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UFC Women's Straw Weight Randa Markos Impresses Early On TUF 20

Richard Hunter | @RichardHunter

DALLAS, Texas (105.3 THE FAN) - The 20th season of The Ultimate Fighting Championship's "Ultimate Fighter" reality franchise is breaking ground on several fronts.

For one, it's the first season to feature an all women cast.

For another, it's the debut of the women's 115 pound straw weight division, joining the 135 pound women led by champion Ronda Rousey.

Thirdly, this season's winner will be crowned the inaugural women's straw weight champion, which amounts to much higher stakes than just the customary six figure contract that past seasons' winners have claimed. In fact, all of the women on TUF 20 enter the season as contracted UFC fighters, and no one has impressed early as much as Randa Markos.

Listen to Richard Hunter talk to Randa Markos about her first episode upset of Tecia Torres.

Richard Hunter talks with Randa Markos

On the season premiere the ladies were seeded in tournament style brackets, and the lesser known Markos was positioned at #14, pitted against highly touted #3 seed Tecia Torres. Markos scored the upset with a decision victory that advances her to the next round.

One of the interesting dynamics of this season is that many of the ladies have history with each other, and some have even fought each other previously. Tonight's episode will feature a rematch, as Jessica Penne and Lisa Ellis meet again after their first fight in 2012 under the Invicta promotional banner ended in a bloody third round TKO victory for Penne.

Also, veteran Australian fighter Bec Rawlings deals with some difficult news outside of the octagon, and in the reality show's tradition, cameras capture her story line as well.

"The Ultimate Fighter: Season 20" airs tonight at 9pm CT on FOX Sports 1.

(©2014 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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