Brunson (right) (photo courtesy Showtime / Strikeforce)

By FCF Staff

Strikeforce middleweight Derek Brunson will not join head coach Greg Jackson and teammate Jon Jones on the latest season of “The Ultimate Fighter”, despite reportedly making the show. Filming for the latest season of TUF, which will feature Jones and Chael Sonnen coaching opposite one another, got underway recently.

The decorated wrestler and 9-2 fighter has informed MMA Weekly that he was one of the remaining 16 fighters chosen for the program; however, Showtime would not release Brunson from his current contract.

Brunson has competed five times to date under the Strikefore banner, which is Showtime’s broadcast partner, and has gone 3-2 to date. Most recently in August, the 28 year-old Brunson was knocked out by former Strikeforce champ Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza.

Showtime is expected to broadcast a Strikeforce event in January, after cards on September 29th and November 3rd were cancelled due to various injuries.

The promotion has not made any official announcement as to who will be competing on the upcoming card.