Ready for a war

LOS ANGELES -- UFC heavyweight title challenger Junior Dos Santos had some very simple words following a packed weigh-ins at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium on Friday.

"Just one thing," Dos Santos said in response to what to expect on Saturday night in his main event of the UFC's first show on FOX. "Be ready for a war."

The large crowd in attendance was thrilled by the Brazilian's words, despite being very pro-Cain Velasquez, the American with Mexican roots.

Indeed, it was about as loud as you'll ever hear it for a fighter at a weigh-in event when the champion walked into the auditorium to step on the scale. The crowd got so boisterous when Velasquez was interviewed that the noise basically drowned out his words.

Velasquez weighed in at 249 pounds, 10 pounds more than Dos Santos. That was followed by a very tame staredown.

Don't expect it to be tame Saturday night, as each fighter is unbeaten in seven fights in the Octagon, with six stoppages from strikes for Velasquez, five for Dos Santos.

Earlier in the week, both Dos Santos and UFC president Dana White said they didn't expect the fight to go five rounds. Velasquez said he did, but he has only one decision in his career, and it was a three-rounder.

In the co-main event, Ben Henderson dropped his trunks and stepped on the scale behind a towel on his first attempt, just making the allowable limit of 156 pounds. His opponent Clay Guida, who enjoyed a rowdy chant of "Guida, Guida," while he took off his clothes and necklace, also weighed in at 156.

All fighters made weight, and there were hardly any heated exchanges.

Saturday’s televised event on FOX will consist of just one fight, the heavyweight championship, and will be filled with plenty of features and commentary intended to introduce the likely millions who will watch MMA for the first time on network television. It will also air on Sportsnet in Canada (watch live at 6 p.m. PT / 9 p.m. ET).

UFC president Dana White said that it was FOX’s idea to kick off their television deal, which doesn’t officially start until January, with this “teaser” show.

“FOX came to us and said … how about if we kick off with a big event, and started throwing all these ideas at us, and I was like, yeah, sounds like a great idea,” White said. “I’ve said it a million times before and I’ll say it again. We’re not even in business with these guys yet and they have already been the best partners we’ve ever had. To try to explain to you guys how excited I am for this seven-year partnership, it’s unexplainable.”

White believes the new deal the UFC signed with FOX is the next step in growing MMA to its ultimate goal of widespread acceptance.

“What boxing was to my generation, UFC is to my son’s,” White said. “By the end of these seven years, UFC will be mainstream.”

Speaking of boxing, Saturday’s event is on the same day as the WBO welterweight title fight between one of boxing’s biggest stars, Manny Pacquiao, and Juan Manuel Marquez in Las Vegas.

White said that was also FOX’s decision to schedule it on the same night. But he doesn’t see it as competing. In fact White, a longtime boxing fan, even took the opportunity to promote the other sport’s big event, for the benefit of fans of combat sports in general.

“Here’s what I believe: I believe there are tons of fight fans out there ... When this show ends, an hour later, Manny Pacquiao will step into the ring and fight. What could be a better or perfect night for fight fans than to see the UFC heavyweight championship for free on FOX and then an hour later watch Manny fight?”

White added the proof is in the numbers. When the UFC held a Fight Night on Spike TV in September headlined by Jake Shields vs. Jake Ellenberger, it drew almost two million viewers. That was the same night that boxing’s other huge draw right now, Floyd Mayweather, Jr., defended his WBC welterweight belt against Victor Ortiz, and that did 1.3 million buys on pay-per-view.

“We didn’t go head-to-head with Mayweather,” White said. “I believe that miles more people stay home when you have a great fight night like this.”

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