The Ultimate Fighter: Season 8 review (DVD) ★★★★

32 fighters who each thought they had what it takes to enter the Ultimate Fighting Championship squared off in a single elimination preliminary tournament to determine the combatants who would enter the main stage of the competition, and get to move into a luxury Las Vegas house for the duration of their stay on the show. 16 got through to the first round, were split into two teams, each coached by MMA icons Antonio “Rodrigo” Nogueira and Frank Mir respectively, and then found themselves thrown into an unpredictable world of the most gruelling training regimes, fights in and outside of the cage, alcohol-fuelled arguments, team loyalty, rivalry, and the same kind of scheming you'd find in residential halls at university, and all for the chance to become the next official UFC fighter on a six-figure contract.

From the hotheaded (drunken brawls) to the just plain silly (itching powder rubbed all over beds), The Ultimate Fighter: Team Nogueira vs. Team Mir is an often candid look through the window of mixed martial arts where every inch of a man's passion, intensity and determination for the gladiatorial sport is revealed through their blood, sweat and tears. It's also a great look at how the likes of Nogueira and Mir conduct themselves outside of their own personal fights, and whether or not some of their individual abilities rub off of any of the competitors they're putting so much effort into coaching.

The two-hour plus season finale is included on the fourth disc of this five-DVD set in its entirety, with easy-to-navigate fight selection also available. The nine-fight super-card features the following one-on-one battles: