Winner of "The Ultimate Fighter 24" to receive flyweight title shot
The UFC is having to resort to unorthodox means to find challengers for the unbeatable Demetrious Johnson.
A 24th season of "The Ultimate Fighter" was confirmed Tuesday and the winner will receive a shot at Johnson's flyweight title, according to a press release from the UFC. This is a significant upgrade from the usual prize, a six-figure contract to compete in the Octagon.
The move was necessitated by Johnson having defeated every high-ranking 125er in the company, including two wins over perennial contender Joseph Benavidez. Should he get past Henry Cejudo at UFC 197 on April 23, his next challenger will come from the UFC's long-running reality show.
This is not the first "TUF" season to have title implications.
Season four, known as "The Comeback," featured fighters who had brief stints in the UFC getting a second chance to prove themselves and earn a title shot. That season featured tournaments at 170 and 185 pounds, with welterweight winner Matt Serra going on to actually win the world title with a memorable upset of Georges St-Pierre.
More recently, the 20th season of the show was used as a showcase for the UFC's debuting 115-pound division. Carla Esparza submitted Rose Namajunas at the finale to become the inaugural UFC strawweight champion.
"TUF 24" is set to premier Aug. 31.