The twenty-third season of The Ultimate Fighter will feature UFC strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk and No. 1 contender Claudia Gadelha as coaches. The two will then fight at the end of the season on the finale.
The UFC confirmed one of the worst kept secrets in the sport on Sunday night’s telecast of UFC Fight Night 81: Dillashaw vs. Cruz in Boston.
HOT TOPIC > Invicta FC 15 Results: Cris Cyborg Smashes Daria Ibragimova
Jedrzejczyk appeared alongside broadcaster Joe Rogan to announce her coaching spot opposite Gadelha and their fight. The fight will take place at the TUF 23 Finale on July 8, the day before the historic UFC 200 on July 9. Both events will take place in Las Vegas.
Jedrzejczyk and Gadelha’s charges on TUF 23 will consist of eight light heavyweight men and eight strawweight women.
The Ultimate Fighter: Team Joanna vs. Team Claudia will kick-off on FS1 on Wednesday, April 20 with a two-hour season premiere airing at 10 p.m. ET. 32 competitors fight for one of 16 slots – eight in each weight class. The season will continue with 11 one-hour shows on Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET.
The fight between Jedrzejczyk and Gadelha will be a rematch of a fight that Jedrzejczyk won via split decision. It will also be the second time a title fight has headlined a FOX Sports 1 fight card.
