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VICE TV recently dropped a first look at this week's episode of 'Dark Side of the Cage', which will focus on the inaugural season of 'The Ultimate Fighter'. The episode will detail how the hit show was created and its impact on the UFC's future.
The episode, titled 'The Ultimate Fighter: The UFC's Ultimate Gamble', airs on VICE TV this coming Wednesday at 10 pm ET and features competitors from the first season and coaches Randy Couture and Chuck Liddell.
The show was a turning point for the UFC and MMA as it resulted in promotion securing a deal with Spike TV for a second season and sparked interest and gained popularity in North America.
VICE TV uploaded a first look teaser to their Instagram account, in which their contributors detail that concept of 'TUF' and what the filming experience was like.
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The first season is remembered fondly by the promotion and MMA community as it featured the legendary light heavyweight final between Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar.
The network included a caption, where they describe what was at stake during the first season as the UFC needed to turn their fortunes around:
"In the early 2000s, reality television was at its prime, and Spike TV's 'The Ultimate Fighter' was at the forefront. The show brought together 16 MMA fighters to live, train, and compete in Las Vegas for a chance at a six-figure UFC contract."
Check out VICE TV's first look at this week's 'Dark Side of the Cage' episode below:
Who won the first season of 'The Ultimate Fighter'?
The first season of 'The Ultimate Fighter' had a significant impact on the UFC and created new stars for the promotion.
Light heavyweight and middleweight were the two divisions represented on the inaugural season and resulted in a memorable finale. In the middleweight division, Diego Sanchez made quick work of Kenny Florian as he earned a first-round TKO to become the first-ever 'TUF' winner.
In the following bout, Forrest Griffin earned a unanimous decision win over Stephan Bonnar to win the light heavyweight bracket. Despite the loss, UFC CEO Dana White still awarded Bonnar a contract because of his performance.
Griffin vs. Bonnar remains well received from fans and was the first fight inducted into the Fight wing of the UFC Hall of Fame in 2013.
Check out highlights from Forrest Griffin vs. Stephan Bonnar on 'The Ultimate Fighter' season 1 finale below:
