UFC on ESPN announcement

Gygax · 07-17-2006, 11:08 AM

As hinted at in the Boston Herald yesterday, the UFC will make an announcement on an ESPN network today.

The announcement will be made on ESPNews's The Hot List, which airs from 3pm-6pm EST. Confirmed on the UFC's website.

Could be the announcement of an HBO deal, hopefully not something as small as the Griffin-Bonnar 2 fight. The show is hosted by Brian Kenny, one of ESPN's longtime boxing studio host.

JoeRoganismyhero · 07-17-2006, 11:48 AM

I highly doubt the announcement will be about Griffin-Bonnar since it is already up on ufc.com that they will be fighting each other at UFC 62.

angryjonny · 07-17-2006, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoeRoganismyhero

I highly doubt the announcement will be about Griffin-Bonnar since it is already up on ufc.com that they will be fighting each other at UFC 62.

Doesn't mean they wouldn't want to advertise it on ESPN. I'm not getting too excited ever since the "historical announcement that will change MMA forever" happened.

JoeRoganismyhero · 07-17-2006, 12:31 PM

Yeah that's very true. Like you said though these announcements tend to be very anti-climatic.

Snow Patrol · 07-17-2006, 12:48 PM

My guess is that it's something like Pride vs UFC, or something along those lines.

MadOne · 07-17-2006, 12:55 PM

Could be just a run down of the upcoming fights and a little bit of (we all ready know) info about Pride FC and UFC working on fights with each others fighters. MMA fans get all their news and info from the web anyway..anything worth while I would expect from them to have it up on their site.

GSPALLTHEWAY · 07-17-2006, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by angryjonny

Doesn't mean they wouldn't want to advertise it on ESPN. I'm not getting too excited ever since the "historical announcement that will change MMA forever" happened.

i agree angry, but then again the silva\chuck fight didnt have any hype to it and that was pretty big..... but yea, that historic announcement sucked lol

sitnspin · 07-17-2006, 01:10 PM

Wait. Which announcement are you guys talking about? The one that was supposed to change MMA forever.

Flying Triangle Choke · 07-17-2006, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sitnspin

Wait. Which announcement are you guys talking about? The one that was supposed to change MMA forever.

I think they're talking about the night the UFC announced Hughes vs. Gracie. Watch the ESPN thing be something stupid like "The announcement is.....ULTIMATE FIGHTER FOUR STARTS ON AUGUST 17TH LIVE ON SPIKE TV!!!!"

L0cusT · 07-17-2006, 03:14 PM

maybe an ufc event live on espn? sure they would lose the big money from the ppv but...in long terms just think how it would help to present a ufc event live on espn...wow

nublood · 07-17-2006, 03:24 PM

Kinda off-topic but I see Griffin winning this rematch with ease. Stephan been in a funk lately. Even his last two wins were shady at best.

Gygax · 07-17-2006, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by L0cusT

maybe an ufc event live on espn? sure they would lose the big money from the ppv but...in long terms just think how it would help to present a ufc event live on espn...wow

While I would like that for the exposure, I believe the UFC made a huge deal out of their deal with SpikeTV being an exclusive basic cable deal. I hope your right, but that's what I remember. Now if another network paid off SpikeTV for the rights... LOL not likely.

BTW, the UFC is getting more and more ESPN exposure of late. First was Gracie on ESPNews talking about his fight with Hughes. White and Liddell on Quite Frankly with Stephen Smith. Then an article last week on the front page, followed by a pretty good video on ESPN360 featuring Tim Sylvia. Now the announcement today on ESPNews and I've seen that Matt Hughes will be featured on Cold Pizza tomorrow morning on ESPN2. That's more in a few months than since the first UFC in '93.

Flying Triangle Choke · 07-17-2006, 03:26 PM

It looks like ESPN realizes that the UFC just can't be ignored anymore...

Tinker Bell · 07-17-2006, 03:36 PM

I really hope that this announcement is something worth-while for the UFC. If they are just gonna announce acouple of fights that have already been rumored big deal. On UFC.com, it said that the announcement would be at 4:45 ET. If anyone read Hughes blog as well he said that they were gonna announce his next fight on ESPN which hopefully will be GSP; http://www.matt-hughes.com/blog.html

Hopefully that's not the only announcement.

Gygax · 07-17-2006, 03:45 PM

The show said just now that Dana White will be joined by two of the UFC's best fighters at 4:45pm.

Flying Triangle Choke · 07-17-2006, 03:57 PM

I'd laugh if it was something like "ZUFFA HAS BOUGHT ESPN!!!"

Ryduce · 07-17-2006, 04:03 PM

Is it on ESPN 1,2,or some crazy ESPN channel I don't have.

Gygax · 07-17-2006, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ryduce

Is it on ESPN 1,2,or some crazy ESPN channel I don't have.

As it says above, its on ESPNews at 4:45pm EST.

Flying Triangle Choke · 07-17-2006, 04:07 PM

I'm pretty sure it's just the regular ESPN channel. I think UFC.com would have mentioned it if it was on one of the other channels.

domin8 · 07-17-2006, 05:04 PM

ok i think this got a huge over hype but dana white had announced that st pierre will fight matt hughes at either 62 or 63. then we got to see them both talk on tv which was stupid i can't thank of 2 worse talkers. yeah they are great fighters and chances are this will be a over hyped 1 round tap out just like last time but why not have 2 people on national tv with some personality. you got bonner fighting forrest agian which was a great fight and people know who they are from TUF. maybe i am wrong what do you all think