UFC gets busy as ’08 ends

While the Ultimate Fighting Championship did not hold a card in its home base of Las Vegas for several months during the second half of 2008, the organization will more than make up for the absence as the year comes to a close.

The card on Nov. 15 at the MGM Grand was headlined by the “biggest fight in mixed martial arts history,” a second-round TKO victory by Brock Lesnar over Randy Couture.

While that fight was a blockbuster main event, the card on Dec. 27 could be considered among the best ever in terms of depth.

UFC 92 will feature at least three main-event level bouts.

Forrest Griffin will defend his light heavyweight title against unbeaten Rashad Evans.

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira will put his interim heavyweight belt on the line against former champion Frank Mir to determine who will fight Lesnar to unify the heavyweight title.

The third of the major bouts won’t be for a title.

Wanderlei Silva and Quinton Jackson will meet for the third time. Silva has won the first two meetings, but this will be the first time the veterans of the Pride Fighting Championships will meet in the United States.

Before that card, the UFC will host the Ultimate Fighter 8 Finale at the Palms on Dec. 13. The card will serve as the championship round of the eighth season of the UFC’s reality show.

A rematch between Anthony Johnson and Kevin Burns recently was announced for the card. In a controversial finish in a July fight, Burns accidentally poked Johnson in the eye. The referee missed it and when Johnson grabbed his eye in pain, Burns pounced on his injured opponent, prompting a stoppage victory.

* FITCH RETURNS — Jon Fitch returned to the UFC almost as abruptly as he was dismissed.

The welterweight contender and his management team angered UFC president Dana White, in part because of their refusal to sign over exclusive lifetime rights of Fitch’s image to the organization.

White responded by terminating the contracts of Fitch and gym-mate Christian Wellisch, and unleashing a verbal tirade against the pair and their American Kickboxing Association camp on Wednesday.

Fitch apparently had a conversation with Zuffa co-owner Lorenzo Fertitta and was brought back to the promotion the next day. He will fight Akihiro Gono at the MGM Grand on Jan. 31. Wellisch also was brought back.

* COUTURE WINS — Randy Couture suffered a defeat at the hands of Lesnar, but his wife found more success in her return to the cage.

Kim Couture earned a first-round knockout over Lina Kvokov on the Strikeforce card in San Jose, Calif., on Friday.

Couture had suffered a jaw injury in her pro debut in June.

Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or call 702-224-5509.