TUF 15 will feature both lightweight and welterweight contestants competing for the six-figure contract guaranteed to the winners of each weight class. Those contestants will be coached by current UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz and former WEC featherweight champion Urijah Faber.
Tryouts have already started for the season, which will be the first to ever feature live fights throughout the season. It will also be the first season to air on Friday nights.
Cruz and Faber have fought twice before. If they are to fight a third time, this would be an unprecedented feat for the show, as the show has never led up to a third match between coaches before.
The pair first fought while under the WEC banner in March 2007, where Faber defended his featherweight title against Cruz, defeating him via guillotine choke in the first round. Both then eventually made the move to the bantamweight division.
Cruz (19-1) was the first to make the move, as he made his bantamweight debut in June 2008. He would go on to defeat Brian Bowles in March 2010 to win the WEC bantamweight title. He has since defended the belt four times, including a victory over Faber in their rematch at UFC 132 in July 2011. He then went on to defend his championship again, defeating Demetrious Johnson at UFC on Versus 6 in October.
Following the win against Cruz in the first matchup, Faber (26-5) would fight in the featherweight division for nearly four more years. He made his bantamweight debut against Takeya Mizugaki in November 2010. Following the loss to Cruz at UFC 132, Faber defeated Brian Bowles in the second round via TKO at UFC 139. This was scheduled as a number one contender matchup, thus creating the rubber match between Cruz and Faber.
With the match at UFC 132 in July so closely contested, a possible immediate rematch was discussed. However, Cruz went on to face Demetrious Johnson instead, while Faber defeated Brian Bowles the following month.
The thirteen week season begins live on Friday March 9th at 9PM, with a two hour premiere. The show will then air live at 10PM starting the following Friday.
Cruz and Faber will then matchup at a yet to be announced card in mid-2012 following the finale.
