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The UFC's annual Fourth of July weekend fight will be held this year on July 6 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, with four bouts already booked for the tentpole event. In the main event, reigning middleweight champion Anderson "The Spider" Silva will defend his championship against Chris "The All-American" Weidman. Silva last defended his belt -- via second-round TKO of Chael Sonnen -- at the summer Vegas event in 2012.

Highly-regarded Strikeforce middleweights Roger Gracie and Tim Kennedy will make their UFC debuts against one another at UFC 162; middleweights Tim "The Barbarian" Boetsch and top-ten ranked Mark "The Filipino Wrecking Machine" Munoz will also clash. Plus, two dangerous Brazilian light heavyweights will look to crack their way into the top ten rankings as Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante will face Thiago Silva.


www.ufc.com

The summer's signature UFC event continues to take shape with new bouts now made. Chris "The Crippler" Leben will be back in action in Las Vegas as he takes on 8-1 Andrew "Highlight" Craig at UFC 162 in July. Incoming Strikeforce welterweight Brian Melancon will make his Octagon debut that night against Seth "The Polish Pistola" Baczynski.

Additionally, the planned light heavyweight matchup between Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcanteand Thiago Silva is now off the card, having been bumped to another event to be named soon.


UFC 162: Silva vs. Weidman
July 6, 2013
Venue TBA
Las Vegas, Nevada


Anderson Silva (33-4) vs. Chris Weidman (9-0) - UFC middleweight title bout
Mark Munoz (12-3) vs. Tim Boetsch (16-5)
Tim Kennedy (15-4) vs. Roger Gracie (6-1)
Andrew Craig (8-1) vs. Chris Leben (22-9)
Seth Baczynski (18-9) vs. Brian Melancon (6-2)

“The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung, returns July 6th, where the featherweight division's most electrifying fighter will be taking on the number 2 contender, Ricardo Lamas, who has yet to be defeated at that weight. Stakes are high as the winner may be in line for a title shot.

www.ufc.com

A pair of exciting featherweight matchups have been to the already stacked UFC 162 card. Former UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar will make his second appearance at 145 pounds, taking on dangerous submission artist Charles "Do Bronx" Oliveira. Cub Swanson will look to keep his impressive win streak going against fellow striker Dennis Siver. The two men were originally scheduled to meet at February's UFC on FUEL TV event, before a Siver injury resulted in Swanson facing Dustin Poirier.


UFC 162: Silva vs. Weidman
July 6, 2013
MGM Grand Garden Arena
Las Vegas, Nevada


Anderson Silva (33-4) vs. Chris Weidman (9-0) - UFC middleweight title bout
Frankie Edgar (15-4-1) vs. Charles Oliveira (16-3)
Ricardo Lamas (9-2) vs. Chan Sung Jung (13-3)
Cub Swanson (19-5) vs. Dennis Siver (21-8)
Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante (11-3) vs. Thiago Silva (14-3)
Mark Munoz (12-3) vs. Tim Boetsch (16-5)
Tim Kennedy (15-4) vs. Roger Gracie (6-1)
Chris Leben (22-9) vs. Andrew Craig (8-1)
Seth Baczynski (18-9) vs. Brian Melancon (6-2)

After being pulled from UFC on FOX 7 due to an injury to his opponent, "Stormin'" Norman Parke has a new bout scheduled. The TUF Smashes winner will face Kazuki Tokudome, who made a successful Octagon debut earlier this year when he outpointed Cristiano Marcello at UFC on FUEL TV 8.


UFC 162: Silva vs. Weidman
July 6, 2013
MGM Grand Garden Arena
Las Vegas, Nevada


Anderson Silva (33-4) vs. Chris Weidman (9-0) - UFC middleweight title bout
Ricardo Lamas (9-2) vs. Chan Sung Jung (13-3)
Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante (11-3) vs. Thiago Silva (14-3)
Mark Munoz (12-3) vs. Tim Boetsch (16-5)
Tim Kennedy (15-4) vs. Roger Gracie (6-1)
Chris Leben (22-9) vs. Andrew Craig (8-1)
Frankie Edgar (15-4-1) vs. Charles Oliveira (16-3)
Cub Swanson (19-5) vs. Dennis Siver (21-8)
Dave Herman (21-5) vs. Shane Del Rosario (11-2)
Norman Parke (17-2) vs. Kazuki Tokudome (12-3-1)
Edson Barboza (11-1) vs. John Makdessi (11-2)
David Mitchell (12-2) vs. Mike Pierce (16-5)

POUND-FOR-POUND KING ANDERSON SILVA RETURNS JULY 6 TO DEFEND MIDDLEWEIGHT TITLE AGAINST CHRIS WEIDMAN AT UFC 162


Plus:

FRANKIE EDGAR vs. CHARLES OLIVEIRA
TIM KENNEDY vs. ROGER GRACIE
CHAN SUNG JUNG vs. RICARDO LAMAS
DENNIS SIVER vs. CUB SWANSON



The Ultimate Fighting Championship is once again taking over Fourth of July weekend in Las Vegas. The organization formally announced today that UFC middleweight champion and undisputed pound-for-pound king Anderson Silva will return to the Octagon on Saturday, July 6 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena to face undefeated No. 1 contender Chris Weidman. That’s not all: this week in July also marks the return of the UFC Fan Expo, as well as Fight Week, a series of fan events, concerts, and appearances featuring your favorite UFC fighters and personalities.

“The best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, Anderson Silva, defends the middleweight title for a record 11th time on July 6 when he takes on unbeaten Chris Weidman,” UFC President Dana White said. “Weidman is 9-0 in his pro career and has incredible wrestling and power. He said he will shock the world at UFC 162 and end Anderson’s reign atop the middleweight division. With UFC 162, the UFC Fan Expo and Fight Week, this is going to be an amazing week for fight fans. You have to be in Las Vegas this Fourth of July weekend!”

In addition to the Silva-Weidman showdown, Frankie Edgar (15-4-1, fighting out of Toms River, N.J.), a former lightweight champion and currently the third-ranked featherweight in the world, battles Brazil’s Charles Oliveira (16-3, 1 NC, fighting out of Guaruja, Sao Paulo, Brazil), while former Strikeforce middleweights make their UFC debuts as Tim Kennedy (15-4, fighting out of Austin, Texas) takes on Rio de Janeiro’s Roger Gracie (6-1).

In addition, fourth-ranked “The Korean Zombie,” Chan Sung Jung (13-3, fighting out of Po-Hang, South Korea) returns from a yearlong layoff due to injury to meet second-ranked Ricardo Lamas (13-2, fighting out of Chicago, Ill.) in a fight that could determine the next challenger for the featherweight title, while fifth-ranked featherweight Cub Swanson (19-5, fighting out of Palm Springs, Calif.) faces Germany’s sixth-ranked Dennis Siver (21-8).



Other bouts for UFC 162 include:

*Seventh-ranked middleweight star Mark Munoz (12-3, fighting out of Lake Forrest, Calif.) vs. heavy-handed 10th-ranked contender Tim Boetsch (12-3, fighting out of Sunbury, Pa.).

*185-pound fan favorite Chris Leben (22-9, fighting out of Oahu, Hawaii) vs. Andrew Craig (8-1, fighting out of Houston, Texas).

*Northern Ireland’s Norman Parke (17-2) vs. Japan’s Kazuki Tokudome (12-3-1) in a lightweight showdown.

*Brazil’s Edson Barboza (11-1) challenges Montreal’s John Makdessi (11-2).

*Heavyweights Shane Del Rosario (8-1, fighting out of Irvine, Calif.) vs. Dave Herman (21-5, fighting out of Temecula, Calif.).

*Welterweights Seth Baczynski (17-7, fighting out of Apache Junction, Ariz.) vs. Houston’s Brian Melancon (6-2).

*Portland’s Mike Pierce (16-5) vs. David Mitchell (12-2, fighting out of Santa Rosa, Calif.) in a welterweight contest.

Heavyweight Shane Del Rosario has been injured in training, forcing him to withdraw from his UFC 162 matchup against Dave Herman. Herman -- who infamously stated "jiu-jitsu doesn't work on me" before being submitted by Minotauro Nogueira -- will now face fourth-degree BJJ black belt Gabriel Gonzaga. Also, an injury has forced lightweight striker John Makdessi out of his UFC 162 bout with Edson Braboza. Stepping in for Makdessi is Rafaello "Tractor" Oliveira, who most recently outpointed Yoislandy Izquierdo at UFC 148.


UFC 162: Silva vs. Weidman
July 6, 2013
MGM Grand Garden Arena
Las Vegas, Nevada


Anderson Silva (33-4) vs. Chris Weidman (9-0) - UFC middleweight title bout
Ricardo Lamas (9-2) vs. Chan Sung Jung (13-3)
Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante (11-3) vs. Thiago Silva (14-3)
Mark Munoz (12-3) vs. Tim Boetsch (16-5)
Tim Kennedy (15-4) vs. Roger Gracie (6-1)
Chris Leben (22-9) vs. Andrew Craig (8-1)
Frankie Edgar (15-4-1) vs. Charles Oliveira (16-3)
Cub Swanson (19-5) vs. Dennis Siver (21-8)
Dave Herman (21-5) vs. Gabriel Gonzaga (14-7)
Mike Pierce (16-5) vs. David Mitchell (12-2)
Norman Parke (17-2) vs. Kazuki Tokudome (12-3-1)
Edson Barboza (11-1) vs. Rafaello Oliveira (15-5)

UFC Tonight has reported that Ricardo Lamas has been removed from the fight card on Tuesday night. With the loss of the bout, the UFC has moved the middleweight showdown between Tim Boetsch and Mark Munoz up to the pay-per-view main card.



UFC 162: Silva vs. Weidman
July 6, 2013
MGM Grand Garden Arena
Las Vegas, Nevada



Main Card (Pay-Per-View):

Anderson Silva (33-4) vs. Chris Weidman (9-0)
Frankie Edgar (15-4-1) vs. Charles Oliveira (16-3)
Tim Kennedy (15-4) vs. Roger Gracie (6-1)
Cub Swanson (19-5) vs. Dennis Siver (21-8)
Mark Munoz (12-3) vs. Tim Boetsch (16-5)


Preliminary Card (FX):

Chris Leben (22-9) vs. Andrew Craig (8-1)
Norman Parke (17-2) vs. Kazuki Tokudome (12-3-1)
Edson Barboza (11-1) vs. Rafaello Oliveira (15-5)


Preliminary Card (UFC Facebook):

Gabriel Gonzaga (14-7) vs. Dave Herman (21-5)
Seth Baczynski (17-7) vs. Brian Melancon (6-2)
Mike Pierce (16-5) vs. David Mitchell (12-2)