UFC bounces back with a week of huge news
After last week’s sudden departure of heavyweight champion Randy Couture, things were looking glum in the UFC. The promotion turned things around with a series of major announcements.
1. Brock Lesnar is coming to the UFC. After only 69 seconds of MMA competition. Lesnar is stepping up to the world’s No. 1 promotion. If anyone can make this jump, it’s Lesnar.
Lesnar has been successful every where he has competed. He won the NCAA national wrestling title, the WWE championship and the IWGP title in New Japan Pro Wrestling. Lesnar stepped into the cage for the first time on June 2, and he walloped Min Soo Kim in just over a minute.
Lesnar is an intriguing substitute for Couture in the UFC’s heavyweight division, simply because we don’t know if he will go all the way to the title or get dropped along the way. Either option is exciting.
2. Chuck Liddell will fight Wanderlei Silva in December. Liddell (20-5) has lost his last two fights, but he is still one of the UFC’s top stars. He is the perfect marquee opponent for the UFC debut of Silva, one of the biggest stars from PRIDE. Silva (31-7-1) is coming off losses to Dan Henderson and Mirko Cro Cop, so both men will be hungry for a win.
3. UFC will air on Spike TV for the next three years. This doesn’t sound like blockbuster news, but it will allow UFC to continue its growth over the next few years. Spike TV will air a new weekly fight series, 12 Fight Night specials and four more seasons of The Ultimate Fighter.
UFC 77 RESULTS
One year didn’t change things between Anderson Silva and Rich “Ace” Franklin. Silva won again in the UFC welterweight title fight at UFC 77 in Cincinnati. Silva retained the title with a TKO in Round 2.
In other top fights, Tim Sylvia beat Brandon Vera by unanimous decision; Alvin Robinson beat Jorge Gurgel by unanimous decision; and Stephan Bonnar beat Eric Shafer by TKO in Round 2.
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