Dana White hints at huge announcement; Chuck Liddell to fight in Atlanta in September
Posted by Adam MorganESPN The Magazine has an interview posted with Dana White where he tells the world that the UFC will be making a visit to Atlanta, Georgia in September with Chuck Liddell as the headliner and also hints at a huge announcement to be made in the coming weeks:
DW: The fight is going to be in Atlanta, Georgia—that’s something we haven’t said publicly yet. There’s something no one else has heard. You have no idea some of the stuff that we have planned. I’m going to make an announcement next week that is going to blow people’s minds. That deal is done, but my employees don’t even know yet. I’m renting out a place next Thursday and I’m going to tell them. Then we’ll make the announcement later that day. It’s an indicator of where this business is going over the next five years.
Let the speculation begin. Network TV deal? Premium cable TV deal? Only Dana knows and it should be interesting to hear about this “mind-blowing” announcement. This summer is heating up, ladies and gentlemen.
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UFC 88
Chuck vs. Shogun
On ABC
Is the “next Thursday” today or actually next Thursday? Not sure from the timing of the interview.
I hope it’s not another sponsor announcement - really, what do I care if they have Ford Motors or whoever giving them money? I still have to pay $45.
I’m keeping my fingers crossed for HBO or ESPN deal.
how huge could the announcement really be???
i mean.. i remember that last few “HUGE” announcements..
Hughes/Gracie
Chuck/Wandy
Forrest/Rampage
Randy’s Return from Retirement
BJ’s Return
Mir’s Return
I mean, it can’t be anything too “HUGE”.. right?
Dana is going to box Kimbo - chill dog rules, watch out for that metal thing…
I think it’s a Major Network TV deal with Fox..That’s my gut feeling…I can’t think of what else it could be other than that.. there isn’t no other fighters out there to sign..Fedor is out of the question..Someone said Hughes/Gracie.OMG..Please
Coming off the heals of CBS’ MMA debut, I’m thinking a new TV deal as well. What’s “big” on everybody’s minds? Dana knows.
That said, I can’t wait for Saturday. That’s a solid card right there.
my guess is… the ufc has a network deal with itself… ufc the channel, utilizing their pride library and all the ufc events. that’s the only thing that would be mind blowing to me.
# 4 Brent : HILARIOUS!
the annoucement will be next thursday the 12th. I read the article on espn.com and I don’t know if it’s a network deal, he kinda blasted espn for giving kimbo 15 mins of coverage and bj penn not getting any.
I’d love for it to be a really huge announcement, i.e. network deal, but something tells me it’ll be TUF related. A big preemptive FU to Dana White.
I agree that #4 Brent is correct.
Also, I told people last week that Chuck/Evans would main event in September on a major card but there was never a confirmation good enough to post.
Fedor, is the only fighter who would warrant a major announcement, and he is tied up to Affliction, so it has to be a TV deal. Maybe 87 or 88 will be on a network.
Great article by the way, love him or hate him, Dana is entertaining
UFC 88 on public access cable! AWESOME!
in that interview he mentions that he is trying to mend fences with randy, and that they spoke at the last ppv. I cant believe that randy was actually there and shown. That is the only thing that would blow my mind. I expect great matchups and tv deals really arent that big a deal. they got a deal with spike.
irvin/w.silva!
second: chuck/hendo
i keep forgetting evans!{no disrespect mr evans}
so third: evans/w.silva
Just a guess but UFC signs deal with Fox and UFC 87 will be the first broadcast.
why i think you might be right #17 is cage rage info that was posted!
number 15 is listing somthing that would be big too! randy`s return!
maybe against w.silva!
if its about t.v.
inside the nfl is moving from hbo to showtime! so maybe something on hbo!
why does everyone think the deal will be with fox when they have a great working relationship with disney/espn/abc?
Light-Heavyweight GrandPrix
think about it, one card, where the first round it
Rampage vs Jardine/Thiago Silva
Griffin vs Machida
Liddell vs Rua
Wanderlei vs Evavs
is that an awsome card or what
It would be amazing if this doesn’t get leaked by then.
I think it will be the formal weight seperation of UFC and WEC.
WEC - Bantam, Feather, Light
UFC - Welter, Middle, Light-Heavy, Heavy.
Faber vs Penn/Sherk/Joe Stevenson = Awesomeness
Shogun? I thought he was on the shelf until November?
And Liddell-Evans won’t blow anyones mind.
Tito, Randy and Dana are going to live together in the TUF house for six weeks and form their own reality show. It will be filled with moments of healing, bonding and growing… It’s true intentions are to show the sensitive side to the UFC and Dana White. Can you say “Drum Circle”?
Alan Kirk. You should just pay for ads on
the site!
The only reason I say Fox is because that is the company Dana has been negotiating with since the CBS and NBC talks broke up.
http://www.mmapayout.com/2008/04/ufc-on-network-tv-dana-says-deal-within.html
I say UFC 87 because it has Lesnar who has the most crossover appeal to Wrestling Fans, Huerta because he is the SI coverboy, and GSP to show everyone in this country what being a true MMA star is all about. Anderson Silva would be a good choice as far as fighting style, but would any new fans identify with a fighter who does not speak english. GSP at least has passable english. I so hope this is true, if this is just a fighter announcement or some shit like the video game is getting released early I am going to cry.
“The only reason I say Fox is because that is the company Dana has been negotiating with since the CBS and NBC talks broke up.”
I agree FOX is likely but I wouldn’t put too much stock into it simply because they broke off. The door is always open to make money.
#24 GoofyMonkey … that is HILARIOUS … lmao !
sorry … #23 GoofyMonkey
#25
There is one other major broadcast network that has a great sports division and that is ABC. ABC is also affiliated with ESPN since they have the same parent company in Disney. Based on MMA Live, I think you’ll see UFC on either ESPN or ABC.
I could see ESPN/ABC as well. Fox just keeps sticking in my head because they are very aggressive in their programming. I think they saw CBS draw 6.5 for crap…..think what the best would draw? It’s all about competition.
Dana spoke in terms of the “next 5 years”. Typical long term TV deals are 5 years. Sponsorship deals are much shoter in term. I think this is a TV deal. Regardless of what Dana said about Saturday night, the networks were taking a wait and see attitude. Well with the ratings Elite XC got they didn;t wait long. My money is on FOX.
And don’t forget Budweiser is a major sponsor of FOX.
lemme guess… the announcement will be about the damn video game.
but seriously, other than a network or sponsorship deal, what else could it be. if he’s planning a get together for his employees, i’d imagine it’s bigger than a fight announcement, but the man IS prone to blowing things out of proportion.
“but the man IS prone to blowing things out of proportion”
Thats what he’s paid to do. He works for the UFC, not MMA.
If its a video game release i am going to choke.
HBO deal would definitely be sweet. I really hope chuck isn’t fighting rashad,it better be shogun.
It’s definitely NOT a video game annoucement.
I am guessing this is a network deal, but I was thinking the same as #7 Jdog…..UFC may start their own basic cable channel. They have enough content with the reality show, PRIDE, past shows, etc. to do it themselves
I know everyone is really hyped up for this “major” announcement, but don’t ya think that sites like 5 Oz, Mania, Junkie, etc would have a sniff of what this could really be? It’s our jobs to break news and rumors and to date there’s been nothing to indicate a “major” announcement. Huckaby indicated a Liddell/Evans matchup is a possibility… is that “major” ?
Not trying to be a wet blanket, just trying to provide some perspective.
it’s something that no other employee knows yet. So a video game thing wouldn’t make sense, cause that’s been announced.
the WWE has an on-demand channel and that’d be awesome.
evan: no kidding man… just sayin’. my point was more than people have a tendency to get wrapped in what these “huge” announcements COULD be, when in reality some of the past ones haven’t been that big a deal. i’m fully aware of his job description
Atlanta makes me think Ted Turner or Time Warner.
I think we are going to hear CHUCK is going after the Heavyweight Belt
and to the people who are responding seriously to my comment about the video game… that was a joke. calm down!
but its gonna be an indicator of where the sport is headed….
hah… how funny would Chuck vs Couture be at heavyweight?
i still vote Gran Prix though
its a network deal with fox and to be headlined by the best the ufc has to offer……ANDERSON SILVAAAAAA!
he is announcing ufc will be on HDNet!!!
“no kidding man… just sayin’. my point was more than people have a tendency to get wrapped in what these “huge” announcements COULD be, when in reality some of the past ones haven’t been that big a deal. ”
Fair enough. Most of the news we know since we’re die hards and we forget most of the time the announcement is for the masses and its news to them. I will be stunned if this doesn’t get leaked.
Speculation is fun. Here is mine (totally baseless).
Randy vs Fedor for the Pride & UFC HW title unification after UFC signs Fedor to a non-exclusive 2 fight deal (a guy can dream can’t he) and their fight will be the main event on the UFC’s inaugural show on (drumroll please)… TNT. Nog gets the winner of that match.
Discuss.
He’s saved a bunch of money on his car insurance.
Just going to go out on a limb here and predict that my mind will in fact, not be blown.
my guess is a unification of MMA fighting leagues unified by weight classes like in boxing - with different titles at each weight classes similar to boxing (UFC, WEC, EliteXC, Strikeforce… will be the new WBC, WBO, IBF, IBO… for MMA)
# 24 slapp yo mammy,
Gotta get the word out about the site when I can. = )
Dana comes out of the closet?
Dana vs. Tito and Jenna?
Donald Trump’s Hair vs. Fedor? I would have to say that Donalds hair would win!!!
mayweather just announced his retirement instead of fighting De La Hoya. His quote was that he couldn’t get excited to train “in this sport.” Maybe this is the announcement Pretty Boy to UFC??? Just maybe???
i highly doub it but if it’s what 52 says i’ll quit watching mma too, all the damn belts in boxing is part of their problem, how could it be network tv deal without even a bit of rumor, if it’s a new sponsor again dana is just great at what he does because he has all of us speculating again, i almost think dana and HBO have been putting something togather this whole time. I just hope maybe he has pulled the whool over all of our eyes and the ufc has signed with espn/abc
@#53 no way, that’s a pipedream. Maybe some day, but it wont be a suprise announcement by Dana, that would take coordination with the owners of all the major orgs and will take a very long time.
Oops, that last at #52 not #53.
healing, bonding and growing… GoofyMonkey
ha ha ha! i think i just pXXX myself!
maybe the ufc is going public on the stock market because of a new 5 year t.v. deal! all i can tell is “where the ufc is going in the next 5 years” means dana got something to cover the ufc spending cost!
i don`t want to pay 45ppv period….. let the ox{dana}… tread the field! just maybe we will get chuck/shogun fight for free! dana already came threw with nog/mir on spike!
[...] In the meantime however, Mark Chalifoux from the Baltimore Sun recently conducted an interview with the UFC president. In an excerpt from that interview, which can be found here, White discusses this Tuesday’s announcement and in my opinion seems rather taken aback by the commotion triggered by his comments on ESPN last week. [...]
CHUCK .L. V.S ANDERSON SILVA COULD IT BE??
@#61 Yeah, that “huge announcement” has already been announced (One of the Fertittas coming on to work for the UFC full-time). I’d love to see Chuck vs A. Silva but its not what this announcement was about.