Anderson Silva, former UFC middleweight champion, responds to a question during a UFC news conference at the Smith Center for the Performing Arts Monday, Nov. 17, 2014.
By Case Keefer (contact)
Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2014 | 2 a.m.
The UFC’s press event to announce its 2015 schedule sounded more like a medical conference during stretches Monday afternoon at the Smith Center.
More than half of the star fighters the locally based fight league brought to town to promote their upcoming bouts haven’t fought since suffering injuries within the past several months.
“This last year was a very crazy year for us,” UFC President Dana White said. “2012 was brutal with the injuries, but this year it was so different, because it was all main and co-main events … Coming into the new year with all these great fights, all these guys will stay healthy, train smart and these fights will happen.”
The UFC has staged a record-high number of fight cards in 2014, with 46 slated to be the final tally at the end of December. The promotion appeared to struggle keeping pace at times, largely because of the rash of injuries.
Seven out of the UFC’s nine current champions missed time in 2014 with an injury. Out of the last eight pay-per-view cards alone, six headlining fights fell through.
The strategy won’t be to cut back next year. On the contrary, White and his team revealed dates for 45 cards — the full list is at the bottom of the page — next year. The calendar begins with one of six Las Vegas events when Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier finally settle their differences in a light heavyweight championship match at UFC 182 Jan. 3 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
“I can feel the knee re-strengthen,” Jones said of a torn meniscus he suffered before the two were supposed to fight in September. “It’s not the same, but I’m getting back mobility. The only time I can really feel it is when I’m doing squats.”
The next Las Vegas card, UFC 183 on Jan. 31 at the MGM, features a fighter coming back from possibly the most horrific injury in the promotion’s history. Former middleweight champion Anderson Silva made his first public appearance in America since shattering his leg against Chris Weidman at UFC 168.
Some thought the 39-year-old Silva, considered one of the greatest fighters of all-time, was destined to retire after the incident but it instead may have renewed him. Silva spoke with more excitement than ever about a fight regarding his main event matchup with former welterweight top contender Nick Diaz.
“I talked to my friends and my wife back home,” Silva said of contemplating his comeback. “My kids said, ‘Dad, please don’t go back.’ I said, ‘I need (to go) back because this is a part of my life.’ My wife and kids said, ‘OK, Dad, you’re happy. Go back.’”
Diaz isn’t coming off an injury, but he’s been retired for more than a year and a half after losing to Georges St. Pierre at UFC 158. Other ailing mainstays in attendance included Weidman, who broke his hand to shift his bout with Vitor Belfort from UFC 181 on Dec. 6 at Mandalay Bay to UFC 184 on Feb. 28 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
He’ll share headlining duties with women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey, who had to repair her own broken hand after a UFC 175 win over Alexis Davis. Rousey and top contender Cat Zingano were supposed to co-headline the Jones vs. Cormier card until the latter needed more time to heal a back problem.
“I was so excited about Jan. 3,” Rousey said. “I was so in shape and ready to start camp. The thing is I don’t get ready; I stay ready. I’m the best in the world every day of the year.”
Check out the full list of 2015 UFC dates below. Locations and fights are only announced for the first two months.
Jan. 3: UFC 182: Jones vs. Cormier in Las Vegas
Jan. 18: UFC Fight Night 59: Conor McGregor vs. Dennis Siver in Boston
Jan. 24: UFC on Fox 14: Alexander Gustafsson vs. Anthony Johnson in Stockholm
Jan. 31: UFC 183: Silva vs. Diaz in Las Vegas
Feb. 14: UFC Fight Night 60: Matt Brown vs. Tarec Saffiedine in Broomfield, Colo.
Feb. 22: UFC Fight Night 61 in Brazil
Feb. 28: UFC 184: Weidman vs. Belfort in Los Angeles
March 7: UFC Fight Night 62
March 14: UFC 185
March 21: UFC Fight Night 63
April 4: UFC Fight Night 64
April 11: UFC Fight Night 65
April 18: UFC Fight Night 66
April 25: UFC 186
May 15: UFC Fight Night 67
May 16: UFC Fight Night 68
May 23: UFC 187
May 30: UFC Fight Night 69
June 6: UFC Fight Night 70
June 13: UFC 188
June 20: UFC Fight Night 71
June 27: UFC Fight Night 72
July 11: UFC 189
July 12: UFC Fight Night 73
July 15: UFC Fight Night 74
July 18: UFC Fight Night 75
TBA: UFC Fight Night 76
July 25: UFC Fight Night 77
August 1: UFC 190
August 8: UFC Fight Night 78
August 23: UFC Fight Night 79
August 29: UFC Fight Night 80
Sept. 5: UFC 191
Sept. 19: FC Fight Night 81
Sept. 26: UFC Fight Night 82
TBA: UFC Fight Night 83
Oct. 3: UFC 192
Nov. 7: UFC Fight Night 84
Nov. 14: UFC 193
Nov. 21: UFC Fight Night 85
Nov. 28: UFC Fight Night 86
TBA: UFC Fight Night 87
Dec. 5: UFC 194
Dec. 12: UFC Fight Night 88
Dec. 19: UFC Fight Night 89
Case Keefer can be reached at 702-948-2790 or [email protected] . Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.
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