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UFC President Dana White has often referred to the UFC's network debut on Fox as an event unlike anything mixed martial arts fans have ever seen before.
As the date looms closer, White's promises have become clearer upon the announcement of Fox's TV schedule for the historic weekend. Per the press release, mixed marital arts will take over FUEL TV on Friday, November 11th as over four hours of UFC programming hits the airwaves, starting with the live UFC on Fox weigh-ins at 7:00 p.m. ET. It all serves as a lead-up to Saturday, November 12th, when the UFC inundates the Fox-family networks with a litany of MMA programming, capped by a heavyweight title fight between Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos.
Most notably, as the 9pm ET broadcast begins, UFC President Dana White joins Fox Sports’ host Curt Menefee to "welcome viewers to the network’s coverage and set the scene, bringing fans all the sights and sounds of this historic event." Former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar will join the pre-fight coverage as an analyst. UFC commentator Joe Rogan will be providing interviews before the main event begins.
Here's a rundown of the TV schedule:
UFC on Fox TV Schedule
Friday, November 11th:
- 7:00-7:30 p.m. ET, FUEL TV: UFC Velasquez vs. Dos Santos Weigh-In Live
- 7:00-8:00 p.m. ET, Fox Deportes: Cain Velasquez: Brown Pride (Part 3)
- Three-and-a-half hours of unspecified UFC programming on FUEL TV
Saturday, November 12th:
- 3:00-6:00 p.m. ET, Fox Deportes: Cain Velasquez: Brown Pride (Parts 1, 2, 3)
- 5:30-6:00 p.m. ET, FUEL TV: UFC Velasquez vs. Dos Santos Weigh-In Live (Replay)
- 6:00-7:00 p.m. ET, FUEL TV: UFC Primetime
- 7:00-9:00 p.m. ET, FUEL TV: UFC on Fuel TV: Velasquez vs. Dos Santos Prefight Special Live*
- 7:00-9:00 p.m. ET, Fox Deportes: UFC on Fox Prelims
- 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET, Fox: UFC on Fox Live Heavyweight Championship Fight - Velasquez vs. Dos Santos
- 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET, Fox Deportes: UFC on Fox Live Heavyweight Championship Fight - Velasquez vs. Dos Santos
- 10:00-11:00 p.m. ET, FUEL TV: UFC on Fuel TV: Velasquez vs. Dos Santos Post-Fight Special Live*
For the 7 pm ET 'UFC on Fuel TV' event, Fox NFL reporter Jay Glazer along with UFC lightweight Kenny Florian will serve as an analyst. UFC light heavyweight Stephan Bonnar will be reporting backstage and interviewing fighters in attendance.
The prefight special features also includes a "champions' roundtable" including current UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, and former UFC light heavyweight champions Chuck Liddell and Forrest Griffin. Former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir will also be in attendance discussing the fight. Lastly, Nicole Dabeau, host of FUEL TV's weekly news show Action Sports Plus, will be on the red carpet interviewing athletes and celebrities in attendance. Glazer, Florian and Bonnar will also comment on the results of the fight on the 'UFC on Fuel TV: Velasquez vs. Dos Santos Post-Fight Special Live'.
Aside from television coverage, FoxSports.com "plans to live stream the press conference on Wednesday, Thursday's open workout, Friday's weigh-in and the nine undercard bouts that precede the Velasquez-Dos Santos showdown on Nov. 12." In addition, FoxSports.com plans to run a profile on UFC President Dana White (authored by Bill Reiter), a story on the role of religion in fighting, UFC training assisting NFL players and profiles on the main event fighters.
Last, but certainly not least, Fox Sports Radio will air five hours of live coverage on fight night "starting with prefight analysis and interviews from the red carpet at 8:00 PM ET and highlighted by a simulcast of the fight from 9:00-10:00 PM ET." The fight will be followed by three-hours of post-fight interviews and a call-in show with host Larry Pepe from 10:00 to 1:00am ET. Fox Sports Radio will also simulcast Wednesday's press conference and Friday's weigh-in.
Stay tuned to MMA Nation for coverage of all these events.
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