Spike TV and Ultimate Fighting Championship® announce a partnership to develop and produce a one-hour, 13-part reality series that will provide an inside look at the process to locate, develop and train the professional Ultimate Fighters of the future. The new show, The Ultimate Fighter®, would premiere in January, 2005.

"The Ultimate Fighter® will reveal the passions, dedication and training it takes to break into UFC® events, and it will go behind the scenes into the business world of professional combat sports. This show will be the absolute in fighting reality TV," said series creator Craig Piligian.

Monday, January 17, 2005 - The Ultimate Fighter®'s First Season Premieres

The Ultimate Fighter® introduces the sport of mixed martial arts to the world by putting 16 of the best up-and-coming fighters in the world in Las Vegas home for six long, grueling weeks. The series also introduces to the general public the sport's two biggest stars, Chuck Liddell and Randy Couture, who served as coaches. Among the future UFC stars on Season 1 include Diego Sanchez, Forrest Griffin, Josh Koscheck, Stephan Bonnar, Kenny Florian, and Mike Swick.

Saturday, April 9, 2005 - The Ultimate Fighter® Season 1 Finale

The Ultimate Fighter® finale, arguably the most important night in the history of the UFC and mixed martial arts, makes Spike TV the first network in North America to telecast a live MMA fight. The night was highlighted by one of the greatest fights in the history of the UFC as Stephan Bonnar and Forrest Griffin went three rounds in an intense, action-packed war for The Ultimate Fighter® light heavyweight crown. Griffin won a close decision, but Bonnar was given a contract as well.

The LIVE finale of The Ultimate Fighter® drew 2.6 million viewers making it the most watched fight in UFC history, at the time. The 2 ½ hour climax to the highly-rated season featured the middleweight Ultimate Fighter® title bout, in which Diego Sanchez knocked out Kenny Florian in the first round. "The World's Most Dangerous Man," Ken Shamrock lost to rising star Rich Franklin to a first round knockout in the final bout of the evening.

Tuesday, August 23, 2005 - Season 2 of The Ultimate Fighter® Premieres

The premiere of the second season of Spike TV's The Ultimate Fighter® drew 2.1 million viewers who watched Matt Hughes and Rich Franklin serve as coaches, and the series introduces the world to rising UFC stars such as Rashad Evans, Joe Stevenson, Keith Jardine, and Luke Cummo.

Saturday, November 5, 2005 - The Ultimate Fighter® 2 Finale

The heavily favored Joe Stevenson was given all he could handle by a more than game underdog Luke Cummo, and won a grueling three round decision to win the welterweight crown. Rashad Evans defeated Brad Imes in a slugfest in winning the heavyweight division.

The LIVE finale of The Ultimate Fighter® 2 drew more than 2.6 million viewers on making it the most watched fight in UFC history at the time. The three-hour climax to the highly-rated Spike TV reality series, The Ultimate Fighter® 2, drew more Men 18-24 than anything else on television including the highly touted college football match-ups Virginia Tech vs. Miami on ESPN and Notre Dame vs. Tennessee on NBC.

Thursday, April 6, 2006 - Season 3 of The Ultimate Fighter® Premieres

Tito Ortiz and Ken Shamrock moved their personal grudge match to coaching arena for Season 3 of The Ultimate Fighter®. Notable castmembers include the United Kingdom's Michael Bisping, Hawaii's Kendall Grove, and Matt Hamill, a deaf MMA fighter.

The season 3 premiere of Spike TV's The Ultimate Fighter® drew record ratings for the network and out-delivered anything else in television in its timeslot in the hard-to-reach demographic of Men 18-34.

Saturday, June 24, 2006 - The Ultimate Fighter® 3 Finale

In a fight for the ages, Kendall Grove won a decision over Ed Herman to become the middleweight champion of The Ultimate Fighter® 3. The fight was so impressive that Dana White also rewarded Herman a guaranteed contract. In the light heavyweight final, Michael Bisping defeated Josh Haynes in a dominant display of striking.

The live finale of Spike TV's The Ultimate Fighter® 3 drew 2.8 million viewers. At the time, the card was the highest rated Spike original telecast in the network's history in Men 18-49 with a 2.85 rating. The viewership peaked with 3.4 million and a 4.51 rating in Men 18-34 at 10:15 PM for the thrilling three-round, middleweight war between Kendall Grove and Ed Herman.

Friday, August 17, 2006 - The Ultimate Fighter® 4: The Comeback Premiere

The Ultimate Fighter® 4 had more than a guaranteed contract with the UFC at stake - the winner in each weight class would get a UFC title shot. Notable fighters appearing on the show include Chris Lytle, Matt Serra, Travis Lutter, Shonie Carter, and Patrick Coté.

Saturday, November 11, 2006 - The Ultimate Fighter® 4: The Comeback Finale

Matt Serra and Travis Lutter Earn Title Shots By Winning Their Respective Weight Classes at The Ultimate Fighter® 4 Finale

Travis Lutter trapped Patrick Coté in an armbar to capture The Ultimate Fighter® 4 middleweight division and secure a bout with Anderson Silva for the UFC® Middleweight title. Matt Serra defeated Chris Lytle by split decision and would go on to face Georges St. Pierre for the UFC® Welterweight crown.

Saturday, April 7, 2007 - The Ultimate Fighter® 4 Winner Matt Serra Shocks MMA World in Defeating Georges St. Pierre at UFC® 69.

For the first time ever, an Ultimate Fighter® alumnus wins a UFC® title as Matt Serra knocks out Georges St. Pierre in the first round at UFC® 69: Shootout in Houston to claim the welterweight crown.

Thursday, April 5, 2007 - The Ultimate Fighter® 5 Premieres

Rivals BJ Penn and Jens Pulver would serve as coaches for the season which featured only lightweight fighters. Notable castmembers include Nate Diaz, Manny Gamburyan, Joe Lauzon, and Gray Maynard.

Saturday, June 23, 2007 - The Ultimate Fighter® 5 Finale - Penn vs Pulver II

BJ Penn dominated his much anticipated rematch over fellow The Ultimate Fighter® 5 coach Jens Pulver in avenging his prior defeat at Pulver's hands. Nate Diaz defeated Manny Gamburyan in the lightweight final to secure a guaranteed contract with the UFC®.

Wednesday, September 19, 2007 - The Ultimate Fighter®: Team Hughes Vs Team Serra Premieres

Current welterweight champion Matt Serra and former welterweight champion serve as coaches to sixteen up and coming mixed martial artists in the 170 lb division.

The premiere of The Ultimate Fighter® 6 drew 1.7 million viewers; the series drew a 1.5 HH rating and a 1.7 in M18-49 and 1.9 in M18-34 and was the second most-watched series in all of cable with Men 18-49 for the day.

December 9, 2007 - The Ultimate Fighter® Team Hughes vs Team Serra Finale

The Team Serra vs. Team Hughes welterweight finale broadcast live on December 9, 2007 from The Pearl arena at The Palms in Las Vegas. The technical skills of Mac Danzig take on the brute strength of Tommy "The Farmboy" Speer in a contest to see who will walk away with a six-figure UFC® contract. Then, in a main event that will rock the Octagon off its foundation, "El Matador" Roger Huerta will clash with fellow lightweight Clay "The Carpenter" Guida.

Wednesday, April 2, 2008 - The Ultimate Fighter®: Team Rampage Vs Team Forrest Premieres

Current UFC® Light Heavyweight champion Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson and The Ultimate Fighter® season 1 winner Forrest Griffin serve as coaches to sixteen mixed martial artists in the Light Heavyweight division. This season starts with back-to-back fights as 32 fighters show up expecting to enter the TUF house, only to find they have to fight their way onto the show.

Saturday, June 21, 2008 - The Ultimate Fighter®: Team Rampage vs Team Forrest Finale

The seventh season of The Ultimate Fighter® culminates with a huge 3 hour live broadcast on Spike TV. After the most shocking twist in The Ultimate Fighter® history, see the finals of the middleweight tournament LIVE. Plus, a feature bout between Kendall "Da Spyder" Grove and former middleweight champion Evan Tanner.

Saturday, July 5, 2008 - UFC® 86 JACKSON vs GRIFFIN

The world is watching as UFC® Light Heavyweight Champion QUINTON “RAMPAGE” JACKSON and Ultimate Fighter® season 1 winner FORREST GRIFFIN spend 13 weeks as competing coaches on The Ultimate Fighter® season 7 reality show. Now, the time comes for these two mixed martial arts masters to go to war. On Saturday, July 5th, Griffin challenges Jackson for the most hotly contested title in the UFC® – the Light Heavyweight Championship and wins it in an unforgettable 5 round battle. Griffin becomes only the second Ultimate Fighter® participant to win a UFC® title.