THE CANADIAN PRESS
UFC shows in Vancouver and Toronto this year grew in stature Tuesday, with news of a possible title eliminator in one and the potential for a second Canadian champion being crowned in the other.
UFC president Dana White announced that former heavyweight title-holder Brock Lesnar and Brazilian banger Junior Dos Santos will meet in June — likely in Vancouver — after serving as rival coaches on Season 13 of "The Ultimate Fighter" reality TV show.
The winner will take on champion Cain Velasquez when he recovers from a shoulder injury.
White also said Mark (The Machine) Hominick of Thamesford, Ont., will challenge featherweight title-holder Jose Aldo at UFC 129 in Toronto on April 30, provided Hominick defeats George Roop on Jan. 22 at the "UFC’s Fight for the Troops 2" card.
Aldo had been slated to meet Josh (The Fluke) Grispi at UFC 125 on Jan. 1 but the Brazilian star was forced to pull out because of a back injury. Grispi was then beaten by Dustin Poirier, opening the door for Hominick (19-8).
A Hominick-Aldo fight would add more Canadian championship content to the Rogers Centre show, which marks the UFC’s first foray into Ontario. The main event features Montreal’s Georges St-Pierre defending his welterweight title against Jake Shields.
Dos Santos (12-1) was slated to meet Velasquez in Toronto on the April show until the champion was sidelined. Velasquez injured his shoulder in dethroning Lesnar (5-2) at UFC 121 in October and is due to undergo surgery on a torn rotator cuff this week.
White said there will be no interim title on the line when Lesnar and Dos Santos meet.
While the UFC has yet to announce its 2011 date for Vancouver, it is looking at June 11 at the Rogers Arena. The UFC made its debut in B.C. last June with UFC 115.
Heavyweight Shane Carwin, meanwhile, says he too will be on the Vancouver card against an as yet unannounced opponent.
"I am pumped to be able to fight in Canada," he wrote on his website, www.shane-carwin.com. "The international fans are so pumped for the shows and if you have never been to B.C. I am certain BC stands for Beautiful Country."
Filming of the new season of "The Ultimate Fighter" is slated to start later this month in Las Vegas. White said there will be no changes in format to the show.
Tryouts in the welterweight and middleweight division were held Nov. 4 in Las Vegas. White, however, said the show will just feature welterweights.
Would-be cast members had to be at least 21 years of age and have at least three pro fights.
Season 12 featured coaches St-Pierre and Josh Koscheck.
NOTES — It appears English middleweight Tom (Kong) Watson may not be on the planned April 2 Casino Rama card as originally announced. The Edmonton-based Maximum Fighting Championship objected Monday to his involvement, saying Watson was under contract to them, when Knockout Entertainment Canada announced that the Briton would part of the casino show in Orillia, Ont. A Rama spokesman said Tuesday while Watson’s contract with the rival organization was due to expire in February, permitting him to fight, Watson probably wouldn’t be on the card. The MFC, meanwhile, says it holds the hammer. "Tom Watson’s contract was set to expire Feb. 26, 2011," MFC president Mark Pavelich said in a statement. "However, due to his recent injuries, he was unable to fight on the MFC 28 card set for Feb. 25 which pushed the end date of his contract. We fully expect and intend for Tom to be on the MFC 29 card."
