HDNet takes MMA fans inside “UFC 126: Silva vs. Belfort” with LIVE on location coverage- Tomorrow Night at 7:00 p.m. ET
DALLAS (February 3, 2011) “Inside MMA” is on the road this week with LIVE coverage of the “UFC 126: Silva vs. Belfort” weigh-ins from Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.
Kenny Rice and Bas Rutten will be joined by Urijah Faber, Anthony Pettis, and Mike Goldberg to break down the fights and Ron Kruck will interview Saturday’s combatants as they step off the scale. Joe Rogan will emcee the event.
“HDNet is committed to taking our viewers inside the sport like no other network,” said Mark Cuban, Chairman of HDNet. “LIVE on-site coverage of MMA’s biggest events is a cornerstone of that commitment and we are excited to present ‘Inside MMA’ LIVE at the UFC weigh-ins for the very first time.”
The Super Bowl™ Saturday event in Las Vegas is a UFC tradition, annually featuring one of the best fight cards of the year. “UFC 126” is no exception with one of the deepest cards in recent memory. In the main event of the evening, Anderson Silva defends his UFC Middleweight Title against Vitor Belfort, plus Forest Griffin meets Rich Franklin and Jon Jones takes on Ryan Bader.
“Inside MMA – UFC 126: Silva vs. Belfort Weigh-ins” airs LIVE this Friday at 7:00 p.m. ET on HDNet. The program will replay in its regular time slot later that night at 9:00 p.m. ET.
About HDNet
HDNet (www.hd.net) is the independent network with unique and thought-provoking content that appeals to men of all ages and is delivered in true high definition.
HDNet is the exclusive, high definition home for popular, original programming, including the network’s Emmy Award winning HD news feature programs, “HDNet World Report,” and “Dan Rather Reports,” featuring legendary journalist Dan Rather. Only HDNet goes beyond the headlines to deliver real news that is redefining the way we look at our world. HDNet News is provocative, sometimes controversial and always relevant – telling the important stories of our time in-depth, with attitude and with independence. HDNet is also the exclusive high definition home to critically acclaimed and award winning documentaries, airing as part of the “HDNet ‘Round The World” series. “NASA on HDNet” presents all live shuttle launches through 2011.
HDNet presents championship sports coverage featuring the best of Mixed Martial Arts with its Friday night series, “HDNet Fights” (www.hdnetfights.com). “HDNet Fights” works with leading MMA promoters including DREAM, Sengoku, XFC, K-1, K-1 Max, MFC and more. HDNet produces more live Mixed Martial Arts events than any other network and HDNet’s “Inside MMA” is the hottest Mixed Martial Arts program on television, giving fans their weekly fix for everything MMA, while “Fighting Words with Mike Straka,” goes one-on-one with some of the biggest names in the sport. HDNet also features live coverage of regular season games from the United Football League.
HDNet also delivers the world’s largest and most diverse concert line-up through the HDNet Concert Series. The HDNet Concert Series features leading artists and bands including Paul McCartney, Mariah Carey, John Mayer, Nickelback and more. HDNet also features revealing lifestyle programming featuring “Art Mann Presents,” “Girls Gone Wild®,” “Deadline” and “Get Out!”
Only HDNet Movies (www.hdnetmovies.com) delivers exclusive Sneak Previews of new movies before they hit theaters. The HDNet Movies Sneak Preview series features top Hollywood stars in critically acclaimed performances including Gwyneth Paltrow, Joaquin Phoenix, Demi Moore, Michael Caine, Tom Hanks, Vera Farmiga, Parker Posey, Brian Cox, Matthew Broderick, Kirsten Dunst, Ryan Gosling, John Malkovich, Emily Blunt, Robin Williams, Charlize Theron and Kim Basinger.
In addition to being the exclusive home of Sneak Previews, HDNet Movies viewers enjoy the best films from the classics of the 1950s-1970s, to favorite films from the 1980s and 1990s, to recently released theatrical films.
HDNet Movies offers subscribers a premium movie viewing experience in true HD, and more original movies shot entirely in HD than any other network.
Launched in 2001 by Mark Cuban and General Manager Philip Garvin, the HDNet networks are available in the U.S. via AT&T U-verse, Charter, Comcast, DIRECTV, DISH Network, Insight, and Verizon FiOS and in Canada via Access Communications, Cogeco, Rogers, Shaw Cable and Shaw Direct.
The HDNet networks can be followed via Facebook at facebook.com/HDNet, facebook.com/HDNetFights and facebook.com/HDNetMovies and via Twitter at twitter.com/hdnet, twitter.com/hdnetfights and twitter.com/hdnetmovies.
I’m glad Dana and Marc Cuban squashed their beef (whatever it was), and gave Inside MMA access to UFC content. I’m also glad I just dumped Time Warner and switched to Verizon because I get HDNet again.
I’ll take Inside MMA over MMA Live any day. MMA Live kills me with its bias. When they are on, Kenny Florian and Rashad Evans act as shills for the UFC and Pat Miletich shills for Strikeforce. It’s sad that ESPN can’t get any decent journalists for what is supposed to be a news show. McNeil is the only journalist, and that guy should not be on the radio or TV. Nothing personal, and I like his articles, but he’s not a good speaker.
Inside MMA has a different format, more of a talk show than a news show, and even though Kenny and Bas aren’t journalists, they are engaging and unbiased. They also let the guest panel of fighters speak up rather than just asking them canned interview questions.
I will say that one fighter/news anchor who has impressed me the most Brian Stann. The few times he’s been on MMA Live have been the highlight of that show. He’s clear and concise and manages to be unbiased even though the UFC pays his bills. That guy has a future in news or cageside commentating after his fighting career is over. And I’m not just biased because he’s a Marine.
There is a lot of things pointing to huge interest in UFC 126. This just adds to it. Now there is two live weigh-in shows:
– 6:30 p.m. ET: ESPN live weigh-in special at ESPN.com
– 7:00 p.m. ET: Inside MMA – HDNet makes their live debut at UFC 126 weigh-ins with Kenny Rice and Bas Rutten
Since it sucks to be that ‘I told you so’ guy after the fact I will attempt to be the ‘I told you so’ guy before the fact. So for reference back about a month there was a nice article about 2011 being a rebuilding PPV year for the UFC. I think it was Meltzer saying an 800k PPV buy might be hard to come by this year and the article somewhat agreed if I’m remembering correctly.
So here is the ‘I told you so’. In the comments I remember saying I see the very next PPV UFC 126 doing at least 800k buys based on all the match-ups on that card from top to bottom. Now with all the hype and demand that seems to be around this event I’m feeling very confident about that prediction.
For an example of the demand for this event:
http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2011/2/3/1973034/seat-geek-ufc-126-tickets-moving-well-at-a-record-premium
Scalped or resell tickets are going for big money.
Now please don’t let me be wrong because it’s going to suck to be wrong about this now that I’ve ran my mouth.
Matt C:
You are on record.
😉