UFC: TV show launches expat fighter's whirlwind year

Dylan Andrews.

Thirteen months ago UFC television show The Ultimate Fighter began filming its 17th season.

The series - The Ultimate Fighter: Team Jones vs Team Sonnen - included largely unheralded Gold Coast-based New Zealander Dylan Andrews as one of the competitors searching for a UFC contract.

Before the show he had fought only in New Zealand and Australia since making his professional mixed martial arts debut in 2006.

The aspiring middleweight eventually fell in the semifinals of The Ultimate Fighter but after impressing at the show's televised finale in April, where he beat Jimmy Quinlan via TKO in his first official UFC bout, he was given further fight opportunities.

Andrews fought through the pain of a dislocated shoulder to knock out Papy Abedi at UFC Fight Night 27 in Indianapolis in August.

Riding a six-fight win streak across all promotions - Ultimate Fighter bouts are classified as exhibition fights - the 34-year-old Andrews will meet Clint Hester at UFC Fight Night 33 in Brisbane next Saturday.

Andrews (17-4) and Hester were both cast members on The Ultimate Fighter and this fight will be as close to competing on home soil as it gets for Andrews, who has called Australia home for more than a decade.

Being on The Ultimate Fighter was a life-altering experience for Andrews, who has previously said he was bullied at school, although not many of his tormentors would want to have a dig at him now.

Despite not being defeated in an official bout since 2010, Andrews said he wasn't trading on his earlier glories. "I'm not looking at my past fights. I know what I've got in front of me and I know it's a really tough fight and I'm just gaining my confidence from what I've been doing in the last couple of months. I'm not looking any further than that."

Andrews and Hester's scrap promises to be entertaining, with both known for their striking ability.

Hester is a former boxer with a 3-3-1 record and is 8-3 in MMA since he made the switch in 2008.

"It's going to be an MMA fight," Andrews said. "We are both skilled enough that it could go anywhere, it's going to start on the feet and I think we both know it's a good place for us to be and the crowd obviously will want that.

"But it is about winning the fight and I'll do what I need to do to win it, but I'm confident on my feet."

Andrews will be one of three Kiwis on the card in Brisbane, with heavyweight brawler Mark Hunt headlining the event against Brazilian Antonio 'Bigfoot' Silva, while light heavyweight James Te Huna will meet Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua.

" It's huge for myself and for this side of the world," Andrews said of the Kiwi influence. "This is the biggest event Australia's done as far as fighting goes and you look at it and you've got three Kiwis right up the top leading that card."

New Zealand-born welterweight Robert Whittaker, who now identifies as an Australian, was removed from the Brisbane card last week after his scheduled opponent Brian Melancon withdrew and retired from the UFC because of ongoing kidney problems.