Tag: danawhite

TUF 13 Coaches Not Set, but Faber, Torres Want Shot Eventually

Filed under: UFC, NewsDETROIT – Though the tryouts for Season 13 of “The Ultimate Fighter” took place earlier this month, and the show is scheduled to begin taping in January, UFC president Dana White said no decisions have been made yet about the coac…

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DETROIT – Though the tryouts for Season 13 of “The Ultimate Fighter” took place earlier this month, and the show is scheduled to begin taping in January, UFC president Dana White said no decisions have been made yet about the coaches.

“We haven’t decided who the coaches are going to be yet,” White told a small group of reporters on Wednesday after the press conference for UFC 123. “I’ve been on the road for two weeks now and I don’t go home till Sunday. Then I’m back on the road again, like Wednesday. So I’ve got to get back in the office Monday and Tuesday and get some (stuff) done.”

Season 13 will feature welterweight and middleweight fighters. Candidates for the show went through tryouts in Las Vegas on Nov. 4. The Spike reality competition last featured welterweights in Season 9 and middleweights in Season 11.

Gerald Harris Living His UFC Dream, Not Forgetting the Path to Get There

Filed under: UFCEvery fighter has a story behind his story, how he got to where he is. Gerald Harris’ back story is about good enough to warrant a nickname change from “Hurricane” to “Mr. Persistent.”

Harris had 10 pro fights under his belt when he w…

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Gerald HarrisEvery fighter has a story behind his story, how he got to where he is. Gerald Harris‘ back story is about good enough to warrant a nickname change from “Hurricane” to “Mr. Persistent.”

Harris had 10 pro fights under his belt when he won a spot on Season 7 of “The Ultimate Fighter in 2008. He won his first fight in the house, but lost his next to eventual champ Amir Sadollah.

Normally, the majority of fighters on TUF seasons get one more crack on the season finale card. But for TUF 7, just five fighters from the show fought on the finale – and Harris wasn’t one of them.

He returned to the relative obscurity of regional shows – but with only one goal in mind: win, win, win and get back to the UFC.

UFC Fan Expo Could Land in Toronto in 2011

Filed under: UFC, NewsWith its first two Fan Expo events in Las Vegas big successes, and its first East Coast fan event in Boston in the books, the UFC holds its first international Fan Expo this weekend in conjunction with UFC 120 in London.

On Tues…

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With its first two Fan Expo events in Las Vegas big successes, and its first East Coast fan event in Boston in the books, the UFC holds its first international Fan Expo this weekend in conjunction with UFC 120 in London.

On Tuesday, the promotion’s Director of Canadian Operations, Tom Wright, said 2011 could see a Fan Expo in Canada – likely in Toronto when the UFC holds its first event there.

“I think if we bring a Fan Expo to Canada, most likely it would come to Ontario,” Wright said at a press conference for December’s UFC 124 event in Montreal.

Rich Franklin vs. Forrest Griffin Fight Planned for Feb. 5 UFC Card

Filed under: UFC, NewsA light heavyweight fight between former champions Rich Franklin and Forrest Griffin is in the works for the UFC’s card on Super Bowl Saturday, Feb. 5, which tentatively has been labeled UFC 127.

Sources with knowledge of the pl…

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Forrest GriffinA light heavyweight fight between former champions Rich Franklin and Forrest Griffin is in the works for the UFC’s card on Super Bowl Saturday, Feb. 5, which tentatively has been labeled UFC 127.

Sources with knowledge of the planned bout told MMA Fighting that the fight has yet to be signed, but is the intended direction of the promotion. Additionally, sources have informed MMA Fighting’s Mike Chiappetta the battle between the two former champions is expected for that event.

The bout will likely serve as the pay-per-view’s co-main event under an anticipated middleweight title fight between champion Anderson Silva and Vitor Belfort. Light heavyweight contenders Jon Jones and Ryan Bader are also expected to fight on the card. The event has not yet been announced, but is expected to take place in Las Vegas.

Mark Cuban’s HDNet to Get UFC Access

Filed under: NewsAfter years of a relationship that could best be termed “sometimes rocky,” billionaire businessman and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has settled his differences with UFC president Dana White – at least enough for the UFC to open th…

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After years of a relationship that could best be termed “sometimes rocky,” billionaire businessman and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has settled his differences with UFC president Dana White – at least enough for the UFC to open the door for Cuban’s TV network, HDNet.

Cuban made the announcement on Friday’s episode of “Inside MMA,” a weekly mixed martial arts interview and highlights show that airs on HDNet with hosts Kenny Rice and former King of Pancrase champion Bas Rutten.

Cuban said the network will now be granted access to Zuffa events and will be able to use video highlights after fights. And he said Rice and Rutten would be at UFC events as part of the “Inside MMA” show.

WEC Announces Signing of Chinese Lightweight Tiequan Zhang

Filed under: WEC, NewsIt didn’t take long for Zuffa to puts its official stamp on mixed martial arts in Asia.

Following UFC 118, UFC president Dana White announced the company had set up an office in Beijing, China, and hired Mark Fischer, formerly o…

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It didn’t take long for Zuffa to puts its official stamp on mixed martial arts in Asia.

Following UFC 118, UFC president Dana White announced the company had set up an office in Beijing, China, and hired Mark Fischer, formerly of the NBA’s China branch, to run its operations in Asia as executive vice president and managing director.

On Thursday, the WEC, the UFC’s sibling promotion, officially announced the signing of lightweight Tiequan Zhang, of Beijing. Zhang will be the first fighter from mainland China in the WEC’s history. His first task comes later this month against Alex Karalexis at WEC 51 in Broomfield, Colo.