Las Vegas, NV (USA) – In a media conference call today, Ultimate Fighting Championship® President Dana White announced the UFC is adding two new championship divisions at bantamweight (135lbs.) and featherweight (145lbs.), while also announcing a new television deal with the VERSUS Network to air four UFC fights in 2011.
“As the UFC continues to evolve and grow globally, we want to be able to give fans title fights in every weight division,” said White. “This is a big day for the sport and the athletes who will have the opportunity to fight on the biggest stage in the world.”
The two new divisions feature WEC featherweight champion Jose Aldo, who will now be recognized as the reigning UFC featherweight champion, and WEC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz. White confirmed that the winner of the Dec. 16 lightweight title fight between WEC champion Ben Henderson and top contender Anthony Pettis live on VERSUS will take on the winner of the UFC 125 main event title bout between champion Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard. This upcoming fight will serve as a UFC lightweight title unification bout to be held next year.
White also stated the UFC is expanding its presence on the VERSUS Network in 2011, and will increase its number of UFC events from two to four per year. Versus is scheduled to air the two remaining live WEC events in 2010 on Nov. 11 and Dec. 16. The Nov. 11 event in Las Vegas will feature “The California Kid” Urijah Faber’s debut at bantamweight as he takes on Takeya Mizugaki, while the Dec. 16 event in Glendale, Ariz. will feature Henderson-Pettis and a bantamweight title clash between Dominick Cruz and challenger Scott Jorgensen with the winner becoming the new UFC bantamweight champion.
“We have a great relationship with the VERSUS network, and we look forward to working with them to give UFC fans even more free fights in 2011,” said White.
Here are a few other highlights from the Press Conference call
Jose Aldo will defend his title at UFC 125, Canadian Mark Hominick a possible opponent as the first WEC Title challenger on a UFC PPV.
Dana also touched on the regulations that need to be done in Ontario and said there is still a lot to be done and a lot of paperwork to go through, said it's a done deal but no dates are set and that he is very excited to throw an event in Toronto he claims we will be there soon.
4 UFC shows a year are now going to be on Versus but now will no longer have WEC to do shows as the WEC is being rolled into the UFC, says he has no clue what other deals will happen but lots on the horizon for much more to come.
More TUF to come, the WEC weight classes are now being rolled into TUF as well and will give us some more weight classes and shows to come with 135 and 145 pound Ultimate Fighters.
Dana says that the women's division will not be happening anytime soon, there is just not enough good women to have division's.
Says WEC and UFC will unify the lightweight belts and will be a huge event to showcase the best lightweights in the world, says if you are an exciting fighter or a great fighter, you will stick around.
Dana also said that this will be a huge move for the asian and hispanic market's as traditionally they have dominated these smaller weight classes. Looking at having some of the WEC stars be coaches in the TUF.
Expect bigger paydays for the smaller guys, Dana says that in the bigger shows you get the bigger paydays, "the fighters in the lighter classes have always been exciting. We have always wanted to do this, we just haven't ever had the way to do it, now we do."
Dana calls Jose Aldo top 3 pound for pound and only expect him to get better, says he could stay at 145 or fight at 155 either way he can do big things.
No comments:
Post a Comment