Bec Rawlings

For the first time in the history of the competition, The Ultimate Fighter will crown a female champion. 16 of the most talented female fighters in the world arrive to the UFC training center to compete in a tournament to decide who will be the first  first belt holder in the UFC's new 115 pound straw-weight division.  Some are veterans of the women's fight organization Invicta, others chosen from an open tryout.  Coaches Gilbert Melendez and current lightweight champion Anthony "Showtime" Pettis pick their squads, the women move into the house and begin training. Then, the teams face off in the first preliminary fight of the season.

Hard training by Team Melendez takes it's toll on the fighters while the women on Team Pettis are frustrated by their overbearing coaches. Then, second ranked undefeated Joanne Calderwood faces the number fifteen ranked Emily Kagan for a spot in the quarterfinals.

After Team Melendez loses it's 3rd fight in a row tensions between Heather Clark and the rest of Team Melendez escalate. Urijah Faber takes over for Anthony Pettis for a few days as a special guest coach. Then, in the fourth fight of the tournament Team Pettis pits #1 ranked Carla Esparza against #16 ranked Angela Hill for a chance to advance to the quarter finals.

History will be made on December 12th in Las Vegas. The UFC's first strawweight champion will be crowned, plus featherweight contenders Jeremy Stephens and Charles Oliveira will square off. The Ultimate Fighter: A Champion Will Be Crowned stars the top women's 115-pound fighters competing for a world championship. 'Lil' Heathen' Stephens has won three of his past four bouts, with the only loss coming in a Fight of the Night battle against Cub Swanson in June. Oliveira is on a two-fight hot streak, with his wins against Andy Ogle and Hatsu Hioki both earning him performance of the night awards.

An injury forces one of the fighters out of the competition, and opens the door for another to get a second chance in the tournament. The Team Melendez fighters question the severity of Heather Clark's nagging knee injury. And the storied rivalry between #6 seed Felice Herrig of Team Pettis and #11 seed Clark finally comes to a head, as they face off in the fifth preliminary fight.

A group of Team Melendez fighters decide they want Tecia to move out of their room. At a pool party tensions between the fighters boil over. Then, in the final preliminary fight of the tournament Team Melendez sends #8 ranked Bec Rawlings against #3 ranked Tecia Torres for a chance to advance to the quarterfinals.