The Ultimate Fighter...

In my ongoing, currently injury-prone quest to become a better fighter I decided to have a further delve into the world of mixed martial arts and treated myself to a DVD, which bore the macho title The Ultimate Fighter.

It's basically the first series of a reality show where 16 mixed martial artists all train together and compete against each other to win one of two professional contracts with the UFC. Think of The Apprentice meets Big Brother with full contact fighting and blood and lots of posturing and you're more or less there.

The 16 martials artists are split into two teams, one headed by 'UFC legend' Randy Couture and the other headed by 'UFC legend' Chuck Liddel. The two fighters who eventually win the contracts, one middleweight and one light-heavyweight, then get the chance to also become a 'UFC legend'.

As you may gather the show is not short on hyperbole but it's remarkably watchable, even though the episodes tend to focus on the dynamics of the housemates as they try to big themselves up in front of their rivals rather than on giving tips on how to perfect a rear naked choke.

The episodes then arrive at the money shot of the two fighters battling it out in the octagan at the end of each episode until eventually only the winners remain.

Apparently it's quite a hit show in the US where it's now up to series seven. And, god forgive me, after watching the first series I may even buy another one.

Or I just may remember I have a brain and finish reading Peter Aykrod's excellent book on the Thames instead. It's a close call...