White excited for UFC 137 main event

LAS VEGAS -- With welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre's withdrawal from UFC 137, the natural question was whether Saturday's big card at the Mandalay Bay Events Center would suffer.

In fact, at Thursday's press conference, which was held on a beautiful day in Las Vegas on the unique "Brooklyn Bridge" at New York New York casino, one reporter asked if many ticket-holders had asked for a refund.

UFC president Dana White was emphatic.

"No, the fight held together." White said. "This thing sold out. It's been fantastic. If this were a boxing match, this thing would have collapsed and we would have had to reschedule it. But no."

White did admit that it was "one of the weirdest fights I've been involved with" considering all the changes at the top of the card, which saw three different main events in the span of a couple months.

First it was Nick Diaz in the main event against GSP, then he was out when he didn't show up to a couple press conferences, and swapped with Carlos Condit into the co-main event against B.J. Penn. And just last week, St-Pierre pulled out with an injury, moving Diaz back into the headliner, only with a different opponent and no longer for a title.

All of the drama in the leadup to the event helped with the buzz for the show rather than hurt it. And in the end, it was left with a headliner that is as intriguing to many people as before.

White expects fans will not be disappointed when they finally do square off on Saturday night. And that has to do with one particular similarity between Diaz and Penn.

"They're both crazy," White said. "And they're warriors, when they walk down to the Octagon and when they get in there. I'm excited for this fight. It's going to be a war."

Make no mistake, this isn't just a great matchup with potential for fireworks -- there is a lot riding on the outcome for both fighters.

For Diaz, it's about establishing himself again in the UFC after coming over from Strikeforce. As well as getting that shot at the UFC belt back.

Meanwhile for Penn, it's about continuing his legacy. A title shot isn't necessarily guaranteed with a win. But it's definitely out of the question (at least in the near future) if he loses. And he doesn't plan on hanging it up anytime soon.

Penn recognized that there's a bit of pressure on both fighters.

"We're both in a must-win situation," Penn said. "I love fighting, I love the UFC and I want to do this for a few more years. And Nick wants to establish himself in the UFC."

Diaz was asked if he would call this the most important fight of his career, considering the implications. His answer was simple.

"Then I suppose it is the most important fight of my career," Diaz said.

The card also has another couple heavyweight fights that should entertain -- at least on paper. In the co-main event, Cheick Kongo takes on Matt Mitrione, who's fighting his biggest name to date.

Mitrione said when he was offered the fight against Kongo he asked the UFC for the latest date possible so he could work on what he needs to and they obliged.

"If Cheick beats me, he beat the best possible product I could give him," Mitrione said.

Meanwhile, Croatian legend Mirko (Cro Cop) Filipovic takes on Roy (Big Country) Nelson in another featured heavyweight tilt, and one that Cro Cop admitted could be his last -- win or lose.

"I'm 37 and this could easily be my last fight in the UFC," Cro Cop said. "It's nothing to do with the result. It's not that I can't fight anymore, my stamina is good … Every man comes to a point where he asks himself, 'Do I need it anymore?'"

NOTES: Before starting taking questions on Saturday's fights, White welcomed the newest on-air member of the UFC. Jon Anik is joining the organization from ESPN and will be the play-by-play commentator for its events on FX ... White said all the undercard fights for the first UFC show on FOX on Nov. 12 will be streamed live on Facebook.com. The event in Anaheim is headlined by the heavyweight title bout between Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos, the only fight that will air live on the primetime television broadcast ... White said his trip on Wednesday to New York City had nothing to do with MMA sanctioning. But he said he had a good meeting and hopes to get something firmed up by the end of the week and make an announcement … White said UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta was in France last month as the organization looks to expand to yet another country. Fertitta will go back to France after next week's event in England and look to button down a deal there. After France, the UFC is eyeing China and India next.

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