UFC Announces Ultimate Fighter Season For Championship Title Shot

The UFC has officially announced season 24 of their reality show The Ultimate Fighter. This time, the company is pulling out some stops in order to regain some of the audience the show has lost.

Per a press released issued to us Tuesday, the show will hold a 16-man flyweight tournament in order to determine a number one contender for the 125-pound championship. The winner will get a title shot on the finale in December.

This format isn't unheard of, as Matt Serra won season four on his way to earning a championship fight. Serra would go on to score one of the biggest upsets in MMA history by defeating Georges St-Pierre for the championship.

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Season 20 was actually contested for a championship, with Carla Esparza becoming the first ever UFC Strawweight Champion in 2014.

Demetrious "Mighty" Mouse Johnson is the UFC's dominant Flyweight Champion, and seems to be running out of contenders. He faces Olympian Henry Cejudo later this month at UFC 197, but has expressed his desire to break Anderson Silva's consecutive title defense record of 10. Johnson is currently sitting at 7.

Tryouts will take place on April 25 in Las Vegas at Palace Station, with the season set for filming in June, and the broadcast premiere on August 31 on Fox Sports 1.