Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler to Coach "The Ultimate Fighter" Season 31

Premieres Exclusively on ESPN Tuesday, May 30 at 10 p.m ET

New Episodes Tuesday: Debut on ESPN, Stream on ESPN+ Following

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Las Vegas - The 31st season of The Ultimate Fighter is set to be the biggest in the show's history, as former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion Conor McGregor and No. 5 ranked lightweight contender Michael Chandler go head-to-head as coaches. Following the series, which exclusively debuts Tuesday, May 30th on ESPN, the two coaches will prepare to square off later this year, on a date to be determined. Contestants will be announced soon.

The entire twelve episode season of The Ultimate Fighter 31 will air exclusively on ESPN, with one episode out each Tuesday beginning May 30 at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. Episodes will be available to stream on demand on ESPN+ at 11 p.m., following the conclusion of their network debut. In addition, UFC fans can re-watch all 30 previous seasons of TUF on ESPN+, the industry-leading sports streaming service.

Former UFC double champion McGregor (22-6, fighting out of Dublin, Ireland) returns to The Ultimate Fighter after previously serving as a coach on season 22. He will look to impart the skills and experience that have earned him victories over former UFC champions Eddie Alvarez, Jose Aldo and Max Holloway. McGregor now has his sights set on adding another successful season of The Ultimate Fighter to his renowned resume before locking horns with Chandler later in the year.

Chandler (23-8, fighting out of Nashville, Tenn.) is widely considered to be among the most exciting athletes on the UFC roster. An All-American wrestler with knockout power, Chandler has earned thrilling victories over Tony Ferguson and Dan Hooker. He now intends to make the most of the biggest opportunity of his career by coaching his team to victory and spoiling McGregor's return to the Octagon.

The Ultimate Fighter is the iconic reality television series that has introduced millions of new and die-hard fans to future UFC champions and top contenders. Those whose careers have been shaped by their participation in The Ultimate Fighter include: Julianna Pena, Kamaru Usman, Forrest Griffin, Rashad Evans, Rose Namajunas, Michael Bisping, Robert Whittaker, Nate Diaz, Tony Ferguson, T.J. Dillashaw, Matt Serra, Michael Chiesa, Al Iaquinta, Kelvin Gastelum, Uriah Hall and many others.

About UFC

UFC is the world's premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 625 million fans and 178 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to nearly 900 million TV households across more than 170 countries. UFC's athlete roster features the world's best MMA athletes representing more than 75 countries. The organization's digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS(R), one of the world's leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is owned by global sports and entertainment company Endeavor, and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok: @UFC.

About ESPN

ESPN, the world's leading sports entertainment brand, features eight U.S. television networks, direct-to-consumer ESPN+, ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, endeavors on every continent around the world, and more. ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc. (an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company) and 20 percent by Hearst.

About ESPN+

ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN's linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 24.3 million subscribers. Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $9.99 a month (or $99.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices).

About Pilgrim Media Group

Pilgrim Media Group, a Lionsgate company headed by Emmy(R)-winning producer Craig Piligian, produces a diverse slate of unscripted and scripted programming across all platforms. The company is behind hit series and projects like "Ghost Hunters," "American Chopper," "Fast N' Loud," the "Street Outlaws" and Wicked Tuna franchises, "My Big Fat Fabulous Life," "Bring It!," "The Ultimate Fighter" and "High on the Hog." Among Pilgrim's feature documentaries are the award-winning films "Soufra" and "Tre Maison Dasan," now streaming on Hulu and PBS.org, respectively; revelatory profile "The Boy Band Con: The Lou Pearlman Story" for YouTube Premium; and Sundance's 2020 Festival Favorite Award winner, "Giving Voice." Global content leader Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF.A, LGF.B) is a majority investor in Pilgrim.