The UFC is headed back to San Jose for its second FOX card of 2013.
According to reports, the HP Pavilion will be host to UFC on FOX 7 on April 20.
No matchups have been announced, but it is a good bet that some former Strikeforce fighters will take part.
San Jose is the base of operations for the promotion, which is expected to be folded into the UFC after its final event on Showtime on Jan. 12, and it could act as a homecoming for many of its top stars who are expected to immediately join the UFC.
Lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez, former UFC heavyweight title-holder Josh Barnett, Strikeforce heavyweight Grand Prix winner Daniel Cormier and middleweight belt-holder Luke Rockhold all call California’s Bay Area home.
The UFC last visited San Jose on July 11, 2012, when Chris Weidman defeated Mark Munoz in the headliner of a UFC on FUEL TV event in front of a modest audience of 4,250 and a weak gate of US$163,485. With this stop being one of the four in 2013 on the flagship network, expect the organization to stack the card with local stars and top-name talent this time around.
It has been suggested that the UFC could target Melendez vs. Benson Henderson in a title-unification bout, but that would have Henderson fighting on a FOX card for the second time in a row as he last competed at UFC on FOX 5 on Dec. 8, defeating Nate Diaz. Henderson’s next opponent is expected to be the winner of the upcoming Anthony Pettis vs. Donald Cerrone bout at UFC on FOX 6 on Jan. 26, or Melendez, who was scheduled to take on Pat Healy at the final Strikeforce show before he was injured.
Of Melendez’ 12 fights with Strikeforce, 11 were in California, eight in San Jose. Overall, the organization held 15 events in the city.
NOTES: 2013 is only a couple days old, and the injury bug is already hitting. The UFC announced late Wednesday that Erick Silva is out of his UFC 156 bout against Jay Hieron due to injury. He will be replaced by former Strikeforce No. 1 welterweight contender Tyron Woodley at the Super Bowl weekend show on Feb. 2 in Las Vegas. Meanwhile, according to MMAjunkie.com, Justin Salas has been knocked out of his matchup with Edson Barboza, who will now welcome newcomer Lucas Martins at UFC on FX 7 on Jan. 19 in Sao Paulo, Brazil … Healy has yet another opponent for his Jan. 12 fight at Strikforce: Marquardt vs. Saffiedine. He will now face Kurt Holobaugh, who is stepping in for first replacement Jorge Masvidal after the latter suffered a back injury.
