The Weekly Wrap: Dec. 12 - Dec. 18

UFC to Versus

The Versus cable network announced it has finalized a contract extension with World Extreme Cagefighting, a deal that will bring two live UFC events to the network next year. The first is set for March 21, headlined by Jon Jones vs. Brandon Vera, Sherdog.com reported. The bout came together after Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, set to face Vera at UFC 109, pulled out with a fractured ankle.

UFC cards on Versus will be of “Fight Night” caliber, said UFC President Dana White. In addition to those cards, the new deal calls for seven WEC cards to air next year on the Comcast-owned channel, as well as the airing of one preliminary bout per event on the WEC’s website.

The UFC component of the deal represents a significant shift for the company, which up to this point has only broadcast live events on its four-year cable partner Spike TV, a cable competitor. Versus owners Comcast Corp. recently reached a groundbreaking deal to purchase a controlling share of NBC Universal, a deal Zuffa executives hinted could open the door to UFC specials on NBC. Spike’s parent company Viacom owns CBS. Versus currently has far less reach and lower average ratings than Spike.

The UFC's contract with Spike has always allowed the promotion to air four events per year on other cable stations. At one point, a deal was in the works to sell UFC events to ESPN until it stalled earlier this year.

Spike TV made its own UFC announcement this week, saying it would air live preliminary fight specials before 10 cards next year, starting with UFC 108 and UFC 109.

As of this week, WEC had penciled in two 2010 dates that will fall under the deal: WEC 46 on Jan. 30 (Jamie Varner vs. Benson Henderson, Urijah Faber vs. Raphael Assuncao) and WEC 47 on March 6 (Brian Bowles vs. Dominick Cruz). WEC 47 was announced this week as taking place March 6 in Columbus, Ohio, the same weekend as the much-commuted Arnold Fitness Expo in the same town. Miguel Torres and Jens Pulver will fight in separate bouts on the card.

Versus began broadcasting WEC events with WEC 28 in June 2007, headlined by Urijah Faber vs. Chance Farrar, three events into Zuffa's ownership of the company.