TUF: why even up the teams?

there is no reason to make Chuck give Randy's team a LHW. Theoretically, a team needs only 1 fighter per weightclass to compete. There's no need to have the teams even.

It's kind of silly, it takes away the entire concept of 'team' when you know your team is constantly changing.

Having said that, it looks like it's happening...my bet is that Chuck sends over Alex Schoenauer.

You have to for logistical reasons. My first thought when I saw that in the preview for next week's show was, "Bullshit!" but then I realized that it was necessary and that it is fair as long as the rule is evenly applied. So, for example, the rule is working against Chuck now, but the same exact kind of thing would happen if Chuck got down to having one middleweight left and Randy had three left. Same thing for the last-place person in a challenge being able to choose his opponent. As long as the rule is evenly applied throughout the course of the show, I have no problem with it.

I still don't really understand why they need to do it except maybe to make team challenges fair. Team Couture still has two light heavyweights (Swick and Bonnar), so it's not like there's just one that doesn't have anyone his size to train with.

Because there will be only 1 winner for a weight class, the whole team doesnt get a ufc contract.

Oh yeah, I didn't even realize that. Charles hit the nail right on the head.

If Team Couture had one guy left and Team Liddell had three guys left, what would happen if the one remaining guy on Team Couture lost? That's why it's necessary to even up the teams, if for no other reason.

I feel bad for the guy Chuck releases because that will be like Chuck saying "your the worst on my team so I'm giving you away".

What would be funny is if, whomever The Iceman gives up turns around to win the whole thing.

But yes, the sides have to stay even.

If the sides have to stay even, then what was the point of having teams to begin with? Why not have them compete as individuals?

It has to be done for the system to work. The reason Liddell is prob pissed is cause the coaches can spend time building a guy and then have to give him up.

"If Team Couture had one guy left and Team Liddell had three guys left, what would happen if the one remaining guy on Team Couture lost?"

Or better yet, what if Couture had one middleweight left, and he won the challenge. At the same time, the loser of the challenge was a Lidell middleweight. Who's he supposed to fight if Couture's lone middleweight has immunity from fighting?

It's just for TV drama.

What happens if chuck's 3 LHW's eliminate Randys last LHW? Then they compete with each other.. but wouldn't it SUCK to be on the LHW team kicking ass and get traded to the team that's getting it's ass beat.

If you are on the 'winning team' you will be there till the end, if you are on teh 'losing team' you are getting weeded out early..

Ultimately it don't matter as it will come down to 1 on 1.. but the whole "teams" thing is for 2 reasons

1) promote bonding between fighters to help make things interesting.. if it were every man for himself it would change the training/living dynamic

2) sell Chuck vs Randy to folks not familiar with the UFC fighters.. this whole series is partially a vehicle to promote their April fight to a mainstream audience

I would guess there are two reasons:

  1. If a team gets down to one fighter in a weight class then that fighter would be competing every other week. That in itself wouldn't be fair.

  2. Even up training partners. You don't want a whole team to suffer because they don't have enough guys to properly train.

Yeah they do this on a lot of shows.  Basically, it messes with peoples emotions to get close to a teammates then have to let them go and end up on the opposing side.  This can build up two friends fighting each other later on, more drama, more in house sh*t talking, etc. etc.

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