This is pretty huge news as far as Irish MMA is concerned.
Irish MMA fans will be making an extra special effort to tune into the 19th and latest season of The Ultimate Fighter after it was confirmed today that Dubliners Cathal Pendred and Chris Fields will be amongst 16 fighters competing against each other in an effort to win a contract with the UFC.
Pendred and Fields got a few tongues wagging earlier when they tweeted about some big news that was on the way today and it has since been confirmed that both he and Fields will be part of the 16-man line-up for the new series, which will air on Fox on April 16.
The biggest news of my career will be announced later today.
— Cathal Pendred (@PendredMMA) March 24, 2014
Some big news gonna be announced today
— chris fields (@chrisfieldsmma) March 24, 2014
As part of the reality show, Pendred, Fields and the other 14 contestants will be divided into two teams, coached by MMA legends BJ Penn and Frankie Edgar, who will battle it out in a tournament to decide who should win the ultimate prize of a contract with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
As well as that, the contestants will live together and train together during the competition, with the winner having to come out on top in four fights over a six-week period, an ordeal that Chael Sonnen once said was “tougher than any other tournament in sports”.
Speaking to JOE last year, Pendred declared his intention not only to try out for The Ultimate Fighter, but also confidently predicted that he would end up winning the whole thing, an attitude that will hopefully serve him well through the duration of the upcoming season.
Here’s wishing himself and Chris the very best of luck.
