Author: UFC News

Below are the official weigh-in results for Saturday night’s Ultimate Fighter Finale event. The TUF13 Finale, which is headlined by the season 13 final between Tony Ferguson and Ramsey Nijem and the lightweight bout between Clay Guida and Anthony Pettis, airs on Spike TV from The Pearl at The Palms in Las Vegas beginning at 9pm ET / PT.

Main Event – TUF 13 Final
Tony Ferguson (169) VS Ramsey Nijem (170)

Televised fights
Anthony Pettis (155) VS Clay Guida (155)
Tim Credeur (185) VS Ed Herman (186)
Fabio Maldonado (203) VS Kyle Kingsbury (206)
Chris Cope (170) VS Chuck O’Neil (170)

Facebook prelims – “Like” Facebook.com/ufc and then click “TUF 13 Live Prelims” under the profile pic
Jeremy Stephens (156) VS Danny Downes (155)
George Roop (146) VS Josh Grispi (145)
Shamar Bailey (171) VS Ryan McGillivray (169)
Justin Edwards (170) VS Clay Harvison (171)
Ken Stone (136) VS Scott Jorgensen (135)
Francisco Rivera (136) VS Reuben Duran (136)

Joe Rogan recently made an offensive statement reflecting a personal opinion that does not represent the UFC in any way. I have addressed this directly with Joe.

THQ Inc. and Zuffa, LLC today announced the first gameplay details
surrounding UFC® Undisputed™ 3, the new installment in the critically acclaimed
and best-selling mixed martial arts (MMA) videogame franchise based on the
Ultimate Fighting Championship®.  Poised to take players inside the
virtual Octagon® with extensive focus on intense toe-to-toe combat, impressive
visual presentation and significantly increased accessibility, including the
introduction of PRIDE® Mode, two new weight classes and an impressive playable
roster of more than 150 UFC fighters, UFC Undisputed 3 is currently in
development for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system and
PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, with a scheduled release timing of
January 2012.

“UFC Undisputed 3 is on track to deliver an incredible virtual MMA
experience unlike any other,” said Danny Bilson, Executive Vice President, Core
Games, THQ.  “This product is intense, engaging and highly competitive
while still being extremely accessible, making it a must-have for millions of
UFC fans, traditional fighting game enthusiasts and more casual sports fans
around the world.”

“We are excited to launch UFC Undisputed 3 in January 2012 and expect it to be
the best version yet,” UFC President Dana White said.  “We’ve added two
new weight classes and several new features to the game that will bring UFC
fans closer to the Octagon than ever before.”

About UFC Undisputed 3
UFC Undisputed 3 will mark the debut of PRIDE Mode, enabling players to
fight for the first time in the renowned Japanese MMA organization.  The
mode will include official commentators Bas Rutten and Stephen Quadros,
authentic environments and notorious MMA rules, including the ability to execute
soccer-style kicks, head stomps and ground knees to the head.  Finishing
an opponent will be more important than ever through devastating new moves,
responsive striking controls, refined visual presentation and the introduction
of a brand new submission system.  In addition, players will now enter the
Octagon with a choice between traditional and simplified gameplay control
options, enabling them, regardless of skill level, to experience the intensity
of UFC and nuances of MMA combat while executing simple standing strikes or
more complex ground and transition mechanics. 
 
Players will also experience the excitement of a live UFC event through
significant visual improvements, including the introduction of much-anticipated
fighter entrances, new camera positions, improved facial animations and a
gritty, high contrast appearance.  They will enter into battle with an
unparalleled choice of more than 150 playable UFC fighters, including talent
from the newly added featherweight and bantamweight divisions.  Rounding
out the virtual UFC experience with a significantly revamped online experience,
as well as a variety of new and returning gameplay modes, UFC Undisputed 3 lets
players have their fights – their way – to deliver the most intense,
competitive and engaging experience to date for the franchise. 

For more information on UFC Undisputed 3, please visit www.ufcundisputed.com,facebook.com/UFCUndisputed and twitter.com/UFC_Undisputed.
 

Las Vegas, NV (USA) –British welterweight star Dan “The Outlaw” Hardy made it no secret that he wanted his next fight to be against fellow knockout artist Chris “Lights Out” Lytle. On Sunday, Aug. 14, live from Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Hardy gets his wish, as the Ultimate Fighting Championship® announced today its first-ever card in Wisconsin. 

Hardy and Lytle, two of the 170-pound division’s most devastating strikers, will collide in the main event, while lightweight contenders Jim Miller and Ben “Smooth” Henderson go to war in a bout that will determine which fighter moves one step closer to a shot at the title. Plus, light heavyweight star Stephan Bonnar returns to the Octagon® to battle the menacing Karlos Vemola and Amir Sadollah and Duane Ludwig engage in an exciting welterweight bout.

“Dan Hardy and Chris Lytle want to stand toe-to-toe until someone falls and that’s a recipe for an outstanding fight,” UFC President Dana White said. “This is the fight both guys wanted, so the fans in Milwaukee are in for a treat. The Miller-Henderson fight should be equally exciting since both guys love to come forward and press the action. We can’t wait to host our first event in Wisconsin this summer.”

Tickets for UFC® LIVE go on sale Saturday, June 11 at 10 a.m. CT and are priced at $250, $125, $75, and $50. Tickets are available at the Bradley Center Ticket Office, Ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster Outlets, or by phone at 800-745-3000. Tickets are subject to applicable convenience and service fees.

UFC® Fight Club™ members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets to this event on Thursday, June 9 at 10 a.m. CT via the website ufcfightclub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers on Friday, June 10 starting at 10 a.m. CT.  To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through ufc.com. 

UFC® LIVE will be broadcast live on VERSUS at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

Originally from Nottingham, England, Dan Hardy (fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) earned his stripes in the UFC thanks to his devastating power and a fearless approach inside the Octagon®. Holding wins over the likes of Mike Swick, Marcus Davis and Rory Markham, the 28-year-old finally gets his much-desired bout with Lytle in Milwaukee.

“This is the fight I’ve wanted and it’s the fight the fans wanted,” Hardy, who recently moved to Las Vegas for training, said. “Fans don’t like boring fights. They want two guys in there who are willing to go to battle. Chris Lytle always comes to fight, so this won’t be a boring fight. I can guarantee that.”
A winner of four out of his last five bouts, Chris Lytle (fighting out of Indianapolis, Ind.) has developed a reputation for giving the fans their money’s worth. Known for his heavy hands and free-swinging approach, the 36-year-old former pro boxer wanted nothing more than a knock-em-out, drag-em-out bout against Hardy this summer.

“I don’t like to take a fight unless I know it can potentially be the best, most exciting one of my career,” Lytle, who owns a record of 40-18-4, said. “This fight has the potential to be that and more. I’m on a seek-and-destroy mission and I know that Dan is, too. I’m really excited for this fight.”

Another contender in the crowded lightweight division will emerge on Aug. 14 when Jim Miller (fighting out of Whippany, N.J.) takes on former WEC champion Ben Henderson (fighting out of Glendale, Ariz.). Seven straight victories have fueled Miller’s ascension up the 155-pound ranks, including a brutal knockout win over previously unbeaten Kamal Shalorus in March. To secure an eighth victory and potential slot in a title fight, the 20-2 fighter must defeat Henderson (13-2), a well-rounded battler who soundly defeated Mark Bocek in his UFC debut in April.

One of the sport’s most charismatic stars returns on Aug. 14 as “The American Psycho” Stephan Bonnar (fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) hits Milwaukee for a light heavyweight bout with Karlos Vemola (fighting out of London, England). Known for his sport-defining clash with Forrest Griffin during season one of The Ultimate Fighter®, the 34-year-old Bonnar (16-7) is still making waves six years later and is riding back-to-back wins over Krzysztof Soszynski and Igor Pokrajac. To earn his third straight win, he must best 25-year-old Vemola (9-1). Originally from the Czech Republic, Vemola is fresh off a knockout victory over Seth Petruzelli at UFC 122 and has his sights set on earning the biggest win of his career at Bradley Center.

A compelling welterweight bout pits the season seven winner of The Ultimate Fighter®, Amir Sadollah (fighting out of Richmond, Va.), against the fearless Duane “Bang” Ludwig (fighting out of Denver, Colo.). The 30-year-old Sadollah (6-2) has won two consecutive fights, while the 32-year-old Ludwig defeated Nick Osipczak by decision in his last fight on UFC 122. Given both fighters’ penchants for exciting fights, the Sadollah-Ludwig bout should deliver when the UFC arrives in Milwaukee in August.

Las Vegas, NV (USA) – The Ultimate Fighting Championship® returns to
Philadelphia this summer with a loaded card sure to leave the City of
Brotherly Love buzzing. On Saturday, August 6 from the Wells Fargo Center in
Philadelphia, former UFC® light heavyweight champion “Suga” Rashad Evans takes on rising star and former Penn State wrestling standout Phil Davis.

In addition, UFC fans in Philly will be treated to an exciting light heavyweight battle between former middleweight champion Rich Franklin and former PRIDE® star Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, as well as a 185-pound clash pitting former UFC world champion Vitor Belfort against Japanese superstar Yoshihiro Akiyama.

“The
last time we were in Philly, the fans were incredible so we are excited
to head back there with a card that features three former world
champions,” UFC President Dana White said. “Phil is undefeated at 9-0
and has never been more motivated for a fight, and he wants to prove
that he belongs atop the light heavyweight division. Rashad is on fire.
He wants his title back so badly he can taste it, but he knows before he
can get his title shot he has to get through Phil. He wants to win and
he wants to win impressively. This is a great fight.”

Tickets for
UFC® 133: EVANS vs. DAVIS go on sale exclusively through ComcastTIX on Friday, June 10  at noon ET and are priced at $500, $350, $225,
$150, $100, and $50. Tickets are available on line at ComcastTIX.com,
by phone at 1-800-298-4200, or in person at the Wells Fargo Center Box
Office. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person.  Tickets are
subject to convenience and service fees.

UFC® Fight Club™ members
will have the opportunity to purchase tickets to this event on Wednesday, June 8  at 10 am ET via the website ufcfightclub.com.
A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter
subscribers on Thursday, June 9 starting at 3 p.m. BST.  To access this
presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter by entering their
email address in the “join newsletter” field at the top of ufc.com.

Official UFC VIP packages are also available at http://vip.ufc.com. These packages include tickets to UFC 133, official event merchandise, as well as special VIP experiences with backstage tours and meet and greets with top UFC stars. Get closer to the action than ever before with this unique UFC VIP opportunity.

UFC® 133: EVANS vs. DAVIS, which is presented by Boost Mobile, will be available live on UFC.TV and Pay-Per-View at 9 pm ET/6 pm PT

“Suga” Rashad Evans (fighting out of Boca Raton, Fla.) has defeated some of the sport’s most recognizable names, including Quinton Jackson, Chuck Liddell, Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar. Along the way, Evans (20-1-1) has captured UFC gold and the coveted title of season two winner of The Ultimate Fighter®. On Aug. 6, the 31-year-old hopes a win will put him in line for a shot at champion Jon Jones.

“My
road back to the title continues in Philadelphia against Phil Davis and
I expect this to be one of the best fights of the year,” Evans said.
“Phil is on the rise in this sport and it’s my job to put an end to
that. He’s a former national champion wrestler and he’s been impressive
thus far in the UFC, but my experience in big fights gives me the edge. I
want another shot at the belt and I’ve got to beat Phil to earn it.”

Undefeated
rising star Phil Davis (fighting out of San Diego, Calif.) returns to
his native Pennsylvania with plans to score the biggest win of his
career. A Division I National wrestling champion in 2008, the former
Nittany Lion Davis (9-0) has torn through the UFC’s light heavyweight
division. With wins over the likes of Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Brian Stann, “Mr. Wonderful” believes he’ll cement his place among the 205-pound best with a huge victory over Evans at Wells Fargo Center.

“I’m
definitely glad to be back in Pennsylvania for the biggest fight of my
life,” Davis, a Harrisburg native, said. “It’s going to be good to be
able to fight in front of all my family and friends. I feel like I can
take this fight wherever I want. I can wrestle with Rashad, I can strike
with him, and I feel confident wherever this fight goes. Rashad Evans
is the most dangerous opponent I’ve ever faced, but I don’t think for a
minute that I’m outmatched. I’m going to take care of this fight and do
whatever I have to do to beat Rashad.”

Former middleweight
champion Rich “Ace” Franklin (fighting out of Cincinnati, Ohio) brings
his versatile game and supreme conditioning back to the Octagon® for a
highly-anticipated clash with former PRIDE® star Antonio Rogerio
Nogueira (fighting out Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) in light heavyweight
action. The 36-year-old Franklin (28-6, 1 NC) holds key victories over
Chuck Liddell, Wanderlei Silva and Matt Hamill
and will be put to the test against the 34-year-old Nogueira (19-5), a
crisp boxer and Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt who has posted wins over Vladimir Matyushenko, Alistair Overeem and Dan Henderson.

Proven
knockout artist and former UFC champion Vitor “The Phenom” Belfort
(fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) has long been touted as one of the
most devastating and explosive strikers in history. Owner of wins over
the likes of Rich Franklin, Randy Couture and Gilbert Yvel,
the 34-year-old Brazilian Belfort (19-9) now gears up for a bout with
Japanese superstar Yoshihiro Akiyama (fighting out of Osaka, Japan).
Three straight “Fight of the Night”
awards dot the record of the 35-year-old Akiyama (13-3, 2 NC) and he
expects to earn a fourth when he meets Belfort in Philadelphia. The
talented judoka, who trains alongside number one middleweight contender Yushin Okami, has defeated notables such as Alan Belcher and Melvin Manhoef.

All bouts live and subject to change.

Aaron “A-Train” Simpson has received a new opponent for his UFC 132 bout, Dana White announced today. TUF 11 semi-finalist Brad Tavares has verbally agreed to the middleweight matchup. Tavares’ last fight was at UFC 125 on New Year’s Day, where he TKOd veteran Phil Baroni.

Simpson’s original opponent, Jason “Mayhem” Miller, has been tapped to coach the 14th season of The Ultimate Fighter, which begins filming in June.

Dos Anjos In for Dunham vs. Sots updated May 3
An injury has forced lightweight up-and-comer Evan Dunham to drop out of his planned July 2 fight against George Sotiropoulos. Rafael Dos Anjos has verbally agreed to fight in his place. “Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Dos Anjos has won Fight of the Night and Submission of the Night awards and Sotiropoulos has won Fight of the Night twice so I expect an amazing fight,” said UFC president Dana White.

“Mayhem” vs Simpson at UFC 132 updated April 23
Longtime middleweight and welterweight contender Jason “Mayhem” Miller will return to the UFC for the first time since 2005 when he battles Aaron Simpson in a UFC 132 bout in July.

“Crafty veteran and colorful personality Jason “Mayhem” Miller has verbally agreed to make his UFC return against powerful wrestler Aaron “A-Train” Simpson in a middleweight matchup July 2 in Las Vegas,” said UFC President Dana White.

The 30 year old Miller (24-7, 1 NC) has been one of the most visible mixed martial artists in the world over the course of his decade long pro career, defeating the likes of Robbie Lawler, Denis Kang, Hiromitsu Miura, and Tim Kennedy. A WEC vet, Miller’s lone UFC appearance was a hard-fought decision loss to current UFC welterweight king Georges St-Pierre at UFC 52 in April of 2005.  Since then, he is 12-3 with 1 NC, and he is coming off a first round submission win over Japanese legend Kazushi Sakuraba last September.

The hard-hitting Simpson (8-2) is coming off a three round unanimous decision victory over Mario Miranda in March that broke a two fight losing streak.

Bowles to Fight Mizugaki at UFC 132 updated April 18
Cruz vs. Faber 2 won’t be the only high-octane 135-pound bout inside the Octagon on July 2, as another battle of WEC vets has been verbally agreed upon for the event. “Brian Bowles looks to regain the bantamweight championship title, but first he’ll have to take on hard-hitting perennial top-10 contender Takeya Mizugaki at UFC 132,” said Dana White.

A win for Bowles would make him a serious contender to face the winner of Cruz and Faber’s bantamweight title fight, the main event at UFC 132. Bowles lost the title to Cruz in March of 2009.

Winner vs. Njokuani Added to UFC 132 updated April 14
If names like Condit, Cruz, Wandy and Leben on the card weren’t guaranteed fireworks, the latest bout should convince you: “Get ready for what should be a standup war as verbal agreements are in for Andre Winner VS Anthony Njokuani July 2nd,” said UFC president Dana White.

Brit Winner is a TUF 9 finalist with boxing and karate roots; Njokuani is a WEC vet who brought him three Knockout of the Night bonuses in that organization before scoring Fight of the Night at his UFC debut in March.

Condit and Kim Agree to UFC 132 Showdown updated April 8t
Undefeated Korean Judo specialist Dong Hyun Kim has verbally agreed to face former WEC champion Carlos “The Natural Born Killer” Condit at UFC 132 in Las Vegas on July 2nd.

“A win over Condit would break Kim into the top ten and a win over Kim would bring Condit another step closer to a world title shot,” said UFC President Dana White.

Koch vs. Swanson Slated for 132 updated April 8
Two of the most exciting fighters in the featherweight division have verbally agreed to face each other on July 2nd at UFC 132.

“Rising star Erik Koch, who took home Knockout of the Night at the stacked UFC 128 event, will take on Cub Swanson, who earned Fight Of The Night honors in his last outing,” said Dana White.

WEC talent will also be showcased at the main event of  UFC 132, a bantamweight title fight – the first to be held in the UFC’s Octagon – between Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber.

Wanderlei Gets Leben updated April 4
The 4th of July fireworks will kick off early in Las Vegas when “The Axe Murderer” faces “The Crippler” in a UFC 132 bout almost guaranteed not to last the three round distance.

“Two fan favorites will go to war as Chris ‘The Crippler’ Leben has verbally agreed to face Wanderlei ‘The Axe Murderer’ Silva in Las Vegas July 2nd,” said UFC President Dana White.

Wanderlei has been actively campaigning for this matchup on his Twitter page, writing that he thinks it’ll be a tough fight against a good opponent.

Fitch Injured, out of Penn Bout – updated March 30th
UFC welterweight contender Jon Fitch was injured during training for his upcoming rematch with BJ Penn and forced to withdraw from the UFC 132 bout on July 2nd. Stay tuned to UFC.com for any further developments.

Cruz vs. Faber II on July 2 – updated March 26th
UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz will get an opportunity to avenge the lone loss of his career at UFC 132 on July 2nd, as he has verbally agreed to face former featherweight boss Urijah Faber in what is slated to be the main event.

“This is the biggest bantamweight title fight ever, as UFC 135-pound champion Dominick Cruz has verbally agreed to face Urijah Faber at UFC 132 in July,” said UFC President Dana White. “Cruz is unbeaten at bantamweight, but he’s looking for revenge against the only man to beat him at 145 pounds, former champ Faber.”

Ortiz vs. Bader at UFC 132 – updated March 22nd
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz, who pulled out of his
March 26th headlining bout against Rogerio Nogueria due to injury, has
recovered and is back in fighting shape. “This MMA legend will meet top
UFC contender Ryan Bader at UFC 132,” said UFC president Dana White,
confirming that Ortiz and Bader have verbally agreed to a July bout.
Bader is looking to rebound from a loss to newly crowned champ Jon Jones at UFC
126.

Wiman vs Siver Agreed to for UFC 132
updated March 17th
It will be a battle of 155-pound division hot streaks, when Matt
Wiman puts his three fight winning streak on the line against Germany’s
Dennis Siver, who has won three in a row as well, including a UFC 127
win over George Sotiropoulos. This UFC 132 matchup was agreed to today.

Said UFC President Dana White, “Lightweights coming off of
impressive wins face off in Vegas as Matt Wiman and Dennis Siver have
verbally agreed to fight July 2nd.”

Fitch vs. Penn 2, Dunham vs. Sots On For 132 updated March 16

Reports of The Prodigy’s retirement have been greatly exaggerated:
Dana White confirmed today that BJ Penn and Jon Fitch have verbally
agreed to rematch at UFC 132.

The welterweights first met in the main event of UFC 127, a
number-one contender bout that ended in a draw. “Both fighters look to
keep it out of the hands of the judges this time,” said White.

The stacked lightweight division will also see two of its
fastest-rising stars meet over Fourth of July weekend: White confirmed
that Evan Dunham and George Sotiropoulos have verbally agreed to a bout
at UFC 132.