Update on UFC 105, UFC Programming Changes for the UK and More

- The UFC recently announced that is has parted ways with Setanta Sports, which previously broadcast the UFC events in the U.K. Marshall Zelaznik, president of the UFC’s UK division, had the following to say:

“It was with great regret that we ended the relationship with Setanta. Over the last two years, Setanta has helped the UFC become the biggest indoor sporting event in the British Isles. They were the right partner for us at the right time as we continued to build the sport of mixed martial arts and our brand. Throughout the last few weeks we have been kept informed of the situation at Setanta. Therefore, we are in a position to ensure our UK and Eire fans will not miss any of this summer’s huge UFC events — commencing with UFC 100 in July. We will be announcing the new home of UFC shortly but assure our fans they won’t miss any of the upcoming super-fights.”

Setanta Sports has recently been on the brink of utter collapse due to lack of funding. It was questionable whether the recent UFC 99 event in Germany would be broadcast in the UK, up until hours before the event when a deal was reached. The UFC did not want to take any chances with UFC 100 on the horizon. The UFC is currently in negotiations for a new broadcast deal presumably with Bravo, whom already broadcasts the Ultimate Fighter reality show in the UK.

- MMA Weekly is reporting that Nevada State Athletic Commission Executive Director Keith Kizer confirmed that the UFC has requested the pre-Thanksgiving weekend date, November 21, at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas for UFC 105. The UFC has been thinking of having UFC 105 outside of Las Vegas with Boston, Toronto and New York being cities brought up to host the event. However legislation of MMA in those cities put those plans on the backburner.