The UFC‘s popular reality show will be making it’s return after a few years off in 2020, and they are coming out of the gate strong when it comes to coaches. Earlier this week, Paulo Costa (13-0) said that he has signed his contract to fight middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya (19-0). Dana White had previously mentioned that the two were a possibility to coach the Ultimate Fighter, but Joe Rogan added fuel to that fire on Friday.
So according to Joe Rogan The Ultimate Fighter is set to return with Israel Adesanya and Paulo Costa as coaches. Date TBD #TUF pic.twitter.com/P8F3N1qPwr
— Nicole Bosco (@NikBos) June 26, 2020
History of the UFC’s Ultimate Fighter
The UFC has always done a great job at putting bitter rivals as coaches on the Ultimate Fighter. Some of the greatest rivalries of all time have been featured on this show including: Chuck Liddell/Tito Ortiz, Rashad Evans/Rampage Jackson, TJ Dillashaw/Cody Garbrandt, Ronda Rousey/Miesha Tate, and many more. The coaching stints just build the tension leading up to anticipated matchups.
There are not many fights that are more anticipated in 2020 than Paulo Costa taking on Israel Adesanya. If the UFC throws these two in as the coaches of the Ultimate Fighter, you are just going to see the tension build more and more. This fight is a massive fight for a number of different reasons, and the two men do not like each other. Costa was thrown out of UFC 248 earlier this year after trying to go after Adesanya.
Big Rivalry = Big Draw
The UFC is in a complete win-win with this matchup. If they are the coaches of TUF, their popularity will continue to grow. Adesanya is already approaching superstar level, but if Costa defeats him, Costa could surpass all Adesanya’s done in one fight. To me this is a fight to determine the next superstar of the UFC. Both undefeated fighters, two fighters who hate each other, and two fighters whose feud is about to be on full display for the viewing public.