Ranking every Ultimate Fighter winner

12. Diego Sanchez

The Ultimate Fighter 1, coached by Chuck Liddell and Randy Couture, premiered in January of 2005 and when all is said and done, might have been the program that saved the UFC. Diego Sanchez was the first winner of TUF, keeping his undefeated record alive as he beat Kenny Florian in the middleweight final for Team Liddell. Sanchez would start off his career 17-0, going 6-0 after his appearance on the show.

Sanchez would go on a four-fight win streak and earn a lightweight title shot against BJ Penn at UFC 107. Sanchez would go 18-13 over his UFC career from 2005 to 2020, fighting in four different weight classes, and has the most fight-of-the-night bonuses in UFC history, truly a pioneer of the sport. Sanchez was released after odd behavior with his trainer surfaced, but ended his UFC tenure on a 3-2 run, last fighting at UFC 253, and is currently signed to Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship.

11. John Dodson

John Dodson competed in and won Ultimate Fighter 14: Team Bisping vs. Team Miller, fighting for Team Miller. Dodson was 11-5 before joining the show and beat Brandon Merkt, John Albert, and Johnny Bedford before finishing future bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw in the finale. Dodson would return to his natural weight class of flyweight and go 10-7 with the organization from 2011 to 2020, fighting for the flyweight championship twice against Demetrious Johnson, but falling short both times. Dodson would then move back up to bantamweight and finish out his UFC run at 4-5 before being released. Dodson is currently signed to Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship.