The complete lineup for the upcoming season of The Ultimate Fighter has been announced, featuring bantamweight men and strawweight women. The men's bantamweight roster includes Rodrigo Vera, Abdul Hussein, Artem Belakh, Xavier Franklin, Sean Mora, Christian Strong, Marlon Jones, Mikaias Ureña, Ilimbek Akylbek uulu, and Mehemmedeli Osmanli. The women's strawweight division features Natalia Alves, Melissa Amaya, Valeska Machado, GiGi Canutu, Anna Melisano, Mackenzie Stiller, Anita Karim, Delphine Benouaïsh, Hailai Wushamo, and Camila Reynoso. The roster includes fighters from various countries including Peru, Finland, Kazakhstan, Russia, USA, Great Britain, Dominican Republic, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, and multiple other nations, showcasing a diverse international lineup.
The UFC has unveiled the full contestant roster for the upcoming season of The Ultimate Fighter, with the show set to feature two divisions: men's bantamweight and women's strawweight.
The bantamweight men's bracket includes Rodrigo Vera, Abdul Hussein, Artem Belakh, Xavier Franklin, Sean Mora, Christian Strong, Marlon Jones, Mikaias Ureña, Ilimbek Akylbek uulu, and Mehemmedeli Osmanli. Among those names, Franklin arrives with the most verified competitive background available. The 29-year-old American, who trains out of George's MMA and Boxing Gym, carries a 5-1 record into the house. Known as "Mr. Benjamin," the southpaw stands five-foot-six with a 66-inch reach and lands 3.07 significant strikes per minute, though his game leans away from the grappling side with no recorded takedown or submission activity at this level.
The women's strawweight roster is equally international in scope, featuring Natalia Alves, Melissa Amaya, Valeska Machado, GiGi Canutu, Anna Melisano, Mackenzie Stiller, Anita Karim, Delphine Benouaïsh, Hailai Wushamo, and Camila Reynoso.
Why it matters
- The season draws talent from across the globe, with fighters representing the United States, Peru, Finland, Kazakhstan, Russia, Great Britain, the Dominican Republic, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, and additional nations
- Both divisions, bantamweight and strawweight, are areas of deep UFC roster competition, giving the winning contestants a path to meaningful divisional positioning
- The diverse international makeup of both brackets reflects the UFC's continued effort to expand its global talent pipeline through the TUF format
