Archive for July, 2009

First the opponent, now the weight class?

Former UFC middleweight champion Rich Franklin's (25-4 MMA, 12-3 UFC) training plans continue to change, and a recently announced UFC 103 main-event bout with Vitor Belfort (16-8 MMA, 7-4 UFC) will now take place at a catchweight of 195 pounds instead of the originally announced light heavyweight class.

"Just found out I will be fighting Vitor at a catchweight of 195 (pounds) as per his request," Franklin today posted on his Twitter account.

Josh Barnett, the would-be "Affliction: Trilogy" headliner who was denied a license for the fight because of a failed drug test, wasn't cleared of any wrongdoing by his "B" sample.

In an email to MMAjunkie.com, a California State Athletic Commission representative confirmed the sample tested positive for a metabolite of the anabolic steroid Drostanolone.

The initial sample, which forced Barnett out of a scheduled and hugely anticipated Aug. 1 bout with Fedor Emelianenko, detected the same drug.

Vitor Belfort will return to the UFC in a light-heavyweight bout against Rich Franklin at UFC 103 on Sept. 19 in Dallas, the promotion announced today.

Franklin (25-4) was originally announced to face former PRIDE middleweight and light-heavyweight titleholder Dan Henderson (25-7) at the event but due to the lack of interest in the rematch from UFC 93, the UFC shuffled the main event.

"The fans didn't like it, so we're going to change it," UFC president Dana White said Friday.

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Vitor Belfort will return to the UFC in a 195-pound bout against Rich Franklin at UFC 103 on Sept. 19 in Dallas, the promotion announced today.

Franklin (25-4) was originally announced to face former PRIDE middleweight and light-heavyweight titleholder Dan Henderson (25-7) at the event but due to the lack of interest in the rematch from UFC 93, the UFC shuffled the main event.

"The fans didn't like it, so we're going to change it," UFC president Dana White said Friday.

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Tito Ortiz is coming home.

Ortiz has re-signed with the UFC, extending an on again, off again relationship that has spanned 12-plus years with the company and even longer with his former manager and current UFC president Dana White.

"I think time really cures everything," Ortiz (15-6-1) said Friday during a UFC media call. "Dana came to me, he was a man of his word, and he apologized to me for the things he did prior.

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Mark Hominick (16-8 MMA, 0-2 WEC), a former UFC and WEC fighter who was slated to fight at "Affliction: Trilogy" before the recent cancellation of the Aug. 1 event, has signed a multi-fight deal with World Extreme Cagefighting and will debut at the organization's WEC 43 show in September.

WEC officials today told MMAjunkie.com the featherweight has been added to the WEC 43 card, though no opponent has been set. UFC president Dana White first mentioned the signing of Hominick during a media call today.

WEC 43 takes place Sept. 2 at the Covelli Center in Youngstown, Ohio.

Mark Hominick (16-8 MMA, 0-2 WEC), a former UFC and WEC fighter who was slated to fight at "Affliction: Trilogy" before the recent cancellation of the Aug. 1 event, has signed a multi-fight deal with World Extreme Cagefighting and will debut at the organization's WEC 43 show in September.

WEC officials today told MMAjunkie.com the featherweight has been added to the WEC 43 card, though no opponent has been set. UFC president Dana White first mentioned the signing of Hominick during a media call today.

WEC 43 takes place Sept. 2 at the Covelli Center in Youngstown, Ohio.

Dan Henderson will no longer fight Rich Franklin at UFC 103 and will instead get the first shot at UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva's title at an event to be determined.

During a UFC media conference call today, UFC president Dana White said he pulled Henderson from a previously announced rematch with Rich Franklin at the upcoming UFC 103 event because of the poor reaction it got from fans.

Franklin instead will fight new signee Vitor Belfort in the main event of UFC 103, which takes place Sept. 19 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas.

Dan Henderson will no longer fight Rich Franklin at UFC 103 and will instead get the first shot at UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva's title at an event to be determined.

During a UFC media conference call today, UFC president Dana White said he pulled Henderson from a previously announced rematch with Rich Franklin at the upcoming UFC 103 event because of the poor reaction it got from fans.

Franklin instead will fight new signee Vitor Belfort in the main event of UFC 103, which takes place Sept. 19 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas.

Despite perhaps the most advanced negotiations ever between the two parties, the Ultimate Fighting Championship is unlikely to sign Fedor Emelianenko to a UFC deal.

UFC president Dana White today suggested he gave his best effort but that ultimately even offering Emelianenko "the most amazing deal" wasn't enough.

As Emelianenko's manager, M-1 Global co-owner and president Vadim Finkelchtein, suggested during a Wednesday press conference, the UFC's refusal to co-promote shows with M-1 was likely the negotiations' biggest hurdle.