TUF Coaches - By the Numbers 2013

Tomorrow night, one of the most riveting seasons in the history of The Ultimate Fighter comes to a close, and a lot of its success has to do with the two men coaching: Jon Jones and Chael Sonnen. And while the focus turns to the fighters at the Finale, in two weeks, the men in charge will themselves compete for a UFC title in the main event of UFC 159.

Being the coach of the winning competitor is also a prestigious honor, and over the past 17-plus years, UFC Hall of Famers, champions, and top contenders have held the reins for the hopefuls trying to fight their way into the Octagon.

So what better time than now to turn the spotlight in the direction of the coaches? Who has produced the most TUF champions, and whose selections have gone on to the most success in the UFC after the show? Let the numbers tell the tale…

Vitor Belfort (TUF Brazil)
Fighters coached: 11
Season Winners: 1
Season Finalists: 2
UFC Champions: 0

Michael Bisping (seasons nine and 14)
Fighters coached: 16
Season Winners: 3
Season Finalists: 5
Fighters still in UFC: 7
UFC Champions: 0
Fighters’ Post-TUF winning percentage in UFC: 51% (22-21)

Shane Carwin (season 16)
Fighters coached: 8
Season Winners: 0
Season Finalists: 1
UFC Champions: 0

Randy Couture (season one)
Fighters coached: 8
Season Winners: 0
Season Finalists: 1
Fighters still in UFC: 2
UFC Champions: 0
Fighters’ Post-TUF winning percentage in UFC: 58% (38-27)

Dominick Cruz (season 15)
Fighters coached: 8
Season Winners: 0
Season Finalists: 0
UFC Champions: 0
Fighters’ Post-TUF winning percentage in UFC: 50% (5-5)

Junior dos Santos (season 13)
Fighters coached: 7
Season Winners: 0
Season Finalists: 1
Fighters still in UFC: 2
UFC Champions: 0
Fighters’ Post-TUF winning percentage in UFC: 50% (6-6)

Rashad Evans (season 10)
Fighters coached: 8
Season Winners: 1
Season Finalists: 2
Fighters still in UFC: 3
UFC Champions: 0
Fighters’ Post-TUF winning percentage in UFC: 59% (19-13)

Urijah Faber (season 15)
Fighters coached: 8
Season Winners: 1
Season Finalists: 2
UFC Champions: 0
Fighters’ Post-TUF winning percentage in UFC: 42% (5-7)

Rich Franklin (season two, season 11 (partial)
Fighters coached: 8
Season Winners: 1
Season Finalists: 2
Fighters still in UFC: 2
UFC Champions: 1
Fighters’ Post-TUF winning percentage in UFC: 54% (42-35-1)

Forrest Griffin (season seven)
Fighters coached: 8
Season Winners: 1
Season Finalists: 1
Fighters still in UFC: 3
UFC Champions: 0
Fighters’ Post-TUF winning percentage in UFC: 56% (18-14)

Dan Henderson (season nine)
Fighters coached: 8
Season Winners: 0
Season Finalists: 1
Fighters still in UFC: 0
UFC Champions: 0
Fighters’ Post-TUF winning percentage in UFC: 36% (5-9)

Matt Hughes (seasons two and six)
Fighters coached: 17
Season Winners: 2
Season Finalists: 4
Fighters still in UFC: 1
UFC Champions: 0
Fighters’ Post-TUF winning percentage in UFC: 40% (25-38)

Quinton Jackson (seasons seven and 10)
Fighters coached: 17
Season Winners: 0
Season Finalists: 1
Fighters still in UFC: 2
UFC Champions: 0
Fighters’ Post-TUF winning percentage in UFC: 59% (19-13, 1 NC)

Jon Jones (season 17)
Fighters coached: 7
Season Winners: 0
Season Finalists: 0
UFC Champions: 0
Fighters’ Post-TUF winning percentage in UFC: TBD

Josh Koscheck (season 12)
Fighters coached: 7
Season Winners: 0
Season Finalists: 0
Fighters still in UFC: 1
UFC Champions: 0
Fighters’ Post-TUF winning percentage in UFC: 25% (2-6)

Brock Lesnar (season 13)
Fighters coached: 7
Season Winners: 1
Season Finalists: 0
Fighters still in UFC: 1
UFC Champions: 0
Fighters’ Post-TUF winning percentage in UFC: 45% (5-6)

Chuck Liddell (seasons one and 11)
Fighters coached: 15
Season Winners: 3
Season Finalists: 4
Fighters still in UFC: 6
UFC Champions: 1
Fighters’ Post-TUF winning percentage in UFC: 66% (65-34)

Jason Miller (season 14)
Fighters coached: 8
Season Winners: 1
Season Finalists: 2
Fighters still in UFC: 7
UFC Champions: 0
Fighters’ Post-TUF winning percentage in UFC: 71% (15-6, 1 NC)

Frank Mir (season eight)
Fighters coached: 8
Season Winners: 0
Season Finalists: 1
Fighters still in UFC: 4
UFC Champions: 0
Fighters’ Post-TUF winning percentage in UFC: 46% (19-22)

Roy Nelson (season 16)
Fighters coached: 8
Season Winners: 1
Season Finalists: 1
UFC Champions: 0

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (season eight)
Fighters coached: 8
Season Winners: 2
Season Finalists: 3
Fighters still in UFC: 2
UFC Champions: 0
Fighters’ Post-TUF winning percentage in UFC: 44% (15-19)

Tito Ortiz (seasons three and 11)
Fighters coached: 15
Season Winners: 2
Season Finalists: 4
Fighters still in UFC: 4
UFC Champions: 0
Fighters’ Post-TUF winning percentage in UFC: 57% (39-30)

Ross Pearson (TUF Smashes)
Fighters coached: 9
Season Winners: 1
Season Finalists: 3
UFC Champions: 0

BJ Penn (season five)
Fighters coached: 8
Season Winners: 0
Season Finalists: 0
Fighters still in UFC: 3
UFC Champions: 0
Fighters’ Post-TUF winning percentage in UFC: 62% (29-17-1, 2 NC)

Jens Pulver (season five)
Fighters coached: 8
Season Winners: 1
Season Finalists: 2
Fighters still in UFC: 3
UFC Champions: 0
Fighters’ Post-TUF winning percentage in UFC: 52% (22-20)

Matt Serra (season six)
Fighters coached: 9
Season Winners: 0
Season Finalists: 0
Fighters still in UFC: 1
UFC Champions: 0
Fighters’ Post-TUF winning percentage in UFC: 54% (15-13)

Ken Shamrock (season three)
Fighters coached: 8
Season Winners: 0
Season Finalists: 1
Fighters still in UFC: 1
UFC Champions: 0
Fighters’ Post-TUF winning percentage in UFC: 38% (10-16, 1 NC)

Wanderlei Silva (TUF Brazil)
Fighters coached: 11
Season Winners: 1
Season Finalists: 2
UFC Champions: 0

Chael Sonnen (season 17)
Fighters coached: 7
Season Winners: 1
Season Finalists: 2
UFC Champions: 0
Fighters’ Post-TUF winning percentage in UFC: TBD

George Sotiropoulos (TUF Smashes)
Fighters coached: 9
Season Winners: 1
Season Finalists: 1
UFC Champions: 0

Georges St-Pierre (season 12)
Fighters coached: 7
Season Winners: 1
Season Finalists: 2
Fighters still in UFC: 3
UFC Champions: 0
Fighters’ Post-TUF winning percentage in UFC: 48% (12-13)

***

MOST SEASON WINNERS
Liddell, Bisping 3
Nogueira, Ortiz, Hughes 2

MOST FINALISTS
Bisping 5
Liddell, Hughes, Ortiz 4
Nogueira 3

MOST FIGHTERS STILL IN UFC
Bisping, Miller 7
Liddell 6
Mir, Ortiz 4

BEST POST-TUF UFC WINNING PERCENTAGE
Miller 71%
Liddell 66%
Penn 62%

WORST POST-TUF UFC WINNING PERCENTAGE
Koscheck 25%
Henderson 36%
Shamrock 38%

COACHES WHO HAVE COACHED MORE THAN ONE SEASON OF TUF
Liddell, Hughes, Franklin (partial), Ortiz, Jackson, Bisping

Ed. Note – Since season four of TUF didn’t have team-specific coaches, that season is not included here. Plus, Rich Franklin’s late season replacement of Tito Ortiz on TUF 11 is not counted towards his coaching tally. With the exception of TUF 15, 2012 seasons of TUF (Brazil, Brazil 2, Smashes, 16) do not contain extended stats.