AN AUSTRALIAN version of The Ultimate Fighter will be underway by Christmas if UFC boss Dana White has his way.

The Sunday Telegraph can reveal White, whose fight company has already twice sold out Acer Arena in Sydney, wants to now pit Mixed Martial Artists from Australia and England in a special version of the reality TV series that has already become a global phenomenon.

Dubbed 'The Bashes', the local production would still be shot in Las Vegas and involve some dozen fighters living, training and battling in a knockout-style MMA competition. As always, the winner would be given a six-figure UFC contract.

"Right now we have three Australian broadcasters interested and a number of blue chips sponsors willing to write cheques,'' says Marshall Zelaznik, UFC Managing Director of International Development. "That's what has us really excited, the fact we have serious backers for a concept that is obviously very expensive to produce.

"I'd like to think that before the end of the year we could be into pre-production. The pieces are certainly coming together."

Should the TV series get up as planned, the UFC will also need to find two fighters from its current roster who, as on other TUF series, act as coaches before eventually squaring off in the Octagon.

One potential match-up involves middleweights Michael Bisping and Kyle Noke. Another would pit lightweights Ross Pearson and George Sotiropoulos.

Yet undoubtedly the most entertaining TV talents are welterweight Dan Hardy who, despite his four consecutive UFC losses, could easily square off against adopted Aussie Brian Ebersole - the Melbourne-based American who shaves his chest hair into an arrow for fights.