UFC 89 expected to air via tape delay on Spike TV

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UFC 89 expected to air via tape delay on Spike TV | MMAjunkie.com (http://mmajunkie.com/news/4715/ufc-89-expected-to-air-via-tape-delay-on-spike-tv.mma) wrote:
UFC 89 expected to air via tape delay on Spike TV
by MMAjunkie.com Staff on Jul 03, 2008 at 11:02 am ET



UFC 89, an event headlined by Michael Bisping vs. Chris Leben, is expected to air on free basic cable as a Spike TV broadcast.

Although a Spike TV official told MMAjunkie.com (UFC blog for UFC news, UFC rumors, fighter interviews and event previews/recaps | MMAjunkie.com (http://www.mmajunkie.com)) that the station has no comment at this time, a source close to the event says show organizers plan to air the thee-hour broadcast in prime time via tape delay from The National Indoor Arena in Birmingham, England.

Dave Meltzer first reported in the Wrestling Observer that the event would air on Spike TV.

If everything goes to plan, UFC 89 will use the broadcast blueprint used for UFC 70 and UFC 75, two other events that took place in England. After the event takes place live overseas, U.S. audiences (on the East coast, anyway) will get the broadcast on an approximate five-hour delay.

Although the current UFC-Spike TV contract (which runs through 2011) calls for four annual "UFC Fight Night" events, the two parties ocassionally negotiate for other shows, such as the "Ortiz vs. Shamrock III: The Final Chapter" live event that aired in October 2006.
Spike TV pays a flat fee for the broadcast rights and then sells advertising to recoup the costs.

According to Meltzer, the UFC plans to hold a pay-per-view event the weekend after UFC 89. The Spike TV broadcast would serve as a way to promote the event.

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Speculation has been rife for a while that Jess "The Joker" Liaudin will be squaring off against a Swede in his 155-pound debut in the UFC. Although Per Eklund fits the bill, he will actually be squaring off against fellow countryman David Bielkheden, who will also be cutting from welterweight.

"I don't care about going to the ground in this next one, I am going out there to knock him out!" commented the honorary Brit when asked about the matchup, adding, "I have seen his fights and I think it is a very good match for me. My wrestling is stronger and so is my striking."

The match with Bielkheden comes off the back of comments the Swede made about dropping a weight class following his mauling by The Ultimate Fighter winner Diego Sanchez and will be his first time adjusting to the weight. Liaudin by contrast made the trip to 155 before when he was scheduled to face Gesias Calvancante in Cage Rage, but a bout of food poisoning after the weigh-in scuppered plans.

"I made that cut last time, but in the wrong way. With what I know now and the people behind me things will be very different this time. I always thought I would be a good fighter at welterweight, but I know I can go all the way at lightweight," clarified Liaudin.

He assessed his options following the Paul Taylor fight and was convinced that the new weight division would prove to be a new lease on life for his career, but Liaudin wanted to do it the correct way. He bypassed the chance of taking on Kurt Pellegrino in order to concentrate fully on the task ahead rather than be rash. "That fight would have given me three weeks to prepare and I didn't think that was enough."

The UFC 89 fight card for Birmingham, England is coming together with matches such as these being inked.

- LIAUDIN AND BIELKHEDEN TO MEET AT 155 AT UFC 89 - MMA WEEKLY - Mixed Martial Arts & UFC News, Photos, Rankings & more (http://www.mmaweekly.com/absolutenm/templates/dailynews.asp?articleid=6667&zoneid=13)