Opinion: The TUF tournament is just a tryout for the Finale
 

After reading the Vinny got cut recently, I started thinking about how TUF works. Throughout the years many guys who appeared on TUF had made good careers for themselves in the UFC or even outside the UFC.

What seems to become more and more clear every year, is that it's not so much what you do ON the show, as what you do AFTER the show. For example, Mike Swick basically did nothing on the show, but won a bunch of fights right after and is still doing pretty well today.
More recently, Vinny beat Krzysztof on the show, but since then Vinny has been cut and you could argue (especially with Bader's injury) that Krzysztof is probably ranked highest of all of that season's fighters.

Winning the show helps you for about 5 seconds and then you have to win your fights just like everybody else, which is the way it should be of course. So what is the point of ever doing well on the show in the first place? The answer is not much, but just enough.
The way I see it, your entire TUF season\tournament experience is all basically one big tryout for the live finale. Think about it, some guys just get cut straight away and never even make it that far. So you have to at least train hard and look like you have potential as a fighter to make it that far.
The next level of guys are the ones who actually make it on the televised portion of the card. For that you have to probably win a fight, maybe two, and be somewhat interesting of a personality. Obviously, if you are one of the actual finalists, you get headline spot.
HOWEVER, it's really what you do at the finale that counts. Time and time again, it seems like you'd be better off winning a fight on the finale after losing on the show, as opposed to losing at the finale after doing well on the show. Melvin Guillard has lasted longer than Brad Imes and Luke Cummo. Matt Hammil has lasted longer than Josh Haynes. I'd take Grey Maynard and Joe Lauzon over Nate Diaz and Manny right now.

So I think if you took out everything from the show besides the fights, what you would really get is a bunch of exibition fights to determine who gets what placement on a TUF finale card, which itself is the true launching pad for UFC careers.

Interesting. I didn't watch all of TUF1 and I know it wasn't a true tournament format then so I don't know if Swick even won a fight. I've just seen his fight with Stephan Bonnar and Swick more than held his own with the much larger man.

I also think they cut Manny way too quick. He got caught by a good striker because of his poor striking defense. That was a good lesson. Then he lost a tough fight to a very good, very well rounded fighter who is much better than his record in the UFC.

While both Gray and Lauzon have better records, especially when you compare who they've beat and lost to, both have also been finished. Granted one was by himself and one was to the #1 contender but Nate's only loss was a decision loss due to inadequate rules and a conservative opponent.

I didnt know Manny was actually cut.I thought he just decided to go to the WEC to fight at a lower weight class.Winning the whole show is the only way anyone can guarantee that the UFC will invite them back.For every Gray Maynard theres a Gerald Harris who looked fairly good on the show but was never asked back.

The guy who wins the show makes way more money then the others. Thats pretty much the motivation to do well. But ya I agree, in a lot of ways just being on the show is a try out for the finale, as long as you aren't terrible you'll at least get 1 fight in the UFC.

there were plenty of guys from season 7 that should have got a try...gerald harris comes to mind. he deserved a fight more than guys like cramer, cale, etc.

I think Gerald will be in the UFC in not too long a time.

wow nice observation.. i just realized it now that you said it...

Interesting observation. I always thought of the finale as kind of a "thank you" to the fighters for being on the show. The ones who don't make it all the way get a last fight to prove themselves, and a payday to go with it. i always assumed fighters got the chance as long as they didn't fuck up or do something stupid on the show.

interesting!...thanks for sharing!...

i would def agree with u, but i think it will be changing this year, it always seems as tuf progress less tuf fights end up on the live card, for example this i think they are only having the two finals on the card,

i would def agree with your point about winning tuf, not everyone who wins tuf does the best