Author: UFC News

One of the most anticipated UFC events of the year just got better. Emanating live from the Phillips Arena in Atlanta, GA, on April 21, UFC 145 will now be a special six-fight Pay-Per-View event.

The bantamweight collision between Miguel Torres and Michael McDonald – a classic crossroads fight, pitting a former world bantamweight champion against a 21-year-old young gun – will now be featured on the PPV portion of the card.

“Fighting on Pay-Per-View is special to me,” said Torres. “I would watch the big boxing cards with my father as a kid, and my father would well up with pride and emotion when guys like Julio Cesar Chavez fought. I’d never seen my father show so much emotion and I am proud to become an extension of that great Mexican fighting legacy in the UFC.”

McDonald said: “I think Miguel Torres is definitely the most significant opponent I’ve ever faced on a business perspective. Now it’s my chance to prove to myself that I can do what I think I can do on a huge Pay-Per-View event.”

The full six-fight card now reads:
Lightweight Bout: Mark Bocek Vs Matt Wiman
Featherweight Bout: Mark Hominick Vs Eddie Yagin
Bantamweight Bout: Miguel Torres Vs Michael McDonald
Heavyweight Bout: Brendan Schaub Vs Ben Rothwell
Welterweight Bout: Rory MacDonald Vs Che Mills
UFC Light Heavyweight Title: Jon Jones Vs Rashad Evans

STRIKEFORCE CEO Scott Coker released the following statement today regarding Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal and the recent findings of the Nevada State Athletic Commission:

“Following the outcome of today’s hearing with the Nevada State Athletic Commission and his subsequent reaction, STRIKEFORCE has released Muhammed Lawal from his contract.”

According to a report on FUEL TV’s UFC Tonight Tuesday, former UFC welterweight title challenger Jake Shields is moving up to the 185-pound division later this year.

The Californian is no stranger to middleweight though, having won a Strikeforce title there, and among his victims in the division are Dan Henderson Jason Miller, and Robbie Lawler. Shields is coming off a UFC 144 win over Yoshihiro Akiyama in February.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship® will return to Brazil for an epic sporting event as legendary fighters collide on the biggest fight card in UFC® history at UFC® 147 at Joao Havelange Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on June 23, 2012.  The largest crowd ever is expected for the highly anticipated rematch between middleweight champion Anderson Silva and American contender Chael Sonnen, a grudge match two years in the making. The event also features a live finale of The Ultimate Fighter Brasil™, the showdown between two Brazilians and icons of the sport – coaches Vitor Belfort and Wanderlei Silva.

From the beginning of the negotiations for the UFC’s next event in the country, the cities of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo both emerged as strong options to host the event.  Engenhao, home to football club Botafogo and future venue for the 2016 Olympics, has hosted many legendary sports and entertainment events since its opening in 2007.  The event marks the first time for a UFC event in a soccer stadium and the organization expects a record audience.  The mark to beat is UFC 129, held in April of 2011 at Rogers Centre in Canada, which had a record attendance of 55,000 fans.  

“This will be the biggest sporting event of the year” said UFC President Dana White.  “Bigger than the NFL, the NBA, you name it – UFC 147 will be the biggest.  The whole world wants to see this fight between Silva and Sonnen.  We are broadcast in over 150 countries in 22 languages in half a billion homes.  Wherever those fans are, they are going to be watching this fight.” 

The rivalry between Anderson Silva (29-4-0) and Chael Sonnen (28-11-1) has produced the biggest grudge match in UFC history.  The two bitter rivals first faced each other in August of 2010 at UFC 117 in Oakland, California. The battle featured arguably the biggest come-from-behind win ever; as Silva, who was being dominated from the beginning of the fight, submitted his American rival with a triangle choke in the last round. It was the seventh of nine title defenses for the Brazilian champion.

In what has been one of the long-awaited rematches in UFC history, Brazilian fans will also get a chance to witness Vitor Belfort (21-9-0) and Wanderlei Silva (34-11-1) square off in the Octagon®.   In their first meeting in 1998 in São Paulo, Belfort knocked out Silva 44 seconds into their fight. Since then, MMA fans have eagerly waited for over 10 years to witness the rematch between two legends of the sport.  Belfort is coming off of a win over American fighter Anthony Johnson in UFC Rio (UFC 142), while Wanderlei dramatically knocked out opponent Cung Le at UFC 139.

More information regarding on-sale dates for UFC147 and the fight card will be announced next month. 

Before official free-trade talks commenced in Tokyo, Japan today (Sunday March 25), Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper presented Yoshihiko Noda, the Prime Minister of Japan, with a pair of autographed UFC gloves.

The gloves are signed by UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St-Pierre. The Prime Minister’s Office had reached out to Tom Wright, UFC Director of Canadian Operations, for his help getting the signed gloves after hearing Mr Noda was a huge supporter of Canada’s greatest MMA fighter. 

Former Ultimate Fighting Championship® light heavyweight champion and current No. 1 contender, “Suga” Rashad Evans took time from training for UFC® 145: JONES vs. EVANS to meet Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) World No. 1 superstar Victoria Azarenka. The top athletes visited the MMA Masters facility in Miami and traded tennis and UFC gifts and expertise.  Evans showed Azarenka some moves in the cage while Azarenka shared a few tennis tips with Evans. The Belarusian beauty is currently in Miami playing in the Sony Ericsson Open tennis tournament.

In a few weeks, the most bitter and long-running UFC feud since perhaps Chuck Liddell vs. Tito Ortiz II in 2006will come to a dramatic conclusion. In the main event of UFC 145, undefeated UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon “Bones” Jones collides with former friend turned bitter rival ‘Suga’ Rashad Evans.  UFC 145 goes down on April 21, live on Pay-Per-View from the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
 
Evans and Azarenka had the following to say about their experience on Wednesday:
 
“Suga” Rashad Evans, former UFC light heavyweight champion and current No.1 contender, said:
“This was a nice break from training. It lets your mind go free and gives you a chance to not think about the fight. It was cool that she’s another pro athlete, one who goes out there and competes, mano-a-mano. It was fun.”
 
“I can tell she’s genuinely interested in MMA – it was impressive how she grasps the concepts. I didn’tshow her too much except for kicking, but she knew a lot more than I thoughtshe’d know. There were times she really looked like she knew what she was doing.”
 
“I love women’s tennis. It actually dominates men’s tennis in my opinion. You know they’re out there giving it everything they’ve got. They go through the same anxiety we do of not wanting to lose, and I respect that a lot.”
 
“I’d be alright in a tennis match because I’m pretty agile – I’m not too fast, but I’m very agile, so I mighthave a better chance at winning in a tennis match, but she might win in MMAbecause I don’t hit women.”
 
Victoria Azarenka, WTA’s World No. 1, said, “It was a great experience to meet Rashad. He seems really nice – I’m sure he’s a little bit meaner in the cage, but he’s a great guy and it’s always great to meet somebody from a completely different field. I love to follow UFC. I invited him to tennis so I hope he can come cheer me on.”
 
“I wish I had time to train more. I’m curious about how these athletes train. I could pick up something interesting for myself.”