Tag: UFC 169

A stacked UFC 167 fight card has taken a hit, losing a heavyweight contest between former UFC champion Frank Mir and former Strikeforce champion Alistair Overeem.

On Thursday, Newsday.com learned the veterans have been moved to UFC 169, which will be held on Super Bowl weekend in February.

The reason given for the delay of the heavyweight bout was Mir’s recovery from a UFC 164 knockout loss to Josh Barnett. Although it appears Mir was capable of making a quick turnaround, UFC officials offered the following:

While there was no indication whatsoever that Mir wouldn’t be fully, medically cleared in time to compete on November 16th, UFC officials and Nevada Commission representatives believed that a short postponement would allow both athletes more time to train for the bout.

Although UFC 167 will miss Mir and Overeem, the UFC’s 20th anniversary event is still impressive from top to bottom. Headlined by a welterweight title fight between Georges St-Pierre and Johny Hendricks, UFC 167 will also showcase a light heavyweight bout between big draws Chael Sonnen and Rashad Evans.

Both in their thirties and riding losing streaks, Mir and Overeem find themselves in desperate situations. UFC president Dana White called their meeting a do-or-die matchup, insinuating the loser’s UFC career could be in jeopardy.

In moving to February, Mir and Overeem join a light heavyweight championship bout between Jon Jones and Glover Teixeira on the UFC 169 fight card. Newsday.com also learned that the 205-pound title fight has become official for Feb. 1.

Marking the UFC’s annual event on the eve of Super Bowl Sunday, UFC 169 is expected to be held at the Prudential Center in New Jersey.

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Despite being hospitalized following a hard-fought title defense against Alexander Gustafsson, Jon Jones is set to return to the Octagon in less than four months.

UFC president Dana White recently told ESPN.com that Jones could meet Glover Teixeira on Feb. 1. On Thursday evening, Newsday.com confirmed with UFC officials that Jones and Teixeira would compete at UFC 169, the promotion’s annual Super Bowl Weekend fight card.

With his win over Gustafsson, Jones surpassed Tito Ortiz and became the UFC record holder in consecutive light heavyweight title defenses. Although a move to the heavyweight division has been on Jones’ mind, it appears the dogfight with Gustafsson has renewed the champion’s interest in the 205-pound division.

A rematch with Gustafsson was a possibility following Jones’ narrow win over the Swedish challenger. However, UFC matchmakers have decided to hand Jones a fresh foe and allow a potential rematch between the young light heavyweight stars to build up.

Teixeira is undefeated in his five fights inside the Octagon, and it has been over eight years since the 33-year-old Brazilian has been defeated. 

Although he was rocked in his last outing against Ryan Bader—an opponent Jones walked through en route to the UFC championship in 2011—Teixeira has done enough in the eyes of the UFC brass to warrant a shot at the light heavyweight strap.

Jones, on the other hand, wasn’t all that impressed with Teixeira prior to his matchup with Gustafsson. In speaking with MMAFighting.com last month, the champion said, “If you have a great opponent and great understanding, then you won’t rush into a guy like Ryan Bader who is obviously going to swing looping punches at you. I don’t think (Teixeira’s) the guy who’s going to beat me.”

To be held at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., UFC 169 will take place the night before this NFL season’s Super Bowl. 

In addition to the 205-pound championship bout between Jones and Teixeira, UFC 169 has added Alistair Overeem and Frank Mir. Newsday.com also learned the struggling heavyweight stars have had their bout bumped back to accommodate Mir’s recovery from a recent knockout loss to Josh Barnett. 

 

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