A Closer Look at "The Comeback"
Part One: The Welterweights
By Peter Parsons
"The Ultimate Fighter's" fourth season hosts some familiar faces.
A prerequisite of first three seasons of SpikeTV's "The Ultimate Fighter" reality series has been its participants be up and coming fighters who had never stepped foot into the UFC octagon. The twist to season four is that the cast will consist of UFC veterans who have already had their shot on the big stage of the UFC. Not only will the winners of season four win a $100,000 prize, they will also earn a title fight in their respective weight classes.
In the welterweight division, eight fighters are looking for another opportunity at UFC glory.
Mikey "The Eastside Assassin" Burnett
Pro Record: 5-2, UFC Record: 2-1
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Mikey Burnett made his UFC debut in the first-ever 170-pound (then called lightweight) tournament at UFC 16 in March of 1998. The Oklahoma native scored a TKO victory over Brazilian Luta Livre legend Eugenio Tadeu in the first round of the four-man tournament. Unfortunately, Burnett could not continue on to the finals, due to injury, to face eventual tournament winner Pat Miletich.
Burnett wouldn't have to wait long to get his shot at Miletich. In October of 1998 at Ultimate Brazil, Burnett fought for the first ever UFC 170-pound (then called lightweight) title against now UFC legend and world-renowned trainer Miletich. Burnett lost a split decision in a lackluster fight. The former Lion's Den fighter only fought once since, winning a unanimous decision against Olympic wrestler Townsend Saunders at UFC 18 in January of 1999.
Burnett was known as a scrappy boxer/wrestler with well-rounded skills for his time. At 5'6, he will be a small welterweight in today's competitive market, but his inclusion on the shoe adds a bit of nostalgia to the proceedings: hardcore fans have been long awaiting the return of Burnett to the Octagon. After seven years away from MMA competition, Burnett will not get an easy comeback fight against a competitive TUF 4 cast, though, which features UFC veterans who have been active in MMA competition.
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Shonie "Mr. International" Carter
Pro Record: 71-15-7, UFC Record: 3-2
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As his nickname suggests, "Mr. International" has fought all over the world and is one of the most experienced fighters in the world of MMA and other combative sports like Shidokan, San Shou, and judo to name a few.
Shonie made his UFC debut at UFC 24, defeating Brad Gumm by unanimous decision back in March of 2000. Carter came back three months later earning another unanimous decision victory over Adrian Serrano at UFC 26.
"Mr. International" stayed busy, mainly in the Pancrase organization in Japan, before returning to UFC 31 in May of 2001. It was in this fight against fellow TUF 4 housemate, Matt Serra where Carter earned a spot on the UFC highlight reel. Carter landed a spinning backfist that knocked out Serra with nine seconds left in what was one of the best fights of the year in 2001.
The UFC brought Shonie back immediately to UFC 32 to fight former welterweight champion Pat Miletich where he lost by knockout (kick) in the second round.
Illinois native Carter was then away from the UFC for four years, fighting in many organizations in the US and abroad, going 16-6-2 in that period. Carter returned to the Octagon at UFC 53 in June 2005, losing to TUF 1 standout Nate Quarry by TKO in a middleweight (185-pound) match-up.
Shonie is known for his unorthodox fighting style. He will throw punches and kicks from all angles and he possesses some beautiful throws. Carter is also known as an escape artist on the ground where he is difficult to submit.
34-year-old Carter possesses all the credentials as a fighter, but it is his flamboyant personality that makes him the perfect fit for the reality TV world.
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Rich "No Love" Clementi
Pro Record: 25-10-1, UFC Record: 0-1
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Louisiana native Rich Clementi will be coming up from the 155-pound division to the welterweight bracket for TUF 4. Clementi's lone UFC appearance was at UFC 41 in February of 2003. He lost to then top lightweight contender Yves Edwards by rear-naked choke at 4:06 of the third round.
Clementi had strung together nine straight wins in organizations like the MFC, where his stand-up showdown with Russian Red Devil Sergei Goliaev put him back on the map. The run ended with a unanimous decision loss to Caol Uno at the K-1: HERO's event in March of this year.
30-year-old Clementi is more then just a fighter; he is the co-promoter of the Southern-based promotion, Reality Combat, which has featured fighters like TUF 2 veteran Melvin Guillard. As both a fighter and trainer, Clementi remains one of the most successful and respected MMA figures of the deep South.
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Jeremy "The Scorpion" Jackson
Pro Record: 8-4, UFC Record: 0-1
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Jackson's lone UFC fight was the culmination of a trilogy against MMA bad boy Nick Diaz. Going 1-1 against Diaz in smaller U.S. promotions, their rubber match was on the big stage at UFC 44 in September of 2003. Jackson lost by armbar at 2:04 of the third round in what was a back and forth battle up until that point.
The fight that had put the California native on the MMA map was Jackson's unanimous decision victory in a very exciting fight against future TUF 4 housemate Shonie Carter at the World Extreme Cagefighting 6 event in March of 2003.
23-year-old Jackson recently came off of a two-year layoff from MMA, where he dabbled in the world of boxing going 1-1** as a pro. Jackson returned to MMA competition, defeating Christian Vargas by rear-naked choke in the first round of San Diego's Total Combat event in October of 2005.
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Chris "Lights Out" Lytle
Pro Record: 22-12-5, UFC Record: 2-4
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Lytle made his UFC debut back in November of 2000 at UFC 28 losing a two-round, unanimous decision against Miletich fighter Ben Earwood.
The Indiana native then went 9-3-2, fighting in both the States and the Japanese Pancrase organization, before returning to UFC 45 in November of 2003. Lytle lost a unanimous decision to Robbie Lawler in an exciting fight that earned him a return trip to the Octagon.
Lytle returned in April of 2004 at UFC 47, defeating Tiki Ghosen by headlock choke at 1:55 of the second round. Lytle made it two submission victories in a row at UFC 49 in August of 2004, submitting Ronald Jhun by guillotine choke at 1:17 of the second round.
Lytle returned at UFC 51 in February of 2005, losing a unanimous decision to top welterweight contender Karo Parisyan. In October of 2005, Lytle lost his second straight UFC fight to Joe Riggs by TKO at the 2:00 mark of the second round.
Lytle stays very active between his profession as a firefighter, and an MMA fighter and pro boxer. In fact, the 31-year-old Lytle has a pro boxing record of 13-1-1**. A versatile foe, Lytle can put your "lights out" by KO, but he has won the majority of his MMA fights by submission.
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Matt "The Terror" Serra
Pro Record: 7-4, UFC Record 4-4
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Scanning Serra's record, all but three of his pro fights have been in the UFC. The Italian native of Long Island, New York made his UFC debut in May of 2001 at UFC 31, in the aforementioned fight against TUF 4 housemate Shonie Carter. Serra, the first-ever American Renzo Gracie black belt, impressed fans with his relentless submission attack before getting caught at the end of the fight with a Carter spinning backfist.
At UFC 33 in September of 2001, Serra won a majority decision in a welterweight (170-pound) fight over Yves Edwards in which both fighters came in at 164 pounds.
In March of 2002, at UFC 36, the five-foot-six Serra dropped down to the lightweight division again, where he submitted Kelly Dullanty by triangle choke at 2:58 of the first round. This set up a much-anticipated fight with fellow American BJJ black belt BJ Penn at UFC 39 in September of 2002. Fans anticipated a ground war between the two BJJ black belts, but Penn was able to keep the fight standing and win the unanimous decision.
Serra then returned at UFC 41 in February of 2003, losing a controversial split decision to another future TUF 4 housemate in Din Thomas. The controversy came from the fact that the fight was originally announced as a split decision victory for Matt Serra. The decision was later overturned as the judges' scorecards were tallied incorrectly.
Serra returned from nearly a year layoff in January of 2004 at UFC 46, earning a unanimous decision over Jeff Curran. Serra followed up with another unanimous decision victory over Ivan Menjivar at UFC 48 in June of 2004.
After another year layoff, Serra returned to the welterweight division, losing a unanimous decision to top contender Karo Parisyan at UFC 53 in June of 2005 after dropping Parisyan with a heated fist in the bout's earlier moments.
Although Serra has fought to many tough decisions in his career, he is always attempting to finish and is known as an exciting fighter.
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Pete "The Secret Weapon" Spratt
Pro Record: 14-9, UFC Record: 2-2
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The Texas native made his UFC debut in June of 2002 at UFC 37.5 with an armbar victory over Zack Light. Spratt came to the UFC with a reputation as a lethal Muay Thai striker, which he briefly displayed with lightning fast kicks before getting taken down by wrestler Light. Spratt surprised by winning by armbar at 2:25 of the first round.
Spratt returned in November of 2002 at UFC 40, losing by Kimura in the first round to former UFC welterweight champion Carlos Newton.
"The Secret Weapon's" most notable victory of his MMA career was against Miletich Fighting System's Robbie Lawler at UFC 42 in April of 2003. Spratt defeated the then undefeated welterweight Lawler by TKO at 3:25 of the second round. Lawler waived to the ref that he had enough after he could no longer tolerate a groin injury that was agitated from Spratt's lethal leg kicks.
After Spratt's victory over Lawler, he went on to have contract squabbles with the UFC. Spratt appeared to resolve his contract issues with the UFC and was set to return at UFC 46 in January of 2004 against Karo Parisyan. He stayed busy by taking a fight in the TKO organization in November of 2003 against a young Georges St. Pierre. Spratt lost by rear-naked choke in the first round. The UFC pulled Spratt from the Parisyan fight and gave the spot to St. Pierre. This was the beginning of St. Pierre's run to the no. 1 contender spot in the UFC. Ironically, St. Pierre is one of the trainers for TUF 4.
Spratt would not return to the UFC until August 2005 at Ultimate Fight Night 1. He lost to TUF 1 standout Josh Koscheck by rear-naked choke in the first round.
Spratt has also fought extensively in professional Muay Thai and kickboxing events, including most recently in Chuck Norris' World Combat League. Expect to see the confident 35-year-old Spratt display more then just his fighting skills on TUF 4- Spratt is a also rapper who's released multiple CDs.
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Din "Dinyero" Thomas
Pro Rec: 20-6, UFC Record: 2-2
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Din has fought his whole career in the lightweight division. Thomas' biggest fight early in his career was in the main event of the World Extreme Fighting 10 event in August 2000 against Jens Pulver, who would later go on to become the UFC's lightweight champion. Thomas caught Pulver by heelhook at 33 seconds of the second round.
Florida native Thomas made his UFC debut in June 2001 at UFC 32 against BJ Penn. Thomas was on the receiving end of Penn's highlight reel knockout from a big knee followed by a flurry of punches on the ground.
Din returned immediately at UFC 33 in September 2001 with a unanimous decision victory over Fabiano Iha. In September 2002 at UFC 39, Thomas looked to avenge the first loss of his career to Caol Uno, who he had lost to in the Japanese Shooto organization in September1999 by rear-naked choke in the third round. Thomas lost again to the former Shooto champion Uno, this time by unanimous decision.
Thomas returned in February 2003 at UFC 41, winning a split decision in the aforementioned fight versus TUF 4 housemate Matt Serra.
Thomas hasn't returned to the UFC since the Serra fight. The 29-year-old has been a sub par 3-3 in MMA since he was last seen in the UFC. Thomas also tried his hand in pro boxing with two matches in 2004, going 1-0-1** as a pro boxer.
Although it is possible that Thomas and housemate Pete Spratt could meet in the Octagon, it is more likely that we will see them battling outside of it as Thomas is also a rapper.
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These UFC veterans will get more exposure on TUF 4 then they've had in all their previous UFC fights combined. Many of the TUF 4 fighters fought in the UFC at a time when a loss meant they had to fight their way back to the big show. Due to the exposure on Spike TV, every fighter on TUF 4 will have a chance to further their careers in the UFC -- win or lose.
Tomorrow, FCF takes a closer look at the middleweight contenders of TUF 4.
** Boxing records according to boxrec.com
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