UFC, Fox announce Velasquez-dos Santos matchup for first broadcast
When the Ultimate Fighting Championship announced a network TV deal with Fox last month, the organization promised to deliver big stars for its debut broadcast.
Apparently, big was meant literally and figuratively.
Cain Velasquez will defend the heavyweight title against Junior dos Santos in the main event of the UFC's first network show Nov. 12 in Anaheim, Calif.
The main event will be the only fight scheduled to air live on the one-hour broadcast, though a full card will be built around the bout.
If the fight ends quickly, the remainder of the hour will be filled with either a taped fight from earlier in the night or highlights of undercard action.
Fox Sports chairman David Hill, who was perhaps a bit hyperbolic in comparing the matchup to Ali-Foreman, passed on predicting ratings for the event. He did say he expects to beat the numbers done by the now defunct EliteXC organization, which aired three events on CBS in 2008.
The first and highest-rated of those cards did an average of 4.3 million viewers, with an in-show peak of about 6.5 million.
UFC president Dana White was more direct in his belief the show will top those ratings, saying he expects this event to "blow that number out of the water."
The network will waste little time in promoting the UFC. Fox Sports president Eric Shanks said the first commercials featuring Velasquez and dos Santos are being finished and will begin airing on major league baseball and college football broadcasts this weekend.
"It's always been my dream deal, and now that we're in it, it's even better than I ever dreamed it would be," White said of the UFC's partnership with Fox.
The bout will be the first title defense for Velasquez (9-0), who earned the belt with a first-round knockout of Brock Lesnar in October, also in Anaheim. Velasquez has been recovering from a torn rotator cuff.
Dos Santos (13-1) earned the title shot with a unanimous decision over Shane Carwin in June.
Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5509.
