch of guys hanging out drinking beer in a mansion, The Ultimate Fighter has always been everything every man has wanted in reality programming. Well…we are left without hot co-eds walking around in their underwear, but hopefully that will change with an all-female cast for the sweet 16 season.

But the real stars of this show? The coaches. Normally coaches are selected because of championship implications or fighter grudges. With Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz and top contender Urijah Faber going head to head, we have both. But how do these two men compare, besides sharing a 1-1 record against each other with one of those fights a title bout? What are their strengths and weaknesses as fighters and entertainers? We’ve compiled all of this important information in some handy UFC trading cards, only available here…unless UFC President Dana White buys them off of us. So, without further ado, we present the completely unofficial stat sheets for Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber.

There is no denying that Dominick Cruz is the Bantamweight Champion, no matter how much Urijah Faber may complain about it. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have the words to debate the issue, which is odd since his job before becoming a full-time MMA fighter was as a customer service representative.

cruz front3 Meet The Ultimate Fighter Live Coaches

Getty/Isaac Brekken/Stringer / Background: Thinkstock

cruz back2 Meet The Ultimate Fighter Live Coaches

Getty/Isaac Brekken/Stringer / Background: Thinkstock

Then again, most customer service representatives read from cue cards, which annoys the public to no end. As a game while watching, drink every time Cruz sounds like he’s reading from a teleprompter.

College graduate; coach; aggressive; ass-chin. All of these components make up the top contender for the UFC Bantamweight championship, Urijah Faber. Prone to trash-talking, especially when he believes the judges were wrong, like when Dominick Cruz retained his belt in a unanimous decision. Faber’s experience in MMA coaching and a role in a Kenny Powers K-Swiss commercial is believed to give him an edge in The Ultimate Fighter, as he trains his camp and unloads top-notch one-liners and pop culture references respectively. If he can do that, and keep ridiculous photo-shoots to a minimum, he may become the most entertaining coach in TUF history.

faber front3 Meet The Ultimate Fighter Live Coaches

Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty / Background: Thinkstock

faber back2 Meet The Ultimate Fighter Live Coaches

Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty / Background: Thinkstock

Patrick Emmel gained a green belt in tae kwon do when he was 7 years old, but discontinued training due to soccer practice. You can see more of his work at www.theineptowl.com or heckle him on Twitter @Patrick_AE.