I don’t know what’s more surprising, the fact Joe Riggs (furthest to the left) is one of the 32 welterweights competing in Spike TV’s “Fight Master: Bellator MMA,” or that the former UFC veteran is only 30 years old.
The inaugural season of the reality show brings together the 170-pounders for a spot in the Bellator MMA Tournament and a $100,000 payday. The series premieres Wednesday, June 19 at 10PM ET/PT.
MMA icons Randy Couture, Greg Jackson, Frank Shamrock and Joe Warren will serve as opposing coaches.
The concept of “Fight Master: Bellator MMA” is a tad different than the UFC’s long running “The Ultimate Fighter” in that the athletes control their own destiny. They will choose which camp to train with and which opponent they want to fight next.
Here is the show’s compete cast:
Marcus Aurelio
Age: 26
Record: 6-2-0
Vancouver, British ColumbiaNick Barnes
Age: 22
Record: 5-0-0
San Diego, CAEric Bradley
Age: 31
Record: 5-1-0
Las Vegas, NVMike Bronzoulis
Age: 34
Record: 15-5-1
Houston, TXFrank Carrillo
Age: 29
Record: 6-3-0
Miami, FLDarryl Cobb
Age: 32
Record: 6-6-0
East St. Louis, ILChristopher Curtis
Age: 25
Record: 7-2-0
Cincinnati, OHEvan Cutts
Age: 22
Record: 5-1-0
Dallas, TXMike Dubois
Age: 30
Record: 3-0-0
Thomasville, GATom Gallicchio
Age: 26
Record: 16-8-0
Howell, NJIsmael Gonzalez
Age: 32
Record: 11-10-0
Los Angeles, CAGareth Joseph
Age: 28
Record: 9-5-0
San Diego, CAChris Lozano
Age: 30
Record: 9-3-0
Cleveland, OHAJ Matthews
Age: 24
Record: 5-2-0
Carlsbad, CARob Mills
Age: 35
Record: 8-2-0
Newcastle, United KingdomSteve Montgomery
Age: 22
Record: 3-1-0
Florence, SCChip Moraza-Pollard
Age: 24
Record: 7-4-0
Plymouth, MABrett Nakamura
Age: 30
Record: 6-1-0
Maui, HIJason Norwood
Age: 28
Record: 12-3-0
Fort Hood, TXDom O’Grady
Age: 31
Record: 15-5-1
Detroit, MIJacob Ortiz
Age: 31
Record: 8-4-0
San Manuel, AZJosh Quayhagen
Age: 26
Record: 6-1-0
Lake Charles, LAJoe Riggs
Age: 30
Record: 39-14-0
Phoenix, AZEric Scallan
Age: 27
Record: 11-4-0
Lafayette, LACristiano Souza
Age: 30
Record: 5-0-0
Salvador, Bahia, BrazilBrendan Tierney
Age: 37
Record: 10-5-0
Queens, NYBryan Travers
Age: 29
Record: 13-3-0
Bakersfield, CAAndy Uhrich
Age: 27
Record: 8-3-0
Gering, NETim Welch
Age: 22
Record: 8-4-0
Great Falls, MTCole Williams
Age: 30
Record: 5-1-0
Darian, WIJoe Williams
Age: 27
Record: 7-1-0
Tustin, CAArtenas Young
Age: 32
Record: 9-5-0
Houston, TX