Filed under: MMA Media Watch, UFC, News
The UFC‘s first foray into network television won’t take long. During Thursday’s announcement of a newly signed seven-year deal with FOX, UFC president Dana White also announced that the first event on the broadcast network will come on Nov. 12.
The event will likely take place in Anaheim, California, White said.
The card itself is still being worked on.
Under the terms of the deal, FOX will broadcast four events per calendar year, while FX while host six “Fight Night” events.
The FOX shows are expected to be higher caliber offerings than “Fight Night” events, according to UFC executive Lorenzo Fertitta.
“You may not have championships on every card,” he said. “There may be championships on some of the time. But I can tell you that we’re going to deliver big fights on broadcast network, that’s for sure. Fights that matter, that mean something, and there’s a lot hanging on the line.”
The Nov. 12 event will give UFC a stretch of four straight Saturdays with a major show. It kicks off October 29, when Nick Diaz tries to wrest the UFC welterweight title from Georges St-Pierre at UFC 137. The next weekend, the UFC flies to the UK, where Chris Leben and Mark Munoz will tangle in the main event of UFC 138. Then, it’s back to the U.S. for the UFC on FOX debut, followed by a trip to nearby San Jose, California for UFC 139, with heavyweight king Cain Velasquez defending the belt against Junior dos Santos.
%VIRTUAL-Gallery-131076%