The Ultimate Fighter: United States vs. United Kingdom
(April 1, 2009 - June, 2009) - Welterweights and Lightweights
The full 32-man roster has officially been released for the ninth season of The Ultimate Fighter: U.S. vs. U.K., which premieres on Spike TV April 1 at 10 p.m., immediately after Ultimate Fight Night 18. The major change this season is the U.S. vs. U.K. format, in which eight American fighters will team up against eight British fighters for the chance to be crowned The Ultimate Fighter. Hit the jump for the full roster.
As in previous seasons, the first two episodes will consist of the 32 selected fighters competing in head-to-head matches to determine to the 16 regular cast members. The in-house drama is set to begin in the third episode, but we seasoned viewers all know the drama starts in the few first minutes.
TEAM USA
Welterweight:
Ryan Biglar
Fighting out of: Las Vegas, Nevada
MMA record: 8-1
Weight: 170
Height: 6'1
Age: 24
A member of team Cobra Kai in Las Vegas, Biglar is a 24-year-old jiu-jitsu artist originally from Guam.
Ray Elbe
Fighting out of: Phoenix, Arizona
MMA record: 20-11
Weight: 170
Height: 6'1
Age: 25
Born and raised in Arizona, the 25-year-old Elbe has spent parts of the last three years perfecting his muay thai skills in Phuket, Thailand.
Christian Fulgium
Fighting out of: Lafayette, Louisiana
MMA record: 6-2-1
Weight: 170
Height: 5'11
Age: 26
Fighting out of the Gladiator camp in Lafayette, Louisiana, Fulgium is a wrestler with a combined 6-2-1 mixed martial arts record.
DaMarques Johnson
Fighting out of: Salt Lake City, Utah
MMA record: 13-6
Weight: 170
Height: 6'1
Age: 26
Johnson, a member of Elite Performance in Utah, began training in mixed martial arts in 2001 while serving in the military. He has since amassed a 13-6 mixed martial arts record.
Kevin Knabjian
Fighting out of: Chicago, Illinois
MMA record: 10-3-1
Weight: 170
Height: 5'10
Age: 24
Born and raised in Chicago, Kevin wrestled at Division 1 Eastern Illinois University and graduated with a degree in Business Management. Knabjian trains out of Gilbert Grappling in Chicago.
Mark Miller
Fighting out of: Chicago, Illinois
MMA record: 10-4
Weight: 170
Height: 5'10
Age: 29
A 5'10 welterweight muay thai artist, Miller trains out of Dino Costeas and Torro Muay Thai in Chicago.
Jason Pierce
Fighting out of: Bettendorf, Iowa
MMA record: 9-0
Weight: 170
Height: 6'0
Age: 31
A former soccer standout at the University of Springfield, Pierce trains with Bettendorf's Miletich Fighting Systems camp.
Kiel Reid
Fighting out of: Bettendorf, Iowa
MMA record: 8-1
Weight: 170
Height: 6'0
Age: 27
Reid (8-1), born and raised in Bettendorf, Iowa, returned to the area in 2005 to take up mixed martial arts full-time with the Miletich Fighting Systems camp.
Lightweight:
Paul Bird
Fighting out of: West Des Moines, Iowa
MMA record: 4-1
Weight: 155
Height: 5'9
Age: 25
A stand-up fighter, Paul Bird (4-1) trains in West Des Moines, Iowa out of the Des Moines MMA camp.
Santino DeFranco
Fighting out of: Tempe, Arizona
MMA record: 13-4
Weight: 155
Height: 5'10
Age: 26
26-year-old Santino DeFranco trains out of Southwest MMA in Tempe, Arizona. A 5'10 jiu-jitsu specialist, DeFranco holds a 13-4 mixed martial arts record.
Jason Dent
Fighting out of : Mentor, Ohio
MMA record: 19-9
Weight: 155
Height: 5'9
Age: 28
Sumbission specialist Jason Dent owns and operates Griffon Brawl gym in Mentor, Ohio. He holds a combined 19-9 mixed martial arts record with losses to Roger Huerta at UFC 63 and Gleison Tibaur at UFC 68.
Cameron Dollar
Fighting out of: Colorado Springs, Colorado
MMA record: 4-1
Weight: 155
Height: 5'11
Age: 21
A member of Fight Factory in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Dollar (4-1) has trained with TUF alums Cory Hill and Noah Thomas.
Tom Hayden
Fighting out of: Oxford, Ohio
MMA record: 4-0
Weight: 155
Height: 5'9
Age: 22
Tom Hayden, 4-0, is a ground specialist that trains out of TUF 2 alum's Jorge Gurgel camp in West Chester, Ohio.
Waylon Lowe
Fighting out of: Cincinnati, Ohio
MMA record: 5-2
Weight: 155
Height: 5'7
Age: 28
Fighting out of Jorge Gurgel's camp in Ohio, the 28-year-old Waylon Lowe owns a 5-2 mixed martial arts record.
Josh Souder
Fighting out of: Fairfield, Ohio
MMA record: 7-2
Weight: 155
Height: 5'7
Age: 27
A well-rounded fighter out of Team Prodigy in Ohio, the 5'7 Josh Souder owns a 7-2 overall mixed martial arts record.
Richie Whitson
Fighting out of: Temecula, California
MMA record: 4-0
Weight: 155
Height: 5'9
Age: 22
Born and raised in Alaska, the heavy-handed Whitson holds a perfect 4-0 mixed martial arts record. He currently trains out of Temecula, CA with Team Quest.
TEAM UK
Welterweight:
Dean Amarasinghe
Fighting out of: Nottingham, England
MMA record: 4-1
Weight: 170
Height: 5'10
Age: 24
Rough House Gym's Dean Amarasinghe (4-1) is a 5'10 grappler from Nottingham, England.
James Bateman
Fighting out of: Grimsby, England
MMA record: SEMI-PRO 2-1
Weight: 170
Height: 5'10
Age: 24
5'10 striker James Bateman trains with Grimsby NHB in Grimsby, England.
David Faulkner
Fighting out of: Kirkby, England
MMA record: 2-1
Weight: 170
Height: 5'9
Age: 28
5'9 ground specialist David Faulkner trains with Wolfslair in Widnes, England. The 28-year-old born in Kirkby holds a 2-1 mixed martial arts record.
Tommy Maguire
Fighting out of: Wisbech, England
MMA record: 5-2
Weight: 170
Height: 5'7
Age: 20
20-year-old Tommy Maguire trains in Wisbech, England with Tsunami Gym. The 5'7 stand-up fighter holds a 5-2 mixed martial arts record, with three wins coming via TKO.
Che Mills
Fighting out of: Gloucester, England
MMA record: 7-2
Weight: 170
Height: 6'2
Age: 26
Born is Gloucester, England, 6'2 welterweight Che Mills (7-2) trains with Mark Weir's Range Fighting in the UK.
Nicholas Osipczak
Fighting out of: London, England
MMA record: 3-0
Weight: 170
Height: 6'2
Age: 23
Sporting a perfect 3-0 record, Nicholas Osipczak trains in London, England with Pancrase UK.
Alex Reid
Fighting out of: London, England
MMA record: 10-9-1
Weight: 170
Height: 6'0
Age: 33
Alexander Reid trains in London, England with the London Shoot Fighters. The 33-year-old stand up artist is 10-9-1 in his twenty mixed martial arts bouts.
James Wilks
Fighting out of: UK
MMA record: 5-2
Weight: 170
Height: 6'1
Age: 30
Born and raised in England, 30-year-old fighter James Wilks has trained with Eric Paulson in Orange County, California since 2000. The 6'1, 170 lb. striker is 5-2 in his mixed martial arts career.
Lightweight:
James Bryan
Fighting out of: Somerset, England
MMA record: 3-1
Weight: 155
Height: 5'10
Age: 25
Lightweight James Bryan (3-1) is a 25-year-old stand up fighter from Somerset, England.
Dan James
Fighting out of: Swansea, Wales
MMA record: 3-0
Weight: 155
Height: 5'10
Age: 27
Dan James, 3-0, is a stand up artist fighting out of Swansea, Wales. The 5'10, 155lb. fighter has won two of his fights by TKO.
Gary Kelly
Fighting out of: Liverpool, England
MMA record: 2-1
Weight: 155
Height: 5'7
Age: 25
Wolfslair fighter Gary Kelly (2-1) is a 25-year-old striker from Liverpool, England.
Jeff Lawson
Fighting out of: Dorset, England
MMA record: 13-2
Weight: 155
Height: 5'6
Age: 30
5'6 lightweight Jess Lawson (13-2) trains with Team Bulldog out of Dorset, England.
Ross Pearson
Fighting out of: Durham, England
MMA record: 9-3
Weight: 155
Height: 5'9
Age: 24
24-year-old striker Ross Pearson is a member of Sunderland Jiu-Jitsu & MMA Club in Sunderland, England.
Martin Stapleton
Fighting out of: Manchester, England
MMA record: 5-1
Weight: 155
Height: 5'9
Age: 25
Born in Manchester, England, 25-year-old Thai boxer Martin Stapleton trains with Quannum Combat Arts.
AJ Wenn
Fighting out of: Cambs, England
MMA record: 7-2
Weight: 155
Height: 5'10
Age: 24
Cambs, England's AJ Wenn is a well-rounded fighter training out of Tsunami Gym. The 24-year-old has a 7-2 mixed martial arts record.
Andre Winner
Fighting out of: London, England
MMA record: 9-2-1
Weight: 155
Height: 5'11
Age: 26
Lightweight Andre Winner (9-2-1) trains out of Rough House in London, England.
