The next season of The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America is set with two former show winners serving as coaches with Kelvin Gastelum and Efrain Escudero on board to head up two teams made up of welterweights and lightweights on the reality show.
UFC officials confirmed the pairing and the new series late Tuesday night.
Gastelum was a winner of The Ultimate Fighter season 17 after scoring an upset over show favorite Uriah Hall in the finale. Gastelum has gone on to have great success in the UFC although he just recently suffered his first loss, falling by decision to Tyron Woodley.
Gastelum's future is now at middleweight, but first he'll lead a team of fighters all looking to land a spot on the UFC roster.
Escudero, who took home The Ultimate Fighter crown in season 8, will coach the show for the first time as well. Escudero just recently picked up a victory over Rodrigo de Lima, his first win in the UFC in nearly five years.
Gastelum and Escudero will coach the fighters at 170-pounds and 155-pounds, with filming set to begin in Las Vegas on March 17.
The finale will likely air from Mexico later this year with both Gastelum and Escudero expected to be part of the show, although they will not fight each other.
The new season of TUF: Latin America will air in the United States on the UFC's digital network, UFC Fight Pass
3, Brazil (which will likely finish filming for TUF: Latin America 2), Blackzillians vs ATT in Florida, and TUF Latin America which starts up in two weeks.
You know its because they are both Hispanic fighters who can speak Spanish. Plus he doesn't have to make weight so he doesn't have to concentrate on anything else. Of course he shouldn't be advising on weight.
I'm fairly certainly this is one of, if not the most "I don't care" move I've seen by the UFC.
Terrible coach choices, especially considering they aren't going to fight at the end of the show.
I don't mind Efrain as a fighter but he's still a pretty weak choice for a coach... and fatty Gastelum has no business representing this sport until he can show up and make weight constantly.
I like how everyone always talks about how pissed Dana is when fighters miss weight... yet seems like ol Kelvin is getting the royal treatment despite just getting forced out of his weight class because of multiple missed attempts.
Well it amazes me that they aren't using someone like a Diaz, or Melendez or Sanchez, life goes on. There are many Hispanic fighters they can use. Instead they chose two very average guys.
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