The UFC is in town for a press conference at the United Center for the UFC on FOX event in January. Yesterday, The UFC  announced that The Ultimate Fighter^®, the longest-running sports reality show on television, is moving to FX this March with a new, live format.

The Ultimate Fighter^® LIVE debuts on Friday, March 9 as part of a two-hour season premiere beginning at 9 p.m. ET. The show will then air for one hour at 10 p.m. ET every Friday for 13 weeks on FX. UFC^® bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz and “The California Kid” Urijah Faber will serve as coaches on the upcoming season, with lightweight and welterweight contestants competing for two, six-figure UFC contracts.

“We’re producing ground-breaking television with The Ultimate Fighter LIVE and we can’t wait to kick this season off with FX in March,” UFC President Dana White said. “It’s going to be can’t-miss TV. Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber are two incredible personalities who also happen to be two of the best fighters in the world. They genuinely dislike each other and I expect this to make for the best season yet.”

“We believe that Dana and Lorenzo (Fertitta), along with Executive Producer Craig Piligian, have come up with exciting new changes to the format of The Ultimate Fighter that will expand and grow the series,” said Chuck Saftler, Executive Vice President, FX Networks. “The fact that the fights at the end of each episode will now be televised live is certain to create a sense of urgency for UFC fans.  Furthermore, the move of TUF to Friday nights will provide a great ratings boost to the network.”

The rivalry between coaches Cruz and Faber dates back to March 2007, when Faber handed Cruz his first and only professional loss in a 145-pound bout. The 26-year-old Cruz avenged that loss this past July, defeating Faber by unanimous decision to retain the bantamweight crown in a Fight of the Year candidate. With the series now even, Cruz and Faber look to settle the score as TUF coaches, followed by a title fight in mid-2012 inside the Octagon^®.

Undefeated at 9-0 since dropping to bantamweight in 2008, San Diego’s Cruz (19-1) has surged to the top of the division thanks to unorthodox striking, tremendous cardio, and aggressive wrestling. Owner of wins over the likes of Faber, Demetrious Johnson, Scott Jorgensen, Joseph Benavidez (twice), and Brian Bowles, “The Dominator” has long sought an opportunity to serve as coach on The Ultimate Fighter^®. The chance to coach opposite his longtime rival makes the opportunity that much sweeter.

“Anyone who knows me knows that I’m a gym rat and love learning and teaching mixed martial arts,” Cruz, who trains at Alliance MMA in San Diego, said. “This is a dream come true. To get a chance to coach TUF and beat Faber again is all the motivation I need. This is going to be an insane season of The Ultimate Fighter.”

Sacramento’s Faber cemented his place as a pioneer in the lighter weight divisions after holding the WEC featherweight title for a span of over two years from 2006-2008. Boasting victories over the likes of Cruz, Jeff Curran and Jens Pulver at 145-pounds, “The California Kid” dropped to his more natural weight class of 135-pounds in November 2010 in search of his second world title. He’s since been on a tear, most recently submitting former champion Bowles at UFC^® 139.

Now, the 32-year-old turns his attention to another one of his passions – coaching.

“I can’t wait to be the next coach on The Ultimate Fighter,” Faber, whose gym in Sacramento has helped produce UFC stars Benavidez, Chad Mendes and Danny Castillo, said. “I am looking forward to mentoring a bunch of hungry and talented fighters. The new cast needs to be ready to work hard and learn! Having Dominick coach on the opposite side couldn’t be more perfect. I’m not too thrilled about being in each other’s space for an extended period of time, as I am sure we are going to get on each other’s nerves. But I can’t wait to mentally beat him up as a coach, and then literally beat him up in the cage and swipe that UFC strap.”

Local fighters Carson Beebe and Dustin Neace are on the UFC’s “The Ultimate Fighter” season 14 roster.

Beebe fights out of Gilbert Grappling and Midwest Training Center, and is one of the youngest fighters on the show at age 22. He is 7-1 as a pro, and just fought and defeated Matt Wikoff at Rockford Cage Fights on August 13. Beebe has also fought locally at Chicago Cagefighting Championship, Ruckus and XFO.

Neace fights out of Matt Hughes HIT Squad in Granite City, Illinois. Neace is just 24 but has already amassed 42 pro fights. He lost to Jeff Curran here in Chicago at the Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers event, and has also fought at C3 and Ruckus.

Indiana’s Casey Dyer, who fought as an amateur at XFO 31 and XFO 34 is also on the roster.

Here is the promo for the new season, and below that is the complete cast for the show, which debuts Sept. 21 on Spike TV.

John Albert
Victory Athletics
Puyallup, WA

Johnny Bedford
F3 Alliance
Watuga, TX

Carson Beebe
Gilbert Grappling
Western Springs, IL

Roland Delorme
Winnipeg Academy of MMA
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

T.J. Dillashaw
Team Alpha Male
Sacramento, CA

John Dodson
Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts
Albuquerque, NM.

Casey Dyer
No affiliation
New Castle, IN

B.J. Ferguson
All-American MMA
Louisville, KY

Josh Ferguson
All-American MMA
Louisville, KY.

Louis Gaudinot
Team Tiger Schulmann
Yonkers, NY

Matt Jaggers
Team Wolfpack
Connersville, IN

Tateki Matsuda
Team Sityodtong
Boston, MA

Paul McVeigh
Dinky Ninjas
Glasgow, Scotland

Brandon Merkt
The Academy
New Richmond, WI

Dustin Pague
MASE MMA
Centreville, VA

Orville Smith
Integrated Fighting
Indianapolis, IN

FEATHERWEIGHTS

Stephen Bass
Lloyd Irvin MMA
Savannah, GA

Dennis Bernudez
Long Island MMA
Massapequa, NY

Diego Brandao
Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts
Albuquerque, NM

Marcus Brimage
American Top Team
Coconut Creek, FL

Bryan Caraway
Team Alpha Male
Sacramento, CA

Josh Clopton
Skrap Pack
San Francisco, CA

Akira Corassani
Team Kaobon
Gothenburg, Sweden

Karsten Lenjoint
Wolfslair Academy
Nottingham, United Kingdom

Eric Marriott
Grindhouse MMA
Independence, MO

Micah Miller
Coconut Creek, FL
American Top Team

Dustin Neace
H.I.T. Squad
Granite City, IL

Jesse Newell
Knuckleheadz
BoxingVentura, CA

Brian Pearman
Springfield Fight Club
Springfield, MO

Jimmie Rivera
Team Tiger Schulmann
Elmwood Park, NJ
Record: 8-1
Age: 21

Steven Siler
Riven Academy
Ogden, UT

Bryson Wailehua-Hansen
MMA Development
Honolulu, HI

Let the fireworks begin. As much as a downer season 13 of The Ultimate Fighter was — at least to some people — this season might have more fireworks than needed between the two coaches. Bisping has a hair trigger on his emotions, and Miller is the 12-year old that will goad you until you snap.

Here’s the first look at the new season, a quick teaser recently released by Spike.

Ray Lewis
	Ray Lewis is known for his intensity, energy and desire to win. He lives to punish people on the football field. For him football is like MMA – you keep going until someone doesn’t get up. He’s super fast, 6’1″ 250 lb. and he’d never stop fighting. He’d surely never tap. He’d also redefine “Epic Staredown”. Nobody would bring it more than Lewis.
Nolan Ryan
	He may be retired but remember that fight with White Sox third baseman Robin Ventura? Classic dirty boxing that would’ve made Randy Couture cry with pride. Ryan showed bad-assery at age 46 against a much younger Ventura. In the offseason Ryan wrestled with and branded steer on his ranch.  One can only imagine how nasty Ryan’s clinch game would’ve been.
Alicia Sacramone
	Grapplers dream of her flexibility. I bet she could easily pick up Eddie Bravo’s flavor of Jiu-Jitsu given her attributes. Plus, she has an underrated left hook. Remember this video? Another thing Alicia has is strength. Gymnasts are known for having most functional strength among athletes. A lot of fighters incorporate gymnastics body work/exercises into their strength routines. Plus, don’t forget the attitude. After all, there’s a reason they don’t call it gym-nice-tics.
Kyle Farnsworth
	The Farns is big, strong and has just enough crazy in him to make the fighter across from him very nervous. He kicked an electric fan so hard he sprained his knee and had to go on the DL. He shot in on Paul Wilson, took him down with ease and bloodied his face. Or how about his awesome double-leg and slam of Jeremy Affeldt? At 6’5″ 240, with tree trunks for legs, Farns would have made Cro Cop look small.
Adrian Wilson
	Adrian Wilson is 6’3″ 230 lbs of mean. He can jump 66 inches off the ground — see it right here — and he has a standing vertical of almost 40. Athletic ability is great to have in MMA, but Wilson is also one of he hardest hitters in all of football. Wilson has received a few unnecessary roughness penalties in his career. “Probably about 100% of the time the hits I do make, they’re kind of violent, and that’s what they probably see is the violent part of the hit.”
Carlos Zambrano
	Carlos Zambrano has already had 2 nicknames that were good enough for MMA: “El Toro” and “Big Z”. They are both spot on. Zambrano is 6’5″ 255, and his temper is exactly like that of a bull. He disfigured the face of former teammate Michael Barrett in a brawl that started in the dugout and made its way to the clubhouse. He beat the tar out of a Gatorade machine. You don’t mess with the Zambrano.
Shaq
	Shaq already trains Gracie Jits and Muay Thai. He would have no problem putting anyone in a triangle choke with those super-long legs. Also, imagine catching a flying knee from him. Being over 7 feet tall he’d have no problem landing a head kick on Lesnar or any other heavyweight. He also has his first opponent in mind. He wants to take on Hong Man Choi.
Tie Domi
	Domi made a career in the NHL by taking on — and usually beating up — much bigger players. His bouts with Bob Probert were legendary. He once knocked Scott Niedermayer unconscious with a vicious elbow. When a taunting fan fell through the glass into the team bench, Domi pinned him and started throwing. And his nickname is MMA-ready too: “The Albanian Assassin”.

Have any to add to the list? Let us know in the comments section.

FLO MMA’s Rodrigo “Comprido” Medeiros stopped by to visit the Wand Fight Team and spend some time training with Wanderlei Silva. Comprido is also the Jiu-Jitsu coach for Brock Lesnar, and you can catch him in action on the upcoming season of “The Ultimate Fighter: Lesnar vs. Dos Santos”.

Comprido is a 7-time World BJJ champion. If you’d like to be trained by Comprido, stop by or call FLO MMA.

h/t: BrazilianBlackBelt

1. “Get up!”
2. “Time is short, man!”
3. “He keeps doing the same thing over and over!”
4. “Man, c’mon Abe.”
5. “Keep goin’.”
6. “Do what you gotta do, Abe. Do what you gotta do.”
7. “Sweep or get up, man.”
8. “Why you tryin’ to shake hands with him, man! Get up.”
9. “You gotta do somethin’.”
10. “Abe, you wanna win? You gotta go.”

Not exactly instructive. And Kimbo seemed happy to be with Rampage, but he’d probably be much better off with Greg Jackson and Rashas. Tune in again next week for Rampage’s next top10!

Cage Fighter Quinton “Rampage” Jackson UFC 92 and 96 MMA Elite Walkout T-Shirt

Silver Star Rashad “Suga” Evans Tee (Black or White)

With Kimbo Slice, former IFL champ “Country” Roy Nelson, Wes Sims and 4 former NFL players, the potential is there for this to be the best ever season of TUF — in the ring and in the house.