The Ultimate Fighter: American Reality TV Series

The Ultimate Fighter Season 13 Episode 9 (Then it Turned Ugly) airs: Wednesday, May 25, 2011 at 9:00pm EDT on SPIKE TV.
The Ultimate Fighter is an American reality television series and mixed martial arts (MMA) competition produced by Spike TV and the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). The show features unknown, professional MMA fighters living together in Las Vegas, Nevada, and follows them as they train and compete against each other for a prized contract with the UFC. The series debuted on January 17, 2005, with its first episode, "The Quest Begins". To date, there have been twelve seasons of the show, two per calendar year, with a thirteenth scheduled. Each season features either one or two weight classes in the tournament.
The historic Forrest Griffin vs. Stephan Bonnar fight in the first season drew millions of viewers to the show and launched the sport into the mainstream. Because of this success, The Ultimate Fighter was regarded as instrumental to the survival and expansion of the UFC. Many current and past UFC fighters are alumni of the show, with some competitors going on to become coaches in future seasons. The show has undergone multiple format changes since its inception, including the introduction of the wildcard bout. Many winners have gone on to compete for UFC championships with some becoming UFC champions.
The Ultimate Fighter was originally an experimental series financed by the owners of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta III. The series was aired on Spike TV for free as a last resort measure to gain mainstream exposure for mixed martial arts (MMA). Airing after World Wrestling Entertainment's flagship show Monday Night RAW, The Ultimate Fighter's debut episode was able to garner a 57% retention rate in viewers from RAW, which was double the usual rate for Spike TV. The live finale for the first season saw the historic bout of Forrest Griffin vs. Stephan Bonnar. Now widely regarded as the most influential fight in MMA history, the bout took place in what was the first ever MMA event on live and free television. The bout ended in a unanimous decision victory for Griffin and led to the show's renewal on Spike TV. Regarding the success of the show, UFC president Dana White said, "It's amazing to think.... how close we came to not being here today. If it weren't for what these guys did, I don't know if there would even be a UFC. I'll never forget these guys. Ever."
The renewal of the show saw UFC produce two more series, before subsequent renewals. In order to garner more attention for the sport, The Ultimate Fighter utilizes gimmicks: one notable example, in the ninth season, employed a country vs. country theme, with the United States competing against the United Kingdom. These gimmicks enabled the UFC to appeal to fans that had been recently introduced to the sport during UFCs penetration into the European market. The Ultimate Fighter also drew record viewing figures for Spike TV when YouTube sensation Kimbo Slice participated in the tenth season. Slice's fight against veteran Roy Nelson attracted viewers to the sport, drawing an audience of 6.1 million, making it one of the most viewed MMA fights in history.
The Ultimate Fighter Season 13 Episode 5: Wow Me aired at 9:00pm EDT on SPIKE TV on April 27, 2011.
The Ultimate Fighter Season 13 Episode 6 airs: Wednesday, May 4, 2011 at 9:00pm EDT on SPIKE TV channel.