by: Jack Bratcher

The Ultimate Fighter season eight reality season started shooting about three weeks ago.  The coaches of season eight are of course none other than the UFC Heavyweight Champ Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and former UFC Heavyweight Champ, Frank Mir.  Coach Nogueira recently spoke to Gracie Mag and left a few clues and hints as to what has been happening thus far during their season.

First of all he says that, “he can’t say much because the penalty is high according to contrat, really high!” But evidently his brother Rogerio will be there soon and already Anderson Silva, Lyoto Machida and others have made special appearances to help train. Coach Nogueira’s official team is made up of him, Amaury Bitetti, Daniel Valverde, physical trainer Dragos Stanica and Al Stankie, in boxing. Nogueria goes on to say even during the interview, “Now Bitetti is here next to me welcoming one more two-time absolute world champion to the club.” Hmmm. two-time champion….who could that be?

The next The Ultimate Fighter season, with teams led by Coaches Nogueira and Mir, debuts in the USA on September 17th, and ends with a fight for the title between Nogueira and Mir for the UFC Heavyweight Title.

Gracie Mag goes on to say, “By Nogueira’s good natured tone, though, the team of light and welterweights he leads is promising and has come up with good results in the challenges against Mir’s rookies.”

Also Nogueira reveals a bit of his gameplan when facing Mir. He says that he will really be going after Mir standing and also states that he feels he’s better than Mir standing and on the ground.

It should be a very interesting new season of TUF coming up September 17th on Spike TV as the UFC Champ and former-Champ’s teams go against each other to see who will be the next ULTIMATE FIGHTER.   (and yes i wrote that last sentence hearing the deep announcing voice say it)

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