White reveals future for St. Pierre, Penn, Germany, "Cro Cop," UFC 100 and more
by MMAjunkie.com Staff on Feb 20, 2009 at 10:40 am ET
On the eve of "UFC 95: Sanchez vs. Stevenson" in London, UFC President Dana White is also busy finalizing the details on several other cards in the near future.
In an interview earlier today with Setanta Sports, one of the UFC's European-based television broadcast partners, White confirmed several rumored matchups over the next few months.
White spoke freely as he relayed the details of UFC 100, a future German card, plans for Georges St. Pierre, B.J. Penn and several other potential future matchups.
First on the list was the much-discussed, though as-yet-unannounced, UFC 100, rumored for a July 11 date in Las Vegas.
"Other than, 'How do I get a job with the UFC, that's the second-most asked question: When is UFC 100, and what are you going to do for it?'" White joked. "I had been putting it off for so long. We were doing so many fights (that) I couldn't focus on 100."
Now that he has time to focus on the historic event, White said he is planning on putting together a card sure to excite the MMA community.
"UFC 100 is going to deliver," White said. "People are going to be really pumped about that card."
When questioned on rumored matchups for the event, White confirmed that champion St. Pierre would put his welterweight title on the line against Thiago Alves, while "The Ultimate Fighter" coaches Dan Henderson and Michael Bisping would also meet at the event.
White said there would also be one other marquee bout on the card.
"There's going to be three major fights on the card," White said.
The U.K.-based broadcasters also asked White what a win would mean for Bisping, and the answer was a title shot -- possibly on his home soil.
"If [Bisping] beats Dan Henderson, not only will he break into the top five, I think if he wins that fight his next fight will be a title shot against Anderson Silva -- which hopefully would be here in the U.K.," White said.
White also discussed the UFC's German debut, currently rumored to be UFC 99 on June 13.
"B.J. (Penn) is probably going to defend his 155-pound title against Kenny Florian, and I'm thinking maybe it's going to be in Germany," White said. "Wanderlei (Silva) will probably fight on that Germany card, too. Not sure yet, but possibly."
White did not commit to a specific date for the German card, stating only that it would take place in June or July. Croatian striker Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic was also discussed as a potential competitor for the German event.
"I talked to Mirko probably about a month ago," White said. "He said he's ready to come back.
"He wants to come back in the UFC and he'd love to fight in Germany. I'm talking to his agent right now, and we're trying to figure out what we can do."
White also confirmed that Brock Lesnar will be facing Frank Mir in May to unify the heavyweight titles, that 205-pound contender Lyoto Machida will "probably have his title shot this summer," and that there will be a title on the line when the UFC returns to the U.K. this summer.
White also mentioned Scotland, France and Dubai as future host for the UFC's worldwide expansion, as well as the potential for future WEC events outside of the U.S.
For the latest on UFC 99 and UFC 100, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of MMAjunkie.com (
www.mmajunkie.com).
