8 Days of Action Start Saturday on FOX

Following its January event that drew well over 5 million viewers, UFC on FOX returns Saturday, April 20 (8:00 PM ET), with four exciting matchups, highlighted by a battle for the lightweight title as defending UFC champion Benson Henderson takes on top contender Gilbert Melendez live from the HP Pavilion in San Jose, CA. The Henderson vs. Melendez main card is preceded by heavyweights Frank Mir vs. Daniel Cormier, lightweights Nate Diaz vs. Josh Thomson and welterweights Jordan Mein vs. Matt Brown.

The fight is supported by full coverage from FOX Sports Media Group’s FOX Sports, FUEL TV, FOX Deportes, FOXSports.com and FOX Sports Radio. FX airs six preliminary bouts on Saturday evening beginning at 5:00 PM ET.

UFC FOX SATURDAY: FSMG PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE

DATE    TIME    EVENT    NET
Saturday, April 13    9:00 PM ET    THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER 17 FINALE    FX / FOX Deportes

Sunday, April 14    5:00 PM ET    UFC’s ROAD TO THE OCTAGON    FOX

Tuesday, April, 16    10:00 PM ET    UFC TONIGHT    FUEL TV

Tuesday, April 16    10:30 PM ET    UFC ULTIMATE INSIDER    FUEL TV

Friday, April 19    7:00 PM ET    UFC WEIGH-IN    FUEL TV

Saturday, April 20    5:00 PM ET    Preliminary Fights    FX / FOX Deportes

Saturday, April 20    8:00 PM ET    FOX UFC SATURDAY
Lightweight Championship: Henderson vs. Melendez    FOX/FOX Deportes

Saturday, April 20    10:00 PM ET    UFC Postfight Show    FUEL TV

 
UFC announcers Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan are cage side to call all bouts on FOX Sports and preliminary matches airing live on FX.  Beginning at 5:00 PM ET, host Jay Glazer is alongside UFC middleweight contender Brian Stann and bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz who offer analysis for the preliminary bouts on FX. At 8:00 PM ET, coverage moves to FOX, and host Curt Menefee is joined by Stann and light heavyweight contender Chael Sonnen to preview and break down the quadruple-header of fights on the network. Both shows originate live on-site from San Jose’s HP Pavilion. Additionally, preliminary bouts and the main card fights air live on FOX Deportes, FSMG’s Spanish language network. UFC announcer Larry Pepe hosts all matches for FOX Sports Radio.

FSMG’s coverage of FOX UFC SATURDAY begins Saturday, April 13 (9:00 PM ET), on FX with the three-hour season finale of THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER 17. Saturday’s finale not only features the crowning of a new champion who receives a UFC contract, but also the announcement of details regarding TUF 18. TUF 18 will be the series’ first co-ed season with one team coached by UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey. The opposing coach is determined during the TUF 17 finale.

On Sunday, April 14, at 5:00 PM ET, UFC’s ROAD TO THE OCTAGON, a one-hour special that goes behind the scenes and inside the lives and training camps of UFC fighters as they prepare for their upcoming bouts, airs on FOX Sports.

FUEL TV provides a preview of FOX UFC SATURDAY on Tuesday, April 16 (10:00 PM ET), with UFC TONIGHT, the official news and information show of the UFC. Host Kenny Florian and guest analyst Dominick Cruz provide in-depth breakdowns and predictions of the main bouts. Then, UFC ULTIMATE INSIDER (10:30 PM ET), a 30-minute program going behind-the-scenes of the UFC, goes inside Benson Henderson’s training camp as he prepares for Saturday night’s championship battle. Plus, host Jon Anik goes one-on-one with challenger Gilbert Melendez.

On Friday, April 19 (7:00 PM ET), FUEL TV carries the weigh-in LIVE from San Jose. The program is hosted by Glazer with Cruz and Stann adding analysis, and three-time MMA Journalist of the Year Ariel Helwani interviewing fighters on-site.

Immediately following FOX UFC SATURDAY, the UFC POSTFIGHT SHOW airs on FUEL TV featuring Glazer, Cruz and Stann, analyzing the biggest and best moments of the evening’s fights. Helwani provides live interviews from backstage at the HP Pavilion.

In the week leading up to fight night in San Jose, FOXSports.com, the digital arm of FSMG, features extended coverage of UFC on FOX fighters, highlighted by live streams of the pre-fight press conferences on Thursday and weigh-ins on Friday. All week long, FOXSports.com provides select full fights from Henderson and Melendez for free, courtesy of the UFC, and on Saturday night, the first three fights of the card will be streamed in their entirety leading up to the preliminary bouts on FX and the main card on FOX. National writer A.J. Perez reports from San Jose providing fighter features and behind-the scenes stories.