The UFC’s longest-running proving ground is headed to a new home.
On Tuesday, the Ultimate Fighting Championship and Paramount announced that The Ultimate Fighter will return in 2026, streaming exclusively on Paramount+. The upcoming installment, The Ultimate Fighter 34, marks the first new season of the reality competition series to debut on the platform.
TUF 34 will spotlight two of the promotion’s most talent-rich divisions: men’s bantamweight (135 pounds) and women’s strawweight (115 pounds). Casting officially opened Monday, Mar. 2, and will remain active through Friday, Mar. 27. Applications are available via UFC’s online portal, with the entire casting process conducted remotely and no in-person tryouts scheduled. Finalists are expected to be selected by Apr. 3, 2026. Coaches for the season will be announced at a later date.
Produced by Lionsgate Alternative Television, The Ultimate Fighter has long served as a pipeline to stardom inside the Octagon. Since its 2005 debut, the series has helped cultivate champions, contenders and household names, while also introducing waves of new fans to the sport.
Among the notable alumni are former UFC champions Kamaru Usman, T.J. Dillashaw, Rose Namajunas, Michael Bisping, Forrest Griffin and Rashad Evans, as well as fan favorites and perennial contenders such as Tony Ferguson, Nate Diaz, Michael Chiesa and Kelvin Gastelum. Conor McGregor, who served as a coach on TUF 22 and TUF 31, further underscored the show’s role as a cultural launchpad.
With two divisions known for depth and parity, TUF 34 has the potential to inject fresh blood into weight classes that consistently deliver high-paced action. The bantamweight division remains one of the UFC’s most competitive landscapes, while strawweight continues to showcase a blend of technique and relentless output.
As the series transitions to Paramount+, the move signals a continued evolution in how the UFC packages and distributes its developmental platform. Nearly two decades removed from its breakout first season, The Ultimate Fighter remains a foundational piece of the promotion’s talent-building engine — and in 2026, it begins a new chapter on a new stage.