"The Ultimate Fighter 11" cast unveiled!

[Rappy Veteran]

A total of 28 middleweight competitors have been chosen to compete on the upcoming 11th season of the Ultimate Fighting Championship and Spike TV's long-running reality series, "The Ultimate Fighter."

Spike TV today released the list of fighters, who range from a 21-year-old with a few fights to a veteran with 33 pro bouts on his resume. Included are teachers, firefighters, a pipeliner, social worker, an "Iron Ring" competitor, "The Crocodile Hunter's" bodyguard and others.

Check out the full list of competitors, who will be coached by Tito Ortiz and Chuck Liddell and can be seen on the March 31 "TUF 11" debut.

Despite beginning with 28 cast members instead of the customary 32, "The Ultimate Fighter: Team Liddell vs. Team Ortiz" is expected to use a 32-slot tournament. Sources close to the show tell MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) at least two opening-round losers, who otherwise would be eliminated from the show, will earn a spot on the cast thanks to their impressive showings in the losing efforts.

Over the course of the 12-week season, two finalists will be left standing. As MMAjunkie.com reported last month, the TUF 11 Finale, a live-event conclusion to the season, is expected to take place June 19 in Las Vegas.

UFC president Dana White also has hinted at some additional tweaks to the format but won't divulge any of the details.

Below is a list of the competitors and each fighter's background, courtesy of Spike TV.

RICH ATTONITO

Fighting out of: Deerfield Beach, FL/American Top Team

Record: 7-3

Age: 32

A 2001 graduate of Hofstra University in Long Island, N.Y., Rich Attonito wrestled several different weight classes as a member of the Pride wrestling team including the 167-pound and 197-pound. divisions. Attonito has been training with American Top Team since he moved to Florida in 2006. He is the strength and conditioning coach for UFC veteran Luigi Fioravanti.

SETH BACZYNSKI

Fighting out of: Canyon, AZ/Apex MMA

Record: 11-5

Age: 28

Training partner to "TUF" alumni Santino DeFranco (season nine) and Efrain Escudero (season eight) at Apex MMA in Arizona, Seth Baczynski is a fulltime water inspector at Liberty Water.

CHARLES BLANCHARD

Fighting out of: Coconut Creek, FL/American Top Team

Record: 7-2

Age: 24

A two-time All-State wrestler in high school, this single father is a jiu-jitsu brown belt and a published poet.

JOSH BRYANT

Fighting out of: Tulsa, OK/Absolute Combat Alliance

Record: 10-0

Age: 29

A member of the Absolute Combat Alliance camp in Tulsa, Okla., Josh Bryant sports a perfect 10-0 professional mixed martial arts record. When not training, Bryant works as a manager for Mazzio's Italian Eatery in Oklahoma.

CHRIS CAMOZZI

Fighting out of: Denver, CO/Gumm MMA

Record: 11-3

Age: 22

Camozzi is a freestyle fighter from Denver that works as a bouncer in his spare time. Two of his three losses are to "TUF" alumni Jesse Forbes (season three) and Jesse Taylor (season seven).

BRENT COOPER

Fighting out of: Long Beach, CA/Team Oyama

Record: 5-1

Age: 31

Of Sioux Indian descent, Cooper is a pipeliner by day for Shell Oil and a devastating striker by night with four of his five wins coming via TKO.

JACEN FLYNN

Fighting out of: Meridian, ID/No camp

Record: 8-2

Age: 31

Jacen Flynn possesses an 8-2 mixed martial arts record that includes wins over UFC vets Dennis Kang and Dean Lister. Away from the octagon, he is a social worker.

JAMES HAMMORTREE

Fighting out of: Ocala, FL/USA Martial Arts

Record: 4-0

Age: 23

Following one season at Weber International, where he starred on the football team as a linebacker and on special teams, Hammortree left the program in order to become a full-time firefighter in Ocala, Fla. The former high school wrestler owns a 4-0 professional record with all four of those bouts taking place in 2009.

JOSEPH HENLE

Fighting out of: Thousand Oaks, CA/Big John McCarthy's MMA

Record: 3-0

Age: 26

Joseph Henle splits time training at Big John McCarthy's MMA and working as a substitute teacher and wrestling coach in Thousand Oaks, Calif. Henle earned his MBA in financial planning from California Lutheran University in 2006. He speaks fluent Japanese.

CHARLEY LYNCH

Fighting out of: Mound, MN/Northway MMA

Record: 6-0

Age: 25

The self-proclaimed baddest man in Minnesota, Charley Lynch owns a 6-0 professional record with zero of his bouts going to decision.

KRIS MCCRAY

Fighting out of: Dumfries, VA/Chute Boxe

Record: 5-0

Age: 28

Son of a military father, Kris McCray was raised in Germany, where he excelled on the soccer pitch and garnered All-Europe honors in high school. In 1999, McCray moved permanently to the U.S., where he has served parts of eight years (six active, two inactive) as a member of the U.S. Army Reserve while also finding time to earn his associate's degree in social studies from Northern Virginia Community College .

COURT MCGEE

Fighting out of: Orem, UT/Throwdown Elite Fight Team

Record: 9-1

Age: 24

A Brazilian jiu-jitsu artist out of Orem, Utah, Court McGee beat "The Ultimate Fighter: United States vs. United Kingdom" runner-up DaMarques Johnson in 2007 by submission.

CLAYTON MCKINNEY

Fighting out of: Orlando, FL/Jungle MMA

Record: 4-2

Age: 27

A teammate of "TUF" (season eight) alumnus Tom Lawlor at Jungle MMA, Clayton McKinney is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt who supplements his training by working security at a local bar in Orlando.

KYLE NOKE

Fighting out of: Albuquerque, NM/Jackson 's MMA

Record: 16-4-1

Age: 29

Kyle Noke, from Mooloolaba, Australia, is the former bodyguard of "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin. Currently training with Jackson 's MMA in New Mexico, Noke defeated "TUF" (season six) alum George Sotiropoulos in June 2005 and current castmate Kyacey Uscola this past September.

VICTOR O'DONNELL

Fighting out of: Milford, OH/Vision MMA

Record: 8-1

Age: 27

Hailing from Milford, Ohio, O'Donnell suffered his first professional loss this past September against cast mate Costantinos Philippou. Before that, he had won eight contests, seven by submission.

NORMAN PARAISY

Fighting out of: Coconut Creek, FL/American Top Team

Record: 5-1

Age: 23

Norman Paraisy was born and raised Paris, France. The 5-1 Brazilian jiu-jitsu artist left France in order to pursue MMA in the States and is now a member of American Top Team.

COSTANTINOS PHILIPPOU

Fighting out of: Merrick, NY/Serra-Longo

Record: 5-1

Age: 30

Costantinos Philippou is a former boxer with three professional and more than 80 amateur fights on his record. The 30-year-old server from Merrick, N.Y., was born and raised in Greece. He currently trains out of the Serra-Longo camp.

GREG REBELLO

Fighting out of: Buzzards Bay, MA/Sityodtong USA

Record: 9-2

Age: 27

Greg Rebello trains fulltime at Sityodtong USA in Massachusetts under the watchful eye of Mark DellaGrotte. Currently in peak physical condition, Rebello at one time weighed in more than 300 pounds before dedicating himself to fitness at the age of 18.

NICK RING

Fighting out of: Calgary, Canada/B.D.B. Martial Arts

Record: 10-0

Age: 30

Nick Ring returned to MMA in May 2009 following a three-year stint away from the sport after suffering a devastating knee injury. In that time, Ring boxed professionally to the tune of a 4-1 record with three knockouts.

JORDAN SMITH

Fighting out of: Clearfield, UT/Throwdown Elite Fight Team

Record: 10-0

Age: 24

A seventh-grade teacher by day, Jordan Smith is a former professional boxer that trains with fellow cast member Court McGee at Throwdown Elite Fight Team.

BEN STARK

Fighting out of: Tamarac, FL/American Top Team

Record: 3-1

Age: 27

Born and raised a practitioner of the Orthodox Jewish religion until the age of 6, Ben Stark began training with American Top Team in Florida as a sophomore in college. When not at the gym, Stark picks up shifts at "The Original Fat Cats" music club and also finds time to breed snakes.

LYLE STEFFENS

Fighting out of: Tucson, AZ/Apex MMA

Record: 5-2

Age: 26

Lyle Steffens is a firefighter and an EMT in Tucson, Arizona. He trains with fellow cast member Seth Baczynski at Apex MMA.

BRAD TAVARES

Fighting out of: Las Vegas, NV/TapouT

Record: 4-0

Age: 21

At 21, Brad Tavares is the youngest of this season's cast members. Originally from Hilo, Hawaii , Tavares recently relocated to Las Vegas and trains fulltime with TapouT

WARREN THOMPSON

Fighting out of: Marietta, GA/Team Khunpon/Roberto Traven BJJ

Record: 5-0

Age: 23

Warren Thompson, aka "The Kool-Aid Man," is a Muay-Thai fighter from Marietta, Ga. The volunteer firefighter splits his training in Atlanta between Team Khunpon and Roberto Traven BJJ.

KYACEY USCOLA

Fighting out of: Sacramento, CA/Team Alpha Male

Record: 18-15

Age: 28

Kyacey Uscola joins the cast with 33 professional MMA fights on his record. He trains with Team Alpha Male and Urijah Faber out of Sacramento.

CLEBURN WALKER

Fighting out of: Keller, TX/Team Lutter

Record: 9-3

Age: 26

Born and raised in Texas, Cleburn Walker is a fulltime fighter and instructor at Team Lutter. He suffered a recent loss via submission to TUF (season three) alumnus Jesse Forbes this past June.

WOODY WEATHERBY

Fighting out of: Hudson, NH/Renzo Gracie/Mickey Wards Boxing Gym & Xtreme MMA

Record: 7-3

Age: 27

The former U.S. Navy officer currently works fulltime as a corrections officer for the Hillsborough County jail in Manchester, N.H . Weatherby rotates his training between two gyms: Renzo Gracie Academy in Derry, N.H., and Mickey Wards Boxing Gym & Xtreme MMA.

JAMIE YAGER

Fighting out of: Los Angeles, CA/Kings MMA

Record: 2-1

Age: 25

A standout varsity letterman in baseball and football, Yager was the 2001 Athlete of the Year at South Pasadena High School in California. He picked up training MMA as a hobby and went straight from training to the professional ranks in February 2008 as part of BET's "Iron Ring," where he defeated his opponent by TKO.

Source

[D. S. Veteran]

Where is Kimbo? :D

Are we supposed to get excited about Liddell fighting Ortiz? Really? Both are way past their prime. Not looking forward to it at all.

[Lovell]

Where is Kimbo? :D

Are we supposed to get excited about Liddell fighting Ortiz? Really? Both are way past their prime. Not looking forward to it at all.

I imagine this will be the last season of TUF considering how bad the last 1 was, also no one wants to see Liddel and Ortiz and looking at the PPVs no one wants to see any of the old legends anymore.

[D. S. Veteran]

TUF shouldn't end. It provides a way for unknown fighters to get into the UFC. It just needs to be done right. Focusing on the fights and fighters and no so much on the drama and the heavy editing. The 10th season was awful in regards to editing. Hyping Rampage vs Evans, Kimbo :crazy:

[D. S. Veteran]

Who builds the doors on that show? They suck! :pinch:

[Yorak]

That Jamie Yager moron is a silly thug, and needs his ass beat hardcore.

Also...anybody else feel like TUF is becoming more and more like a soap opera? You can tell they push the coaches and fighters to create drama. Since Tito Ortiz is a little bitch, and that goes along with his ego-maniacal attitude, he does not mind. You can tell, though, that Chuck Liddell wants no part of it. He probably regrets taking up the offer to be a coach. We should know that all he wants is one more fight with Ortiz. In which, he will kick some serious bootay.

[rajputwarrior]

Who builds the doors on that show? They suck! :pinch:

every season... a door dies :(

and that knee by whats his name on rich attonito (name???) what not a knee to the head AT ALL...

[iamawesomewicked]

every season... a door dies :(

and that knee by whats his name on rich attonito (name???) what not a knee to the head AT ALL...

It's still illegal to knee a downed opponent.

[D. S. Veteran]

It's still illegal to knee a downed opponent.

Knees to a downed opponent aren't illegal. Just knees to the head of a downed opponent. You can knee the body. The replay leaves some doubts about the hit but since Attonito broke his hand, discussing it is moot since he also won't continue fighting.

[rajputwarrior]

It's still illegal to knee a downed opponent to the head

fixed

[TheElite]

TUF always has to have some drama. It get's ratings.

I'm just surprised that fights haven't broke out in the house yet.

[Lovell]

It's also illegal to spike them on their head yet Attonito still got away with it.

[D. S. Veteran]

Josh dominated in the striking. Too bad they gassed in the first round. Even so, it was a good fight.

[D. S. Veteran]

Now that I think about it, Kris McCray did say his last 5 fights ended in 39 seconds. He must have never fought anyone with a chin before :D

[Rappy Veteran]

TMZ has learned former UFC champ Tito Ortiz and baby mama/former porn star Jenna Jameson are withdrawing allegations that led to Tito's felony domestic violence arrest earlier this week.

Read more: http://www.tmz.com/2010/04/29/tito-ortiz-jenna-jamesson-ufc-porn-star-felony-domestic-violence-recant/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter#ixzz0mVqEdW3X

[TheElite]

Now that I think about it, Kris McCray did say his last 5 fights ended in 39 seconds. He must have never fought anyone with a chin before :D

He probably never trained for more than 1 round either. ;)

They were gassed pretty quick.

[rajputwarrior]

so dana and tito were talking **** about liddel's team but they are owning. well done chuck

[TheElite]

The UFC has some stupid judges come down and make decisions there.

2 rounds to Nick Ring? You gotta be jokin?

[Johnson]

The UFC has some stupid judges come down and make decisions there.

2 rounds to Nick Ring? You gotta be jokin?

The UFC has no control over the judges. :rolleyes:

[D. S. Veteran]

The UFC has some stupid judges come down and make decisions there.

2 rounds to Nick Ring? You gotta be jokin?

It was a really boring fight. And very close. Should have gone into the 3rd round. Maybe the judges didn't want to be considered homophobic :shiftyninja:

Maybe it's just the editing.

[sn00pie]

That was def BS. Should've had a 3rd round for sure.

[TheElite]

The UFC has no control over the judges. :rolleyes:

What? NO WAY!

:rolleyes: Did I say anything against that?

[rajputwarrior]

That was def BS. Should've had a 3rd round for sure.

(Y)

its okay though, canadian boy moves on :)

[Johnson]

What? NO WAY!

:rolleyes: Did I say anything against that?

You said 'The UFC has some stupid judges come down and make decisions there.'

The judges are appointed by the gaming commission, not by the UFC.

[TheElite]

I think you need to re-read my post AGAIN.

"Come down...there" means that they aren't in-house judges. Which can only mean that they are appointed by the athletics commission. Regardless of where they're from, they're pretty stupid.