Even without pay-per-view penchants Anderson Silva or Georges St-Pierre, the greatest MMA promotion on the face of the planet found a way to give its fans several memorable title bouts through the first half of 2014.
Whether it was TJ Dillashaw’s…
Even without pay-per-view penchants Anderson Silva or Georges St-Pierre, the greatest MMA promotion on the face of the planet found a way to give its fans several memorable title bouts through the first half of 2014.
Whether it was TJ Dillashaw’s dismantling of reigning bantamweight champion Renan Barao at UFC 173, the back and forth battle between Johny Hendricks and Robbie Lawler for the vacant welterweight strap at UFC 171, or Demetrious Johnson’s dominant, but routinely underappreciated, performance against Ali Bagautinov at UFC 174, the UFC has put on its fair share of jaw-dropping moments.
With six months left in the calendar year, Dana White and friends are looking to expand upon their already relatively successful year without either of the promotion’s biggest pay-per-view draws.
All of these fights garner the world’s attention, but only some of them will likely quench the thirst they’ve created within the MMA community.
Read on to see how the remaining 2014 UFC title fights stack up against each other.
UFC President Dana White confirmed in a press conference on Tuesday that UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez and No. 1 contender Fabricio Werdum will coach the promotion’s upcoming season of The Ultimate Fighter.
Dubbed The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America, the show will showcase 16 Latin American UFC hopefuls, crowning a champion in Mexico City on November 15 at UFC 180.
Even better, UFC 180 in November will also feature the coaches’ showdown, as Velasquez will put his heavyweight strap on the line against the ever-evolving and improving Werdum.
For the UFC, this is a nearly perfect scenario, and its trek into the Latin American market is primed for success with the announcement.
Velasquez is the son of a Mexican immigrant, Efrain, and the heavyweight champion draws inspiration from his father’s story. He went so far as to tattoo “Brown Pride” across his chest to honor his heritage.
Werdum, on the other hand, was born in Brazil but moved to Spain as a teen. He has worked for the UFC’s Spanish broadcast team, as he speaks the language fluently.
Add in the finals of The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America, and November’s event looks to be a can’t-miss event for the UFC’s new market and for fight fans across the globe.
The lone worry with this endeavor is Velasquez’s health.
The UFC heavyweight champion has not fought since October 2013 due to shoulder surgery and rehab, and his injury history has already cost the UFC a bout with Werdum at UFC 172 in Mexico in the past.
When Velasquez was unable to compete at that event, the UFC scrapped its plans to enter Mexico altogether, but now it appears ready to give it another go and hope that everything goes according to plan this time around.
If everything goes off without a hitch, UFC 180 could represent a major turning point for the organization as it continues its international expansion and taps into a market of fervent, enthusiastic Latin American fans.
During a press conference today in Mexico City, UFC president Dana White announced that Cain Velasquez and Fabricio Werdum will appear as rival coaches on the first installment of The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America (aka EL TUF), which will air this fall in Mexico and the United States. Velasquez and Dos Santos will then meet at the show’s Finale, “the week of November 15th,” according to White.
Though no other fights on the card have been booked, White vowed to bring a stacked lineup to Mexico City. “You know I want to come to Mexico with a bang,” he said. “We’re gonna bring some good fights here, I promise you.”
When a media member asked White if the UFC would postpone the event or set up a new headliner if Velasquez got injured before the fight, White tried to ward off the bad juju: “Bite your tongue. Hopefully that doesn’t happen.”
Lots more details to come. Stay tuned.
Update, via MMAFighting: Velasquez vs. Werdum and the finals of The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America will take place at UFC 180, November 15th at Mexico City’s Arena Ciudad. TUF: Latin America will feature bantamweights and featherweights, and will air on Televisa in Mexico beginning the week of August 18th. The show begins filming on May 12th in Las Vegas.
During a press conference today in Mexico City, UFC president Dana White announced that Cain Velasquez and Fabricio Werdum will appear as rival coaches on the first installment of The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America (aka EL TUF), which will air this fall in Mexico and the United States. Velasquez and Dos Santos will then meet at the show’s Finale, “the week of November 15th,” according to White.
Though no other fights on the card have been booked, White vowed to bring a stacked lineup to Mexico City. “You know I want to come to Mexico with a bang,” he said. “We’re gonna bring some good fights here, I promise you.”
When a media member asked White if the UFC would postpone the event or set up a new headliner if Velasquez got injured before the fight, White tried to ward off the bad juju: “Bite your tongue. Hopefully that doesn’t happen.”
Lots more details to come. Stay tuned.
Update, via MMAFighting: Velasquez vs. Werdum and the finals of The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America will take place at UFC 180, November 15th at Mexico City’s Arena Ciudad. TUF: Latin America will feature bantamweights and featherweights, and will air on Televisa in Mexico beginning the week of August 18th. The show begins filming on May 12th in Las Vegas.
UFC President