The Weekly Wrap: June 27

Esther Lin/Sherdog.com

Carano vs. Cyborg is close.

• The UFC announced its first television deal in China. “The Ultimate Fighter” and “UFC Unleashed” will air on Inner Mongolia Television every weekend, and an option also exists to air complete pay-per-view events. A UFC press release claimed the one to four hours of weekly programming on the network could reach as many as 240 million people in all of China’s provinces. In another significant television note, No Holds Barred Radio reported that UFC 100 will air live on Televisa -- one of the two major networks in Mexico.

• The ShoMMA “Strikeforce Challenger Series 2” event on June 19 in Kent, Wash., drew 2,836 fans to the ShoWare Center for an $85,505 gate, according to figures released by the Washington State Department of Licensing. The agency reported the show’s payroll was $198,500, with Joey Villasenor ranking as the top earner at $48,000.

• Grappling champion Roger Gracie has signed with Strikeforce to compete as a heavyweight. He will debut on Aug. 15 in San Jose, Calif., according to Graciemag.com.

• As part of the marketing push for the biggest female fight in MMA history, Strikeforce has booked Madison Square Garden in New York City for a July 14 press conference featuring Gina Carano and Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos. The press conference will include an autograph session for fans. The Carano vs. Santos title fight will headline the promotion’s Aug. 15 show in San Jose, Calif., and will air on Showtime. Erin Toughill will also compete at the event, though an opponent has not yet been named.

• Riki Fukuda wrested the Deep middleweight championship from Yuichi Nakanishi on June 30 in the main event of Deep “42 Impact” in Tokyo. Fukuda, a strong wrestler and EliteXC veteran, mostly hunted for the knockout throughout the three-round affair, which he won by split decision.