The two-hour event, the first official network broadcast of FOX’s partnership with UFC, is off slightly (-16%) from the UFC on FOX premiere in November (3.1/5), which was only one hour and featured a highly-anticipated heavyweight championship fight. When comparing similar time periods for the two events, FOX posted a 3.0/5 from 9:00 – 10:15 PM ET, off only a tenth from the November UFC fight.

In several meaningful demographics, the last hour of Saturday’s broadcast rated higher than November’s UFC premiere on FOX with Men 25-49 up +3%, Men 25-54 up +3%, Men 35-54 up +4%.

As anticipation to the night’s main event grew so did the ratings and viewership. The night’s first match between Demian Maia and Chris Weidman scored a 2.2/4 rating/share. The next fight between Chael Sonnen and Michael Bisping grew to a 2.7/5. Fans tuned in to see former light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans take on undefeated former national champion wrestler Phil Davis with that bout posting a 3.4/6. More than 6 million viewers watched the five-round bout where Evans defeated Davis by unanimous decision.

The top five metered markets for Saturday’s UFC on FOX event are: Las Vegas – 4.1/8; Louisville – 4.1/7; Indianapolis – 3.9/7; Greenville – 3.9/6; Tulsa – 3.9/6; and Knoxville – 3.9/6.

- UFCONFOX -

UFC on FOX Officially Begins Partnership with Tripleheader from Chicago Saturday Night

Strahan:  “This Year’s Patriots/Giants Super Bowl Could be Tighter Than Last One” 

UFC ON FOX TRIPLEHEADER LIVE FROM CHICAGO SATURDAY NIGHT – UFC on FOX officially kicks off  its partnership with a two-hour tripleheader broadcast on Saturday, Jan. 28 (8:00-10:00 PM ET), live from the United Center in Chicago.  In the night’s main event, former light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans (21-1-1) takes on undefeated former national champion wrestler Phil Davis (9-0-0) to determine the next challenger to the 205-pound title currently held by Jon Jones. The co-main event features middleweight contender Chael Sonnen (27-11-1) battling British star Michael Bisping (23-3-0) for the right to fight champion Anderson Silva.  The action begins with dangerous Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu master Demian Maia (15-3-0) taking on unbeaten Chris Weidman (7-0-0).  Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan call all the action inside the Octagon and versatile broadcaster Curt Menefee hosts pre- and postfight coverage with UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture and the aforementioned Jon Jones offering their insights on the action.  During prefight coverage, fans get a special behind-the-scenes look at preparation for their big night in Chicago, including a feature on Rashad Evans as he and his family balance the excitement of being part of the main event in Chicago with the stress and tension of his brother’s impending deployment.

“This is the show that officially starts our deal with FOX and we’re bringing what the fans want – a night packed with great fights,” UFC President Dana White said. “We’re kicking this thing off with an incredible tripleheader. Rashad Evans looked fantastic in his last fight against Tito Ortiz and he wants to get the belt back. But Phil Davis is no joke. He’s undefeated at 9-0 and has stormed through guys like Brian Stann, Alexander Gustafsson and Rogerio Nogueira. He wants the title shot just as bad as Rashad.”

The weekend’s action kicks off Friday, Jan. 27 (5:00 PM ET) with the live “UFC on FUEL TV: Weigh-in.” Jay Glazer hosts the show while UFC veteran and FUEL TV’s “UFC Tonight” host Kenny Florian steps in as the analyst, commenting on all the activities from Chicago. Two-time MMA Journalist of the Year Ariel Helwani interviews fighters backstage. FUEL TV coverage continues Saturday, Jan. 28 (5:00 PM ET) with three hours of live preliminary bouts. Glazer is joined by Florian to introduce the fight, while Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan call the action live inside the Octagon. Helwani will interview fighters live backstage.  Following these preliminary matchups on FUEL TV and three main events on FOX Sports, coverage returns to FUEL TV for the post-fight wrap-up show (10:00 PM ET).

History was made in November when the UFC made its broadcast television debut on FOX and a record audience tuned in as challenger Junior dos Santos defeated defending champion Cain Velasquez in a first round knockout to claim the coveted heavyweight crown.  More than 5.7 million viewers tuned in to make it the most-watched UFC event ever and the most-watched professional fight of any kind on any network since 2003.

FLORIAN:  IT’S TOO EARLY FOR DAVIS TO FIGHT EVANS – FUEL TV’s UFC analyst Kenny Florian doesn’t believe Phil Davis is ready to fight Rashad Evans in the UFC on FOX main event Saturday, Jan. 28 (8:00 PM ET) from the United Center in Chicago. “It’s one or two fights too early for Phil Davis to fight Rashad Evans,” said Florian. “Evans’ experience and his ability to put it all together will be the difference. He’s going to win and face [current Light Heavyweight Champ] Jon Jones later this year.” Florian also picks Chael Sonnen over Michael Bisping and Chris Weidman over Demian Maia in the other main card match-ups.

Follow the talent on Twitter at: @jayglazer; @kennyflorian; @arielhelwani

*All times Eastern

NATIONAL SIGNING DAY COUNTDOWN ON SCOUT.COM POWERED BY FOXSPORTSNEXT – College football National Signing Day is only a week away and Scout.com powered by FOXSportsNEXT is your source for all of the big stories leading up to February 1.  FOXSportsNEXT and Scout.com provide detailed player evaluation including the regional and national ratings and rankings of nearly 2,000 football prospects each year.  The recruiting coverage is powered by the most comprehensive content team in the business with 32 full-time, independent football recruiting analysts and reporters, and over 100 individual team sites and their content providers.  For videos and information on this year’s top college football recruits, visit the Scout 300 at http://tinyurl.com/3fhm6ob.  To find out where each school’s recruiting class ranks, visit http://tinyurl.com/3vetver. 

STRAHAN SAYS BIGGEST DIFFERENCE IN ’07 GIANTS VS. THIS YEAR’S TEAM: “OFFENSIVE CONSISTENCY” – FOX NFL SUNDAY analyst Michael Strahan told fellow FOX Sports broadcaster and NFL on FOX insider Jay Glazer there’s nothing that special about just getting to the Super Bowl.  Glazer caught up with the Giants honorary captain for this week’s edition of ‘After Party,’ a weekly NFL recap show airing on FOXSports.com.  “There is nothing special about a Super Bowl unless you win it and get that ring,” said Strahan.  “You’ve just got to go out there and execute the game of football.”  When asked about the difference between this Giants team and the 2007 Giants, Strahan explained.  “Their offense is more consistent.  You pretty much know that they are going to score. It’s going to be a great game against the Patriots, they are very similar teams. This could be tighter than the first one.”

For the ‘After Party’ with Jay Glazer in its entirety please click here: http://tinyurl.com/7budbzq

HOW SERIOUS IS DANICA? ASK INDY – In what began as a part-time stint in 2010, now becomes a full-time commitment to the NASCAR Nationwide Series in 2012 for Danica Patrick. FOXSports.com motorsports columnist Lee Spencer says Patrick’s commitment is illustrated by her recent decision to compete in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway and forgo an eighth-straight start in the Indianapolis 500. The two races are scheduled for May 27.  “She’s already balancing the NNS schedule with the 10 Sprint Cup races in the No. 10 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet with Stewart-Haas Racing. Patrick added the Coca-Cola 600 as Race 9 in that allotment and intimated that running the Brickyard 400, NASCAR’s annual race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, as Race 10 ‘sounds like a great idea.’” Spencer speculates a newfound confidence can be at the heart of Patrick’s decision: “Over the last two seasons while running IndyCar full-time, Patrick ran just a total of 25 events in the Nationwide Series. Considering that Patrick has top-of-the-line equipment from JR Motorsports, does she believe she can win the Nationwide title?”

UFC ON FOX DEBUT DELIVERS ON MULTIPLE

FOX SPORTS MEDIA GROUP PLATFORMS

FUEL TV & FOX Deportes Set Records;

FOXSports.com Logs Over 1 Million Streams

New York – The fact that history was made on Saturday night when the UFC made its broadcast television debut on FOX and 5.7 million viewers tuned in to watch is old news, but records were also set at FUEL TV, FOX Deportes and FOXSports.com, affirming UFC’s ability to drive consumption across a variety of outlets.

In addition to the live audience on FOX for the UFC heavyweight championship, close to 500,000 viewers watched on FOX Deportes, the leader in U.S. Latino Sports media, for a total of 6.2 million viewers for the live main event, according to Nielsen Media Research. Combine that figure with total duplicated viewership for all pre- and post-fight programming on FUEL TV, FOX Sports Media Group’s dynamic entertainment and sports network for young males, and FOX Deportes, UFC programming delivered a total of 6.7 million impressions across all FSMG television networks.

FOXSports.com, one of the world’s leading sports web sites with almost 30 million unique visitors monthly, also delivered substantial viewing for UFC-related video. On Saturday, FOXSports.com tallied an impressive 257,000 total live streams for the nine undercard matches, while all UFC content during and around the event generated over 1 million streams. Other than Super Bowl-related content, this was the biggest video event in FOXSports.com history.

Additional UFC Premiere Highlights:

FUEL TV

- The two-hour UFC pre-fight show earned a 0.21 coverage area HH rating (77,000 viewers) making it FUEL TV’s highest-rated program of the year. The prefight show also drew FUEL TV’s largest M18-49 audience (58,000) since the network became nationally rated.

- The UFC prefight show ranked as a top 20 show in the time period for Men 18-34 (.29), performing about as well or better than widely distributed networks like History Channel (.31), USA (.25), SyFy (.19) and AMC (.13). FUEL TV also performed well in the Men 18-49 demo (.31), close to or matching ubiquitous networks like Discovery (.36), Comedy Central (.35) and MTV (.31).

FOX Deportes

- The Velasquez-dos Santos fight delivered a 3.9 coverage area HH rating, 487,000 viewers, and 352,000 A18-49 making it the highest-rated fight of any kind in Spanish language cable history.

- Saturday’s undercard coverage ranks as the second highest-rated fight-event in FOX Deportes history with a 3.4 HH rating, 365,000 viewers, and 237,000 A18-49 viewers.

- Saturday’s fight ranks as FOX Deportes’ highest-rated program since the Manchester United vs. Chelsea Premier League soccer match (5.0) on Sept. 18.

FOX Sports

- The hour-long UFC on FOX premiere scored a 3.1/5 household rating/share, with 5.7 million viewers making it the most-watched UFC event ever and the most-watched professional fight of any kind on any network since 2003 when 7.0 million tuned in to watch Lewis-Klitschko on HBO.

- Velasquez-dos Santos is also the highest-rated and most-watched professional fight of any kind on a broadcast network since OSCAR DE LA HOYA’S FIGHT NIGHT on FOX (4.3/6, 5.9 million viewers) in 1998.

- The UFC on FOX premiere broadcast won the 9:00-10:00 PM time period across key demos including Adults 18-34 (3.2) and Men 18-34 (4.3) and tied Adults 18-49 (3.0).

- Among the Men 18-34 demographic, the UFC on FOX premiere posted a 4.3, strong enough to out-rate every college football telecast this season on any network with the exception of last week’s No. 1 vs. No. 2 LSU-Alabama match-up (through 11/12).

– FOX SPORTS MEDIA GROUP –

#UFCONFOX

Heavyweight Championship is Most-Watched UFC Event Ever;

Most Watched Pro Fight Since 2003

Los Angeles – History was made last night as the UFC made its broadcast television debut on FOX, and a record audience tuned in as the challenger, Junior dos Santos defeated defending champion Cain Velasquez in a first round knock out to claim the coveted heavyweight crown.  It was the most-watched UFC event ever and the most-watched professional fight of any kind in eight years, according to fast national ratings made available by Nielsen Media Research.

The hour-long UFC on FOX premiere scored a 3.1/5 household rating/share, with 5.7 million viewers making it the most-watched UFC event ever and the most-watched professional fight of any kind on any network since 2003 when 7.0 million tuned in to watch Lewis-Klitschko on HBO.  Velasquez-dos Santo is also the highest-rated and most-watched professional fight of any kind on a broadcast network for OSCAR DE LA HOYA’S FIGHT NIGHT on FOX. (4.3/6, 5.9 million viewers) in 1998.

FOX Research projects that last night’s UFC on FOX premiere broadcast to win the 9:00-10:00 PM time period across key demos including Adults 18-34 (3.2), Adults 18-49 (3.0); Men 18-34 (4.3) and Men 18-49 (4.0). Competitive fast national ratings for other networks are currently unavailable.

The UFC on FOX debuted strong opposite significant college football competition last night.  ABC’s primetime Oregon-Stanford broadcast averaged a 6.0/11, while NBC’s Maryland-Notre Dame primetime broadcast averaged a 1.4/3 and ESPN averaged a 1.5/3 in prime for Alabama-Mississippi State (college football ratings are overnights – overnight for UFC on FOX event was 3.5/6).  The three games combined to total 8.9/17 in primetime.  Interestingly, among the Men 18-34 demographic, the UFC on FOX premiere posted a 4.3, strong enough to out-rate every college football telecast this season on any network with the exception of last week’s No. 1 vs. No. 2 LSU-Alabama match-up (through 11/5).

The most recent mixed martial arts programs on broadcast television were a series of EliteXC events on CBS in 2008.  The premiere of UFC on FOX attracted an average audience +16% higher than the premiere of EliteXC on CBS (5/31/08), their most-watched EliteXC event (5.7 vs. 4.9 million viewers).  UFC on FOX also out-performed the EliteXC show in household rating (3.1 vs. 3.0) and across key male demos: Men 18-34 +34% (4.3 vs. 3.2); Men 18-49 +33% (4.0 vs. 3.0); and Men 25-54 +23% (3.8 vs. 3.1).

Las Vegas led all local markets with a 5.3/9, followed by Dallas (5.1/10), Phoenix (5.1/9), San Antonio (5.1/8), Tulsa (4.9/8), San Diego (4.8/9), Greensboro (4.6/6), New Orleans (4.5/6) and Los Angeles (4.3/8).

- #UFCONFOX -

Giants-Patriots Meet For First Time Since Super Bowl XLII

During FOX’s Week 9 Doubleheader This Sunday

Coach’s Corner: Bill Belichick & Jimmy Johnson Sit Down on FOX NFL SUNDAY

UFC President Dana White, Heavyweight Champion Cain Velasquez & No. 1 Contender Junior Dos Santos Preview Heavyweight Title Bout on FOX Nov. 12

FOX Sports Media Group Chairman David Hill Receives Lifetime Achievement Award From National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences

SUPER BOWL XLII REMATCH HIGHLIGHTS NFL ON FOX DOUBLEHEADER – Week 9 of the 2011 NFL on FOX season kicks off on Sunday, Nov. 6 as FOX Sports presents doubleheader coverage of seven games—each presented in true HD. For the second time in less than a month, NFC South rivals face-off as Josh Freeman and the Bucs travel to New Orleans to take on Drew Brees and the Saints. Jim Harbaugh has the 49ers riding high, sporting a 6-1 record this week as they host the Redskins at 1:00 PM ET. Meanwhile, the Seahawks and the Cowboys battle in Texas. Also, the Colts host Matt Ryan and the Falcons. The second half of the doubleheader kicks-off at 4:15 PM ET with a rematch of Super Bowl XLII as Eli Manning and the Giants travel to Foxboro to take on Tom Brady and the Patriots. Joe Buck returns to the NFL on FOX broadcast booth to call the game with Troy Aikman & Pam Oliver from Gillette Stadium. Aaron Rodgers and the Packers come off their bye week and put their perfect record on the line as they travel to San Diego to battle Philip Rivers and the Chargers while the Cardinals host the Rams in the late window.

Coverage begins at 12:00 PM ET with America’s most-watched Sunday afternoon pregame show, FOX NFL SUNDAY. Terry Bradshaw and Curt Menefee co-host the Emmy Award-winning program and are joined by analysts Howie Long, Michael Strahan and Jimmy Johnson.  NFL Insider Jay Glazer presents the latest league news and scoops from the FOX NFL SUNDAY studio while comedic prognosticator Frank Caliendo contributes his weekly “Frank’s Picks” segment.  FOX Sports rules analyst Mike Pereira is also on hand to go over any impactful officiating issues. This week’s edition of “The Journey,” which opens the show, is narrated by actor Mickey Rourke.  In a special pregame feature, FOX NFL SUNDAY analyst Jimmy Johnson sits down with legendary Patriots head coach Bill Belichick.

For instant updates during the week and games from the entire NFL on FOX crew, follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/NFLONFOX. Follow the NFL on FOX on-air personalities @Jay_Glazer, @JimmyJohnson, @CurtMenefee, @MikePereira, @MichaelStrahan, @TroyAikman, @KennyAlbert, @CoachBillick, @TimBrewster, @CFD22 (Charles Davis), @DarylJohnston, @The_ChrisMyers, @LauraOkmin, @ChadPennington, @TimRyan99 & @TonySiragusa on Twitter as they provide insight and analysis all weekend. Fans can gain more access to exclusive FOX Sports content by logging on to www.facebook.com/foxsports.

BILLICK: CINCY’S ROOKIE DUO IS ROCKING – As we hit the halfway point of the NFL season, NFL on FOX analyst Brian Billick ranks his top rookies from the class of 2011.

AFC Rookies:

3. Von Miller, OLB, Denver Broncos: Round 1/2nd overall (Texas A&M) – “Coming into the draft, Von Miller was drawing comparison to Clay Matthews and even Derrick Thomas. While those are pretty big shoes to fill, he has shown that he has the skill-set to do just that. He is explosive off the line of scrimmage, and uses his strong hands to shed linemen and step through blocks.”

2/1. Andy Dalton, QB, Cincinnati Bengals: Round 2/35th overall (TCU) and A.J. Green, WR, Cincinnati Bengals: Round 1/4th overall (Georgia) – “I have combined these into one, because that is how they will be seen throughout their time in Cincinnati. Entering this year, Cincinnati was thought to be in complete rebuilding mode, but now, sitting at 5-2 and tied with both Baltimore and Pittsburgh for the best record in the division, they are in the thick of a playoff race. Yes, their top-five defense has something to do with that, but Andy Dalton and A.J. Green deserve a ton of credit for keeping this offense together after losing Carson Palmer, Terrell Owens, and Chad Ochocinco in the offseason.”

NFC Rookies:

3. Julio Jones, WR, Atlanta Falcons: Round 1/6th overall (Alabama) – “Jones has shown the ability to not only stretch the field vertically, but has shown a no fear attitude when running crossing routes across the middle, and most important, a willingness to block on the perimeter to spring some long runs. He is a rare combination of elite speed, strength and explosiveness that gives the Falcons offense a whole new dimension.”

2. Aldon Smith, DE, San Francisco 49ers: Round 1/7th overall (Missouri) – “Smith uses his length well to disrupt passing lanes and has good field awareness and defensive instincts. He is easily a candidate for defensive rookie of the year, and will be in line for a great career if he continues to work hard and get better at his craft.”

1. Cam Newton, QB, Carolina Panthers: Round 1/1st overall (Auburn) – “While his team is struggling to put together wins, they are outperforming what any expert could have predicted at this point in the season. That is in no small part due to Cam Newton, who currently ranks fifth in passing yards per game and fourth in total yards per game. Of his team’s 21 total touchdowns, Newton has accounted for 18 of them. His seven rushing touchdowns already tie Vince Young for most by a rookie quarterback since 1970, and Newton still has the entire second half of the season left.”

To read Billick’s full analysis of this year’s top rookies, visit http://tinyurl.com/3dnynjd.

BILLICK: WHO DID YOU PLAY, HOW DID YOU PLAY AND WHERE DID PLAY SAYS A LOT ABOUT YOUR TEAM – Each week NFL on FOX analyst Brian Billick puts together his NFL Power Rankings. This week, he discussed how he goes about making his selections. “Clearly teams have a specific fingerprint you can look at and say, ‘this is what they are or aren’t,’” says Billick. “There are three criteria I use; who did they play, how did they play them and where did they play them? The Patriots lost to Pittsburgh; it’s hard to drop them down a great deal because they played a really good Steelers team.  They didn’t play particularly well but this was the only two winning teams on the docket last Sunday, so it’s hard to drop New England too far. The New York Giants barely pulled out a win at home against the Dolphins that they should’ve had. I think we’re about to find out about the Giants and they may come down a little bit as they get into the meat of their schedule.”

To read the rest of Billick’s Power Rankings, click here: http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/powerRankings

To watch Billick’s breakdown his Power Rankings, click here: http://on-msn.com/vjGmPF

GAME                                                                                     PLAY-BY-PLAY/ANALYST/SIDELINE                COV.                       TIME 

Tampa Bay Bucs at New Orleans Saints         Dick Stockton, John Lynch & Jennifer Hale      41%                       1:00PM                                                                                                 

Mercedes-Benz Superdome– New Orleans, LA

MARKETS INCLUDE: Birmingham, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, Detroit, Fort Myers, Hartford, Jacksonville, Knoxville, Louisville, Miami, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Nashville, New Orleans, Orlando, Pittsburgh, Providence, St. Louis, Tampa, West Palm Beach

San Francisco 49ers at Washington Redskins          Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston                      30%                       1:00PM

                                                                                                & Tony Siragusa

FedEx Field – Landover, MD

MARKETS INCLUDE: Baltimore, Greensboro, Harrisburg, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York, Norfolk, Phoenix, Raleigh, Richmond, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Diego, San Francisco, Washington

Seattle Seahawks at Dallas Cowboys               Chris Myers, Tim Ryan & Jaime Maggio         19%                       1:00PM                                                                                           

Cowboys Stadium – Arlington, TX

MARKETS INCLUDE: Albuquerque, Austin, Dallas, Denver, Memphis, Oklahoma City, Philadelphia, Portland, San Antonio, Seattle, Tulsa

Atlanta Falcons at Indianapolis Colts        Ron Pitts, Jim Mora & Drea Avent                        6%                        1:00PM                                                                                           

Lucas Oil Stadium – Indianapolis, IN

MARKETS INCLUDE: Atlanta, Greenville, Indianapolis

New York Giants at New England Patriots          Joe Buck, Troy Aikman & Pam Oliver     55%                        4:15PM                                                                                          

Gillette Stadium – Foxboro, MA

MARKETS INCLUDE: Albuquerque, Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Boston, Buffalo, Charlotte, Dallas, Greensboro, Greenville, Harrisburg, Hartford, Houston, Jacksonville, Knoxville, Los Angeles, Memphis, Miami, New York, Norfolk, Oklahoma City, Orlando, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Providence, Raleigh, Richmond, San Antonio, Tampa, Tulsa, Washington, West Palm Beach

Green Bay Packers at San Diego Chargers       Thom Brennaman, Brian Billick  & Laura Okmin 36%                   4:15PM                                                                                          

QUALCOMM Stadium – San Diego, CA

MARKETS INCLUDE: Birmingham, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, Denver, Detroit, Fort Myers, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Louisville, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, New Orleans, Portland, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Diego, Seattle

St. Louis Rams at Arizona Cardinals              Sam Rosen, Chad Pennington  & Jody Jackson     5%                         4:15PM                                                                                                

University of Phoenix Stadium

MARKETS INCLUDE: Phoenix, St. Louis

FOX SPORTS MEDIA GROUP CHAIRMAN DAVID HILL RECEIVES LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD – FOX Sports Media Group Chairman & CEO David Hill is the proud recipient of the 2012 National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences’ Lifetime Achievement Award in Technology for his innovations in sports television coverage over the last few decades.  “David’s eye for technology has led to many innovations in television including allowing viewers to see the hockey puck better, keep track of the score in the upper-left corner of the screen and see the race track from the driver’s point of view in countless NASCAR events,” said Malachy Wienges, Chairman, NATAS.  The award will be presented to Hill at the 63rd Annual Technology & Engineering Emmy® Awards in Las Vegas on January 12, 2012.  The Technology and Engineering Emmy® Awards honor development and innovation in broadcast technology and recognize companies, organizations and individuals for breakthroughs in technology that have a significant effect on television engineering.

DANA WHITE: UFC ON NETWORK TV IS AN INVESTMENT IN OUR SPORT – UFC President Dana White participated in a media conference call today to preview UFC’s first fight on network television airing Saturday, Nov. 12 (9:00 PM ET) on FOX.  The bout features current heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez defending his title against No. 1 contender Junior dos Santos from the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA.  White was asked about the business decision to take fights from pay-per-view and bring them to free broadcast network television especially for this landmark event.  “We are going to keep doing pay-per-view events,” said White.  “When I was growing up, I became a huge boxing fan from watching ABC’s Wide World of Sports.  They always had the big fights on Saturday, and my uncles would all get around and watch the fight and that’s what turned me into a huge fight fan. Once the pay-per-view model came out, boxing stopped putting fights on free television and I think that is one of the things that damaged their sport.  So our goal has always been to bring big free fights back to television and now that we have a network deal with FOX, we’re thinking long term for the future of the sport, to make the sport bigger and continue to grow.”   White was asked if the UFC would make money off this fight on network television versus putting it on pay-per-view.  “It’s an investment in the company.  In no way, shape or form will we come anywhere close to making our money back [on network television].  You don’t go on free television and make your money but it’s an investment into the future growth of our sport.”

For a complete version of the press call featuring UFC President Dana White, heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez & No. 1 contender Junior dos Santos please log onto ufc.com/pressroom or email press@ufc.com

FOX SPORTS MEDIA GROUP WEEKEND COLLEGE FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

*All Times Eastern

– FOX SPORTS –

BELL SOUNDS FOR UFC ON FOX

FOX Sports Broadcasts Heavyweight Championship: Velasquez vs. Dos Santos

Live in Primetime on Nov. 12

FUEL TV Kicks-off Four and a Half Hours of Fight Coverage Nov. 11;

Network Offers Live Prefight & Post-fight Specials

FOX Deportes, FOXSports.com on MSN & FOX Sports Radio also Blanket Event

New York — No doubt about it:  FOX Sports, FUEL TV, FOX Deportes, FOXSports.com on MSN and FOX Sports Radio all come out swinging for the inaugural event of the new landmark agreement between Ultimate Fighting Championship® (UFC) and FOX Sports Media Group.

Two of UFC’s brightest stars battle in a highly-anticipated heavyweight championship bout as current title holder Cain Velasquez (UFC 7-0) steps into the Octagon with No. 1 contender Junior dos Santos (UFC 7-0). FOX Sports presents its coverage of the main event in a one hour prime time special: UFC ON FOX: LIVE HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHT – VELASQUEZ VS. DOS SANTOS, Saturday, Nov. 12 (9:00-10:00 PM ET) from the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.  This historic presentation marks the first UFC event ever televised by a broadcast television network.

For FOX Sports’ live coverage of the Velasquez-Dos Santos bout, UFC President Dana White joins FOX Sports’ versatile 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, who Velasquez beat for the title a year ago, joins FOX Sports’ prefight coverage as an analyst, while UFC commentator Joe Rogan provides interviews as the final prefight moments count down.  Once the battle begins, Rogan and long-time UFC announcer Mike Goldberg have the call.

In the lead-up to the main event on FOX, FUEL TV inaugurates its unprecedented UFC programming with four and a half hours of Velasquez-Dos Santos coverage beginning Friday, Nov. 11 (7:00-7:30 PM ET), with UFC VELASQUEZ VS. DOS SANTOS WEIGH-IN LIVE.

Come fight night on Nov. 12, FUEL TV re-airs UFC VELASQUEZ VS. DOS SANTOS WEIGH-IN LIVE (5:30-6:00 PM ET) and UFC PRIMETIME, a multi-dimensional look at the two fighters that first aired on FOX (6:00-7:00 PM ET).  FUEL TV’s live programming sandwiches FOX’s live fight coverage, beginning with UFC ON FUEL TV: VELASQUEZ VS. DOS SANTOS PREFIGHT SPECIAL LIVE (7:00-9:00 PM ET) hosted by Jay Glazer, with UFC title contender Kenny Florian serving as an analyst and UFC light heavyweight Stephan Bonnar reporting backstage and interviewing fighters in attendance. The prefight special features an amazing champions’ roundtable including current champion Jon “Bones” Jones and former champs Chuck Liddell, Forrest Griffin and Frank Mir discussing the fight. In addition, Nicole Dabeau, host of FUEL TV’s weekly news show ACTION SPORTS PLUS, provides exclusive interviews from the red carpet as the athlete and celebrity turnout for the fight and gala post-fight party is expected to be stellar.

Glazer, Florian and Bonnar are back analyzing the outcome of the most historic fight in UFC history at 10:00 PM ET during UFC ON FUEL TV: VELASQUEZ VS. DOS SANTOS POST-FIGHT SPECIAL LIVE (10:00-11:00 PM ET).  The hour-long special features live interviews with the fighters, plus coverage of the post-fight press conference.

FOX Deportes, the nation’s No. 1 Spanish-language sports network, is no stranger to UFC programming.  In the run up to Velasquez-Dos Santos, FOX Deportes airs the third and final installment of CAIN VELASQUEZ: BROWN PRIDE on Friday, Nov. 11 (7:00-8:00 PM ET).  On Nov. 12, the network re-airs all three episodes of CAIN VELASQUEZ: BROWN PRIDE from 3:00-6:00 PM ET, followed by UFC LO MEJOR (Cain Velasquez vs. Brock Lesnar) from 6:00-7:00 PM ET.  FOX Deportes carries several preliminary fights, including Clay Guida vs. Benson Henderson and Dustin Poirier vs. Pablo Garza, live from 7:00-9:00 PM ET, followed by the main event, Velasquez vs. Dos Santos live from 9:00-10:00 PM ET. Rodrigo Arana, Mario Delgado and Troy Santiago call the action.

In addition to television coverage provided by FOX Sports, FUEL TV and FOX Deportes, 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.  Editorially, in the days leading up to the bout the site plans: a profile on UFC maestro Dana White by Bill Reiter; a story on the role of religion in fighting; how UFC training has helped several NFL players; profiles on Velasquez and Dos Santos; and more.

FOX Sports Radio airs five hours of live coverage on fight night, Nov. 12, 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 is followed by a three-hour post-fight interviews and call-in show with host Larry Pepe from 10:00-1:00 AM ET.  During fight week, FOX Sports Radio also covers Wednesday’s press conference and Friday’s weigh-in, as well as interviews from top UFC fighters.

** FULL TELEVISION SCHEDULE ON NEXT PAGE

DATE

TIME

EVENT

NET

Friday, Nov. 11

7:00 PM ET

UFC VELASQUEZ VS. DOS SANTOS WEIGH-IN LIVE

FUEL TV

Friday, Nov. 11

7:00 PM ET

CAIN VELASQUEZ: BROWN PRIDE – 3

FOX Deportes

Saturday, Nov. 12

3:00 PM ET

CAIN VELASQUEZ: BROWN PRIDE – 1

FOX Deportes

Saturday, Nov. 12

4:00 PM ET

CAIN VELASQUEZ: BROWN PRIDE – 2

FOX Deportes

Saturday, Nov. 12

5:00 PM ET

CAIN VELASQUEZ: BROWN PRIDE – 3

FOX Deportes

Saturday, Nov. 12

5:30 PM ET

UFC VELASQUEZ VS. DOS SANTOS WEIGH-IN (re-air)

FUEL TV

Saturday, Nov. 12

6:00 PM ET

UFC Primetime (re-air)

FUEL TV

Saturday, Nov. 12

6:00 PM ET

UFC LO MEJOR (Cain Velasquez vs. Brock Lesnar)

FOX Deportes

Saturday, Nov. 12

7:00 PM ET

Preliminary Fights

FOX Deportes

Saturday, Nov. 12

7:00 PM ET

VELASQUEZ VS. DOS SANTOS PREFIGHT SPECIAL LIVE

FUEL TV

Saturday, Nov. 12

9:00 PM ET

UFC ON FOX HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHT – VELASQUEZ VS. DOS SANTOS

FOX

Saturday, Nov. 12

10:00 PM ET

UFC ON FUEL TV: VELASQUEZ VS. DOS SANTOS POSTFIGHT SPECIAL LIVE

FUEL TV

- FOX SPORTS MEDIA GROUP -

FOX Sports Media Group

FOX Sports Media Group (FSMG) is the umbrella entity representing News Corporation’s wide array of multi-platform US-based sports assets under Chairman & CEO David Hill.  Built with brands that are capable of reaching more than 100 million viewers in a single weekend, FSMG includes ownership and interests in linear television networks, digital and mobile programming, broadband platforms, multiple web sites, joint-venture businesses and several licensing partnerships.  FSMG now includes FOX Sports, the sports television arm of the FOX Broadcasting Company; Fox’s 19 regional sports networks, their affiliated regional web sites and FSN national programming; SPEED and SPEED2; Fox Soccer Channel and Fox Soccer Plus; FUEL TV; and Fox College Sports.  In addition, FSMG also includes FOX Sports Interactive Media, which comprises FOXSports.com on MSN, whatifsports.com, Yardbarker.com and scout.com, reaching almost 30 million unique visitors monthly.  Also included are Fox’s interests in joint-venture businesses FOX Deportes, Big Ten Network and STATS, LLC, as well as licensing agreements that establish the FOX Sports Radio Network.

FOX SPORTS MEDIA GROUP REACHES MULTI-YEAR, MULTI-MEDIA RIGHTS AGREEMENT WITH ULTIMATE FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP

FOX to Broadcast Four Fights Annually Beginning November 2011

The Ultimate Fighter, Featuring a New Format, Moves to FX

Los Angeles – Today, Ultimate Fighting Championship® (UFC), the world’s leading mixed martial arts organization and No. 1 Pay-Per-View event provider in the world, finds its perfect media match in FOX, the No. 1 television network in the country. FOX Sports Media Group, the umbrella entity representing FOX Networks Group’s wide array of sports platforms, has reached a multi-year, multi-media rights agreement with Zuffa, LLC, owner of the UFC brand.

The landmark agreement, which puts UFC on par with many of the country’s professional sports organizations, delivers four live events in prime time or late night each year to the FOX broadcast network, home to the country’s biggest sports events, including the Super Bowl, World Series and Daytona 500. The first live event airs Saturday, Nov. 12 at 9:00 PM ET/6:00 PM PT. Additional programming on multiple FOX networks launches January 2012 and includes live fights, pre and post shows, countdown shows, UFC Unleashed, UFC Primetime, the UFC Knockout series, Best of Pride, weigh-in specials, and much more original content from extensive Zuffa archives.  The agreement also provides for developing robust mobile and authenticated online offerings to exploit a vast array of digital platform rights.

In spring 2012, THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER, UFC’s signature weekly reality show moves to FX, FOX’s general entertainment cable network now in more than 99 million homes.  With the move to FX, the show will feature a newly-designed format. FX is also set to televise another four-to six-live UFC events annually, with a mixture of additional events and programs heading to FSMG cable networks including FUEL TV.

“We’re excited to be part of the FOX family,” says Dana White, UFC President.   “The UFC is finally where it belongs on the number one network in the country and aligned with the most prestigious sports properties in the world.  I’ve always said that the UFC will be the biggest sport in the world and with this relationship it will become a reality.”

“My brother Frank, Dana and I always believed that our passion for the sport of Mixed Martial Arts would help us to build the UFC into a successful global brand and ultimately make it one of the premier sports properties in the world,” said Lorenzo Fertitta, Chairman and CEO of the UFC.  “The partnership with FOX is a major step in making this a reality and also builds on the great relationship that we already have established with FOX in Latin America, Australia and Europe.”

“Mixed martial arts is not only the fastest growing sport in the world, but also the world’s most exciting form of man-to-man competition, and the UFC is the world’s premier MMA organization,” said FSMG President & Co-COO Eric Shanks.  “Since FOX Sports is America’s No. 1 sports network and FOX is America’s No. 1 network for young adults, the UFC on FOX is a perfect match.”

“UFC’s growth over the past decade is nothing short of phenomenal and it has become one of the marquee sports in this country,” said John Landgraf, President and General Manager, FX Networks.  “There is a reason for its rising popularity.  It features some of the greatest athletes in the world, and we believe it will be a terrific addition to our schedule and look forward to our relationship.”

Founded in 1993, UFC has been on a meteoric rise since 2001 when it was acquired by Zuffa, LLC, owned by Lorenzo Fertitta, Frank Fertitta III and Dana White.  UFC’S first brush with FOX Sports goes back to June 2002, when Fox Sports Net carried UFC’s first non-pay-per-view event on basic cable television, and delivered what was then its largest audience to date.  Through cooperation with state athletic commissions, consistent rules were established and refined for competition through officiating, judging, the addition of weight divisions, length of rounds and better equipment.  Combined with an unyielding devotion to fighter safety, the UFC has vaulted to mainstream status in the minds of US sports fans attracting major sponsors such as Bud Light, Dodge and Harley Davidson.

UFC has displayed tremendous growth in digital and social media consumption. Unique visitors to UFC.com tripled between 2006 and 2010 (2.1 million to 6.3 million), and UFC established local web sites in 10 countries and Latin America.  Using a unique blend of incentives, promotions and original content, including live bouts, UFC has seen its number of Facebook friends increase from 800,000 in 2009 to 6.1 million at present, outpacing the NFL, MLB and the NHL.  UFC currently ranks second to the NBA in social media followers among the major sports organizations.  Additionally, UFC President Dana White regularly interacts with over 1.5 million fans that follow him on Twitter.

Mixed martial arts skews much younger than more established US sports, which ranged from age 43 for Super Bowl XLIV to 61 for horse racing’s Triple Crown in 2010.  Thus far, the median age for UFC on Spike in 2011 is 36 and 56% of UFC fans fall into the adult 18-34 demographic. Live UFC programming performs extremely well in the advertiser attractive, hard-to-reach male 18-34 demographic, with live event programing averaging a 1.53 rating, making it a top-20 cable show this year.

About Ultimate Fighting Championship^®

Owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC, and headquartered in Las Vegas, Nev., UFC^® produces over 12 UFC live Pay-Per-View events annually around the world.   Globally, UFC programming is broadcast in over 132 countries and territories, reaching 597 million homes worldwide, in 21 different languages.

UFC^® also boasts a powerful presence online, with UFC.com attracting over six million unique visitors per month, while also possessing one of the most powerful social media followings in all of professional sports. To date, UFC has over six million fans on Facebook and over 300,000 followers on Twitter.  In addition, UFC President Dana White is one of the most accessible and most followed executives in sports with over 1.5 million followers on Twitter.  On January 22, 2011, UFC continued to set trends in social media, becoming the first major sports league to stream live, broadcast quality action on Facebook.

Ancillary businesses include best-selling DVD’s, a bimonthly magazine, the best-selling UFC “Undisputed” videogame franchise distributed by THQ, UFC Gym^™, UFC Fight Club affinity program, UFC Fan Expo^™ festivals, branded apparel, trading cards, and articulated action figures.

FOX Sports Media Group

FOX Sports Media Group (FSMG) is the umbrella entity representing News Corporation’s wide array of multi-platform US-based sports assets under Chairman & CEO David Hill.  Built with brands that are capable of reaching more than 100 million viewers in a single weekend, FSMG includes ownership and interests in linear television networks, digital and mobile programming, broadband platforms, multiple web sites, joint-venture businesses and several licensing partnerships.  FSMG now includes FOX Sports, the sports television arm of the FOX Broadcasting Company; Fox’s 19 regional sports networks, their affiliated regional web sites and FSN national programming; SPEED and SPEED2; Fox Soccer Channel and Fox Soccer Plus; FUEL TV; and Fox College Sports.  In addition, FSMG also includes FOX Sports Interactive Media, which comprises FOXSports.com on MSN, whatifsports.com and scout.com, reaching almost 30 million unique visitors monthly.  Also included are Fox’s interests in joint-venture businesses FOX Deportes, Big Ten Network and STATS, LLC, as well as licensing agreements that establish the FOX Sports Radio Network.

-FOX SPORTS MEDIA GROUP/FX/FUEL TV-

MIAMI – March 18, 2011 - On the heels of a record-breaking month and strongest delivery to date during its Sunday March 6 LIVE show, mun2’s sports recap, lifestyle show “The mun2 Arena” continues to deliver unmatched sports offerings customized for YLAs (young Latino Americans) with action-packed MMA coverage of UFC 128 Light Heavy Weight Champions Chap Mauricio “Shogun” Rua vs. Jon Jones, LIVE this Sunday March 20 at 7:30pm ET/PT. mun2 host Guad Venegas reports on one of the biggest weekend’s for Futbol Mexicano with Champions Monterrey hosting America, and Chivas in a must win home game against Queretaro. Catch an exclusive interview with Mexican major league San Diego Padres Adrian Gonzalez, who shares with viewers what its been like to go from west coast to east coast all-star. Also, the all-new entertaining “WTF” segment, which features the most outrageous sports moments of the week, spotlights NFL star Chad Ochocinco trying out for a soccer team. For more on “The mun2 Arena” visit WWW.MUN2.TV/ARENA.

“The mun2 Arena LIVE” continues to capture more YLA’s (young Latino Americans) with a record high delivery during its Sunday March 6 show, which grabbed 158,000 Persons 2+, and 46,000 Persons 18-34 during its Sunday 7:30pm prime time slot. “The mun2 Arena LIVE” had its best month to date in February 2011 with 46,000 Persons 2+, 30,000 Persons 18-34 & 40,000 Persons 18-49. The show scored nearly 4 times more audience among YLAs and a growth of +167% in Persons 18-49 versus January 2011.

###

About mun2:

mun2 (moon-dos) is the lifestyle cable network for today’s culture connectors (C2s) – bicultural Latinos 18-34. As the bilingual network that amplifies the Latinos experience, mun2 is culturally-grounded and reflects the best of both worlds – mun2 is uniquely American. From reality to music, on-air to digital, mun2 creates original content across a multi-screen platform. As the only nationally measured bilingual cable network by Nielsen NTI, mun2 has an increased distribution to over 36 million households, and is a part of the Telemundo Communications Group, a division of NBCUniversal.

M-1 GLOBAL’S Fedor Emelianenko Joins Elite Heavyweights For

Eight-Man Single Elimination Tournament:

STRIKEFORCE WORLD GRAND PRIX

–Heavyweight Tournament –

Quarterfinals Begin Saturday, Feb. 12, 2011;

Live on SHOWTIME^® From IZOD Center, E. Rutherford, N.J.

STRIKEFORCE, M-1 GLOBAL in Association with Showtime Networks Inc. Sign New Multi-Fight Agreement To Co-Promote Events Headlined By Fedor

NEW YORK (Jan. 4, 2011) – World championship Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) promotions STRIKEFORCE and M-1 GLOBAL, in association with premium television network SHOWTIME have signed a new, multi-year agreement to co-promote events headlined by the MMA legend Fedor “The Last Emperor” Emelianenko (31-2, 1 NC).

In addition, STRIKEFORCE has assembled eight of the world’s top ranked heavyweights to compete in the STRIKEFORCE World Grand Prix – Heavyweight Tournament, a three-stage, single-elimination tournament that will take place over several events in 2011.  The first two quarterfinal fights begin on Saturday, Feb. 12, live on SHOWTIME from the IZOD Center in E. Rutherford, N.J. In the main event, the 34-year-old Emelianenko will face the towering Antonio “Big Foot” Silva (15-2) in a STRIKEFORCE and M-1 GLOBAL co-promoted event.  Co-featured on Feb. 12, former world champion Andrei Arlovski (15-8) will face Sergei Kharitonov (16-4), the last man to defeat current STRIKEFORCE Heavyweight World Champion Alistair “The Demolition Man” Overeem.

The other two quarterfinal matchups are as follows: Overeem (34-11, 1 NC) will face the only man to tap out Fedor, the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu specialist Fabricio Werdum (14-4-1), while the heavy-handed Brett “The Grim” Rogers (11-2) will meet a hungry Josh Barnett (29-5). The location and date for these quarterfinal tournament fights are to be announced.

“We are thrilled to have come to a long-term agreement with Fedor and M-1 GLOBAL,” said STRIKEFORCE CEO Scott Coker. “To have the greatest MMA fighter of all-time put his legacy on the line in a single-elimination tournament will truly captivate MMA fans worldwide. STRIKEFORCE is home to the best heavyweight division in the world; the athlete who runs the gauntlet in a tournament such as this would have to be considered the best heavyweight fighter in the world.”

“I’m very pleased to be working with SHOWTIME and STRIKEFORCE and Mr. Coker and Mr. Hershman personally. Thanks to their interest and efforts, we’ve created what will go down in history as MMA’s greatest heavyweight tournament of all time,” said Vadim Finkelchtein, co-founder of M-1 Global. “M-1, STRIKEFORCE and SHOWTIME have built a partnership committed to the future growth of MMA—a sport where organizations represent a working collaborative that enable the best fighters in the world to fight each other. This agreement benefits everyone, especially the fans who’ll see Fedor in action more often.

“With SHOWTIME’s significance in the U.S. and M-1’s development of the European and Asian MMA markets, the cooperation will also deliver a global roster of talented fighters to viewers,” Finkelchtein continued. “During the coming year, we’ll be showcasing spectacular Grand Prix events using the same M-1 Selection tournament format, a series of events generating enthusiastic spectator interest keeping fans glued to their screens.”

“I can’t think of a better way to start 2011 than with this major announcement,” said Ken Hershman, Executive Vice President and General Manager of SHOWTIME Sports^®. “Fedor is universally known to sports fans throughout the world and it is an honor to continue our work with M-1 GLOBAL and STRIKEFORCE in presenting this legendary fighter to SHOWTIME subscribers.

“SHOWTIME has enjoyed great success with its two most recent boxing tournaments—the Super Six World Boxing Classic and The Bantamweight Tournament,” Hershman continued. “And now, with the breadth of talent in the STRIKEFORCE heavyweight division, we have the privilege of staging one of the biggest tournaments in the history of this growing sport.  With the STRIKEFORCE World Grand Prix’s single-elimination format and the biggest names in the sport today, this tournament is something that no sports fan will want to miss.”

“I have been training very hard since my last fight and can’t wait to get back in the cage,” said the 6-foot, 235-pound Emelianenko, who hails from Stary Oskol, Russia and is promoted by M-1 GLOBAL.  “STRIKEFORCE has assembled a roster filled with the best heavyweights in the world and, together with M-1 GLOBAL, we have the opportunity to fight the best in a great tournament format.”

Fedor’s unprecedented, record-setting run of 28 professional MMA bouts without a defeat has prompted many MMA enthusiasts to label Fedor as the greatest of all time. Since his career began 10 years ago, Fedor has faced and defeated many rival superstars and champions of this era including Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic, Andrei Arlovski and Mark “The Hammer” Coleman.

In what ranks among the most watched MMA fights in the United States, Fedor made his live primetime network television debut on Nov. 7, 2009 on CBS, when he defeated unbeaten rising star Brett Rogers in a STRIKEFORCE and M-1 GLOBAL co-promoted event.  Despite a difficult first round in which he sustained a deep cut above his eye, Fedor turned the tide early in the second round with one vicious right-hand punch and finished Rogers shortly after.

Then, on June 26, 2010, Fedor suffered a stunning upset at the hands of Werdum, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, at HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., in one of the most watched MMA bouts on SHOWTIME.  Werdum, who has defeated a host of top rivals including Overeem, Silva and Brandon “The Truth” Vera, trapped Fedor’s arm in a triangle armbar that forced Fedor to tap out at the 1:09 mark of the opening round.

Fedor has only one other official loss on his record, the result of a doctor stoppage due to a cut he sustained seconds into a matchup with Japan’s Tsuyoshi Kosaka on Dec. 22, 2000.  Fedor avenged the TKO loss with his own first-round TKO of Kosaka at a PRIDE Fighting Championships event in Japan on April 3, 2005.

About STRIKEFORCE
STRIKEFORCE (www.strikeforce.com) is a world-class mixed martial arts cage fight promotion which, on Friday, March 10, 2006, made history with its “Shamrock vs. Gracie” event, the first sanctioned mixed martial arts fight card in California state history.  The star-studded extravaganza, which pitted legendary champion Frank Shamrock against Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Cesar Gracie at San Jose’s HP Pavilion, played host to a sold-out, record crowd of 18,265.  Since 1995, STRIKEFORCE, sanctioned by ISKA, has been the exclusive provider of martial arts programming for ESPN and, after 12 years of success as a leading, world championship kickboxing promotion, the company unveiled its mixed martial arts (MMA) series with “Shamrock vs. Gracie.”  In May 2008, West Coast Productions, the parent company of STRIKEFORCE, partnered with Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment (SVS&E), an entity created in 2000 to oversee all business operation aspects of the San Jose Sharks and HP Pavilion at San Jose.  In March 2009, STRIKEFORCE signed a multi-year agreement with SHOWTIME® to stage live events on the premium cable television network.  The promotion has since also produced two live, primetime events on the CBS Television Network.

About M-1 Global

Founded in 1998, M-1 Global (www.M-1Global.com) has established itself in the realm of mixed martial arts (MMA) as the premiere entity for discovering and developing the world’s next-generation of superstar fighters. With offices in St. Petersburg, Amsterdam, New York City, Washington DC, Los Angeles and affiliates in Kuala Lumpur, Seoul, Tokyo and Paris, the M-1 brand has staged over 70 events worldwide including the M-1 Selection and M-1 Challenge events and its co-produced Strikeforce events in the United States. Captivating the live, television and broadband audiences with its superior production values and match-ups, M-1 events boast some of the sport’s top names including Fedor Emelianenko, Andrei Arlovski, Aleksander Emelianenko, Gegard Mousasi, Alistair Overeem, Ben Rothwell, Melvin Manhoef, Roman Zentsov, Stephan Struve and rising stars Shamil Zavurov, Byron Byrd, Alexander Sarnavskiy and Vinny Magalhaes. 2011 marks a breakthrough year with two Selections tournaments across Eastern & Western Europe, North America and Asia and a full calendar of Challenge events fuelled by a talent-rich contention system ranking M-1 Global’s Champions amongst the greatest in the sport.

M-1 Global’s greatest asset is the number one heavyweight fighter in mixed martial arts history, Fedor Emelianenko. With daily coverage on all MMA-related websites in the world, and articles in Time Magazine, LA times and New York Times, Fedor and M-1 Global make a lifetime match serving as the catalyst to grow MMA in the 21^st century.

About Showtime Networks Inc.

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME^®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL^™ and FLIX^®, as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME 2^™, SHOWTIME^® SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME^®, SHOWTIME BEYOND^®, SHOWTIME NEXT^®, SHOWTIME WOMEN^®, SHOWTIME FAMILY ZONE^® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL^™ XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD^™, THE MOVIE CHANNEL^™ HD, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND^® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL^™ ON DEMAND. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution, which offers Smithsonian Channel^™. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV^®.

THIS FRIDAY’S STRIKEFORCE CHALLENGERS EVENT

TO BE AVAILABLE IN A RECORD 61 MILLIONS HOUSEHOLDS

THROUGH SHOWTIME® FREE PREVIEW WEEKEND

This Friday’s STRIKEFORCE Challengers event on SHOWTIME® will be available in a record 61 million households through the SHOWTIME® Free Preview Weekend from Friday, Jan. 7 through Monday, Jan. 10.

The mixed martial arts event will air live on SHOWTIME at 11 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast.

In the main event from Nashville Municipal Auditorium in Nashville, Tenn., undefeated welterweight and University of Missouri two-time All-American wrestler Tyron Woodley (7-0) will take on Tarec Saffiedine (10-2), who has won nine of his last 10 bouts.  In a featured bout, two-time U.S. Olympic wrestling team member Daniel Cormier (6-0) will face his toughest opponent to date in veteran Devin Cole (18-8-1).

The Free Preview weekend also includes the anticipated series premiers of two new SHOWTIME original series – SHAMELESS and EPISODES – the fourth season premiere of CALIFORNICATION and the premium television premiere of THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON.  The weekend will also provide access to the critically-acclaimed SHOWTIME original series THE BIG C, CALIFORNICATION, DEXTER, NURSE JACKIE, UNITED STATES OF TARA and WEEDS, all available on SHOWTIME On Demand.

The Free Preview Weekend is available to digital subscribers of participating providers only. Not all services are available in all areas. Previews may contain PG, PG-13, TV-14, TVMA and R rated programming. You must be a digital subscriber to receive video on demand and HD. Viewers who tune in and order SHOWTIME for the first time, can get $25 cash back. For additional details on the offer go to SHO.com/order and for SHOWTIME Free Preview weekend, go to SHO.com/freepreview.