With the first live season of "The Ultimate Fighter" kicking off next week in the U.S. and the first international edition of the reality series currently in production in Brazil, the focus now turns to new locales.
Up next?
Australia, India and the Philippines, UFC president Dana White said.
"They're up next week," White said at a UFC on FX 2 press conference in Sydney. "We just need to finalize the (broadcast) deals."
"TUF 15" is the first season of the seven-year-old series to air on the UFC's new cable partner, FX, following a long and fruitful run on Spike TV. As recently reported, FUEL TV officials have confirmed "TUF: Brazil" will air on the FOX-owned cable station, though details haven't been finalized.
The show airs locally on Globo, which has quickly become a destination for the UFC in Brazil.
Brazil, of course, is an MMA hotbed, and two recent pay-per-view events in the country have laid the ground work for a bigger UFC presence. But after that, the attention turns to other new countries.
Australia, for example, hosts its third event in two years with this weekend's UFC on FX 2 show. With a quickly growing regional scene, more and more talent is coming out of the country. "TUF: Australia" would identify some of the best and open a door to competing in the UFC along the likes of Australians of James Te Huna, Kyle Noke and George Sotiropoulos.
The same goes for India and the Philippines, which have never hosted a UFC show but long been on the organization's radar. Currently, no events are scheduled for either country, but a "TUF" season could set the groundwork.
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