With The Ultimate Fighter 5 about to premiere on April 5 on Spike, the UFC has announced that tryouts for the next season will be held next month.

In the first four seasons the show mixed two different weight classes in each season, but they're going in a different direction now, as season five will feature only lightweights (155lbs), and the announced season six of The Ultimate Fighter reportedly will include only welterweight fighters (155-170 lbs).



This season also features another first for the franchise, as coaches Jens "Lil' Evil" Pulver and BJ "The Prodigy" Penn will fight each other on the show's season finale, airing live in June.

Tryouts for The Ultimate Fighter 6 will start Tuesday, April 10 in the Main Ballroom at the Palms Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas. Applications for the open casting call are still available on the Spike TV website.  Overseeing the tryouts will be Dana White, host of The Ultimate Fighter and UFC President, The Ultimate Fighter's Executive Producer Craig Piligian, and Spike TV's senior VP of sports Brian J. Diamond.

The sixteen lightweight fighters have been announced for this season's The Ultimate Fighter 5, which will premiere on April 5 at 11 p.m. following UFC Fight Night. Living in The Ultimate Fighter House and competing for a six-figure, multi-fight contract with the UFC will be:

Allen "Monstah" Berube, MMA record 2-1
Nate Diaz, brother of the UFC's Nick Diaz, MMA record 5-2
Robert Emerson, aka "The O.C. Kid" , MMA record 8-6
Manuel "Pitbull"Gamburyan, MMA record 5-2
Brian "Duke" Geraghty, MMA record 24-9-2
Corey Hill, aka "The Real Deal", MMA record 4-0
Joseph "J-Lau" Lauzon, MMA record 13-3
Gray "The Bully" Maynard, MMA record 3-0
Brandon "The Murderer" Melendez, MMA record 11-5
Cole "Magrinho" Miller , MMA record 19-3
Gabe "Godzilla" Ruediger, MMA record 10-3
Marlon "Mr Indestructible" Sims, MMA record 3-1
Noah "The Red" Thomas, MMA record 10-4
Andy Wang, MMA record 8-6
Wayne Weems, MMA record 16-2
Matt "Handsome" Wiman, MMA record 6-3

-Mel, BuddyTV Staff Columnist

Sources: UFC, Spike TV
Photo courtesy of theultimatefighter.tv