UFC announces The Ultimate Fighter (TUF): 'Latin America' filming this spring in Las Vegas

The next international edition of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) has been over a year in the making (and it already has some competition).

TUF: "Latin America" is just that -- a foray into the world of combat sports television featuring up-and-coming fighters from Latin America. But since you have nearly 20 countries being represented, you can't give anyone the home-field advantage, so the series will begin filming this spring in Las Vegas, Nevada,

From UFC Senior Vice President of International Development and General Manager of Latin America Jaime Pollack:

"Latin America has become a huge market for the UFC and we're excited to take it to the next level with The Ultimate Fighter. With the successful launch of the UFC NETWORK, and the tremendous growth of our fan base, our focus has now moved to finding and developing the top talent in this market. We want to find the next star, the next fighter who will do what Anderson Silva did for Brazil. We want to give the fans a homegrown hero."

Those are some pretty big shoes to fill.

TUF went global a few years back with "Brazil," and has since expanded into territories around the world including Australia, Canada, and China. Interested candidates -- from any weight class -- can apply here, assuming they meet the above criteria.

Coaches, as well as a network and premiere date, have yet to be determined -- though I know of one place you probably won't be able to watch it. Expect all the relevant details (including the roster) to be released in the coming weeks.

Stay tuned.