Further solidifying the rift between the UFC and its longtime cable partner, Spike TV today announced counter-programming for the UFC's debut on network TV.

On Nov. 12, Spike TV will air a "UFC Unleashed" marathon – dubbed "Dos Santos vs. Velasquez: Unleashed for the Heavyweight Title" – featuring past fights with UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez and Junior Dos Santos.

Not surprisingly, the marathon begins just as Velasquez and Dos Santos fight at UFC on FOX 1, the UFC's first show on network TV.

The event kicks off a monumental seven-year deal between the UFC and FOX. As part of the deal, which includes four annual events on FOX, other UFC programming such as "The Ultimate Fighter" and UFC Fight Night events will move from Spike TV to FOX-owned FX and FUEL TV.

As MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) recently reported, Spike TV still has the rights to the UFC library in 2012, and unless the UFC buys back the rights (which is unlikely), Spike TV likely will counter-program FOX's live content with archived content. (Coincidentally, unless the UFC buys back the rights, Bellator, which now streams its prelims on Spike.com, can't move from MTV2 to Spike TV until 2013.)

UFC on FOX 1 takes place at Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. The one-hour FOX broadcast features just the title fight (full-blown events don't start on FOX until 2012). UFC officials have not announced broadcast plans for the preliminary card, which also includes Ben Henderson vs. Clay Guida.

Spike TV's full Nov. 12 schedule includes:

9 p.m. ET/PT

* Jon Jones vs. Ryan Bader
* Junior Dos Santos vs. Shane Carwin
* Cain Velasquez vs. Brock Lesnar

10 p.m. ET/PT

* Junior Dos Santos vs. Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic
* Tyson Griffin vs. Hermes France
* Thiago Silva vs. Keith Jardine

11 p.m. ET/PT

* Cain Velasquez vs. Antonio Rodrigo "Minotauro" Nogueira
* Matt Serra vs. Frank Trigg
* Pat Barry vs Antoni Hardonk
* Mark Munoz vs Kendall Grove


Source:

While the hardcores will glance over that news, most MMA casual fans are not aware whether live or not especially when you think of the UFC you think of Spike TV. This was most present when a Nate Marquardt marathon on Spike beat a live event on Versus in the ratings department. This though should prove useless with the ads on FOX seen by a much larger demographic in the millions.

I thought Bellator was good for UFC!?! Where are fighters going to grow and become professionals if there are no alternatives and promotions that pay a decent paycheck, are well managed and broadcasted? Where will fighters come from if there are nothing but one elite organisation lol?

Think Dana!