The Ultimate Fighter Latin America is officially back and has been filming its new series in Las Vegas, since March 17th. After reaching an average of 7 million viewers per episode in Mexico and millions more viewers around Latin America during season one, The Ultimate Fighter Latin America is set to premiere starting the week of August 26th on UFCFIGHTPASS.com, PM Channel 5 in Mexico, UFC Network and free-to-air networks in Latin America. For 2015, UFC has recruited talent from all over the region and divided them into two teams: Team Gastelum and Team Escudero. Both teams will represent a combination of Latin American countries including: Argentina, Chile, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and Spain.
TUF Latin America 2 cast revealed
Kelvin Gastelum (The Ultimate Fighter winner of season 17) and Efrain Escudero (winner of season Eight of the reality series and first Mexican to win a contract with the UFC), will be official coaches of the second Spanish speaking series of the reality show. In this ninth international edition of the most challenging sports tournament on television, Gastelum will lead a team of four lightweight (155lbs) and four welterweight (170lbs) fighters against Escudero’s squad of eight similarly divided fighters from Latin American countries.
The list of competitors includes fighters hailing from Argentina, Chile, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay and Spain. The competitors are listed in alphabetical order (Name, Professional MMA record, Age, Hometown):
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LIGHTWEIGHT |
WELTERWEIGHT |
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César Arzamendia (6-1), 23, Alto Parana, Paraguay Enrique Barzola (10-2), 25, Lima, Peru
Horacio Gutiérrez (3-1), 24, Guadalajara, Mexico Oliver Meza (3-0), 28, Panama City, Panama Jonathan Ortega (7-2-1), 31, Temuco, Chile Marco Polo Reyes (19-7), 30, Mexicali, Mexico Daniel Salas (15-5), DF, Mexico Christihian Soto (5-4), 31, Managua, Nicaragua |
Héctor Aldana (5-0), 26, San Luis Rio Colorado, Mexico Wilmer Fernández (7-1), 33, San Pedro Sula, Honduras Alvaro Herrera (8-3), 29, Guadalajara, Mexico Enrique Marín (8-2), 28, Sevilla, Spain Kevin Medinilla (5-0), 23, Buenos Aires, Argentina Erick Montaño (9-5), 29, DF, Mexico Marco Olano (6-1), 21, Lima, Peru Vernon Ramos (3-0), 22, La Fontana, Panama
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Fans from the following countries will be able to catch the season on their respective free-to-air networks: Bolivia: Red Uno, Mexico: Channel 5, Nicaragua: Viva Nicaragua, Honduras: Teleprogreso, Panama: NexTV, Paraguay: Telefuturo, Chile: Via X, Peru: America TV and Venezuela: Meridiano TV. The season will premiere on these networks the week of August 26, though dates and weekly episodes will vary per country. Viewers should check their local listings for further information.
More networks will be confirmed prior to the series premiere and subscribers to the UFC Network in Latin America will also get the chance to catch replays and watch exclusive content.
The season finale will be featured during Mexico’s second live event later this year. The card will host the final lightweight and welterweight bouts of the series, crowning the winners of The Ultimate Fighter Latin America season 2. Further event and ticket details will be released later this summer ahead of the scheduled on-sale at the end of August.
In addition to Kelvin Gastelum and Efrain Escudero, The Ultimate Fighter has launched the careers of more than 100 UFC fighters and produced champions such as Forrest Griffin, Rashad Evans, Matt Serra and current bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw as well as season winners including Michael Bisping, Ryan Bader and Nate Diaz. Mexican American Tony Ferguson captured the season 13 lightweight title, while Diego Sanchez, also of Mexican descent, was the first-ever winner of the franchise. Sanchez defeated Kenny Florian, a fighter of Peruvian descent, at The Ultimate Fighter 1 Finale in 2005. In 2014, Mexican featherweight fighter, Yair Rodriguez, and bantamweight competitor, Alejando Perez, were crowned season winners of the first Spanish speaking series of The Ultimate Fighter Latin America.
For more show information, bios, videos and photos, visit ultimatefighter.com and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @UltimateFighter or on Facebook.com/TUF.
