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GRAY MAYNARD AND NATE DIAZ MEET AGAIN AS THE ULTIMATE
FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP
TAKES OVER VIRGINIA FOR UFC® FIGHT NIGHT™ LIVE
PATRIOT CENTER - JANUARY 11, 2010 AT 6:15PM
The Ultimate Fighting Championship® (UFC®) comes to Virginia
for the first time in its history on Monday, January 11th for another
hard-hitting edition of UFC® Fight Night™ Live on Spike
TV. In the main event at the Patriot Center, two of the best fighters
to emerge from The Ultimate Fighter® series, Gray Maynard and
Nate Diaz, meet again in a rematch of the season five battle won
by Diaz. This time the stakes are even higher as these young guns
fight their way toward a 155-pound world title shot. In the co-feature,
T.U.F. ® season eight winner Efrain Escudero hopes to carry
the momentum from his stirring knockout win over Cole Miller into
Fairfax, as he engages in another pivotal showdown against fellow
lightweight up and comer Evan Dunham.
"The lightweight division is one of the most talent-rich in
the UFC, and this card is a prime example of that," said UFC
President Dana White. "Maynard and Diaz are two top contenders
with a history between them, and this is one of those fights that
can be career-changing for the winner. The stakes are just as high
in the Escudero-Dunham fight, as both of these guys are looking
to make the jump from prospect to contender."
Tickets for this event will go on sale Saturday, November 21 at
10 a.m. ET and are $203, $128, $93, $63 and $43 (plus applicable
service charges). Tickets will be available through all Ticketmaster
outlets including the Patriot Center box office, online at www.ticketmaster.com
or via Phonecharge at 703-573-SEAT, 202-397-SEAT or 410-547-SEAT.
(more)
UFC® Fight Club™ members will have the opportunity to
purchase tickets to this event Thursday, November 19 at 10 a.m.
ET via the website ufc.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will
be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Friday, November 20 starting
at 10 a.m. ET. To access this presale, users must register for the
UFC newsletter through ufc.com.
The UFC Fight Night main event features a rematch of lightweight
contenders Gray Maynard (fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) and Nate
Diaz (fighting out of Stockton, Calif.) who first met in the Octagon
on season five of The Ultimate Fighter™. Diaz defeated Maynard
on his way to being named "The Ultimate Fighter" that
season.
A former teammate of Rashad Evans on the Michigan State wrestling
team, Maynard currently trains with UFC legend Randy Couture in
Las Vegas. The 30-year-old with the 9-0, 1 NC record is riding one
of the most impressive winning streaks in the sport, defeating an
impressive array of 155-pound fighters including Frankie Edgar,
Jim Miller, and, most recently, Roger Huerta this past September.
Diaz has won six of his last eight UFC fights including a win over
Melvin Guillard this past September. The pride of Stockton, California
and a product of the renowned Cesar Gracie Fight Team, Diaz needs
a win over Maynard to continue on his path toward a shot at BJ Penn's
lightweight crown.
Winner of the eighth season of The Ultimate Fighter™, 23-year-old
Efrain Escudero (fighting out of Tempe, Ariz.) is coming off of
an impressive TKO victory over Cole Miller at UFC 103 in September.
At a perfect 13-0, Escudero will look to use his superior grappling
skills against another rising star in the division, Evan Dunham.
An Oregon native, Evan Dunham (fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.)
was victorious in his first two fights in the UFC, most recently
earning a split decision win over Marcus Aurelio at UFC 102 in August.
Now at 9-0 as a professional mixed martial artist, the 27-year-old
lightweight fighter is looking for his third win in the UFC.
Coming off a submission win over CB Dollaway at UFC 100, Fall River,
Massachusetts' Tom Lawlor (fighting out of Orlando, Fla.) has already
compiled a 6-1, 1 NC record with two consecutive wins in the UFC.
A former three-time national wrestling champion for the University
of Central Florida, Lawlor uses his superior wrestling skills to
dominate his opponents.
Another up-and-coming fighter in the UFC, undefeated Aaron Simpson
(fighting out of Phoenix, Ariz.) is a perfect 2-0 in the UFC and
6-0 as a pro. A former Arizona State University wrestler and two-time
NCAA All-American, Simpson scored a TKO win over Ed Herman at UFC
102, his second knockout in as many UFC fights.
The remaining bouts will be announced in the near future.
For more information, or current UFC fight news, visit UFC.com.
All bouts are live and subject to change.
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