The newest series of The Ultimate Fighter aired in the early hours of Wednesday morning - with Conor McGregor one of the judges along with Michael Chandler.
It is the Dubliner's second time coaching on the show after he came up against Urijah Faber in 2015.
A fight between McGregor and Faber didn't happen at the end of that series, but the former two-weight champion is expected to face Chandler later this year, although a number of people have their doubts about that happening.
READ MORE: Team Conor McGregor fighter knocked out in 8 seconds in The Ultimate Fighter first episode
The first episode kicks off showing the Las Vegas skyline before switching to the UFC Apex in the city and McGregor's arrival at the facility, which hosted a number of high profile UFC events during the Covid shutdown and which continues to stage events for the promotion.
McGregor states that he is taking part in the series to give something back to the sport of MMA and it takes just a couple of minutes to see the first exchange between the Notorious and Chandler as the Irishman tells the American "this is my game".
While the popularity of McGregor in his own country is questionable, there is no doubting how big he remains Stateside, with UFC President Dana White describing him as one of sport's biggest superstars and a "global phenomenon", pointing out that the 34-year-old has headlined four of the promotion's top five biggest selling pay-per-views.
McGregor has won just one fight in six and a half years and by the time he faces Chandler he may well have been out of the octagon for almost 30 months.
Despite this, White believes that the fight will still be one of the biggest in the UFC's history - something else which is questionable.
As McGregor and Chandler pick their teams of fighters, the latter ends up with all veterans, while the Crumlin man has all prospects.
The excitement is quite clear among the fighters as they arrive at The Ultimate Fighter house as the show highlights that some of the contestants come very little.
McGregor's Proper 12 Whiskey is a strange item located in a house full of training athletes, but it wouldn't be like him to pass up an opportunity to promote his brands.
Although it is quite clear to see the esteem the 10-4-0 UFC fighter is held in by those on his team as they speak about his energy.
That is also clear from the sparring as McGregor gets involved himself and leads the session, showing he still maintains a lot of passion for the sport as he is joined by his own coaches John Kavanagh, Owen Roddy and two-time Olympian Phil Sutcliffe.
But not every fighter on TUF is keen on McGregor, with Kurt Holobaugh and Roosevelt Roberts, who are both on Chandler's team, stating that they are happy not to have the Dubliner as their coach.
The show also captures the emotion within the fighters, with some missing their families and young children, while others tell of tough upbringings with alcoholic parents and abusive homes.
Roberts is one of the main focuses of the opening episode as he faces Nate Jennerman in the first fight of the series. The California native tells of how he took up fighting to protect his daughter and turned his life around, having previously sold drugs before she was born.
McGregor has been known to turn up late to UFC events over the years, but his decision to not show up at all for the first weigh-in left many viewers puzzled, as well as Chandler.
The coaching styles of Chandler and McGregor appear quite different from the small bits we have seen so far, while the Notorious remains as flashy as ever, arriving to the UFC Apex for the fight in a Lamborghini wearing an expensive suit. Chandler, in comparison, just wears an ultimate fighter tracksuit.
But for all McGregor's money and achievements inside the octagon, it was Chandler who was celebrating after the fight as Roberts knocked out Jennerman in just eight seconds.
McGregor told his fighter not to worry and get back to the gym following the defeat and although the opening episode wasn't the most entertaining TV you'll ever see, it did whet the appetite for more.
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