The UFC has announced the complete roster for the upcoming season of The Ultimate Fighter, featuring competitions in men's bantamweight and women's strawweight divisions. The men's bantamweight division includes 10 fighters from various countries including Peru's Rodrigo Vera (21-1-1), Finland's Abdul Hussein (15-2), Kazakhstan/Russia's Artem Belakh (11-2), and Kyrgyzstan's Ilimbek Akylbek uulu (10-3) among others. The women's strawweight division also features 10 competitors including Natalia Alves (8-0), Melissa Amaya (8-0), and Valesca Machado (15-4). The diverse international roster represents fighters from countries across multiple continents. The season will determine which fighters earn UFC contracts in their respective divisions.
The UFC has revealed the full participant roster for the next season of The Ultimate Fighter, with competitions set across two weight classes — men's bantamweight and women's strawweight — as fighters from around the world compete for UFC contracts.
The bantamweight bracket features ten competitors drawn from across the globe. Among them are Peru's Rodrigo Vera, who carries an impressive 21-1-1 record into the house, Finland's Abdul Hussein at 15-2, Kazakhstan-born Artem Belakh at 11-2, and Kyrgyzstan's Ilimbek Akylbek uulu, who enters with a 10-3 mark. The international diversity of the division underscores the continued global growth of the bantamweight talent pool.
The women's strawweight side is equally competitive. Unbeaten prospects Natalia Alves and Melissa Amaya both arrive at 8-0, making them immediate names to watch. Veteran Valesca Machado, who fights out of Brazil under the banner of War Machine, brings the deepest resume of any competitor in the bracket. The thirty-year-old orthodox striker holds an 8-3 record and lands 2.4 significant strikes per minute, giving her measurable experience over much of the field. American Xavier Franklin, fighting out of George's MMA and Boxing Gym as a southpaw at 5-1, adds further range to the roster at 29 years old.
Why it matters
- Two simultaneous divisions mean double the UFC contract opportunities on offer this season
- Undefeated fighters Alves and Amaya set up potential collision courses in the strawweight bracket
- Veterans like Vera and Machado bring professional depth that could test younger, less-tested competitors
- The wide international representation — spanning South America, Europe, Central Asia, and North America — reflects the UFC's expanding global scouting reach
