A further blow to the TUF system has come as Finalist from the first The Ultimate Fighter: The Smashes, which was a UK vs. Australia format show, has been released after two losses in a row. Colin Fletcher was involved in the Lightweight Finals for the series where he dropped a decision to Norman Parke. Now, TUF has always been a show just to build up the roster, so not winning, while it seems like it would mean not getting a chance in the UFC, means actually getting a UFC contract, which has always made the show’s format kind of goofy.
Colin Fletcher made his non-TUF UFC debut at UFC 158 where he dropped another decision to Mike Ricci and the UFC has decided that the British choke artist has a ways to go before he belongs in the UFC and cut him. It should be noted that Mike Ricci was also from the TUF system, a participant on TUF 16 who was a runner-up much like Fletcher.
If anything, this is the UFC culling their oversized herd and should be done, but brings into question the validity of having so many seasons of The Ultimate Fighter.