Full credit to Dave Meltzer and F4Wonline.com
Today’s announcement of UFC 93 being added to the schedule on 1/17 from the O2 Arena in Dublin, Ireland, left a potential head-to-head showing on PPV, as well as more likely live competition between MMA and pro wrestling in the Dublin market.
The show, will be headlined by Rich Franklin vs. Dan Henderson. UFC sources have confirmed the fight will be at light heavyweight, with Henderson moving up a division and Franklin staying put. This means it is not a match where the winner would be in line for a match with Anderson Silva, who has beaten both men, who were considered by many as No. 2 and No. 3 as middleweights before Franklin moved up.
Also announced is the return of Maurcio “Shogun” Rua against Mark Coleman, who turns 44 before the match will take place. Coleman did defeat Rua in 2006 when Rua dislocated his elbow early in the match.
UFC also officially announced this as a PPV show and not a Spike special.
Affliction/Golden Boy had not announced a 1/17 date at the Honda Center in Anaheim for a combined MMA and boxing PPV show that would feature Fedor Emelianenko, but several key sources have confirmed that was the date they were looking for.
Promoter Tom Atencio indicated Affliction/Golden Boy would be looking at running a different date.
“It doesn’t make sense to go head-to-head with them,” he said. “People are going to be forced to make a choice. Either way, we both lose.”
In what is purely a coincidence, the UFC show at this point is scheduled to go head-to-head in the Dublin market with a TNA house show that same day. It is possible TNA could move its show to the afternoon.
 |
 |
 |
||
 |
 |
 |