“When I first got into the sport it was all about who could cut the most weight, who could be the biggest on fight night. That's the same era when you're sparring 10 five minute rounds, new partner every two and a half minutes, that era of just really hard weight cutting and really hard full contact training.”

American former professional mixed martial artist and sports analyst

Michael Keith Chiesa is an American former professional mixed martial artist and sports analyst. He competed in the UFC’s welterweight division and was active as a professional from 2008 to 2026. He is best known for winning the inaugural season of FX’s The Ultimate Fighter: Live. Chiesa built his reputation in mixed martial arts through his UFC career, where he fought at welterweight after emerging from The Ultimate Fighter. He also works as a sports analyst, and his public profile is tied mainly to his time in the octagon and his later commentary on the sport.