UFC to get some TV time
The Ultimate Fighting Championship will take center stage on Spike TV on Wednesday night.
Spike (Cox Cable 29) will air the Ultimate Fight Night card from Broomfield, Colo., at 7 p.m. (tape delayed), followed by the season premiere of “The Ultimate Fighter: Team Rampage vs. Team Forrest,” at 10 p.m.
The card will be headlined by a lightweight fight between Kenny Florian and Joe Lauzon.
The winner of that bout could challenge for the lightweight belt, which B.J. Penn holds. Penn is scheduled to defend his title against former champion Sean Sherk in May.
In other action, Matt Hamill was scheduled to take on Stephan Bonnar, but instead will fight Tim Boetsch.
Bonnar was forced out of the fight after tearing a ligament in his left knee in February.
Karo Parisyan will fight Thiago Alves, and Houston Alexander will take on James Irvin.
The new season of the UFC’s reality show will feature two teams of fighters coached by light heavyweight champion Quinton Jackson and top contender Forrest Griffin.
This year, however, will feature a twist.
A round of fights will be held at the outset of the season with only the 16 winners remaining in the house to participate in the rest of the season.
At the end of the season, Jackson will defend his belt against Griffin.
• ELITEXC UPDATE — The card for EliteXC’s debut on CBS is starting to take shape.
CBS will broadcast the first live prime-time mixed martial arts show on network television on May 31.
Kimbo Slice will be featured in the main event against an unnamed opponent.
Las Vegan Gina Carano, no stranger to national television, will take on Kaitlin Young.
Since defeating Tonya Evinger in September, Carano has been starring as gladiator “Crush” on NBC’s “American Gladiators.”
Also, Phil Baroni will fight Murilo Rua, and Scott Smith will fight for Robbie Lawler’s EliteXC middleweight title.
The card takes place in Newark, N.J.
• STRIKEFORCE ON NBC — A second network television deal has been reached for a mixed martial arts organization, though this one will not have nearly as good a time slot.
NBC will air Strikeforce programming in its 2 a.m. Sunday slot.
The program will be a mix of taped fights from the organization and features on individual fighters.
Cung Le will be featured on the debut episode, scheduled for April 13. His profile will air along with his bout against Brian Warren.
• SYLVIA OUT — After nearly six years in the UFC and with one fight still left on his contract, two-time heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia has found a new employer.
Sylvia will join the newly formed Adrenaline MMA, which is tentatively scheduled to hold its debut event on June 14 in Chicago. As of now, Sylvia is not yet scheduled on that card.
On HDNet’s “Inside the MMA,” Sylvia called the split with the UFC mutual.
The organization also added former International Fight League heavyweight star Ben Rothwell.
Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or (702) 224-5509.
