The Weekly Wrap: March 27 - April 2

TUF 11 premiere

The wheat was separated from the chaff in the premiere episode of “The Ultimate Fighter 11” on Spike TV March 31, as highlights from 14 middleweight fights determined the squad with whom coaches Tito Ortiz and Chuck Liddell will have to work.

With the phrase “Never leave it in the hands of the judges” stenciled above the entrance to a revamped UFC training center, the latest crop of reality hopefuls produced all manner of scenes in the cage. There was copious bloodshed, knockouts, come-from-behind armbars, protracted wars, quitting on the stool and one nose smashed beyond recognition.

The winners were Jamie Yager (2-1, KO over Ben Stark); Brad Tavares (4-0, KO over Jordan Smith); Kris McCray (5-0, TKO due to injury over Cleburn Walker); James Hammortree (5-1, TKO due to forfeit over Norman Paraisy); Nick Ring (10-0, TKO over Woody Weatherby); Kyle Noke (16-4-1, decision over Warren Thompson); Court McGee (9-1, decision over Seth Baczynski); Chris Camozzi (decision over Victor O'Donnell); Kyacey Uscola (18-15, TKO over Brent Cooper); Joseph Henle (submission over Constantinos Philippou); Rich Attonito (7-3, decision over Lyle Steffens); Josh Bryant (10-0, decision over Greg Rebello); Charles Blanchard (7-2, TKO over Jacen Flynn); and Clayton McKinney (4-2, TKO over Charley Lynch).

UFC President Dana White announced a new formula this season. In addition to the seven victors from the first round of fights moving to the next round, two losers will get a second crack in an added quarterfinal bout based on who the coaches feel earned it. The season is set to conclude with a live finale on June 19.

Efforts are already underway for TUF 12, which will premiere in the fall. The UFC and Spike TV held a public tryout for the show in North Carolina on Thursday that drew some 300 hopefuls, including the unpredictable Charles "Krazy Horse" Bennett, WEC veteran Mike Budnik and Jason Guida, who dropped out of season eight of the show when he couldn’t make weight. The season will be made up of light heavyweight and lightweight fighters.

The premiere episode drew a 1.5 rating for a 1.9 million viewer average, according to Wrestlingobserver.com. As expected, the premiere saw a drop from the 2.9 drawn by episode one of TUF 10, fueled by interest in Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson. The TUF 11 premiere, which did well among Males 18-49, drew slightly higher interest than the TUF 9 premiere, which did 1.34 rating.