The Ultimate Fighter: Heavy Hitters
| Company type | Reality television series season |
|---|---|
| Industry | Mixed martial arts |
| Founded | July 11, 2018 |
Area served | United States |
Key people | Robert Whittaker (Coach), Kelvin Gastelum (Coach) |
| Parent | Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) |
The Ultimate Fighter: Heavy Hitters—also referred to as The Ultimate Fighter 28, represents a season of the reality series The Ultimate Fighter, produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). The season's finale was held on November 30, 2018, at the Pearl Theatre within the Palms Casino Resort and was aired on Fox Sports 1.
On April 25, 2018, tryouts were announced specifically for competitors in the women's featherweight and men's heavyweight categories. The coaching roles were filled by UFC Middleweight Champion Robert Whittaker and former champion Kelvin Gastelum, with their appointments revealed on July 7. A middleweight title bout between Whittaker and Gastelum was arranged for February 9, 2019, at UFC 234, following the season's conclusion. However, Whittaker pulled out just hours before the event due to emergency surgery addressing an abdominal hernia and twisted bowel. This fight ultimately took place two years later at UFC on ESPN: Whittaker vs. Gastelum. The cast lineup was disclosed on July 11, 2018.
Coaches
Team Whittaker:
- Robert Whittaker, Head Coach
- Fabricio Itte, Wrestling Coach
- Justin Fitzgerald, Boxing Coach
- Sergio Penha, Jiu Jitsu Coach
Team Gastelum:
- Kelvin Gastelum, Head Coach
- Terrell Hunsinger, Assistant Coach
- Tyler Minton, Assistant Coach
Fighters
- Team Whittaker
- Heavyweights: Anderson da Silva, Juan Espino, Michel Batista, Przemysław Mysiala.
- Women's Featherweights: Julija Stoliarenko, Leah Letson, Larissa Pacheco, Katharina Lehner.
- Team Gastelum
- Heavyweights: Ben Sosoli, Maurice Greene, Josh Parisian, Justin Frazier.
- Women's Featherweights: Macy Chiasson, Pannie Kianzad, Bea Malecki, Marciea Allen.
Episodes
Episode 1: Biggest and Baddest (August 29, 2018)
- Fighters gathered in Las Vegas for assessments and training prior to team selections.
- Gastelum won the coin toss and opted for first fight pick; Whittaker secured first fighter choice. The fighters were drafted as follows:
| Coach | 1st Pick | 2nd Pick | 3rd Pick | 4th Pick | 5th Pick | 6th Pick | 7th Pick | 8th Pick |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whittaker | Anderson da Silva (HW) | Julija Stoliarenko (WFW) | Juan Francisco Espino Dieppa (HW) | Leah Letson (WFW) | Michel Batista (HW) | Larissa Pacheco (WFW) | Przemysław Mysiala (HW) | Katharina Lehner (WFW) |
| Gastelum | Ben Sosoli (HW) | Macy Chiasson (WFW) | Maurice Greene (HW) | Pannie Kianzad (WFW) | Josh Parisian (HW) | Bea Malecki (WFW) | Justin Frazier (HW) | Marciea Allen (WFW) |
- Maurice Greene was selected by Gastelum to face Przemyslaw Mysiala in the opening fight.
- Maurice Greene secured a knockout victory in the first round.
- Retaining fight selection rights, Gastelum chose Pannie Kianzad versus Katharina Lehner for the subsequent bout.
Episode 2: Throw Leather (September 5, 2018)
- Concerns arose within Team Gastelum regarding Justin Frazier’s cardiovascular endurance as he struggled during training sessions.
- Pannie Kianzad underwent dental surgery due to an injury but returned to compete.
- Pannie Kianzad earned a unanimous decision win over Katharina Lehner.
- The next heavyweight matchup announced was Justin Frazier against Anderson da Silva.
Episode 3: War Tanks (September 12, 2018)
- After two weeks training with Team Gastelum, Justin Frazier showed marked improvement.
- Language barriers caused communication difficulties between teams; Juan Espino served as translator for Team Whittaker.
- Maurice Greene created tension by mocking Michel Batista.
- Justin Frazier defeated Anderson da Silva by unanimous decision.
- The upcoming women's featherweight contest featured Julija Stoliarenko versus Marciea Allen.
Episode 4: A Win is a Win (September 19, 2018)
- Julija Stoliarenko was highlighted as the first Lithuanian female fighter in UFC history.
- Gastelum invited Brian Beaumont to award a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
- Whittaker led his team off-site for specialized training and bonding exercises.
- Leah Letson voiced dissatisfaction with the intensity of training.
- Julija Stoliarenko secured a submission victory in round one.
- The next heavyweight quarterfinal bout was set as Josh Parisian versus Michel Batista.
Episode 5: Life is a Fight (September 26, 2018)
- Marciea Allen faced emotional challenges following her loss; Michel Batista prepared for his fight against Josh Parisian, who had left his IT career to compete.
- John Walker, former NFL player and strength coach, provided motivation to fighters.
- Leah Letson contemplated switching teams due to communication issues.
- Michel Batista defeated Josh Parisian via TKO in round two.
- The women's featherweight quarterfinal pairing was announced: Bea Malecki versus Leah Letson.
Episode 6: Comfortable with the Uncomfortable (October 3, 2018)
- Leah Letson discussed her UFC signing and expressed satisfaction with intensified training under Team Whittaker.
- Bea Malecki aimed to keep fights standing to avoid exposing ground game weaknesses.
- Uriah Hall joined Team Gastelum as a guest coach.
- Leah Letson won by unanimous decision over Bea Malecki.
- The final heavyweight quarterfinal fight was announced: Juan Francisco Espino Dieppa versus Ben Sosoli.
Episode 7: I never have Fear (October 24, 2018)
- Leah Letson rejoined Team Whittaker after recovering from injuries and receiving coaching support.
- Communication resolved tensions between Maurice Greene and Juan Espino.
- Juan Francisco Espino Dieppa earned a unanimous decision victory over Ben Sosoli.
- The following women's featherweight contest was set as Larissa Pacheco against Macy Chiasson.
Episode 8: Be First to be Last (October 31, 2018)
- Macy Chiasson expressed concerns about Maurice Greene’s disruptive conduct during preparations.
- Internal conflicts arose involving Maurice Greene and Anderson da Silva; Anderson also provoked Justin Frazier.
- Whittaker backed Pacheco while Gastelum supported Chiasson despite her limited experience.
- Macy Chiasson won by TKO in round one.
- Dana White revealed the semifinal matchups:
- Michel Batista vs. Justin Frazier
- Juan Francisco Espino Dieppa vs. Maurice Greene
- Julija Stoliarenko vs. Pannie Kianzad
- Macy Chiasson vs. Leah Letson
Episode 9: Act Like a Professional (November 7, 2018)
- Maurice Greene engaged in verbal disputes with Anderson da Silva; coaches addressed his alcohol use and professionalism concerns.
- To improve morale amid tensions, Whittaker organized a team dinner.
- Marciea Allen considered quitting but remained after encouragement from teammates following issues related to Greene’s behavior.
- Justin Frazier defeated Michel Batista by technical knockout in round one.
Episode 10: Made For This (November 14, 2018)
- Despite pressure from coaches and teammates, Maurice Greene continued smoking; Justin Frazier confronted him about its effect on performance while revealing his own history of alcoholism struggles.
- Gastelum expressed disappointment but maintained support; assistant coaches introduced discipline drills targeting Greene’s conduct.
- Coaches’ rest day featured a competitive waterpark event won by Team Whittaker.
- Pannie Kianzad achieved a unanimous decision victory over Julija Stoliarenko.
Episode 11: Be loose, be Free, be me (November 21, 2018)
- Some members of Team Whittaker challenged the demanding training regimen; coaches responded decisively by encouraging independent workouts during free time.
- House tensions escalated over preferences regarding UFC PPV viewing; Maurice Greene assumed control despite smoking infractions caught by assistant coaches.
- The Coaches Challenge involved a heated race won by Whittaker’s squad; winners received monetary rewards.
- Juan Francisco Espino Dieppa submitted Maurice Greene in round one.
Episode 12: One Thousand Percent (November 28, 2018)
- Macy Chiasson prepared for her fight against Leah Letson with grappling assistance from guest coach Ilir Latifi; she experienced mental fatigue adapting to new techniques shortly before competition.
- Gastelum hosted a final team dinner featuring UFC flyweight champion Henry Cejudo as inspiration for fighters.
- Macy Chiasson won by knockout against Leah Letson in round one.
Women's Featherweight bracket
|
Team Whittaker | |
|
Team Gastelum | |
| Template:Center |
Unanimous Decision |
| Template:Center |
Majority Decision |
| Template:Center |
Submission |
| Template:Center |
(Technical) Knock Out |
The Ultimate Fighter 28 Finale
The Ultimate Fighter: Heavy Hitters Finale, commonly referred to as The Ultimate Fighter 28 Finale, was a mixed martial arts event hosted by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on November 30, 2018. The venue was the Pearl Theatre at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada. The event recorded an attendance of 2,020 spectators and achieved a gate revenue of $204,600.
Background
The main event featured a welterweight clash between former UFC Lightweight Champion Rafael dos Anjos and The Ultimate Fighter: American Top Team vs. Blackzilians welterweight champion Kamaru Usman.
Additionally, the card showcased the finals for both the heavyweight and women's featherweight divisions from The Ultimate Fighter: Heavy Hitters.
Originally, former Strikeforce and WEC Lightweight Champion and ex-UFC Lightweight title contender Gilbert Melendez was slated to face Arnold Allen. However, Melendez withdrew due to injury on November 5 and was replaced by former WSOF Featherweight Champion Ricky Glenn. Later, Allen withdrew on November 16 because of a training injury and was substituted by promotional newcomer Kevin Aguilar.
Ashlee Evans-Smith was scheduled to compete against debutant Antonina Shevchenko but pulled out on November 8; her replacement was Ji Yeon Kim.
A bantamweight matchup between Boston Salmon and Khalid Taha was planned initially but removed from the card for undisclosed reasons.
During weigh-ins, both Glenn and Kim failed to make weight, exceeding the featherweight and flyweight non-title limits respectively. Each was penalized 20% of their fight purses, which were awarded to their opponents Aguilar and Shevchenko. Their bouts proceeded at catchweight.
Bonus awards
$50,000 bonuses were awarded to fighters as follows:
- Fight of the Night: No recipient
- Performance of the Night:: Kamaru Usman, Juan Espino Dieppa, Joseph Benavidez, and Roosevelt Roberts
Reported payout
The disclosed fighter payouts submitted to the Nevada State Athletic Commission amounted to $1,007,000. These figures do not include sponsorship earnings or UFC "fight night" bonuses.
- Kamaru Usman: $150,000 (including $75,000 win bonus) defeated Rafael dos Anjos: $110,000
- Juan Espino Dieppa: $30,000 ($15,000 win bonus) defeated Justin Frazier: $15,000
- Macy Chiasson: $30,000 ($15,000 win bonus) defeated Pannie Kianzad: $15,000
- Pedro Munhoz: $90,000 ($45,000 win bonus) defeated Bryan Caraway: $21,000
- Edmen Shahbazyan: $20,000 ($10,000 win bonus) defeated Darren Stewart: $22,000
- Antonina Shevchenko: $36,000 ($15,000 win bonus) defeated Ji Yeon Kim: $14,000*
- Kevin Aguilar: $25,000 ($10,000 win bonus) defeated Rick Glenn: $20,000**
- Joseph Benavidez: $146,000 ($73,000 win bonus) defeated Alex Perez: $22,000
- Maurice Greene: $20,000 ($10,000 win bonus) defeated Michel Batista: $10,000
- Leah Letson: $20,000 ($10,000 win bonus) defeated Julija Stoliarenko: $10,000
- Roosevelt Roberts: $20,000 ($10,000 win bonus) defeated Darrell Horcher: $15,000
- Tim Means: $98,000 ($49,000 win bonus) defeated Ricky Rainey: $14,000
- Raoni Barcelos: $24,000 ($12,000 win bonus) defeated Chris Gutiérrez: $10,000
* Ji Yeon Kim incurred a fine of $6,000 for missing weight; this amount was awarded to Shevchenko.
** Rick Glenn was fined $5,000 for failing to make weight; the sum was given to Aguilar.