Author: UFC News

NATE DIAZ vs. N.J.’s JIM MILLER
PAT BARRY vs. LAVAR JOHNSON
JOSH KOSCHECK vs. JOHNY HENDRICKS
ROUSIMAR PALHARES vs. ALAN BELCHER

PRESS CONFERENCE AT RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL IN NEW YORK CITY ON TUESDAY, MARCH 6 AT 11 A.M. ET

TICKETS ON SALE FRIDAY, MARCH 9 – 10 A.M. ET

Las Vegas, Nevada – UFC® on FOX is coming to the Garden State. The Ultimate Fighting Championship® announced today that its third event on the FOX network will take place on Saturday, May 5 from the IZOD Center in East Rutherford, N.J.

An outstanding five-round lightweight bout between Whippany’s Jim Miller and rugged contender Nate Diaz will headline the card, with the winner moving one step closer to a title shot. The remaining main card bouts include: heavyweights Pat Barry vs. Lavar Johnson; welterweight contenders Josh Koscheck vs. Johny Hendricks; middleweights Rousimar Palhares vs. Alan Belcher. The action-packed main card will air live on FOX at 8 p.m. ET/ 5 p.m. PT.

The card will also feature an exciting preliminary card, which will be confirmed at UFC.com in the coming weeks.

A press conference is planned for Tuesday, March 6 at 11 a.m. ET from Radio City Music Hall in New York City. The event is FREE and open to the public. Doors for the public will open at 10:30 a.m. The main card fighters will join UFC President Dana White at the presser.

“For our third card on FOX, we have four great fights!” UFC President Dana White said. “Nate Diaz versus Jim Miller is the five-round main event and the winner will put himself in a position to fight for the title. Both of these guys fight at an incredible pace and are coming off great wins.

“We’ve got an amazing heavyweight fight between knockout artists Pat Barry and Lavar Johnson, as well as welterweight title contender fight between Josh Koscheck and Johny Hendricks. Johny just knocked out Koscheck’s training partner, Jon Fitch, and wants a title shot. To do it, he’s gotta get past Koscheck, who’s one of the best 170-pounders in the world. If that wasn’t enough, submission specialist Rousimar Palhares meets Alan Belcher in an exciting middleweight fight. I’m excited for fans in N.J. and N.Y. to experience the UFC live again.”
 
Tickets for UFC®on FOX go on sale Friday, March 9 at 10 a.m. ET and are priced at $250, $150, $100, $75 and $50. Tickets are available online at Ticketmaster.com, charge-by-phone at 800-745-3000, and the IZOD Center Box Office. Visit www.IZODcenter.com or call 201-935-3900 for more details. Ticket prices do not include applicable service charges.

UFC® Fight Club™ members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets to this event Wednesday, March 7 at 10 a.m. ET via the website www.ufcfightclub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Thursday, March 8, starting at 10 a.m. ET. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

For more information or current fight news, visit www.ufc.com.  All bouts live and subject to change.

 

First of Two 13-Week Seasons This Year on FX
Special Premiere Event to Showcase 16 LIVE Fights
Dominick Cruz, Urijah Faber Named Coaches

LOS ANGELES (Feb. 27, 2012) – A talented international field of 32 confident, dedicated and determined fighters has been set for THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER® LIVE on FX that begins on Friday, March 9, with a special two-and-a-half-hour LIVE premiere airing at 9 PM ET/8 PM CT, and tape delayed on the Pacific and Mountain time zones at 9 PM PT/10 PM MT.

The list of finalists was trimmed from more than 500 prospective entrants from around the world.Those seeking to cash in on the opportunity of a lifetime include fighters in the lightweight (155
pounds) division from the United States, England, Northern Ireland and Brazil.

The inaugural season of THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER LIVE on FX will run for 13 consecutive weeks, featuring live fights every episode, and culminate with a championship fight on June 1, in a three-hour finale. Following the eagerly anticipated premiere on its new home, the series will remain on Fridays but move to 10 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast) for 12 weeks. (Telecasts of TUF Live will air live nationally on DirecTV ch. 248 and DISH-Channel ch. 136.)

As part of The Ultimate Fighting Championship®’s landmark deal with FOX Sports Media Group, FX will also televise a second 13-week season of THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER LIVE this summer. There will be two 13-week seasons of THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER LIVE on FX annually for the next seven years. The eventual winner of each season receives a six-figure contract from the UFC. The 13 weeks of taping are more than twice as long as previous TUF seasons (six).

Unlike past editions when each season was taped months in advance of its broadcast, new episodes with live fights will now air each week.

There will be 16 live fights on March 9. The competitors are:

Akbarh Arreloa, Chula Vista, Calif.
Al Iaquinta, Wantagh, N.Y.
Ali Maclean, Belfast, North Ireland
Andy Ogle, Tynemouth, England
Austin Lyons, Cordova, Tenn.
Brendan Weafer, New York, N.Y.
Chris Tickle, Bloomington, Ill.
Cody Pfister, Amarillo, Texas
Cristiano Marcello, Curitiba, Brazil
Chase Hackett, Littleton, Colo.
Chris Saunders, Long Beach, Calif.
Dakota Cochrane, Omaha, Neb.
Daron Cruickshank, Wayne, Mich.
Drew Dober, Omaha, Neb.
Erin Beach, San Diego, Calif.
James Krause, Blue Springs, MO
James Vick, Fort Worth, Texas
Jared Carlsten, Los Angeles, Calif.
Jeff Smith, Mechanicsburg, Penn.
Jeremy Larsen, Phoenix, Ariz.
Joe Proctor, Pembroke, Mass.
John Cofer, Hull, Ga.
Johnavan Vistante, Pearl City, Hawaii
Jon Tuck, Hagtna, Guam
Jordan Rinaldi, Matthews, N.C.
Justin Lawrence, Villa Ridge, Mo.
Mark Glover, Liverpool, England
Michael Chiesa, Spokane Valley, Wash.
Myles Jury, San Diego, Calif.
Mike Rio, Miami, Fla.
Sam Sicilia, Spokane Valley, Wash.
Vinc Pichel, Sherman Oaks, Calif.

The previously announced coaches for the two teams will be current UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz and former WEC featherweight champion and current top contender, Urijah Faber. Cruz and Faber are no strangers to each other. The popular UFC superstars and rivals have split two previous fights and will clash for a third time at UFC 148 on July 7 in Las Vegas.

Following the live fights during the series premiere episode, or “Fight In,” the field will be halved. The 16 survivors will then be broken up into two teams of eight. Each team will train with each other and reside in a house together in Las Vegas for the duration of the season. One fighter from each team will be selected by their coach to fight at the end of each weekly installment on FX for the right to advance in the competition and, ultimately, perhaps, be crowned THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER LIVE Champion and earn the life-changing contract with the UFC.

Said UFC President Dana White, “We’re producing ground-breaking television with THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER LIVE and we can’t wait to kick this season off with FX. It’s going to be can’t-miss TV. Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber are two amazing guys who also happen to be two of the best fighters in the world. They genuinely dislike each other and I expect this to make for the best season yet.”

“We believe that Dana, (UFC Chairman) Lorenzo Fertitta and (Executive Producer) Craig Piligian have come up with exciting new changes to the format of THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER LIVE that will expand and grow the series,” said Chuck Saftler, Executive Vice President, FX Networks. “The fact that the fight at the end of every episode will now be televised live is certain to create a sense of urgency for UFC fans and will make the series even more compelling.”

Many of today’s most recognizable names in Mixed Martial Arts have emerged from the series’
previous incarnation, The Ultimate Fighter, including, among many others, Rashad Evans, Kenny Florian, Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar.

So who will be the first champion on THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER LIVE on FX? Stay tuned.

For more show information, bios, videos and photos, visit ultimatefighter.com.

Check out the ground-breaking Evolution spot
Watch the Heartbeat promo with Dana White
Watch the Miles Jury promo
Check out the Sam Sicilia spot

The UFC® 144 post-fight press conference was attended by UFC® President Dana White, plus 15 fighters – Benson Henderson, Frankie Edgar, Mark Hunt, Ryan Bader, Rampage Jackson, Tim Boetsch, Takeya Mizugaki, Hatsu Hioki, Issei Tamura, Riki Fukuda, Takanori Gomi, Jake Shields, Anthony Pettis, Chris Cariaso, and Vaughan Lee.

Fight of the Night went to headliners Henderson and Edgar. The two lightweights engaged in an exciting back-and-forth brawl that saw Henderson leave as the new UFC® lightweight champion.

Pettis earned Knockout of the Night for his vicious first-round KO (via head kick) of Joe Lauzon. The win moved “Showtime” closer to a rematch with Henderson.

Lee won Submission of the Night by handing Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto the first submission loss of his storied career.

Each bonused fighter earned $65,000.

Click to see video highlights from the presser of:

Henderson, Edgar and Pettis

Rampage Jackson

I was able to watch the FUEL TV fights last week — where I went 5-1, thank you — at my brother’s house as he and his roommates celebrated his 21st birthday. I don’t know what to think about the fact that a bunch of college students who hide the holes in their wall with Mission Impossible 4 posters and don’t refrigerate their beer have a better cable package than me. Oh well, at least I cover the holes in my wall with Charles Dickens novels.
 
The Ultimate Fighting Championship makes its long-anticipated return to Japan for UFC 144. Yet again, I’ve been left off the invite list. This was upsetting partly because I wanted to take my love of Ramen noodles to another level. Oh well, if I want an awkward cultural exchange, I can just walk into any Northern Wisconsin sports bar and order a Syrah with fruit notes of a “deep purple plum.”
 
Anthony Pettis vs Joe Lauzon
The main card kicks off with a fight that fight should determine who gets the next shot at the lightweight title. Lauzon looked great in his last fight against Melvin Guillard and is looking to fulfill the biblical prophecy of “the geek shall inherit the earth.” Anthony Pettis is coming off a decision win against Jeremy Stephens where he showed much-improved wrestling ability.

Prediction:  In the interest of journalistic integrity, I think it’s wrong for me to predict this fight since I personally know and like both of these guys. As a result, I outsourced this prediction to my Grandma.
Me: Grandma, who do you think will win the fight
Grandma: I hope your friend Anthony wins.
Me: Do you think he’ll knock Joe Lauzon out?
Grandma: Joe seems like a nice boy. He’s pale like you. I hope he doesn’t get hurt. That fighting business is terrible.
There you have it. Per my Grandma Murphy, Pettis by decision.

Hatsu Hioki vs. Bart Palaszewski
Next up is Hatsu Hioki facing off against Bart Palaszewski. Hioki has won five in a row, including his UFC debut against George Roop in October. “Bartimus” Palaszewski made his featherweight debut in his last fight with a first-round smashing of Tyson Griffin. He’s also the only fighter I’ve ever seen eat at Cinnabon, so he gets bonus points for that.

Prediction: While Hioki has the grappling advantage, his fight against Roop showed his vulnerability in the standup exchanges. “Bartimus” has more power than Roop and that will give Hioki a hard time. Palaszewski will connect with that big right hand and put it away in the first round. If he can just stay away from Cinnabon, he should be a big force in the featherweight division.

Yushin Okami vs. Tim Boetsch
Yushin “Thunder” Okami vs Tim “The Barbarian” Boetsch – can you say “boom”? Since dropping to middleweight, Boetsch has won two in a row and gets a big step up in competition. Meanwhile, Okami has quietly been looming at the top of the division — his only losses in the last four years have been to Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen.

Prediction: So far, Boetsch has had the size and strength advantage at middlweight. This advantage ends at 144. There’s a common misconception that Japanese fighters are always undersized for their divisions. Anyone who’s seen Yushin Okami knows that this idea is patently false. Fighting for the first time in Japan in over six years, Okami will push the pace and grind out a victory with 30-27s across the board.

Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Jake Shields
Both fighters here are looking to reverse their recent luck. Sexyama has been on a skid, losing his last three fights to Michael Bisping, Vitor Belfort and Chris Leben, triggering a drop down to welterweight. Jake Shields, after winning 15 in a row, has dropped his last two.

Prediction: Only two of Akiyama’s 17 fights have gone the distance. Contrast that with Jake Shields, who’s batting over .500 in decisions. Akiyama has judo skills and will try to push it, but he’ll be stifled by Shields’ grappling. Another decision win for Jake, but at least Akiyama has this.

Mark Hunt vs. Cheick Kongo
Heavyweight Mark Hunt has been quite the surprise in the UFC. Since stepping into the Octagon, he’s landed three fights and two wins under Zuffa rule. Frenchman Cheick Kongo is coming off an underwhelming UFC 137 win over Matt Mitrione.

Prediction: Kongo has shown that he’s willing to fight the “smart” fight even when it’s not the most fan-friendly strategy (see Kongo vs. Buentello, Kongo vs. Mitrione, et al). Mark Hunt’s striking ability can’t be questioned, but his ground game and conditioning are suspect. Kongo will use grappling to wears down Hunt and put him away in the 2nd. It’ll be ugly, so you might want to use this time to grab a drink…. er, maybe not. 

Rampage Jackson vs. Ryan Bader
Ryan “Darth” Bader is a great example of fighter progression. The former ASU wrestler has developed his striking game en route to 6-2 record in the UFC with 3 T/KO wins. Quinton “Rampage” Jackson is a 41-fight veteran who’s fought on the biggest stages for over a decade and is looking for a triumphant PRIDE-style homecoming.

Prediction: Both of Bader’s career losses have come via submission. While that won’t be a problem against Rampage, Darth’s striking just isn’t at the level to compete with the former PRIDE superstar. Rampage’s boxing has stunted wrestlers like Matt Hamill before, and it’ll do the same here, wearing down his opponent. Japan, get ready — Rampage wins via TKO in the 3rd and storms Tokyo to celebrate.

Frankie Edgar vs. Benson Henderson
The champion Frankie Edgar is currently riding a 7-fight unbeaten streak that’s seen him fight Gray Maynard and BJ Penn twice each. Since losing his WEC title, “Smooth” Henderson has torn through the best in the lightweight division, adding Jim Miller and Clay Guida to his list of victims.

Prediction: Edgar has to be the most disrespected UFC champion in history. His only loss came in 2008 to a guy he eventually knocked out, yet people keep saying he should drop down to 145. That said, I think he’s met his match. Frankie’s greatest asset has been his speed, and Henderson won’t struggle with that. Especially after seeing Henderson’s scrambles against Guida and Miller, I doubt Edgar will be able to take him down, either. This one goes into the championship rounds and “Smooth” puts Frankie away in the 5th. The title changes hands, and that sets up the table for Pettis vs Henderson 2.

That wraps up another edition of the Downes Side. Be sure to follow me on twitter @dannyboydownes and leave a comment — I always read them and respond. I know it may come off as desperate, but that’s mostly because I don’t have a better cable package

To celebrate the UFC’s highly-anticipated return to Japan this weekend for UFC 144, fight fans can now own a piece of history in the form of the official event program, which is on sale now at UFCStore.com.

Featuring fighter bios, a look at the history of MMA in Asia, divisional breakdowns of each UFC weight class, in-depth looks at the superstars of the Octagon, stellar photography, and much, much more, this oversized (10”x14.5”) program has an embossed cover with a brushed silver foil finish, making it the perfect collectible addition to your UFC collection, as over 83 glossy pages celebrate UFC 144, the UFC and all the excitement of the fastest growing sport in the world.

Plus, for the true collector, limited autographed copies of the UFC 144 program are also available in the UFC Store, with the English-language program signed by UFC President Dana White, and the even rarer Japanese-language program signed by White and UFC CEO and Chairman Lorenzo Fertitta.

For a look at the UFC 144 program, click here.

TUCK AND N.Y. TEAMMATES WATCHED EDGAR’S VICTORY IN HIS LAST FIGHT AS INSPIRATION FOR CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON

Las Vegas, Nevada –Just hours before weighing in for his main event bout against Benson Henderson from the Saitama Super Arena in Japan, UFC® lightweight champion Frankie Edgar received an unexpected call in his hotel room. Calling the room of the 30-year-old Toms River, N.J. native was none other than New York Giants star Justin Tuck.

Tuck, still reeling from New York’s championship win earlier this month, called to wish Edgar good luck before his highly-anticipated Pay-Per-View title fight tomorrow night. Having watched Edgar’s knockout victory over Gray Maynard at UFC 136 as inspiration before a big game this past season, Tuck and his teammates wanted to make sure Edgar knew that he had their support when he steps inside the Octagon® in Japan.

“I really appreciate Justin reaching out to me in Japan,” Edgar said. “It means a lot to a kid from Jersey who grew up watching the Giants. He said they were all rooting for me tomorrow night. It definitely got me even more motivated.”

UFC® 144: EDGAR vs. HENDERSON will air live on Pay-Per-View in North America on Saturday, Feb. 25 at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. The card also features former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson battling Ryan Bader in a special four-hour, seven-fight Pay-Per-View broadcast.

For more information or current fight news, visit www.ufc.com.  All bouts live and subject to change.