---



UFC 152: Jones vs. Belfort is an upcoming mixed martial arts event to be held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship. It is expected to take place on September 22, 2012 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and will be broadcast live on pay-per-view..


Official fight card

Main Card (PPV)

Light Heavyweight United States Jon Jones (c) vs Brazil Vitor Belfort
Flyweight United States Joseph Benavidez vs United States Demetrious Johnson
Middleweight England Michael Bisping vs United States Brian Stann
Light Heavyweight United States Matt Hamill vs Canada Roger Hollet
Featherweight United States Cub Swanson vs Brazil Charles Oliveira

Preliminary Card (FX)

Light Heavyweight Croatia Igor Pokrajac vs Brazil Vinny Magalhães
Lightweight Canada TJ Grant vs United States Evan Dunham
Welterweight Canada Sean Pierson vs United States Lance Benoist
Featherweight United States Jimy Hettes vs United States Marcus Brimage

Preliminary Card (Facebook)

Welterweight United States Seth Baczynski vs Norway Simeon Thoresen
Bantamweight Canada Mitch Gagnon vs United States Walel Watson
Welterweight United States Charlie Brenneman vs Australia Kyle Noke


Background

Rory MacDonald was expected to face former dual-division champion B.J. Penn at the event, but MacDonald pulled out of the bout after sustaining a cut to the forehead while training. The bout has now been rescheduled for UFC on Fox 5 on December 8, 2012.

Roger Hollett was expected to face Matt Hamill at the event. However, Hollett was forced out of the bout with an injury and replaced by Vladimir Matyushenko.

As a result of the cancellation of UFC 151, a bout between Kyle Noke and Charlie Brenneman was rescheduled for this event.

Dan Miller was expected to face Sean Pierson at the event. However, Miller pulled out of the bout after getting news about his son's kidney transplant operation. He was replaced by Lance Benoist.

Main event

The main event will see current UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones facing former champion Vitor Belfort. Originally, Jones was set to defend his title against Dan Henderson at UFC 151 on September 1, 2012 at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, but UFC President Dana White announced on August 23 that Henderson had a partial tear in his MCL and would not be able to compete. It was than revealed that Jones declined a fight against Chael Sonnen, who offered to take the fight on eight days notice. As a result, the event was cancelled. This marked the first time the UFC had cancelled an event, with the official fight card having been announced, in the organization's history.

Following the cancellation of the Las Vegas UFC event, White said that UFC 151 simply will not exist. Jones was set to face Lyoto Machida in a rematch at this event after the cancellation of that event, but Machida eventually declined the fight. Subsequently, Vitor Belfort was chosen to take Machida's place at this event. Jones is a massive favorite (13-to-1) coming into the bout.

The co-main event, originally serving as the evening's main event, is set to feature Joseph Benavidez taking on Demetrious Johnson for the inaugural UFC Flyweight Championship. Benavidez earned the right to fight for the championship by defeating Yasuhiro Urushitani by TKO in the second round where as Johnson defeated Ian McCall by unanimous decision.


Aug 8 - updated fightcard & background
Aug 24 - updated fightcard
Aug 28 - updated fightcard & background
Sept 11 - updated fightcard

Rory MacDonald suffers cut, out of UFC 152 bout with B.J. Penn
B.J. Penn's return to action may be in jeopardy, as the fighter he chose to return against is out of their bout at UFC 152. UFC President Dana White, speaking to reporters after the post-fight press conference for UFC on Fox 4 on Saturday night, revealed that Rory MacDonald has been forced out of their bout after suffering a major cut in training.

Per White, via several reporters on Twitter, revealed that MacDonald suffered a gash to his forehead while training, and he won't be healed in time to take the bout on Sept. 22.

That leaves Penn without an opponent at the moment, and there's no word on a replacement. The bout was to have been his first since losing to Nick Diaz last October, and now his return is in doubt. He had retired after the loss to Diaz, but the bout with MacDonald was one that intrigued him and got him to return to action.
http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish ... 4038.shtml
check at 3:25 mark about Rory
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6EXrrxGGbY[/youtube]

In an exclusive interview with BJPENN.COM, BJ Penn expressed his disappointment and shock over the news, but wanted to release the following statement:

“I am sorry to hear about the injury to Rory, this is a fight that got me out of retirement and one that I was looking forward to. I would like to wish Rory a speedy and healthy recovery and request a postponement of our fight to the Rio card.

To Rory, let’s stay with VADA and continue through with the program from now until we fight!”

Aug 8 - updated fightcard & background

just threw this together to show what's coming, since we can catch some air now

Aug 24 - updated fightcard (major overhaul after UFC 151 cancellation-new main event)

Aug 28 - updated fightcard & background

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-OUeoC4mC8[/youtube]

Sept 11 - updated fightcard (Vladimir Matyushenko out, Roger Hollett in)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wd07cF9CO8w[/youtube]