The Ultimate Fighter 18 Cast Revealed: Features Many Notable & Familiar Female Athletes

By BJPENN.COM News - August 15, 2013


The Ultimate Fighting Championships reality series, The Ultimate Fighter, is set to debut its 18th season on Fox Sports 1 starting on September 4th.

For the first time in the shows history the UFC is featuring two female coaches and a mixed gender cast of fighters.

UFC female bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey will coach this season opposite her biggest sporting rival, Miesha Tate, and the two female fighters are set to face off in a rematch for the UFC title in December at UFC 168.

“This season of ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ was monumental, as we had women as coaches and competitors – fighting and living together with the men – for the first time ever,” UFC President Dana White stated. “Obviously the fierce rivalry between Ronda and Miesha is going to get everyone’s attention, but it doesn’t take away from their dedication and success as coaches and the level of talent this season. One of the things that always makes ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ great is the fights, and this season continues to deliver. Since we added the women’s division earlier this year, they’ve been putting on awesome fights, and the streak continues on the show, giving the men some serious competition and setting up some ‘Fight of the Night’-worthy battles.”

32 fighters will start off on this season of ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ and many of the females are recognizable faces that have a deep-rooted history in WMMA.

Here is the cast as recently revealed by Fox and the UFC.

WOMEN
Shayna Baszler (15-8), 33, Sioux Falls, S.D.

Revelina Berto (3-1), 24, Winter Haven, Fla.

Jessamyn Duke (2-1), 27, Richmond, Ky.

Tonya Evinger (11-6), 32, Lake St. Louis, Mo.

Laura Howarth (4-0), 26, Hove, East Essex, England

Tara LaRosa (21-3), 35, Albuquerque, N.M.

Valerie Letourneau (4-3), 30, La Prairie, Canada

Bethany Marshall (4-1), 25, Newport News, Va.

Sarah Moras (3-1), 25, Kelowna, Canada

Peggy Morgan (2-0), 33, Nashua, N.H.

Gina Mazany (3-0), 25, Seattle

Roxanne Modafferi (15-10), 30, Pittsfield, Mass.

Julianna Pena (4-2), 24, Spokane, Wash.

Raquel Pennington (3-3), 24, Colorado Springs, Colo.

Jessica Rakoczy (1-3), 36, Las Vegas

Colleen Schneider (4-3), 31, Las Vegas
MEN
Chris Beal (7-0), 28, Somis, Calif.

Cody Bollinger (14-3), 22, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.

Louis Fisette (6-1), 23, Winnipeg

Rafael Freitas (6-0-1), 29, Albuquerque, N.M.

Davey Grant (8-1), 27, Bishop Auckland, England

Tim Gorman (9-2), 30, West Des Moines, Iowa

Anthony Gutierrez (4-0), 22, Lee’s Summit, Mo.

Emil Hartsner (4-0), 23, Luberod, Sweden

Josh Hill (9-0), 26, Binbrook, Canada

Chris Holdsworth (4-0), 25, Woodland Hills, Calif.

Patrick Holohan (9-0-1), 25, Dublin

Sirwan Kakai (9-1), 23, Coconut Creek, Fla.

Danny Martinez (18-4), 28, San Diego

Matt Munsey (4-1), 26, Hollywood, Fla.

Lee Sandmeier (9-0), 30, Knoxville, Iowa

Michael Wooten (6-0), 24, Liverpool, England

This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM


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