In a conference call today Dana White revealed that 2011 will be the year that international versions of the popular UFC reality show The Ultimate Fighter will begin filming, starting with a version to be done in the Philippines, followed by the United Kingdom and Canada. No word yet on when the show will start casting or filming. The UFC also plans on doing a TUF series with the new weight classes (145-lbs. and 135-lbs.). That would seem to coincide with filming in the Philippines.
Re: International versions of The Ulitmate Fighter start this year with a Filipino sh The population of the Philippines is roughly 90-million, which is about the size of Canada and the UK combined. There is sure to be an untapped pool of talent there, especially at the lower weight classes. Not to mention talent that can be drawn in from other islands such as Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Taiwan, Indonesia, Guam, and Northern Australia.
