Team Rampage vs. Team Rashad.
Meet The Heavyweights
The line-up of fighters:
— Zak Jensen (11-2): The 6-foot-4, 265-pound Jensen, 26, was a collegiate wrestler and football player at Northern Illinois University and Augsburg College. After college, he found success in Tough Man and Golden Gloves competitions before moving to MMA in 2007.
— Marcus Jones (4-1): The 6-foot-6, 260-pound Jones, 35, is the most prolific of the show's NFL quartet. While playing defensive end at the University of North Carolina, Jones was an All-American and 1995 ACC Defensive Player of the Year. In 1996, he was a first-round draft pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After eight years in the NFL, he joined Gracie Tampa and made the transition to MMA.
— Scott Junk (6-2): The 6-foot-1, 265-pound Junk, 30, was a Division II All-American football player at Southwest Oklahoma State. After college, Junk began training in mixed martial arts, first fighting in UFC in 2007. Junk, who took the fight on a week's notice, suffered a first-round submission loss to Christian Wellisch.
— John Madsen (3-0): The six-foot, 240-pound Madsen, 29, grew up in South Dakota, where he earned all-conference and all-state honors in football, wrestling and track. After defeating current UFC champion Brock Lesnar in a high-school wrestling match, Madsen went on to earn a Division II wrestling national championship at South Dakota State University. Madsen currently trains with Matt Hughes' H.I.T. Squad.
— James McSweeney (12-4): A 6-foot-4, 230-pound Englishman McSweeney, 28, started with a striking background, beginning his training in kickboxing at the age of six before moving to Thailand to train full-time. After amassing a 136-9 record in multiple kickboxing organizations, McSweeney moved in with former UFC champion Rashad Evans and now trains full time at Greg Jackson's camp in New Mexico.
— Matt Mitrione (0-0): The 6-foot-3, 275-pound 30-year-old was a two-position football All-American while in high school. After attending Purdue University and earning All-Big Ten honors, Mitrione played six seasons in the NFL with the New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings. Following a devastating injury, Mitrione began training with UFC veterans Chris Lytle and Jake O'Brien.
— Roy Nelson (14-4): The 6-foot-1, 265-pounder was born and raised in Las Vegas, training in martial arts from an early age while playing football, baseball and wrestling. Nelson, 33, earned the now-defunct IFL's heavyweight crown, before suffering recent losses to notables Jeff Monson and Andrei Arlovski.
— Demico Rogers (4-0): The 6-foot-4, 235-pounder was a stand-out wrestler and football player while attending high school in his native Washington. Rogers, 27, began training jiu-jitsu as a means of staying in shape, and after winning a local mixed martial arts tournament, he began to focus on the sport as a potential career.
— Brendan Schaub (4-0): The 6-foot-4, 240-pound 26-year-old credits the Jean Claude Van Damme movie Bloodsport as his inspiration to pursue martial arts. Growing up in Colorado, Schaub was all-state in both football and lacrosse. Schaub went on to play fullback at the University of Colorado before later playing in the Arena Football League and earning a spot on the Buffalo Bills' practice squad in the NFL. Schaub remained active in tae kwon do and jiu-jitsu, and he currently trains at T's KO Fight Club and Jackson's MMA.
— Darill Schoonover (10-0): The 6-foot-2, 250-pound Schoonover, 24, grew up in Texas and began training in jiu-jitsu, judo and submission grappling at 17. After graduating high school, Schoonover entered the Army, serving two years in the armed forces. Schoonover remains on active reserve while pursuing a career in teaching. With 10 stoppages in 10 trips to the cage, mixed martial arts may quickly take precedence.
— Wes Shivers (3-1): The 6-foot-7, 285-pound Shivers, 32, grew up in Mississippi and earned a scholarship to play football at Mississippi State University. Shivers earned all-SEC honors before playing in the NFL with both the Tennessee Titans and Atlanta Falcons. Shivers followed his football career with a four-year stint in law enforcement. Shivers continues to train in Mississippi, where his partners include UFC veteran Alan Belcher.
— Wes Sims (22-12-1): The 6-foot-10, 260-pound Sims, 29, originally planned to pursue a career in professional wrestling before UFC Hall of Famer Mark Coleman convinced "The Project" to take a shot in MMA. Sims earned a shot in UFC in 2003, dropping back-to-back outings to former heavyweight champion Frank Mir. Sims currently runs a gym in Ohio.
— Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson (3-1): The 6-foot-1, 235-pound Ferguson, 35, is already one of the most famous names to casual MMA fans. The streetfighting YouTube sensation played football at the University of Miami before working as a bodyguard, earning extra money with his bareknuckle brawling exploits. A four-time veteran of EliteXC, Fergsuon last fought in a nationally-televised loss to Seth Petruzelli.
— Abe Wagner (6-2): The 6-foot-4, 265-pound Wagner, 29, grew up in Wisconsin, excelling in both football and basketball while in high school. Wagner played linebacker at Michigan Tech University, earning a degree in mechanical engineering. Wagner began training in MMA in 2005.
— Mike Wessel (6-1): The six-foot, 255-pound, 31-year-old was raised in Ohio, eventually earning a spot on the University of St. Francis football team. Wessel played briefly in the Arena Football League before accepting a position as strength and conditioning coach at the University of Arkansas. Wessel suffered his first professional defeat at the hands of Antoni Hardonk in his lone UFC appearance at UFC 92 in December 2008.
— Justin Wren (10-1): The 6-foot-3, 264-pound Wren, 22, was a two-time high school national champion wrestler in Texas, earning a spot on the Iowa State University wrestling team before an injury forced him to take a year off and recover. During his time away from wrestling, Wren focused his energy on mixed martial arts training, eventually electing to turn pro. Wren trains in Texas with The Ultimate Fighter 4 champ Travis Lutter, and he plans on moving to Las Vegas to train full-time with UFC veteran Frank Mir.
The coaches for the 10th season of The Ultimate Fighter are former light heavyweight champions Rashad Evans and Quinton Jackson.
The two were scheduled to meet at UFC 107 on Dec. 12, but the fight has been delayed after Jackson signed on for a role in the upcoming movie version of The A-Team.
Meet The Heavyweights
The line-up of fighters:
— Zak Jensen (11-2): The 6-foot-4, 265-pound Jensen, 26, was a collegiate wrestler and football player at Northern Illinois University and Augsburg College. After college, he found success in Tough Man and Golden Gloves competitions before moving to MMA in 2007.
— Marcus Jones (4-1): The 6-foot-6, 260-pound Jones, 35, is the most prolific of the show's NFL quartet. While playing defensive end at the University of North Carolina, Jones was an All-American and 1995 ACC Defensive Player of the Year. In 1996, he was a first-round draft pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After eight years in the NFL, he joined Gracie Tampa and made the transition to MMA.
— Scott Junk (6-2): The 6-foot-1, 265-pound Junk, 30, was a Division II All-American football player at Southwest Oklahoma State. After college, Junk began training in mixed martial arts, first fighting in UFC in 2007. Junk, who took the fight on a week's notice, suffered a first-round submission loss to Christian Wellisch.
— John Madsen (3-0): The six-foot, 240-pound Madsen, 29, grew up in South Dakota, where he earned all-conference and all-state honors in football, wrestling and track. After defeating current UFC champion Brock Lesnar in a high-school wrestling match, Madsen went on to earn a Division II wrestling national championship at South Dakota State University. Madsen currently trains with Matt Hughes' H.I.T. Squad.
— James McSweeney (12-4): A 6-foot-4, 230-pound Englishman McSweeney, 28, started with a striking background, beginning his training in kickboxing at the age of six before moving to Thailand to train full-time. After amassing a 136-9 record in multiple kickboxing organizations, McSweeney moved in with former UFC champion Rashad Evans and now trains full time at Greg Jackson's camp in New Mexico.
— Matt Mitrione (0-0): The 6-foot-3, 275-pound 30-year-old was a two-position football All-American while in high school. After attending Purdue University and earning All-Big Ten honors, Mitrione played six seasons in the NFL with the New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings. Following a devastating injury, Mitrione began training with UFC veterans Chris Lytle and Jake O'Brien.
— Roy Nelson (14-4): The 6-foot-1, 265-pounder was born and raised in Las Vegas, training in martial arts from an early age while playing football, baseball and wrestling. Nelson, 33, earned the now-defunct IFL's heavyweight crown, before suffering recent losses to notables Jeff Monson and Andrei Arlovski.
— Demico Rogers (4-0): The 6-foot-4, 235-pounder was a stand-out wrestler and football player while attending high school in his native Washington. Rogers, 27, began training jiu-jitsu as a means of staying in shape, and after winning a local mixed martial arts tournament, he began to focus on the sport as a potential career.
— Brendan Schaub (4-0): The 6-foot-4, 240-pound 26-year-old credits the Jean Claude Van Damme movie Bloodsport as his inspiration to pursue martial arts. Growing up in Colorado, Schaub was all-state in both football and lacrosse. Schaub went on to play fullback at the University of Colorado before later playing in the Arena Football League and earning a spot on the Buffalo Bills' practice squad in the NFL. Schaub remained active in tae kwon do and jiu-jitsu, and he currently trains at T's KO Fight Club and Jackson's MMA.
— Darill Schoonover (10-0): The 6-foot-2, 250-pound Schoonover, 24, grew up in Texas and began training in jiu-jitsu, judo and submission grappling at 17. After graduating high school, Schoonover entered the Army, serving two years in the armed forces. Schoonover remains on active reserve while pursuing a career in teaching. With 10 stoppages in 10 trips to the cage, mixed martial arts may quickly take precedence.
— Wes Shivers (3-1): The 6-foot-7, 285-pound Shivers, 32, grew up in Mississippi and earned a scholarship to play football at Mississippi State University. Shivers earned all-SEC honors before playing in the NFL with both the Tennessee Titans and Atlanta Falcons. Shivers followed his football career with a four-year stint in law enforcement. Shivers continues to train in Mississippi, where his partners include UFC veteran Alan Belcher.
— Wes Sims (22-12-1): The 6-foot-10, 260-pound Sims, 29, originally planned to pursue a career in professional wrestling before UFC Hall of Famer Mark Coleman convinced "The Project" to take a shot in MMA. Sims earned a shot in UFC in 2003, dropping back-to-back outings to former heavyweight champion Frank Mir. Sims currently runs a gym in Ohio.
— Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson (3-1): The 6-foot-1, 235-pound Ferguson, 35, is already one of the most famous names to casual MMA fans. The streetfighting YouTube sensation played football at the University of Miami before working as a bodyguard, earning extra money with his bareknuckle brawling exploits. A four-time veteran of EliteXC, Fergsuon last fought in a nationally-televised loss to Seth Petruzelli.
— Abe Wagner (6-2): The 6-foot-4, 265-pound Wagner, 29, grew up in Wisconsin, excelling in both football and basketball while in high school. Wagner played linebacker at Michigan Tech University, earning a degree in mechanical engineering. Wagner began training in MMA in 2005.
— Mike Wessel (6-1): The six-foot, 255-pound, 31-year-old was raised in Ohio, eventually earning a spot on the University of St. Francis football team. Wessel played briefly in the Arena Football League before accepting a position as strength and conditioning coach at the University of Arkansas. Wessel suffered his first professional defeat at the hands of Antoni Hardonk in his lone UFC appearance at UFC 92 in December 2008.
— Justin Wren (10-1): The 6-foot-3, 264-pound Wren, 22, was a two-time high school national champion wrestler in Texas, earning a spot on the Iowa State University wrestling team before an injury forced him to take a year off and recover. During his time away from wrestling, Wren focused his energy on mixed martial arts training, eventually electing to turn pro. Wren trains in Texas with The Ultimate Fighter 4 champ Travis Lutter, and he plans on moving to Las Vegas to train full-time with UFC veteran Frank Mir.
The coaches for the 10th season of The Ultimate Fighter are former light heavyweight champions Rashad Evans and Quinton Jackson.
The two were scheduled to meet at UFC 107 on Dec. 12, but the fight has been delayed after Jackson signed on for a role in the upcoming movie version of The A-Team.
