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"UFC FIGHT NIGHT(R)" FEATURES EXCITING MIDDLEWEIGHT BOUT AND "THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER(R)" PREMIERE ON FOX SPORTS 1 APRIL 16
Two-Hour Premiere of THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER: TEAM EDGAR VS. TEAM PENN Follows Fights on FOX Sports 1
LOS ANGELES, CA - Two seasons of THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER(R) converge on FOX Sports 1 on Wednesday, April 16, when UFC FIGHT NIGHT(R): BISPING VS. KENNEDY features THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER NATIONS welterweight and middleweight finals, the coaches' fight and an exciting headliner between No. 5-ranked middleweight Michael Bisping (25-5) and No. 8-ranked Tim Kennedy (17-4). FOX Sports 1 carries the preliminary bouts beginning at 5:00 PM ET, followed by the main card at 7:00 PM ET from Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. Immediately following UFC FIGHT NIGHT: BISPING VS. KENNEDY is the two-hour season premiere of THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER(R): TEAM EDGAR vs. TEAM PENN (10:00 PM ET), highlighting 16 middleweights and 16 light heavyweights battling for a spot on the team of either former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar or two-division champion BJ Penn.
UFC on FOX analyst Brian Stann believes the headliner between Bisping and Kennedy is a toss-up. "Kennedy has one of the best top games in mixed martial arts and he's showcased his knockout power in his last fight against Rafael Natal. Bisping is one of the best all-around mixed martial artists in the middleweight division. Every time people start to count him out, he comes in and wins fights."
In addition to the main event between Bisping and Kennedy, UFC FIGHT NIGHT consists of 12 more thrilling matchups including THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER NATIONS Team Canada coach Patrick Cote (20-8) and Team Australia coach Kyle Noke (20-6-1) in an exciting welterweight bout. THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER NATIONS middleweight final features Sheldon Westcott (8-1) versus Elias Theodorou (8-0), while the welterweight final pits Chad Laprise (7-0) against Olivier Aubin-Mercier (4-0). No. 6-ranked Dustin Poirier (15-3) faces Akira Corassani (14-4-1) in a featherweight clash. And No. 5-ranked Sarah Kaufman (16-2, 1NC) takes on UFC newcomer Leslie Smith (6-4-1) in a women's bantamweight battle. Kenny Florian and Jon Anik call the fights live from the Colisee Pepsi in Quebec City, Canada.
Coverage of UFC FIGHT NIGHT: BISPING VS. KENNEDY begins Tuesday, April 15 (4:00 PM ET) on FOX Sports 2 with the live UFC WEIGH-IN. Veteran combat sports journalist Karyn Bryant hosts, with UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis and No. 5-ranked light heavyweight contender Daniel Cormier providing analysis. Heidi Androl interviews fighters on-site in Canada.
Fight day kicks off with the UFC FIGHT NIGHT PREFIGHT SHOW on Wednesday, April 16 (4:00 PM ET) with host Bryant, Pettis and Cormier previewing all the bouts from the FOX Sports studios in Los Angeles.
Following the conclusion of the fights in Quebec City, THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER(R): TEAM EDGAR VS. TEAM PENN premieres at 10:00 PM ET. The premiere episode determines the eight men from each division who successfully move into The Ultimate Fighter house and compete for a Harley-Davidson motorcycle and a six-figure contract with the UFC.
The successful fighters are divided into two teams, coached by Edgar and Penn respectively. The series follows the teams as they live and train together in preparation for their fights. THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER(R): TEAM EDGAR VS. TEAM PENN runs for 13 weeks in its regularly scheduled timeslot of Wednesdays (10 PM ET) on FOX Sports 1. Each episode's winner advances in the single-elimination tournament, which culminates in a three-hour finale, live from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas on Sunday, July 6. The night is headlined by a featherweight bout between coaches Edgar and Penn.
In the week leading up to fight night, FOXSports.com features extended coverage of UFC FIGHT NIGHT: BISPING VS. KENNEDY and THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER(R): TEAM EDGAR vs. TEAM PENN premiere, including interviews with the main fighters and a live blog during the fights. Follow @UFCONFOX and @UltimateFighter on Twitter and use the hashtag #TUFFinale for the latest updates.
Fans can also catch all the fights on FOX Sports GO, the app that provides live streaming video of FOX Sports 1 content. Customers of participating video providers may access the live streams of the UFC FIGHT NIGHT: BISPING VS. KENNEDY and season premiere of THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER through the FOX Sports GO app for iOS devices, as well as on desktops through FOXSportsGO.com.
UFC on FOX announcers Jon Anik and Brian Stann preview the UFC FIGHT NIGHT: BISPING VS. KENNEDY: http://bit.ly/NLJO34.
Watch this season's promos featuring Frankie Edgar, BJ Penn and the latest cast of Ultimate Fighters.
UFC FIGHT NIGHT: BISPING VS. KENNEDY PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE
DATE TIME EVENT NET
Tuesday,
April 15 4:00 PM ET UFC WEIGH-IN FOX Sports 2
Wednesday,
April 16 4:00
PM ET UFC FIGHT NIGHT PREFIGHT SHOW FOX Sports 1
Wednesday,
April 16 5:00
PM ET UFC FIGHT NIGHT FINALE PRELIMS FOX Sports 1
Wednesday,
April 16 7:00
PM ET UFC FIGHT NIGHT: BISPING VS. KENNEDY FOX Sports 1
Wednesday,
April 16 10:00
PM ET THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER: TEAM EDGAR VS. TEAM PENN PREMIERE FOX Sports 1
Wednesday,
April 16 12:00
AM ET UFC FIGHT NIGHT POSTFIGHT PRESS CONFERENCE FOX Sports 2
UFC FIGHT NIGHT: BISPING VS. KENNEDY: Fight Card Order
Fighter Record vs. Fighter Record Class
#5 Michael Bisping 25-5 #8 Tim Kennedy 17-4 Middleweight
Patrick Cote 20-8 Kyle Noke 20-6-1 Welterweight
Sheldon Westcott 8-1 Elias Theodorou 8-0 Middleweight
Chad Laprise 7-0 Olivier Aubin-Mercier 4-0 Welterweight
#6 Dustin Poirier 15-3 Akira Corassani 14-4-1 Featherweight
Sam Stout 21-9-1 KJ Noons 11-6 Lightweight
#5 Sarah Kaufman 16-2, 1NC Leslie Smith 6-4-1 Bantamweight
Ryan Jimmo 18-3 Sean O'Connell 15-4 Light Heavyweight
George Roop 14-11-1 Dustin Kimura 12-1 Bantamweight
Mark Bocek 11-5 Mike de la Torre 12-3 Lightweight
Nordine Taleb 8-2 Vik Grujic 6-2 Middleweight
Richard Walsh 7-1 Chris Indich 6-1 Welterweight
Mitch Gagnon 10-2 Tim Gorman 9-2 Bantamweight
THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER(R): TEAM EDGAR vs. TEAM PENN competitors are, in alphabetical order (name, professional MMA record, age, fighting out of):
Corey Anderson (3-0), 24, Lincoln, Ill. Cathal Pendred (13-2), 26, Dublin, Ireland
Kelly Anundson (6-1), 29, Deerfield Beach, Fla. John Poppie (3-1), 24, Ettrick, Wis.
Anton Berzin (3-1), 24, Philadelphia, Pa. Doug Sparks (7-2), 31, Bloomington, Ind.
Josh Clark (7-2), 29, Richmond, Ky. Daniel Spohn (8-3), 29, Columbus, Ohio
Chris Fields (8-4), 30, Dublin, Ireland Joshua Stansbury (4-2), 29, East Liverpool, Ohio
Matthew Gabel (8-3), 28, Le Mars, Iowa Ian Stephens (4-0), 25, Chattanooga, Tenn.
Lyman Good (15-3), 28, New York, N.Y. Adam Stroup (5-1), 27, Denver, Colo.
Eddie Gordon (6-1), 29, Uniondale, N.Y. Nordine Taleb (8-2), 32, Montreal, Canada
Jacob Heun (6-3), 26, Coconut Creek, Fla. Hector Urbina (16-8), 26, Coconut Creek, Fla.
Mike King (5-0), 30, Naples, Fla. Matt Van Buren (6-2), 27, Chula Vista, Calif.
Tyler King (7-1), 33, North Attleboro, Mass. Bojan Velickovic (8-2), 33, Delray Beach, Fla.
Dhiego Lima (8-1), 33, Sugar Hill, Ga. Daniel Vizcaya (7-2), 28, Aurora, Ill.
Adrian Miles (14-5), 30, Biloxi, Miss. Patrick Walsh (4-1), 25, Stoughton, Mass.
Tyler Minton (5-1), 26, Johnson City, Tenn. Tim Williams (8-1), 27, Millville, N.J.
Todd Monaghan (8-2), 31, Clinton, Iowa Roger Zapata (5-1), 27, New York, N.Y.
Cody Mumma (5-1), 30, Henderson, Colo.
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