# Top 10 over-hyped MMA reality show fighters who went bust



## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

I know there are some grammar errors and the my editor also happened to edit the title taking away from the meaning of the list but here we go.


> Ever since the first season of the Ultimate Fighter hit the scene eight years ago, there have been many fighters to come through that looked like they could become great, but for various reasons, never made it to the top. It is for this reason that I am compiling this list of ten fighters whom I believe would have made it but didn’t.
> 
> Just to clarify, the criteria for this list include their natural talent during the show as compared to what happened in after the show. Also the reason this isn’t the top TUF talents is so that the Fight Master inaugural participants can qualify. Another stipulation I’m making is that only one fighter per season can make this on the list and while winners aren’t excluded, they aren’t the focus of this list. Enough talk, here we go:
> 
> ...


What do you all think?


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## LizaG (May 12, 2008)

Apart from Grove and Hall none of these guys were hyped in the first place.


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## Stun Gun (Oct 24, 2012)

Nover had some hype with him, Liza but thats about it.


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## LizaG (May 12, 2008)

Ah I didn't see Nover, yeah Dana said some things, Nover never lived up to them from his first fight.


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## HexRei (Apr 27, 2007)

Wren has been in Africa helping pygmies avoid being slaughtered. He runs a charity org and has for a couple of years now.


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## oldfan (Mar 14, 2010)

I can see Jones being on the list. I had high hopes for him myself. But Wren? I didn't even remember him (had to google him) so I don't know how much hype he had 



HexRei said:


> Wren has been in Africa helping pygmies avoid being slaughtered. He runs a charity org and has for a couple of years now.




.... it turns out he's accomplished more than anyone on tuf ever. raise01:


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## Ape City (May 27, 2007)

HexRei said:


> Wren has been in Africa helping pygmies avoid being slaughtered. He runs a charity org and has for a couple of years now.


http://www.mmafighting.com/2011/07/...justin-wren-puts-career-on-hold-to-answer-a-d

That's some heroic shit right there.


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## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

Well good for Wren and just so you know this is my highest viewed article so far at over a thousand hits. Not bad considering it was my first week and only my fifth article.


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## John8204 (May 13, 2010)

Yeah I think that list is all sorts of terrible

1. Urijah Hall has lost two split decisions outside of his weight class, it's way to early to call the guy a bust.

2. Jessie Taylor has more high profile wins than Amir Sadollah, Tim Credeur, and CB Dollaway outside of the UFC and he's main eventing. (Grove, Watson, Andrews, Bustamante, Camozzi, Kang, and Fickett)

3. Justin Wren he won every fight post TUF, he could very well make it back into the UFC or into a major organization

4. Andy Ulrich? Why wouldn't you go with one of the premiere they brought in like Souza or Lozano.

5. Southworth and Grove have/had decent careers.



My top ten list

10. Bola Omoyele 
9. Vinny Magalhães 
8. Che Mills
7. Colin Fletcher
6. Scott Smith
5. Kalib Starnes
4. Justin Lawrence
3. Efrain Escudero
2. Jorge Gurgel
1. Phillipe Nover

Though I suppose using your rules it would be

10. Cristiano Souza (Fightmaster)
9. Kris McCray (11)
8. Cody McKenzie (12)
7. Che Mills (9)
6. Colin Fletcher (Smashes)
5. Scott Smith (4)
4. Kalib Starnes (3)
3. Justin Lawrence (15)
2. Jorge Gurgel (2)
1. Phillipe Nover (8)


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## mattandbenny (Aug 2, 2007)

Uriah Hall, Phillipe Nover, Efrain Escudero & Justin Lawrence would be the main 3 for me


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## Liddellianenko (Oct 8, 2006)

HexRei said:


> Wren has been in Africa helping pygmies avoid being slaughtered. He runs a charity org and has for a couple of years now.


Go Wren! That's the kinda stuff you see in movies and documentaries, the world needs more people like that.

Dude grew up in the town I went to college too ... home town boy. If he ever comes back I know who I'm rootin for.

EDIT: nice articles I found about his story:

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2013/2/2...aids-congolese-children-beard-arm-hair-tuf-10
http://www.mmafighting.com/2011/07/...justin-wren-puts-career-on-hold-to-answer-a-d


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## John8204 (May 13, 2010)

mattandbenny said:


> *Uriah Hall, Phillipe Nover, Efrain Escudero & Justin Lawrence* would be the* main 3 for me*


:laugh:


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## joshua7789 (Apr 25, 2009)

Efrain and Nover are probably the biggest two busts in my book so far. Hall doesn't seem to be panning out right now, but the hype train will be right back on track if he gets a win. I wouldn't call Mac Danzig a bust exactly, but I did think he was going to do much better.


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## HexRei (Apr 27, 2007)

Southworth wasn't overhyped. He was hyped about as much as he needed to be. He was a very competent fighter who went a long way but he was also already 35 when he was on TUF. Only so much room to improve at that age for most people.


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## Killz (Oct 5, 2009)

Liddellianenko said:


> Go Wren! That's the kinda stuff you see in movies and documentaries, the world needs more people like that.
> 
> Dude grew up in the town I went to college too ... home town boy. If he ever comes back I know who I'm rootin for.
> 
> ...


He also did Joe Rogans podcast, where he talked about in depth.

I'll hunt out the link when I'm next on a computer.


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## Liddellianenko (Oct 8, 2006)

Killz said:


> He also did Joe Rogans podcast, where he talked about in depth.
> 
> I'll hunt out the link when I'm next on a computer.


That'd be nice, thanks, sounds interesting.


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## Killz (Oct 5, 2009)

Liddellianenko said:


> That'd be nice, thanks, sounds interesting.


Attempted from an iPad... Lets see if this works. If not I've put the link below.






http://youtu.be/iwH2XpYY7JY


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## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

Well the nice thing about this list is that I've got over a thousand views.


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## Joabbuac (Jan 31, 2009)

I don't remember Justin Wren ever being hyped... But i think he should of been given another chance.


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## Life B Ez (Jan 23, 2010)

Joabbuac said:


> I don't remember Justin Wren ever being hyped... But i think he should of been given another chance.


I remember thinking he actually beat Roy on TUF.

Sent from Verticalsports.com Free App


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## GDPofDRB (Apr 18, 2013)

Love that Pygmy loving beard.

Good post, my comment on your list:

Some of these guys had no hype with me or anyone imo. 

Tommy Spear is a good name on the list though. He is a bigger bust then Hall I'd say. Other then being an idiot and costing himself the TUF title, I don't see how Taylor is a bust really. He's better then at least half the MWs in UFC today and since his blackballing has had decent success around the world against good competition.

I think a lot of guys get unfairly labeled busts because people are duped into buying unwarranted hype instead of letting guys progression come to them naturally for analysis.


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## LizaG (May 12, 2008)

But was Tommy Speer "hyped" that much? Maybe by Matt Hughes on the TUF6 show, but after that I don't know if he really was.


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## Liddellianenko (Oct 8, 2006)

Killz said:


> Attempted from an iPad... Lets see if this works. If not I've put the link below.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


That was just awesome. Watched the whole thing in one go, couldn't go to sleep without finishing it. Dude has a soul of gold, and it's all the more inspiring considering where he was before. I feel almost selfish hoping he comes back to MMA someday so I can really get behind rooting for that guy.


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## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

Maybe then he can fulfill that potential I was talking about.


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## Liddellianenko (Oct 8, 2006)

kantowrestler said:


> Maybe then he can fulfill that potential I was talking about.


Indeed, I would hope so. To think he took Roy to a controversial MD while he was actively drugged out and a complete trainwreck, I think sobered up and on the right track the guy has all the potential in the world.


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## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

He was drugged up during TUF?


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## Liddellianenko (Oct 8, 2006)

kantowrestler said:


> He was drugged up during TUF?


That's what he says. Hopped up on Oxycontin and painkillers... apparently at the time they didn't test everyone on TUF, only the finalists.


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## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

That wasn't that long ago so that's kind of surprising.


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## Liddellianenko (Oct 8, 2006)

kantowrestler said:


> That wasn't that long ago so that's kind of surprising.


It's because the fights on TUF except for the finals are considered unsanctioned "training" fights legally. That's why they don't show up on their pro records either, because no commissions were involved.


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## HexRei (Apr 27, 2007)

Liddellianenko said:


> It's because the fights on TUF except for the finals are considered unsanctioned "training" fights legally. That's why they don't show up on their pro records either, because no commissions were involved.


Not exactly. TUF fights are considered "exhibition bouts", which don't count on pro records because they don't strictly adhere to the standard commission regulations, e.g. TUF fights being only two rounds unless the first two rounds result in a tie. However, they are sanctioned by the NSAC like any other bout in Nevada which is why they use commission judges, refs, and Kizer shows up on TUF regularly as commissioner and has even denied some fighters their fight for safety reasons (Jason Guida, for example, for cutting too much weight).


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## Liddellianenko (Oct 8, 2006)

HexRei said:


> Not exactly. TUF fights are considered "exhibition bouts", which don't count on pro records because they don't strictly adhere to the standard commission regulations, e.g. TUF fights being only two rounds unless the first two rounds result in a tie. However, they are sanctioned by the NSAC like any other bout in Nevada which is why they use commission judges, refs, and Kizer shows up on TUF regularly as commissioner and has even denied some fighters their fight for safety reasons (Jason Guida, for example, for cutting too much weight).


Thanks for clarifying that, I knew I had heard something about them having a weird special status not under the usual sanctioned bouts but wasn't sure what. 

But yeah apparently at the time they didn't test on the exhibition fights or whatever except for the finals which were fully sanctioned bouts.


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## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

That's interesting considering that season was rather recent.


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## Trix (Dec 15, 2009)

Kimbo Slice?

Junie Browning?


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## HexRei (Apr 27, 2007)

kantowrestler said:


> That's interesting considering that season was rather recent.


You know, I can't believe they aren't tested at all. I would imagine they are tested before they enter the house, at least. Guess I'll just ask Kizer.

edit:

He says that the fighters are tested before they enter the house, and randomly afterward.


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## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

If that's the case then Wren wasn't randomly tested in the house.


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## HexRei (Apr 27, 2007)

kantowrestler said:


> If that's the case then Wren wasn't randomly tested in the house.


Not necessarily. Many opiates are out of your system in a few days. He could have been taking painkillers for half the season considering he only fought... what... twice?


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## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

Yeah, that's certainly true. Wren beat Sims and then lost to Roy Nelson. After that he was just chilling around the house.


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