Saturday, March 13, 2010

UFC blog for latest news, videos, results, betting odds, fighter interviews and MMA rumors - UFCmania.com

UFC blog for latest news, videos, results, betting odds, fighter interviews and MMA rumors - UFCmania.com

UFC Quick Pic: Rachelle Leah ready for her Octagon return on March 27

Posted: 12 Mar 2010 05:39 PM PST

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And pays tribute to "Mask" in the process (credere = believe).

WEC 48 results and LIVE fight coverage for 'Aldo vs Faber' on April 24 in Sacramento

Posted: 12 Mar 2010 04:16 PM PST

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World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) is close to finalizing their first-ever pay-per-view (PPV) fight card for the promotion's return trip to the Arco Arena scheduled for April 24 in Sacramento, CA.

WEC 48 features a featherweight championship title fight between the promotion's greatest marketing asset, "The California Kid" Urijah Faber, and the seemingly invincible 145-pound champion, Jose "Junior" Aldo.

Also booked for the star-studded event is newly-crowned lightweight champion Ben "Smooth" Henderson as he answers the call of Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone. Mike Brown will also take part in the action when he collides with Manny "Pitbull" Gamburyan.

Here is the current "Aldo vs. Faber" line up:

Main Event:

145 lbs.: Jose Aldo vs. Urijah Faber

Main Card (Televised):

155 lbs.: Benson Henderson vs. Donald Cerrone
145 lbs.: Mike Brown vs. Manny Gamburyan
155 lbs.: Anthony Njokuani vs. Shane Roller
135 lbs.: Antonio Banuelos vs. Damacio Page

Preliminary Card (May not be televised):

155 lbs.: Alex Karalexis vs. Anthony Pettis*
145 lbs.: Tyler Toner vs. Brandon Visher
135 lbs.: Brad Pickett vs. Demetrious Johnson
135 lbs.: Takeya Mizugaki vs. Rani Yahya
145 lbs.: Cub Swanson vs. Chan Sung Jung

*Fight not officially confirmed by the WEC

MMAmania.com will provide LIVE blow-by-blow, round-by-round coverage of WEC 48, beginning with the PPV telecast at 10 p.m. ET. In addition, we will deliver up-to-the-minute quick results of all the under card action much earlier on fight night.

We’re still a few weeks away from showtime; therefore, feel free to share your thoughts and predictions on "Aldo vs. Faber" in the comments section below. And remember that MMAmania.com will be the spot for the latest news and event-related highlights before, during and after the event.

For more on the April 24 event click here.

Dana White joins Sam Stout and Krzysztof Soszynski for Toronto autograph signing on March 23

Posted: 12 Mar 2010 03:45 PM PST

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More good news for Canadian fight fans.

The UFC 111: "St. Pierre vs. Hardy" pre-fight hype train is officially switching into second gear, as UFC President Dana White joins Canadian fighters Sam "Hands of Stone" Stout and Krzysztof  "The Polish Experiment" Soszynski for an autograph and Q&A session on Tuesday, March 23.

All festivities are free and open to the public.

Fans interested in attending should head down to the Toronto Eaton Centre (Level 3 – SEARS Entrance) on 220 Yonge Street. Please note, a wristband policy will be in effect and can be picked up from the Toronto Eaton Centre Security beginning at 10 a.m. ET.

As will all events of this nature, getting there early is highly recommended.

The open Q&A session will run from 1-2 p.m. ET.

Immediately following the Q&A, the floor will open for an autograph signing featuring Stout and Soszynski. Remember that the wristband policy will be strictly enforced. The signing concludes promptly at 4 p.m. ET.

Thanks to Showdown Joe Ferarro for the tip.

UFC Primetime full episode for 'St. Pierre vs Hardy' premiere (Video)

Posted: 12 Mar 2010 02:31 PM PST

Check out Part 2 after the jump:

Cub Swanson set to welcome the 'Korean Zombie' to WEC 48 on April 24

Posted: 12 Mar 2010 01:36 PM PST

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Fast-rising Korean featherweight prospect Chan Sung Jung (10-1) recently signed a six-fight deal with the WEC -- and now the promotion has secured his welcoming party in the form of division standout Cub Swanson (14-3) at the upcoming April 24 pay-per-view from the Arco Arena in Sacramento, CA.

After getting obliterated by Jose Aldo in just eight seconds back at WEC 41: "Brown vs. Faber 2" in June 2009, Swanson rebounded nicely with a submission win (rear naked choke) over John Franchi at the WEC 44: "Brown vs. Aldo" event back in November.

The California native is considered one of the promotions up-and-coming stars and could prove to be a formidable test for the Korean import.

At just 22 years-old, Jung has accumulated an impressive 10-1 record since making his professional debut at the Super Sambo Festival in June 2007. After an initial stint in South Korean circuits, he fought in the Japanese-based DEEP organization where he earned victories over Michihiro Omigawa and Fanjin Son.

The Korean Top Team product shot into limelight last year as a participant in Sengoku's featherweight grand prix, where he choked out Shintaro Ishiwatari in a fierce slugfest before dropping a controversial decision to the eventual champion, Masanori Kanehara.

He quickly rebounded with a victory over Matt Jaggers at Sengoku 9.

Jung, who carries a bizarre moniker of "Korean Zombie," most recently fought in a kickboxing bout at the "It's Showtime" event in the Czech Republic. Squaring off against the former Lumpini stadium champion, Pajonsuk SKV, he scored a highlight-reel knockout with spinning backfist; unfortunately, Jung's ignorance of the promotion's ban of the spinning backfist under its rule set nullified his victory and resulted in disqualification.

Perhaps he can try it again in Sacramento with better results.

WEC 48: "Aldo vs. Faber" features a featherweight championship bout between the local fan favorite "The California Kid" Urijah Faber and unstoppable 145-pound champion Jose Aldo.

Also announced for the main card is a lightweight championship brouhaha between champion Ben "Smooth" Henderson and challenger Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone. Former featherweight champion Mike Brown will also take part in the event when he enters the cage opposite Manny Gamburyan.

For more on the upcoming WEC 48 pay-per-view event click here.

MFC 25 books five fights for 'Vindication' on May 7

Posted: 12 Mar 2010 01:36 PM PST

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The fight lineup for MFC 25: Vindication is proving to be one of the most talent-laden rosters in the organization's history.

With the official main event still to be announced, the MFC has already lined up five action-packed fights to highlight the card which will air live on HDNet Fights on Friday, May 7 from the Northlands Expo Centre in Edmonton, Alberta.

In the co-main event, a pair of light heavyweights will battle for the position of No. 1 contender for the MFC's 205-pound belt. Top-ranked Ryan "The Big Deal" Jimmo (12-1), who will be fighting in his home town, takes on Brazilian standout Wilson Gouveia (12-7), who is making his promotional debut and taking on a new role in the light heavyweight ranks moving up from middleweight.

Jimmo has won 12 straight fights since his pro debut and is coming off a convincing decision victory over former MFC light heavyweight champ Emanuel Newton at MFC 23. Gouveia has put together an impressive career resume that includes wins over such notables as Jason MacDonald, Jason Lambert, and Seth Petruzelli.

In another pivotal light heavyweight encounter, Dwayne Lewis (11-4) of Fort McMurray, Alberta, meets Mike Nickels (8-3) of Denver, Colorado. Lewis has won seven straight fights - five in a row by KO/TKO including back-to-back wins over Marvin Eastman and Ryan McClain at MFC 23 and 24, respectively.

Nickels made his organizational debut at MFC 22, ultimately capturing a third-round submission over David Heath in an all-out war that earned the honor of MFC Fight of the Year for 2009.

A middleweight fight between David Heath (14-6) of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and "King" Solomon Hutcherson (11-6) of Racine, Wisconsin, is also on the docket for MFC 25. This will be Heath's first fight in the 185-pound division and he has a chance to turn things around for himself following the loss to Nickels.

Heath holds a key career win over former MFC light heavyweight champion Roger Hollett. Hutcherson has endeared himself to the loyal MFC fans with an all-out hustle approach. He bested Dave Mewborn with a dominating decision at MFC 20 and fell just short in a close decision loss to Jason MacDonald at MFC 23.

An explosive welterweight matchup has also been signed for MFC 25, one that should certainly spark plenty of aggressive fireworks. Luigi "The Italian Tank" Fioravanti (16-6), fighting out of Coconut Creek, Florida, will take on "The Secret Weapon" Pete Spratt (20-17) of Dallas, Texas, in what promises to be a war of accomplished strikers.

Fioravanti will be out for redemption following his organizational-debut loss at MFC 22, while Spratt served notice that he still has big-time punching power with his 2009 Knockout of the Year verdict against Nathan Gunn at MFC 22.

As well, the recently signed lightweight bout between Richie "The Dirty Samurai" Hightower (8-3) and "Ragin" Kajan Johnson (17-11-1) will open the HDNet televised portion of the card. Hightower, who hails from Phoenix, Arizona, makes the move down to the 155-pound ranks to take on Johnson, a native of Burns Lake, British Columbia, who added to his resume with a TKO win over Josh Russell at Heat XC 4.

Tickets for MFC 25: Vindication are on sale now via the MFC Ticket Hotline at (780) 504-2024 or through Ticketmaster at www.ticketmaster.ca and charge-by-phone (780) 451-8000.

Bantamweights Takeya Mizugaki and Rani Yahya agree to collide at WEC 48 on April 24

Posted: 12 Mar 2010 01:36 PM PST

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An intriguing match up of contrasting styles in Takeya Mizugaki and Rani Yahya is set to take place at WEC 48: Aldo vs. Faber on April 24 from Sacramento, California. 

The WEC broke the news via twitter earlier today.

The promotion's initial foray into the PPV market will feature a headlining bout between featherweight champion Jose Aldo and former 145 lbs. kingpin Urijah Faber.

Mizugaki (12-4) burst onto the American MMA scene when he took former WEC bantamweight champ Miguel Angel Torres the full five rounds in a losing effort at WEC 40. Takeya then fought to a another decision in his next contest against Jeff Curan, this time earning the nod from the judges.

At WEC 45, the 26 year-old boxer by way of Japan yet again went the distance in a losing cause against Scott Jorgensen in which the two warriors were awarded with "Fight of the Night" honors.

Yahya (15-5), champion of the under 66 kg division tournament at the 2007 ADCC (Abu Dhabi Combat Club) championships, is also coming off a defeat at WEC 45 in which he was finished in the first round by the freshly minted number one bantamweight contender, Joseph Benavidez.

Prior to his loss to Benavidez, Yahya cemented himself as one of the WEC's best BJJ practitioners as he won three consecutive fights via submission while claiming "Submission of the Night" honors in the process.

Rani actually fought for the WEC bantamweight championship as well we he took on then champ Chase Beebe at WEC 30 in 2007. Beebe would of course defend his title that night, only to lose it in his next fight to the aforementioned Miguel Torres.

Along with this match up and Urijah Faber vs. Jose Aldo, WEC 48 is expected to feature a rematch for the WEC lightweight belt between Ben Henderson and Donald Cerrone, as well as Mike Brown vs. Manny Gamburyan, Anthony Njokuani vs. Shane Roller, and Damacio Page vs. Antonio Banuelos.

Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for more news on WEC 48: Aldo vs. Faber as it breaks.

Ray Mercer returns to MMA action at KOTC event on April 16

Posted: 12 Mar 2010 11:53 AM PST

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Think James Toney is the only aging pugilist worthy of news in MMA circles? Don't forget about Ray Mercer.

MMA Fighting reports that "Merciless" is set to return to the cage for his sophomore effort against undefeated fighter Ron Sparks on April 16 at a King of the Cage event from Detroit, Michigan. 

The card is expected to be headlined by a match up featuring Jeremy Horn and Jake Rosholt.

The 1988 gold medalist and owner of a 36-7 record as a heavyweight boxer, Mercer of course made his official mixed martial arts debut last summer at Adrenaline MMA 3 when he infamously knocked out former UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia in nine seconds. 

Prior to his bout with "The Maniac," Ray faced off with none other than Kimbo Slice in an exhibition bout in 2007 in which the TUF 10 poster boy disposed of the 48 year-old via guillotine choke in 72 seconds. 

Mercer's opponent, Ron "The Monster" Sparks, carries a 5-0 record while standing 6'5" and weighing in at 285 lbs.

 

Four of Sparks' five victories have ended via KO or TKO in 70 seconds or less. And with Mercer's well-known background in boxing, you can bet that this contest won't see much action on the ground.

The King of the Cage event will air live on HDNet on April 16 from Cobo Arena in Detroit, Michigan.

With "Lights Out" expected to make his Octagon debut sometime this summer and Mercer's scheduled bout in April, two over-the-hill, former boxers will be making MMA headlines in the near future whether we like it or not.

So with this influx of aging practitioners of the "sweet science," who's the next past-his-prime boxer to make the jump to the cage?

Any takers on Ricky "The Hitman" Hatton?

James Toney: 'I want Brock Lesnar'

Posted: 12 Mar 2010 09:23 AM PST

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That's according to "Lights Out" on tonight's episode of Inside MMA:

"I want Brock Lesnar. I'm the heavyweight champion of the world vs. the UFC champion. That'd be a hell of a match ... Chuck Liddell, Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, Tito, Tito Ortiz-whatever his name is, it doesn't matter. I'm not a sideshow. This is the real deal right here."

In other words, he's looking for a massive payday so that he can be one and done. Do any Toney sympathizers have an argument for the aging pugilist upsetting the current heavyweight champion? Hard to imagine he could land even one shot before getting a double-leg right through the cage door -- but I guess anything can happen, right? To find out what else he said about the crop of Zuffa heavyweights, tune in tonight at 9:00 p.m. ET on HDNet.

Bob Arum breaks kayfabe to thank Dana White for boxing hype

Posted: 12 Mar 2010 09:09 AM PST

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Hell may not have frozen over, but the temperature down south is definitely dropping.

In case anyone else in the mixed martial arts community felt a slight disturbance in the force, may I direct your attention to an article from the Las Vegas Sun, where fossilized fight promoter Bob Arum is quoted as saying "Thanks" to UFC chiefs Dana White and Lorenzo Fertitta.

What a difference a fight makes.

White has been talking up the upcoming Manny Pacquiao vs. Joshua Clottey bout via his official Twitter account, expressing his excitement for WBO world welterweight title fight that takes place at the new Cowboys Stadium on Saturday, March 13, 2010.

Of course the UFC President has always had a soft spot for the sweet science, having started his career in the boxing industry. Anyone requiring further proof of his love for boxing need look no further than the recent (surprising) signing of geriatric pugilist James "Lights Out" Toney.

Pacquiao was originally scheduled to face Floyd Mayweather Jr. in what experts were predicting to be the richest payday in boxing's history; however, "Money" wanted additional parameters for "Pac-Man's" drug tests and the superfight quickly fell apart.

The Filipino may still be a big draw, but there's no comparison to the number of buys a marquee fighter like Mayweather can attract in comparison to Clottey.

Simply put, this change in opponents may have left boxing scrambling for every pay-per-view order they can get -- and the additional exposure from the Zuffa zealots may have been enough to sway some fight-starved fans to change teams this weekend and watch the bout.

Was that enough to convince "Bigot Bob," who in the past referred to UFC fighters as juiced-up homosexual skinheads, to drop his usual anti-MMA tirade and show some gratitude? I'm sure Cowboys owner and mega-mogul Jerry Jones, who hosts Saturday's fight, gave him the motivation he needed.

From the LV Sun:

"We want to thank Dana and Lorenzo for crossing sports to help promote this fight," Arum said, as Jones, the guy who helped make that unlikely visit happen, nodded from the dais.

Bob Arum with kind words. Lorenzo Fertitta and Dana White selling boxing events. Israel and Lebanon co-existing peacefully. Well, not really, but if Arum keeps this up, I'll believe anything is possible.

Dan 'Punkass' Caldwell creates Charles Lewis Jr. 'Mask' Theater for Team TapouT

Posted: 12 Mar 2010 08:33 AM PST

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Multi-million dollar clothing line? Check. Popular reality show? Check. Gladiator-themed Charles "Mask" Lewis Jr. memorial theater?

Check.

TapouT has long been known for doing things their own way. And it's hard to argue with their business model considering they started with just a van and some T-shirts and now rule the world of mixed martial arts merchandise.

As Dan "Punkass" Caldwell explains to Tom LeBlanc of CEPro, constructing a theater at the TapouT headquarters was as much about business as it was pleasure.

"TapouT has always been on the forefront of Mixed Martial Arts and with that comes the responsibility of educating the consumer. Visual media is a big part of what TapouT does. We produce commercials, short documentaries and films — all used to help promote the sport. So building a movie theater seemed like a good fit. It is a great place to show our new commercials and films, also to conduct meetings to keep our employees excited about what we do here"

The 93-seat theater is equipped with (tech alert!) custom created TruAudio speakers, a 197-inch masking Stewart Filmscreen, projectiondesign Avielo Optix projector, B&K Reference 70 receiver with B&K Reference 200.7 and 200.5 amps.

In English?

This Roman Gladiator-themed theater, like the fighters that will be shown here, kicks some serious butt. And in addition to keeping the company on the cutting edge of technology, it's also a way to pay tribute to one of TapouT's founding fathers, Charles "Mask" Lewis Jr. and his vision.

More from "Punkass:"

"Movies have always played a big influence in Charles’ and my lives. When everyone else was out partying and hanging out, me, Charles and Skrape would be watching the newest flicks at the theaters. After seeing (TapouT President Marc Kreiner's home theater), we said we were going to build a movie theater in our office one day. I know (Mask) would have loved to have seen how it came out. When I sit in the theater it definitely makes me think about him and how he inspired people. We want to use the movie theater to continue to inspire everyone."

For more information and specifications surrounding the TapouT theater click here.

MMA Quick Quote: Top prospect Cole Konrad heads to Bellator because 'It's not all about the money'

Posted: 12 Mar 2010 08:02 AM PST

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"Brock (Lesnar) actually took care of me from the financial standpoint. He knows the guys he wants around him to help him train, people he gets along with, and he compensates you for it. I was fortunate, because it allowed me to train full time. Every time he had a practice, I was there, not just to get myself better, but to help him peak for his fights. (Bellator) came at me with an interesting opportunity. It's not all about the money. They were able to give me some fights pretty quickly, worthy competitors relatively quick. It's the right direction for me. With the other, bigger organizations, it seems like guys fight every four months at most. That's not where I am right now. I need ring time. I need to become more comfortable in the cage. You can only learn so much in practice. When the bell rings, it's go time, and you learn a lot when you are out there."

Two-time NCAA heavyweight wrestling champion Cole Konrad tells Brawl Sports that joining Bellator Fighting Championships growing roster of top fighters was a career-minded decision and not one motivated by financial gain. The 2-0 mixed martial artist and full-time training partner of current UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar wants to fight with more frequency to help expedite the learning process so that he can mature as a fighter and be ready for the big time sooner rather than later. Any Maniacs out there think he should have used Lesnar's clout to jump into the deep end of the talent pool? Or is his approach best suited for career longevity?

UFC Primetime 'St. Pierre vs Hardy' grabs record-high one million viewers

Posted: 12 Mar 2010 07:41 AM PST

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The UFC scored a ratings bonanza for its premiere episode of "Primetime," the first of a three-part series featuring an in-depth look at the upcoming UFC 111 welterweight title fight between current champion Georges St. Pierre (19-2) and number one contender Dan Hardy (23-6).

According to the cable television network, the debut episode aired on March 10 at 10:00 pm ET on Spike TV and recorded a record-high one million viewers for a 1.1 rating overall.

In comparison, last year's "Primetime" special, constructed around the colossal UFC 94 welterweight title fight between St. Pierre and BJ Penn landed 880,000 viewers for a .73 rating.

Episodes two and three of "St. Pierre vs. Hardy" will air on March 17 and 24, respectively, while the debut episode will be replayed tonight at 11 p.m. ET.

For more on UFC 111 click here.

Chuck Liddell naked video Reebok campaign explained by 'The Iceman' on Jimmy Kimmel Live

Posted: 12 Mar 2010 07:09 AM PST

Programming reminder: Sengoku Raiden Championship (SRC) 12 airs tonight (March 12) on HDNet

Posted: 12 Mar 2010 07:08 AM PST

 

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SRC 12, the World Victory Road's inaugural event under the "Sengoku Raiden Championship" banner, took place at the fabled sumo arena, Ryogoku Kokugikan, last Sunday, March 7.

The event is set to make its stateside premiere TONIGHT (March 12) on HDNet at 10:00 p.m. ET.

The fight card is headlined by a middleweight title bout-cum-rematch between the reigning champion Jorge Santiago and challenger Mamed Khalidov.

In their first encounter in November 2009, the KSW veteran, Khalidov, staged a shocking rout of Santiago in a non-title bout and halted the American Top Team standout's nine-fight winning streak.

In other action, Akihiro Gono will take on the Swedish prospect Diego Gonzalez in the co-main event, Henry "Sentoryu" Miller battles Yoshihiro "Kiss" Nakao, Maximo Blanco will try to overcome "Armbar" Kim and Marlon Sandro faces Tomonari Kanomata.

For spoilers, results and recap of last Sunday's event click here.

Tickets on sale now for UFC 111 viewing party at Radio City Music Hall hosted by Chuck Liddell, Matt Serra and Stephan Bonnar

Posted: 12 Mar 2010 06:11 AM PST

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Mixed martial arts may not be legal yet in New York (yet), but that hasn't stopped Zuffa from returning to the "Empire State" for the second time in less than a year in celebration of a star-studded pay-per-view (PPV).

New York City’s Radio City Music Hall will hold a closed-circuit screening of UFC 111 on Saturday, March 27, featuring appearances by UFC fighters Chuck Liddell, Matt Serra Stephan Bonnar. The event will be broadcast in High-Definition on Radio City Music Hall’s 70’ x 35’ screen -- the largest screen to broadcast a UFC event in history.

This will be the promotion's second appearance at Radio City, as they also screened the UFC 100 super-show for New York fans last July.

Tickets for the UFC 111 Viewing Party went on sale today (March 12) and will be priced at $25 until the day of the event. Tickets at the door will cost $30 but can be purchased in advance at the Radio City Music Hall Box Office, Madison Square Garden Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, or online at www.radiocity.com.

Tickets are also available by Ticketmaster phone at 866-448-7849 or 212-307-7171.

As an added bonus, the first 200 fans in attendance will gain access to a pre-fight autograph session with "The Iceman" starting at 7:15 p.m ET. A Q&A session with Liddell, Serra and Bonnar will follow for the entire audience.

Food and beverages will be sold throughout the evening at discounted prices.

UFC 111 Viewing Party schedule:

7:15 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. ET – Doors open/Exclusive autograph session for first 200 attendees

8:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. ET – Q & A session with UFC fighters on stage

10:00 p.m. ET – Pay-Per-View screening/UFC 111 goes live!

UFC 111 will feature a 170-pound title defense by promotion superstar Georges St. Pierre as "Rush" answers the call of British striker Dan "The Outlaw" Hardy. In addition, heavyweights Frank Mir and Shane Carwin will collide to determine the next challenger for returning champion Brock Lesnar.

Remember that MMAmania.com will provide LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action on fight night (Saturday, March 27), which is slated to air at 10 p.m. ET on pay-per-view from Newark. The latest quick updates of the live action will begin to flow earlier than that around 8 p.m. ET with the preliminary bouts.

For the latest UFC 111 fight card and rumors click here.
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