Babson Park, Fla. - Former Webber football player James 'The Sledge' Hammortree, has been selected to participate in The Ultimate Fighting Championship's eleventh season of The Ultimate Fighter. 

After spending only one year with the Warriors, Hammortree left Webber in order to become a full time firefighter, but also pursue a professional fighting career.

“James was a good athlete with great work ethic, and would have been a great linebacker. We would have loved for him to stick around”, said Webber quarterback Coach Matt Leone.

Hammortree, who was a state champion wrestler in high school, has combined his natural athleticism and work ethic to bolster a professional record of (5-1), including knockouts of eight- and five-seconds which stands as the state's record.

When asked to compare the two sports of football and mixed martial arts Hammortree stated “It's real similar. What you put into the practice is what you're going to get out of it.”

Hammortree has spent the last couple months in Las Vegas, Nevada where the reality show is filmed. James is one of 28 middleweight and light heavyweight fighters who are competing for a six figured contract with the UFC.

Hammortree is one of six fighters on this season's roster representing various gyms in the state of Florida. The state has emerged as a hot bed for mixed martial arts talent, and is home to gyms such as American Top Team, The Jungle MMA, and Hammortree's camp, USA Martial Arts in Ocala, Florida.

“It's very cool to represent the state of Florida. It's an honor to know that the entire state will be pulling for me to do well.”

After receiving the call from UFC management Hammortree “was overwhelmed that all the hard work I had put into punching people in the face was starting to come together.”

In Las Vegas, Hammortree will have the opportunity to learn from two of the UFC's biggest starts, in Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz. Liddell and Ortiz were selected to coach the two teams of fighters and will settle their own dispute following the season.

On training with Liddell and Ortiz Hammortree said, “The amount of knowledge that these guys have is beyond my mind. Everything they say I just try to soak it in. I went out there a good fighter and left a much better fighter”

The show is set to debut March 31, 2010 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Spike TV immediately following Ultimate Fight Night 21.

Tune in to see a former Warrior compete with some of the best professional athletes in world and earn his way into the world's premier mixed martial arts promotion, the UFC.