Author: MMA Fighting Newswire

SEATTLE — UFC president Dana White discusses the Rory MacDonald vs. Jake Ellenberger fight, Tito Ortiz’s comeback, Nick Diaz’s future, and much more during his UFC on FOX 8 post-fight scrum.

SEATTLE – The UFC on FOX 8 weigh-ins took place Friday afternoon at the KeyArena. Watch the highlights above.

SEATTLE — At the UFC on FOX 8 weigh-ins, check out a memorable staredown between Demetrious Johnson and John Moraga, as well as Rory MacDonald and Jake Ellenberger, on Friday evening. Check out the main event weigh-ins above.

The UFC 166 fight card is quickly taking shape.

A lightweight contest between George Sotiropoulos and K.J. Noons, and a heavyweight clash between Shawn Jordan and Gabriel Gonzaga, have been added to UFC 166 on Oct. 19 in Houston.

Sotiropoulos is on a three-fight skid and hasn’t fought since Dec. 15, 2012 when he was knocked out in the third round by Ross Pearson. Noons has also lost three fights in a row, and five of his last six. He lost via unanimous decision to Donald Cerrone at UFC 160.

Jordan has won three of his past four fights, including a first-round knockout of Pat Barry at UFC 161. Gonzaga has won four of his past five fights, including a first-round knockout of Dave Herman at UFC 162 in 17 seconds.

Cain Velasquez will defend his heavyweight title against Junior dos Santos in the main event.

The UFC 166 fight card currently looks like this below:
Cain Velasquez vs. Junior dos Santos
Daniel Cormier vs. Roy Nelson
Gilbert Melendez vs. Diego Sanchez
Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Shawn Jordan
Luke Rockhold vs. Tim Boetsch
Nate Marquardt vs. Hector Lombard
George Sotiropoulos vs. K.J. Noons
Tony Ferguson vs. Mike Rio

Brian Melancon will replace Paulo Thiago and square off against TUF 17 champion Kelvin Gastelum at UFC Fight Night: Condit vs. Kampmann 2 on Aug. 28.

UFC Tonight’s Ariel Helwani first reported the new opponent for Gastelum, and Gastelum confirmed the change on his Twitter. Gastelum hasn’t fought since winning the TUF 17 title with a split-decision win over Uriah Hall on April 13.

Thiago was forced to withdraw from the fight with a knee injury.

Melancon won his UFC debut with a first-round knockout win of Seth Baczynski at UFC 162 on July 6.

The welterweight fight will appear on the main card of the event at the Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind.

Chael Sonnen has a new deal and is going back to 185 pounds.

Sonnen, who has signed a five-fight contract with the UFC, announced his return to the middleweight division after his upcoming fight against Shogun Rua on Tuesday’s UFC Tonight.

“There are two guys I want to get matched up with. The first is Vitor Belfort because he’s awesome and he’s on an incredible roll. Second, is Wanderlei [Silva] who I have now found out is going back to middleweight,” Sonnen said on UFC Tonight. “The landscape has completely changed. I have a new contract, and I’m returning to the weight class.”

Sonnen will compete for the second straight time in the light heavyweight division when he squares off against Mauricio Rua in the main event of UFC Fight Night in Boston on Aug. 17.

He had won two of his past three fights in the middleweight division before making the jump up to fight Jon Jones at UFC 148 on July 7, 2012. He was knocked out in the first round.