Penn vs. Sanchez targeted for UFC's third show in November; White hints at new broadcast deal
PORTLAND, Ore. – The recently rumored UFC lightweight title fight between current champion B.J. Penn and challenger Diego Sanchez will happen this fall according to UFC president Dana White, but it won't happen in England.
At today's UFC 102 pre-fight press conference in Portland, Ore., White said he was working on a deal that would see the organization host a third event in November.
And while UFC 105 will air on SpikeTV on Nov. 14 and UFC 106 will be seen on pay per view Nov. 21, White said the potential new date won't be viewed on either platform.
"It's Penn-Sanchez, but I don't know where yet," White said. "We're working on a deal right now. That fight might end up somewhere else – and it definitely won't be in Manchester."
Penn vowed following his January 2008 win over Joe Stevenson in Newcastle, England, that he would no longer fight overseas due to the discrepancy in pay and the challenges of battling jet lag. White insisted that had nothing to do with his decision to move the bout from its originally rumored location.
"B.J. doesn't want to fight anywhere," White joked. "He didn't want to fight in Las Vegas because he didn't like the [the Nevada State Athletic Commission's decision regarding Greasegate.] Then when they called it 'The B.J. Penn Rule,' now he likes Las Vegas and wants to fight. Don't even get me started.
"But listen, you have to fight wherever we have fights. You've got to fight. If I need him to fight in Manchester, he's got to fight in Manchester. But I'm working on something else for him right now."
White confirmed to MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that "something" was a potential third event for the organization in the month of November.
"We could go early November with another fight," White said.
Strikeforce is currently believed to be planning an event for Nov. 7 – a yet-to-be-announced card that would feature the recently booked Fedor Emelianenko vs. Brett Rogers heavyweight clash. While that date would also seem to be the likely night for the UFC's third November card, White insisted he didn't need to launch a live event to successfully counter-program the rival organization.
"I can beat Strikeforce with a show that we've aired 790,000 times," White said. "I don't need to do a live event."
White said the third November event is not yet a certainty, but he's currently working to close a deal for the new card. And should he complete the negotiations, it will apparently include a new broadcast partner as well.
When asked by MMAjunkie.com whether the event would fall to Spike TV or pay per view, White's response was simple.
"Neither," White said. "Wait and see boys."
Something fishy going on here boys! Wonder where its gonna be shown? This is fucking exciting news!
"wait and see".....when Strikeforce has their show planned, then we'll schedule ours. Bye-bye Strikeforce if this card gets on network t.v.
Nice. Long live free MMA.
ABC wants to counter CBS strike force.
ttt
TTT for more discussion!
Strikeforce made it's bed. Now it's gotta lie in it.
Lmao
I wouldn't be surprised if it's ESPN given that they're now partners with them in the UK. It makes sense.
HBO?
I've heard the reason Dana pulled his V-Logs was because it had something to do with HBO planning on filming an "Outside the Octagon" series or something of that nature, dealing with the day to day affairs of Dana White and the behind the scenes look at the fight game.
Perhaps this brought Zuffa and HBO closer to working together?
One of the big problems in the past was the production aspect, and who had control. Maybe this was worked out.
That would be very interesting.
Showtime gets Strikeforce
HBO lands the UFC.
Game over.
TBidness
^^ I agree, my best guess would be HBO.
No HBO or ESPN.
http://www.sherdog.com/news/news/white-competition-coming-for-showtime-19339
http://mma.fanhouse.com/2009/08/27/espn-executive-ufc-100-was-great-but-no-deal-is-imminent/
MMASuPreMaCy - No HBO or ESPN.
http://www.sherdog.com/news/news/white-competition-coming-for-showtime-19339
http://mma.fanhouse.com/2009/08/27/espn-executive-ufc-100-was-great-but-no-deal-is-imminent/
Where in those articles does it say UFC would not have a deal with HBO? It doesn't!
HBO is still a possibility!
3 shows a month??? So 1 on Spike, 1 on a new network and then 1 ppv!!
That's be insane
nhmmafan - 3 shows a month??? So 1 on Spike, 1 on a new network and then 1 ppv!!
That's be insane
That would be fuckin aweseome
hardknuckler - Nice. Long live free MMA.
Thank God there are some people that actually care about getting this major, legit sport on network free TV soon, seems like most people almost want break their banks to buy PPV's.
This sounds like ESPN, I really hope so, that would be sick. Free UFC in HD is for me.
UFc is tied to Spike for Basic cable so it can't be ESPN..... HBO or an over the air Net are possibles..... HBO doesn't make sense for the same reason it never has, where is the $$$ for HBO in that? Unless they are producing PPV's like boxing, where is the value in hyping the UFC product when they won't see any of the back end money? dana said in playboy that the one time they were close to doing an HBO deal that they were essentially giving away the farm for the deal, and then pulled back from it.... that leaves network TV.. Fox or maybe ABC are logical i guess.....
an outside the box idea may be doing the show as an internet only PPV through Yahoo... they are at the apex of their popularity, and have spoken about this vehicle being the wave of the future, what better time to dip their toe in the water.... bigger cut of the PPV percentage... they would still do a ppv every month with the cable companies and satellites, so that relationship would be maintained...
As MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) previously reported, White said the UFC may add a third show to its November lineup – a move that could potentially serve as strong counter-programming for Showtime's broadcast of the Strikeforce debut of Fedor Emelianenko.
The UFC president also hinted at a potential new broadcast partner for the new show, and though he declined to comment on who the new partner would be, White both promised to bury Showtime while simultaneously ruling out HBO as that potential network.
"[Showtime] sucked at boxing," White said. "They got their ass kicked by HBO, always, at boxing, yet they tried to stay in it. They got their ass kicked by HBO in programming, but they're still around.
"They're going to get their ass kicked in mixed martial arts, too – just not by HBO."
It's not gonna be HBO.
robnashville - UFc is tied to Spike for Basic cable so it can't be ESPN..... HBO or an over the air Net are possibles..... HBO doesn't make sense for the same reason it never has, where is the $$$ for HBO in that? Unless they are producing PPV's like boxing, where is the value in hyping the UFC product when they won't see any of the back end money? dana said in playboy that the one time they were close to doing an HBO deal that they were essentially giving away the farm for the deal, and then pulled back from it.... that leaves network TV.. Fox or maybe ABC are logical i guess.....
an outside the box idea may be doing the show as an internet only PPV through Yahoo... they are at the apex of their popularity, and have spoken about this vehicle being the wave of the future, what better time to dip their toe in the water.... bigger cut of the PPV percentage... they would still do a ppv every month with the cable companies and satellites, so that relationship would be maintained...
Dana loses all cred if there is a third fight and its a pay format. Not a good move.
UFc is tied to Spike for Basic cable so it can't be ESPN.
When people say ESPN, it would be a deal with ESPN that aired on ABC. They're both owned by Disney and whenever there are any sports on ABC it's presented as "ESPN on ABC"