MMA News Forums » MMA Forums » General MMA Forum

[Cat--Smasher]

TUF: Australia vs UK Expected for September; Brad Pickett to Coach?

With an official announcement for the The Ultimate Fighter: Australia vs. UK series drawing closer, FightBulletin.net can reveal exclusively that the show is expected to air on TV in September of 2012 with an official schedule for the show likely to be released inside the next 30 days.

With weight divisions and coaches yet to be decided, UFC president Dana White on Saturday hinted at the UFC on Fuel TV 2 post-fight press conference in Stockholm, Sweden, that UK bantamweight Brad Pickett, who is under contract with the UFC, could be a likely candidate to coach the UK team.

White was full of praise for Pickett, who picked up a second-round submission win over Damacio Page in Sweden.

”Brad Pickett looked awesome tonight. I couldn’t be happier,” said White.

At the post-fight press conference Pickett mentioned that he would be interested in coaching a TUF team with White replying, “you just might buddy.”

Before any official announcement is made, the UFC bosses must iron out a couple of details, UFC executive Marshall Zelaznik told FightBulletin.net on Saturday night in Sweden.

The major decision for UFC officials to make is whether it will be a UK team or an England-only team facing off against Australia in the show titled “The Smashes.”

Providing it’s a UK team, Northern Ireland fighters will also be allowed to audition.

TUF: Australia vs UK Expected for September; Brad Pickett to Coach? | MMAWeekly.com

[beau420]

Any guesses on the Aussie?

Gustavo Falciroli or Michael Mortimer? Two Aussie's...neither in the UFC.

No one at Featherweight in Australia....and no flyweights.

Guess if Pickett was coaching the UK team....whoever coaches the Aussie team, won't be from Australia.

I doubt this is going to happen.

If anything.....Pickett against an American, a Canadian, a Japanese or a Brazilian fighter is the more likely situation.

Canada vs UK....battle of the commonwealth? At least there are Canadians at 135 and 145 for Pickett to fight.

[Cat--Smasher]

With no Australian bantamweight’s currently under contract with the UFC, one must look to 28-year-old Cage Fighting Championship bantamweight champion Gustavo Falciroli, who is based out of Perth, Western Australia, as a possibility.

TUF: Australia vs UK Expected for September; Brad Pickett to Coach? | MMAWeekly.com

[Rumble]

That would be cool. Pickett is a funny guy, I could see that season being very entertaining and full of pranks.

[Firemass]

I love Pickett and hope he gets better exposure vis TUF, but I'm not a fan of the whole country vs country thing. I feel it creates a divide in the fanbase when a fan should be judging a fighter on their fights and their skills. Not disliking them because they coached against your country.

But if any fighter deserves a bit of extra exposure from the lower weight classes, it's Pickett!