UFC on FOX 7: Henderson vs. Melendez - Fight Card Updates

[Keithlewis]

Two of the biggest names in Strikeforce history will make their move to the UFC on Saturday, April 20, with FOX airing both bouts live from San Jose.

In the main event, UFC lightweight boss "Smooth" Benson Henderson will defend his belt for the third time when he takes on Strikeforce's last 155-pound titlist, Gilbert "El Nino" Melendez, in a clash of champions the entire MMA world has been waiting for.

Plus, Daniel Cormier, the Strikeforce Grand Prix heavyweight tournament winner, will return to action quickly after his win over Dion Staring last Saturday to battle two-time heavyweight champ
Frank Mir in a long-anticipated showdown.

www.ufc.com

[ArmyofDarkness]

A welterweight contest between Dan Hardy and Matt Brown has been targeted for a UFC on Fox event on April 20 in San Jose, Calif., sources told ESPN.com.

A lightweight title fight between Ben Henderson and Gilbert Melendez is expected to headline the card while Frank Mir and Daniel Cormier are scheduled to tangle in a heavyweight encounter.

http://espn.go.com/mma/story/_/id/88471 ... il-sources

[Keithlewis]

Two of the biggest names in Strikeforce history will make their move to the UFC on Saturday, April 20, with FOX airing both bouts live from San Jose. In the main event, UFC lightweight boss "Smooth" Benson Henderson will defend his belt for the third time when he takes on Strikeforce's last 155-pound titlist, Gilbert "El Nino" Melendez, in a clash of champions the entire MMA world has been waiting for.

Plus, Daniel Cormier, the Strikeforce Grand Prix heavyweight tournament winner, will return to action quickly after his win over Dion Staring last Saturday to battle two-time heavyweight champ Frank Mir in a long-anticipated showdown. Also, Verbal agreements are also in for an exciting welterweight showdown between Matt "The Immortal" Brown and Dan "The Outlaw" Hardy.


UFC on Fox 7: Henderson vs. Melendez
April 20, 2013
HP Pavilion
San Jose, California


Benson Henderson (18-2) vs. Gilbert Melendez (21-2) - UFC Lightweight Championship Bout
Daniel Cormier (11-0) vs. Frank Mir (16-6)
Nate Diaz (16-8) vs. Josh Thomson (19-5)
Matt Brown (25-10) vs. Dan Hardy (16-11)
Yoel Romero (4-1) vs. Clifford Starks (8-1)

[Keithlewis]

Verbal agreements are in for four new lightweight bouts to grace the undercard of the April UFC on FOX event, which is headlined by a 155-pound title fight. TUF Smashes lightweight winner "Stormin’" Norman Parke has agreed to face undefeated Jon "Super Saiyan" Tuck in perhaps the Octagon's first matchup between an Irishman and a Guamanian. Another undefeated fighter, Myles "The Fury" Jury, will put his 11-0 record on the line against TUF 13 runner-up Ramsey Nijem.

Strikeforce imports "Relentless" Roger Bowling and Jorge "Gamebred" Masvidal will also debut at the San Jose event -- Bowling will face one of the UFC's successful WEC adoptees, Anthony "The Assassin" Njokuani; Masvidal will be welcomed to the promotion by Tim "The Dirty Bird" Means.

www.ufc.com

[Keithlewis]

[Keithlewis]

April's UFC on FOX event in San Jose has added two bouts featuring three of the Golden State's best lighter-weight fighters. Sacramento's Joseph Benavidez will face San Francisco's Darren Uyenoyama in a NorCal flyweight battle that could shake up the division's rankings. Two bantamweight knockout artists will also meet as Orange County's Francisco Rivera battles TUF Brasil standout Hugo Viana.


UFC on Fox 7: Henderson vs. Melendez
April 20, 2013
HP Pavilion
San Jose, California


Benson Henderson (18-2) vs. Gilbert Melendez (21-2) - UFC lightweight title bout
Daniel Cormier (11-0) vs. Frank Mir (16-6)
Nate Diaz (16-8) vs. Josh Thomson (19-5)
Matt Brown (25-10) vs. Dan Hardy (16-11)
Joseph Benavidez (17-3) vs. Darren Uyenoyama (8-3)
Yoel Romero (4-1) vs. Clifford Starks (8-1)
Norman Parke (17-2) vs. John Tuck (7-0)
Myles Jury (11-0) vs. Ramsey Nijem (7-2)
Jorge Masvidal (23-7) vs. Tim Means (18-3-1)
Roger Bowling (11-3) vs. Anthony Njokuani (15-7)
Francisco Rivera (9-2-1) vs. Hugo Viana (7-0)

[Keithlewis]

[Keithlewis]

With main card welterweight Dan Hardy suffering an injury, UFC on FOX 7 will get a new Mein event: 23-year-old Canadian prospect Jordan "Young Guns" Mein has been tapped to face "The Immortal" Matt Brown. Bantamweight Francisco Rivera has also been injured; TJ Dillashaw will step in and look to make it four wins in a row against undefeated Brazilian Hugo "Wolverine" Viana. Both 135-pounders scored impressive knockouts in their last outings. Mein, Dillashaw and featherweight Darren Elkins are all coming off of stoppage victories at Saturday's UFC 158 and jumping right back into action as injury replacements at the April 20 event in San Jose.

www.ufc.com