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[IceCold48]

While initially intended to feature welterweights and middleweights, the upcoming 13th season of "The Ultimate Fighter" instead now will be a welterweights-only season.

A source close to the long-running competition/reality series today confirmed the plans with MMAjunkie.com (UFC blog for UFC news, UFC rumors, fighter interviews and event previews/recaps | MMAjunkie.com).

The show begins taping this month, and it debuts March 30 on Spike TV. Coaches are expected to be announced this week, a source said.

With the single weight class, "TUF 13" is expected to use the same 28-man, 32-slot tournament that has been employed in recent seasons. The initial 28 elimination-round fights, which air over the first episode or two of the show, will determine the initial cast of 14. The fighters then enter a 16-slot bracket, and two opening-round losers will get a second shot as "wild card" picks. ("TUF 11" wild-card pick Kris McCray eventually became the show's runner-up.)

The show again tapes in Las Vegas.

Many fighters, who traditionally meet in a season-ending fight, have been rumored for coaching slots on "TUF 13." But UFC officials haven't tipped their hand, and many leading candidates now instead are slotted for spring/early-summer UFC events.

Welterweights haven't been featured on the show since "TUF 10," a U.S. vs. U.K. version of the reality series that featured both 155- and 170-pounders.

The "TUF" series, which debuted in 2005, was the primary tool to get MMA and the UFC into the mainstream. The show has launched the careers of more than 100 UFC fighters, and past cast members such as Rashad Evans, Forrest Griffin and Matt Serra have gone on to win UFC titles.

"The Ultimate Fighter 13" cast shifts to all welterweights, coaches named this week | MMAjunkie.com

this to me pretty much means the the coaches are going to be middle weights. they tend to make the coaches one weight class higher then the contestants im guessing so they can drill but wont have to face each other in the ufc.

this would basically mean wand as a coach is a given.

[Northman]

Wand and Leben? So many people have calle dout Silva that it is hard to remember them all!

[TBEAR]

you know it is NOT Chael....

Wandy and Leben is my guess if it is MW....They both have the drawing power

[Fedorlei Gomipierre]

I wouldn't be "shocked" if it's still Chael.

[Pasha K]

I only want to see Wand as a coach, I dont care who is the 2nd.

[HillbillyDeluxe]

Wand vs Leben. Wand vs Stann. Wand vs Chael (yes, even tho he's "suspended")

It's one of those 3 almost guaranteed, with Wand vs Leben being the most probable. This should be interesting!

[Masscore]

It does not have to be MWs. They have done seasons where Coaches were smaller (Evans and Rampage with HWs) or way bigger (Big Nog and Frank Mir with LWs). Also Hughes and Serra coached WWs.

I would not mind seeing Couture v. Machida as coaches.

[Black]

Wandy vs Cheal omg I think it would be best TUF ever...

[dexter]

Originally Posted by IceCold48

The show has launched the careers of more than 100 UFC fighters.

I wouldn't have thought it was that many. That would mean this being 13 (and TUF 4 being fighters already with UFC contracts) that of the 11 series an average of ca.9 fighters per season got a UFC contract.

Unless they count fighting on the TUF card then never being heard of again. Though, that's hardly 'launching' a UFC career.

[Daellusx]

Hughes and Royce Gracie.

Yeah I went there.