The UFC makes its return to San Jose, California this weekend with the UFC on FOX 7, sporting a main card with a UFC vs. Strikeforce feel to it. The four UFC on FOX 7 bout on the main card feature one UFC veteran against a former Strikeforce fighter, which seems only fitting since they are in the old stomping grounds of the once #2 Mixed Martial Arts promotion in the United States.
It’s been nine month’s since Jorge Masvidal last fought. The well-traveled Mixed Martial Artist defeated Justin Wilcox back in July of 2012 and was scheduled to fight at the final Strikeforce card in December before withdrawing from the bout due to injury. This Saturday Masvidal returns to action in the biggest fight of his career as he’ll be making his UFC debut on the UFC on FOX 7 preliminary card.
We’re in the middle of a long schedule of UFC action, and the king of FOX fights, Benson Henderson, is once again on deck in Saturday’s UFC on Fox 7 main event. Having handily defeated Nate Diaz in his last outing, he’ll look to keep his belt away from the next contender from the Scrap Pack, as Gilbert Melendez makes his UFC debut. We also have another Lightweight fight for the ages, as Josh Thomson returns to the UFC to take on Nate Diaz.
The rumored to be last Strikeforce event once titled Strikeforce: Champions has seen its fight card rearranged and renamed to Strikeforce: Marquardt vs. Saffiedine. What was originally suppose to have three title fights now only has one and with a month and a half remaining until the January 12th fight day, you might want to keep your fingers crossed.
Tonight’s Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Kennedy event will be the third major event in the span of a single week. With the UFC playing host for the first two events, Strikeforce gets their turn in the spotlight from inside the Rose Garden in Portland, Oregon.
Saturday’s Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Kennedy closes out what has already been a great week of Mixed Martial Arts. It all started with the UFC Fan Expo and UFC 148 in Las Vegas last weekend, moved to San Jose, California for Wednesday’s UFC on FUEL TV 4 and concludes in Portland, Oregon tomorrow.
Though the future of the promotion is always in question, Strikeforce continues to crank out high-quality fights with their remaining roster, Saturday’s Strikeforce: Rockhold vs Kennedy being no exception. Two titles are on the line, as Luke Rockhold finally meets Tim Kennedy in defense of his Middleweight title, while Nate Marquardt and Tyron Woodley will vie for the vacant Welterweight title. Showtime subscriptions are expensive though, so let’s try to make a bit of cash to pay that cable bill.
Let’s play a little game; now it’s not as cool as 52 card pick up but it is very similar in nature, it’s called “sorting out the top of the Strikeforce divisions”.
When ZUFFA (parent company of the UFC) purchased Strikeforce last year, a handful of the promotion top talent include champions Nick Diaz, Dan Henderson and Alistair Overeem defected to the UFC. This would leave a gaping hole that the promotion has yet fill, and really doesn’t have any sense of urgency to do so.
Bellator 100 Weigh-in Pictures
Last night the fighters for tonight’s Bellator 100 stepped onto the scales with all 24 fighters making weight. The historic 100th event for Bellator takes places tonight from the Grand Canyon University Arena in Phoenix, Arizona and features an all welterweight main card on Spike TV.
UFC on FOX 7: Henderson vs. Melendez Weigh-in Pictures
Due to a previously scheduled Arena Football game at the HP Pavilion, today’s UFC on FOX 7 weigh-ins were held less than a mile away at the California Theater. The small theater was completely filled with cheering fans and all the fighters they came to see made weight.
The Ultimate Fighter 16 Finale Weigh-in Pictures
Amidst everything else going on, the UFC has themselves a busy day today with the UFC on FX 6 taking place in Australia and The Ultimate Fighter 16 finale weigh-ins. All 24 fighters made weight today for tomorrow’s event that will crown The Ultimate Fighter 16 welterweight winner.
UFC on FUEL TV 4 Weigh-in Results and Photos
SAN JOSE, Cal. – Still recovering from Saturday’s UFC 148, MMAValor.com was inside the HP Pavilion for today’s UFC on FUEL TV 4 weigh-ins. A few of the fighters would need to step onto the scale behind a towel but all 22 fighters on the UFC on FUEL TV 4 fight card made weight.
TUF Live Finale Live Results and Event Pictures
The long grind of the first live version of The Ultimate Fighter ends tonight at the TUF Live Finale in Las Vegas. Featuring 12 of the 16 TUF Live contestants, the 10 bout card will be headlined by an important match-up in the welterweight division between Jake Ellenberger and Martin Kampmann.
