UFC 157 - Fight Card Updates

[keithlewis]

UFC 157 has been announced for Saturday, February 23 at Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. "The California Kid" Urijah Faber will get a California fight as he will face fellow bantamweight contender Ivan Menjivar at February's UFC 157 event. The bout was confirmed on today's episode of UFC Tonight, FUEL TV's weekly news and information show.

Faber and Menjivar first fought seven years ago in Canada to a controversial disqualification win for Faber. After that, Faber rose to become the top featherweight on the planet while Menjivar battled contenders across multiple weight classes around the world. With both fighters now in the UFC, the two can finally settle the score. UFC 157 is slated to take place February 23 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. Information on tickets, the rest of the main card and more will be released in coming days.

[keithlewis]

Move over gentlemen, the UFC has its first lady. UFC president Dana White made it official at the UFC on FOX 5 press conference in Seattle, announcing that Strikeforce bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey will become the first female fighter in UFC history, awarding her a UFC championship belt that she will defend in the main event of UFC 157 on February 23 against fellow pioneer Liz Carmouche.

“It means a lot,” said Rousey. “I feel like we have a lot to prove at this event and no one’s going to be disappointed. The women are here to stay and we’re gonna prove it.”

A two-time US Olympian in judo who won a Bronze medal in the 2008 Beijing Games, Rousey took the MMA world by storm as soon as she made her pro debut in 2011, with her no nonsense attitude and deadly armbar putting female MMA on the map like never before. In March of 2012, Rousey won the Strikeforce bantamweight crown by submitting Miesha Tate, and she successfully defended her title with a first round finish of Sarah Kaufman in August. Now 6-0 with six submissions, all in the opening round and all by armbar, the 25-year-old star will make history in 2013 with her bout against the 28-year-old Carmouche.

“I’ve got a lot of respect for Liz,” said Rousey. “She’s the only one that really stepped up and said she wanted this fight right now, and it speaks a lot to her. When the other girls come around and want to come to the big show, they know where I’m at.”

Hailing from San Diego, Carmouche (7-2) is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps who brings a powerful ground and pound attack and a two fight winning streak into her first UFC title fight, and after calling for a shot at Rousey, she will get her opportunity on February 23 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.

“That’s who wanted to fight her,” said White when asked why Carmouche was selected as Rousey’s first challenger in the UFC. “Believe me, people aren’t kicking the doors down at Zuffa to fight her.”

[keithlewis]

HISTORY WILL BE MADE AT UFC 157 IN ANAHEIM ON FEBRUARY 23; FIRST WOMEN’S TITLE FIGHT IN UFC HISTORY CHAMPION RONDA ROUSEY vs. LIZ CARMOUCHE


Plus:

DAN HENDERSON vs. LYOTO MACHIDA
URIJAH FABER vs. IVAN MENJIVAR


History will be made on Saturday, Feb. 23 at Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., as the Ultimate Fighting Championship will present its first women’s bout featuring UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey defending her title against top contender Liz Carmouche.

Rousey, a former Olympian and native of Southern California, is unbeaten in her pro career at 6-0, with all of her wins coming by way of submission. In her first UFC title defense she’ll meet Carmouche, a 28-year-old U.S. Marine from San Diego who has built a reputation for her power and grit.

“Ronda is the real deal,” UFC President Dana White said. “She’s nasty. She’s mean. She’s like Chuck Liddell. She goes out there and tries to finish her opponents. And Carmouche is tough as nails, too. She was a Marine and she’s got great ground-and-pound. I look forward to having the women join the UFC.”

In addition to Rousey-Carmouche, former world champions Dan Henderson and Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida will collide with the winner likely to earn a light heavyweight title shot. Henderson, a former PRIDE and Strikeforce champion, last defeated Maurico “Shogun” Rua in what many consider to the best fight of 2011. Meanwhile, former UFC light heavyweight champion Machida knocked out Ryan Bader in August and now has his sights set on a battle with “Hendo.”

Also on the card is an exciting bantamweight contest between former WEC champion “The California Kid” Urijah Faber and Ivan Menjivar. The two fought in 2006, with Faber scoring a disqualification victory. Now the two meet again with a chance to propel themselves into title contention at 135 pounds.

[ArmyofDarkness]

Personally I think giving Rousey the main event over Hendo and Machida is a joke.

[keithlewis]

Heavyweight power punchers Lavar "Big" Johnson and Brendan "The Hybrid" Schaub have verbally agreed to fight at UFc 157. The bout was originally slated for UFC on FOX 5 in Seattle but scrapped the week before when Johnson was injured.

Plus, TUF Live winner Michael "Maverick" Chiesa has verbally agreed to face one of Europe’s best lightweights, Anton Kuivanen. Chiesa was also scheduled to fight on the Seattle card but forced to withdraw due to illness.

[keithlewis]

"Ruthless" Robbie Lawler is set to make his return to the UFC and the welterweight division against top-ten ranked Josh Koscheck at UFC 157 February 23rd. The featherweight division has never been stronger and adding to the avalanche of Anaheim match-ups, Chad Mendes and Manvel Gamburyan will go at it in a wrestling vs judo clash. In addition, Dennis Bermudez and Matt Grice will meet in a pairing of wrestling powerhouses also known for their ability to brawl.


UFC 157: Rousey vs. Carmouche
February 23, 2013
Honda Center
Anaheim, California


Ronda Rousey (6-0) vs. Liz Carmouche (7-2)
Lyoto Machida (18-3) vs. Dan Henderson (29-8)
Urijah Faber (26-6) vs. Ivan Menjivar (25-9)
Josh Koscheck (17-6) vs. Robbie Lawler (19-9)
Chad Mendes (13-1) vs. Manny Gamburyan (12-7)
Michael Chiesa (8-0) vs. Anton Kuivanen (17-5)
Brendan Schaub (8-3) vs. Lavar Johnson 17-6)
Court McGee (14-3) vs. Josh Neer (33-12-1)
Matt Grice (15-4) vs. Dennis Bermudez (9-3)
Neil Magny (7-1) vs. Jon Manley (7-1)

[keithlewis]

UFC 157: Rousey vs. Carmouche
February 23, 2013
Honda Center
Anaheim, California


Main Card (PPV):

Ronda Rousey (6-0) vs. Liz Carmouche (7-2) - UFC women's bantamweight title bout
Lyoto Machida (18-3) vs. Dan Henderson (29-8)
Urijah Faber (26-6) vs. Ivan Menjivar (25-9)
Josh Koscheck (17-6) vs. Robbie Lawler (19-9)
Chad Mendes (13-1) vs. Manny Gamburyan (12-7)


Preliminary Card (FX):

Michael Chiesa (8-0) vs. Anton Kuivanen (17-5)
Brendan Schaub (8-3) vs. Lavar Johnson 17-6)
Court McGee (14-3) vs. Josh Neer (33-12-1)
Caros Fodor (7-2) vs. Sam Stout (18-8-1)


Preliminary Card (UFC Facebook):

Matt Grice (15-4) vs. Dennis Bermudez (9-3)
Neil Magny (7-1) vs. Jon Manley (7-1)
Brock Jardine (9-2) vs. Kenny Robertson (11-2)

[keithlewis]

Due to an injury sustained by Manny Gamburyan, his planned UFC 157 bout against Chad Mendes has been cancelled. This is Mendes' second opponent in a row to be injured at the last minute -- in December, his fight against Hacran Dias was called off a week out. A new fight for Mendes will be announced shortly.

In the meantime, the open slot on UFC 157 will be put to good use by welterweights Yuri Villefort and Nah-Shon "The Rock-N-Rolla" Burrell, who have verbally agreed to fight one another in Anaheim at what will be each Strikeforce vet's UFC debut.


www.ufc.com