The Weekly Wrap: June 12 - June 18

Odds and Ends

• In a rare move, the UFC changed the location of an event after tickets had already gone on sale, as UFC on Versus 2, set for Aug. 1 in Salt Lake City, was moved to San Diego. A UFC press release quoted UFC President Dana White as being “very surprised and disappointed in ticket sales” for the EnergySolutions Arena, considering Salt Lake City shows strong television ratings for UFC broadcasts. The arena’s vice president told the Salt Lake Tribune that 2,500 of 11,800 tickets were purchased. Refunds were offered. The lack of interest was attributed in media reports to the area’s large Mormon community, which is not prone to attending events on Sundays. Brigham Young University, for example, does not hold athletic events on Sundays for this reason.

• Strikeforce finds itself in a bit of a holding pattern regarding its welterweight champion, Nick Diaz. He will begin a 90-day suspension period from the day he signs a consent order and pays a fine issued by the Tennessee Athletic Commission in connection with the April 17 brawl involving Cesar Gracie camp members and Jason "Mayhem" Miller. It remains unclear when Diaz will return the form. Six individuals were suspended. CEO Scott Coker has shown interest in booking a Diaz vs. Miller fight by year’s end.

• Electronic Arts announced that its “MMA” game will be released Oct. 19 and will feature Fedor Emelianenko and Randy Couture on the cover. Couture signed an exclusive video game contract with the company during his 2007-08 hiatus from the UFC. The game received extensive attention at the E3 video game convention in Los Angeles; Strikeforce fighters like Muhammed Lawal, Frank Shamrock and Dan Henderson tried their hand at the game as part of the festivities. THQ, which manufacturers UFC video games, also hinted at the convention of a game in development called “UFC Trainer,” which will emphasize aerobics and full-body game play. It is set to be released early next year.

• As the 11th season of the series comes to a close, Spike TV has ramped up plans to film the first international version of “The Ultimate Fighter,” UFC President Dana White told the media after UFC 115. White said Canada and the Middle East are currently “neck and neck” as host countries for the concept, which has been on the drawing board for years and serves as a key component in the UFC’s global expansion plans.

• Bellator Fighting Championships is rounding out its 115-pound women’s tournament for its third season, which begins in August. Announced thus far for the tourney are Lynn Alvarez, Megumi Fujii, Rosi Sexton, Lisa Ward, Angela Magana and Jessica Pene.

• The world’s top-ranked flyweight fighter, Jussier da Silva, remained undefeated and retained his Shooto South America 123-pound championship on June 12, defeating Alexandre Pantoja via unanimous decision in the Shooto Brazil 16 main event in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Pantoja entered the match on a five-fight winning streak and had never before been defeated as a flyweight. “Formiga” improved to 6-0.