With UFC 193 now confirmed for for Melbourne’s Etihad Stadium, the card is shaping up as well. And it’s expected to be the biggest UFC event ever in terms of attendance.
On Wednesday the UFC put out a press release saying that the promotion is expecting to fill Etihad Stadium with over 70,000 people for the Nov. 15 event, which would shatter the existing live attendance record. Right now UFC 129 at The Rogers Centre in Toronto stands as the most attended single UFC event, which did over 55,000 through the turnstiles.
“Finally the UFC is coming to Melbourne in what will be the biggest UFC event ever,” UFC president Dana White said in the release. “There’s been a lot of talk about Melbourne, title fights and stadium shows. The UFC is doing all three at the Etihad Stadium in front of 70,000 people. Australian has been an amazing market for the UFC and to thank the Aussies for all their support we are bringing the superstar of the welterweight division, UFC World Champion Robbie Lawler.”
Lawler will face Carlos Condit in the main event at UFC 193, with a heavyweight rematch between New Zealand’s Mark Hunt and Antonio Silva scheduled as the co-main event.
The release also broke news as to who else will be competing on the fight card. Namely, veteran middleweight Michael Bisping (28-7), who will fight Australia’s own Robert Whittaker (14-4).
Also announced for the card was a lightweight bout between TUF Nations alum Jake Matthews (9-1) and Mexican fighter Akbarh Arreola (23-9-1), a welterweight bout between local hero Kyle Noke (20-7-1) versus Peter Sobotta (15-4-1), a light heavyweight bout between 42-year old Aussie Anthony Perosh (15-9) versus Long Island’s Gian Villante (13-5), a middleweight fight between Daniel Kelly (9-1) versus jiu-jitus ace Ricardo Abreu (5-2), and a welterweight fight between Australians Richard Walsh (8-4) and Steve Kennedy (22-7).