MMA Nation - UFC 142 Fight Card: Jose Aldo Vs. Chad Mendes For Featherweight Title

UFC 142: Four Prelims Slated For FX Debut, Arantes Vs. Carvalho To Stream On Facebook

2012-01-10T19:36:51Z

UFC officials confirmed the bout order for UFC 142, and as expected, four fights from the night's undercard will debut live on Fox-owned FX for the first time in UFC history.

The quartet of fights slated for FX broadcast feature lightweights Sam Stout (17-6-1) vs. Thiago Tavares (16-4-1), heavyweights Gabriel Gonzaga (12-6) vs. Ednaldo Oliveira (13-0-1), welterweights Ricardo Funch (8-2) vs. Mike Pyle (21-8-1), and featherweights Yuri Alcantara (26-3) vs. Michihiro Omigawa (13-10-1).

A featherweight match-up between Felipe Arantes (13-4) and Antonio Carvalho (13-4) has been relegated to the UFC's Facebook undercard stream. Light heavyweights Fabio Maldonado (18-4) and Caio Magalhaes (5-0) were set to join the stream until a Maldonado injury scrapped the bout earlier this week.

The Facebook undercard can be viewed live by "liking" the UFC's Facebook page.

UFC 142 takes place January 14th at the HSBC Arena. Featherweight champion Jose Aldo defends his title against rising challenger Chad Mendes in the night's main event.

UFC 142 fight card:

Main card (Pay-per-view, 10:00 p.m. ET):
Featherweight Championship: Jose Aldo vs. Chad Mendes
Middleweight: Vitor Belfort vs. Anthony Johnson
Middleweight: Rousimar Palhares vs. Mike Massenzio
Welterweight: Erick Silva vs. Carlo Prater
Lightweight: Edson Barboza vs. Terry Etim

Preliminary card (FX, 8:00 p.m. ET):
Lightweight: Thiago Tavares vs. Sam Stout
Heavyweight: Ednaldo Oliveira vs. Gabriel Gonzaga
Welterweight: Mike Pyle vs. Ricardo Funch
Featherweight: Michihiro Omigawa vs. Yuri Alcantara

Preliminary card (Facebook, 7:30 p.m. ET):
Featherweight: Felipe Arantes vs. Antonio Carvalho

Dana White UFC 142 Video Blog: Day One

2012-01-10T16:57:01Z

It's fight week, so of course that means one thing: blog week.

As usual, UFC President Dana White treated fight fans to another edition of his video blog series, with this installment taking a look back at the year-end celebration of UFC 141.

No surprises here, the video opens up with a behind-the-scenes look at the post-fight aftermath of UFC 141 fighters. As exhausted combatants have their gloves removed, the scene flashes to the arrival of the Diaz brothers, Nick and Nate, along with Gilbert Melendez and the Cesar Gracie team, before shifting to a noteworthy contrast of the headlining locker rooms. Keeping in mind that hindsight is 20/20, Alistair Overeem's atmosphere appears markedly relaxed, while Brock Lesnar's seems to be stanchly tense.

We then move on to an odd and somewhat merciless juxtaposition of victory and defeat, as an elated Johny Hendricks celebrates like a man who just won the lottery while a crestfallen and despondent Jon Fitch gazes down at the floor mere feet away.

The action wraps up with an attentive White running to Diaz in the aftermath of his brawl with Donald Cerrone and alerting the Stocktonian to "Get up there with the ref," before adding, "Be cool everybody, be cool," and waiting with trepidation as the two warriors meet once more in the center of the cage. Seconds later White can finally let down his guard and offer a gasp of relief, "Alright, they just hugged."

Finally, as would only be fitting, the clip ends with a parting shot of a beaten Lesnar walking away from the crowds, the cage, and the sport itself, straight into the sunset of retirement.

UFC 142 Fight Card: Fabio Maldonado Injury Scratches Bout With Magalhaes

2012-01-09T18:51:31Z

The hits just keep coming for UFC 142.

UFC light heavyweight veteran Fabio Maldonado (18-4) has been scratched from the Brazilian show after suffering an undisclosed injury in training. Maldonado was slated to face promotional newcomer Caio Magalhaes (5-0) on the night's undercard, however with the event less than a week away, UFC officials had no choice but to scrap the fight.

Magalhaes originally replaced Stanislov Nedkov (12-0), who was forced off the card in mid-December due to visa issues.

An undefeated 24-year-old out of Nova Uniao, Magalhaes hoped to debut in the UFC after an impressive three-year run in the Brazilian regional circuit. "Hellboy" last competed at December's Shooto event, picking up a split decision victory over Ismael de Jesus.

Meanwhile, Team Nogueira product Maldonado entered the fray for the first time since suffering a unanimous decision loss to Kyle Kingsbury in June. The setback snapped an eleven-fight winning streak, although the 31-year-old still earned a sizeable "Fight of the Night" bonus for his work.

UFC 142 is scheduled for January 14th at the HSBC Arena. Featherweight champion Jose Aldo defends his title against rising challenger Chad Mendes in the night's main event.

UFC 142 fight card:

Main card (Pay-per-view):
Featherweight Championship: Jose Aldo vs. Chad Mendes
Middleweight: Vitor Belfort vs. Anthony Johnson
Middleweight: Rousimar Palhares vs. Mike Massenzio
Welterweight: Erick Silva vs. Carlo Prater
Lightweight: Edson Barboza vs. Terry Etim

Preliminary card (FX):
Lightweight: Thiago Tavares vs. Sam Stout
Heavyweight: Ednaldo Oliveira vs. Gabriel Gonzaga
Welterweight: Mike Pyle vs. Ricardo Funch
Featherweight: Felipe Arantes vs. Antonio Carvalho
Featherweight: Michihiro Omigawa vs. Yuri Alcantara

UFC 142 Fight Card: Ricardo Funch And Carlo Prater Tapped As Injury Replacements

2011-12-19T19:04:06Z

Two additional fighters have joined the UFC ranks in an effort to fill the fight card of UFC 142.

Welterweight newcomers Ricardo Funch and Carlo Prater have agreed to match-up against UFC veterans Mike Pyle and Erick Silva, according to promotion officials. Funch replaces the injured Paulo Thiago on the night's undercard, while Prater replaces fellow Octagon neophyte Siyar Bahadurzada in a contest originally scheduled for the main card.

Funch (8-2), a Team Link product out of Ludlow, Massachusetts, last competed in the Octagon at UFC 115, where he capped an unsuccessful two-fight run with a second-round submission loss to Claude Patrick. Since then "Golden Boy" has rediscovered his winning ways, earning a unanimous decision victory over Ryan Quinn in an early-December local promotion.

Prater (29-10-1), meanwhile, debuts in the UFC on the heels of a four-fight win streak, all of which came by way of submission. A Strikeforce and WEC veteran, "Neo" trains out of Brazil and owns impressive victories over Melvin Guillard, Pat Healy, Spencer Fisher and UFC title challenger Carlos Condit.

UFC 142 takes place on January 14th in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil at the HSBC Arena. Brazilian featherweight champion Jose Aldo duels American challenger Chad Mendes in the night's main event.

UFC 142 fight card:

Preliminary card (FX):
Lightweight: Thiago Tavares vs. Sam Stout
Heavyweight: Ednaldo Oliveira vs. Gabriel Gonzaga
Welterweight: Mike Pyle vs. Ricardo Funch
Light heavyweight: Caio Magalhaes vs. Fabio Maldonado
Featherweight: Felipe Arantes vs. Antonio Carvalho
Featherweight: Michihiro Omigawa vs. Yuri Alcantara

UFC 142 Fight Card: Caio Magalhaes Replaces Stanislov Nedkov Against Fabio Maldonado

2011-12-19T15:58:19Z

UFC newcomer Caio Magalhaes has been tapped as a replacement to fight light heavyweight veteran Fabio Maldonado at UFC 142.

Stanislov Nedkov was slated as Maldonado's initial opponent, but was forced off the card with visa issues on Friday. UFC officials confirmed the switch over the weekend.

Magalhaes (5-0), an undefeated 24-year-old out of Nova Uniao, is a three-year veteran of the Brazilian regional circuit with notable wins over Maurilio de Souza and Paulo Henrique Garcia Rodrigues. "Hellboy" last competed at December's Shooto event, picking up a split decision victory over Ismael de Jesus.

Meanwhile, Maldonado (18-4), a Team Nogueira representative with an impressive 22-0 professional boxing record, enters the fray for the first time since suffering a unanimous decision loss to Kyle Kingsbury in June. The setback snapped an eleven-fight winning streak, although both men left home with a sizeable "Fight of the Night" bonus.

UFC 142 is scheduled for January 14th at the HSBC Arena. Featherweight champion Jose Aldo defends his title against rising challenger Chad Mendes in the night's main event.

UFC 142 fight card:

Preliminary card (FX):
Lightweight: Thiago Tavares vs. Sam Stout
Heavyweight: Ednaldo Oliveira vs. Gabriel Gonzaga
Light heavyweight: Caio Magalhaes vs. Fabio Maldonado
Featherweight: Felipe Arantes vs. Antonio Carvalho
Featherweight: Michihiro Omigawa vs. Yuri Alcantara

UFC 142 Fight Card: Bahadurzada, Broughton Out With Injury; Gonzaga Tapped As Replacement

2011-12-16T18:11:24Z

Friday has not been kind to UFC 142.

On the heels of Paulo Thiago's elbow injury and Stanislav Nedkov's visa issues, two additional fighters have been forced out of the Brazilian event. According to UFC officials, Octagon newcomer Siyar Bahadurzada and British heavyweight Rob Broughton each suffered injuries in training camp and have been removed from their scheduled bouts.

The nature of the injuries has not been disclosed.

Bhadurzada (20-4-1), a 27-year-old former Shooto champion, was expected to debut against Erick Silva on the night's main card. Broughton (15-7-1), meanwhile, hoped to reinvigorate his UFC career with an undercard win over heavyweight prospect Ednaldo Oliveira.

UFC officials are actively looking for replacement opponents at this time.

UFC 142 takes place January 14th in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil at the HSBC Arena. Undefeated American featherweight Chad Mendes battles Brazilian UFC champion Jose Aldo in the night's main event.

UPDATE: Former heavyweight contender Gabriel Gonzaga (12-6) has been re-signed by the UFC as a replacement for Broughton, according to Team Link's website. The 32-year-old briefly retired after receiving his Zuffa pink slip, but has since returned to submit Parker Porter in the third-round of October's Reality Fighting heavyweight championship.

UFC 142 fight card:

Preliminary card (FX):
Lightweight: Thiago Tavares vs. Sam Stout
Heavyweight: Ednaldo Oliveira vs. Gabriel Gonzaga
Featherweight: Felipe Arantes vs. Antonio Carvalho
Featherweight: Michihiro Omigawa vs. Yuri Alcantara

UFC 142 Fight Card: Visa Issues Force Stanislav Nedkov Off Card

2011-12-16T17:43:35Z

Visa issues have forced Bulgarian light heavyweight Stanislav Nedkov out of a scheduled UFC 142 bout with Fabio Maldonado, according to reports from Tatame Magainze.

Nedkov and Maldonado were expected to meet on the FX-televised UFC 142 undercard in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. UFC officials have yet to confirm the withdrawal.

An undefeated Brazilian Jiu-Jistu black belt, Nedkov (12-0) has had a rough road outside the cage since signing with the UFC. The 30-year-old was initially slated to debut against Rodney Wallace at UFC 117 until suffering an injury and being replaced by Phil Davis. Nedkov was then expected to fight former WEC champion Steve Cantwell at UFC 120, however the bout was cancelled two days out from the event due to a Cantwell knee injury.

Nedkov finally made his successful UFC debut at UFC 134, knocking out Luiz Cane with a thunderous combination in the first-round.

UFC 142 is slated for January 14th at the HSBC Arena. Featherweight champion Jose Aldo defends his title against rising challenger Chad Mendes in the night's main event.

UFC 142 fight card:

UFC 142 Fight Card: Paulo Thiago Reportedly Out Due To Elbow Injury

2011-12-16T17:15:48Z

UFC welterweight veteran Paulo Thiago has withdrawn from a planned UFC 142 bout against Mike Pyle due to an undisclosed elbow injury, according to reports from Brazilian outlet Tatame Magazine.

UFC officials have yet to schedule a replacement opponent or confirm the report. Thiago and Pyle were tapped as two of the headlining attractions for the FX-broadcast UFC 142 undercard.

The injury is one that is all to familiar for Thiago (14-3). After fighting three or more times in each of the past three years, the 30-year-old has competed just once in 2011, hitting the sidelines with a similar elbow injury prior to a UFC on Versus 3 bout with Johny Hendricks.

Altogether Thiago has dropped two of his last three contests with unanimous decision losses against Martin Kampmann and Diego Sanchez, the latter of which won "Fight of the Night". He last competed at UFC 134, defeating David Mitchell via unanimous decision.

UFC 142 takes place on January 14th in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil at the HSBC Arena. Brazilian featherweight champion Jose Aldo duels American challenger Chad Mendes in the night's main event.

UFC 142 fight card: