TUF 23 Finale preview: Jedrzejczyk and Gadelha settle the score

The 23rd season of The Ultimate Fighter reality show comes to a close on Friday. For the first time in the show's long history, it will feature a championship between the two coaches in the main event.

Joanna Jedrzejczyk defends her strawweight title against Claudia Gadelha in a rematch of their memorable battle at UFC on FOX 13 in December 2014.

Elsewhere on the card, the TUF 23 light heavyweight and strawweight finalists fight for a six-figure contract and a former Bellator star makes his UFC debut.

Here's a deeper look at these three stories.

Now we’ve got bad blood

With one post-fight punch, the UFC found itself with its first rivalry in the nascent 115-pound division.

Jedrzejczyk and Gadelha engaged in a back-and-forth clash for 15 minutes in their first meeting and the tension boiled over in the closing seconds when Gadelha inexplicably struck Jedrzejczyk after the buzzer.

The closeness of the contest (a split-decision win for Jedrzejczyk) and the ensuing foul spawned genuine animosity between the fighters that carried over into their coaching stints on the 23rd season of The Ultimate Fighter.

Oddly, their roles were reversed on the show with Jedrzejczyk portrayed as a harsh disciplinarian and Gadelha coming off like the coolest teacher in school. Gadelha's team dominated the competition, giving her some measure of redemption.

This is the most heated feud between two female fighters since Ronda Rousey and Miesha Tate, and it will reach new heights if Gadelha is able to even the score.

Either way, expect these strawweight warriors to etch their names in the history books with another classic encounter.

Four TUF 23 finalists get their shot at the big time

"The Ultimate Fighter" doesn't have the viewership it used to, so here's a rundown of how the finalists made it this far.

Andrew Sanchez is a natural middleweight who entered the competition as one of the most experienced and well-rounded fighters. His jiu-jitsu expertise allowed him to control Myron Denis, and he knocked out fellow grappler Eric Spicely to set up a meeting with Khalil Rountree in the light heavyweight final.

Rountree's journey was bittersweet as he was bumped from the competition by his good friend and training partner Cory Hendricks, only to be pegged as a replacement when Hendricks suffered an injury. Rountree made the most of his second chance with a KO win over Josh Stansbury in the semifinals.

Amanda Cooper earned her place in the strawweight final with a decision win over Jamie Moyle and a submission of Lanchana Green. She struggled to make weight against Green, but with the complications of the TUF house behind her, she can show her potential inside the Octagon.

Opposing her is Tatiana Suarez. The top-shelf wrestler ran through Ashley Yoder and Kate Jackson to establish herself as the favorite to win the whole competition.

Will Brooks brings "The Thrill" to the UFC

Will "The Thrill" Brooks jumped at the opportunity to sign with the UFC after being unceremoniously released by Bellator MMA this past May. Making the decision more curious, Brooks was the company's reigning lightweight champion at the time.

Stepping in on just three-weeks notice, Brooks is hardly getting a layup in his first UFC outing. He meets skilled boxer Ross Pearson, a veteran of 19 UFC bouts.

Adding more pressure is the fact that Brooks is a heavy favorite heading into the match. All eyes will be on him to make a major impression in his Octagon debut.