UFC 148 PRELIMS ON FX PACK PUNCH

Four Fight Undercard Was the Highest-Rated UFC Preliminary Card Event on Record Among Adults 18-34, Men 18-34 and all Key Women Demos

UFC 148 Prelims Was FX’s Most-Watched UFC Telecast Ever

Cable’s #1 Program Saturday Night in All 18-34 Demos

LOS ANGELES, July 10, 2012 – Before tuning into the main event card which saw reigning Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva defeat Chael Sonnen in their highly anticipated rematch, UFC fans flocked to FX, as the UFC 148 Prelims were FX’s most-watched UFC event ever, and the 1.8 million viewers made the UFC 148 Prelims the second-most watched prelims ever, trailing only the UFC 126 Prelims.

Featuring four undercard fights, UFC 148 Prelims on FX was the highest-rated Prelims event ever among Adults 18-34 (749,000), Men 18-34 (500,000) and in all key Women demos: W18-49 (403,000) W18-34 (249,000) and W25-54 (375,000).  UFC 148 Prelims easily ranked #1 for the night on cable in all 18-34 demos

The combination of the UFC 148 Prelims and two repeats of Anger Management helped FX rank #1 for the night in Adults 18-34 and Men 18-34, and #2 in Adults 18-49, Men 18-49 and Men 25-54.

FX’s next UFC telecast will be the UFC 149 Prelims on Saturday, July 21, live from 5-7pm PT / 8-10pm ET.  The second season of The Ultimate Fighter on FX kicks off in September. 

FX is the flagship general entertainment basic cable network from Fox. Launched in June of 1994, FX is carried in more than 98 million homes. The diverse schedule includes a growing roster of critically acclaimed and award-winning hit dramas series including Sons of Anarchy, Justified and American Horror Story, and acclaimed hit comedy seriesIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, The League, Louie, Archer, Wilfred, Brand X with Russell Brand, Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell and Legit. Its library of acquired box-office hit movies is unmatched by any ad-supported television network. The network's other offerings include the acquired hit series Two and a Half Men andHow I Met Your Mother, and live sports with UFC and NCAA football.

Two Stars Born on the Same Night!

Fortuna and Mago Both Crush Foes in Jaw-Dropping Performances Friday Night Promoter Sampson Lewkowicz of Sampson Boxing wishes to congratulate his two budding superstars after their impressive victories at Friday night's "The Moment of Truth" boxing show at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, and televised live on ESPN Friday Night Fights. In the night's main event, Sampson Boxing featherweight prospect Javier "El Abejon" Fortuna (20-0, 15 KOs) passed the toughest test of his career with flying colors (and leather) by demolishing former IBF Featherweight Champion Cristobal Cruz (39-14, 23 KOs) with a razor sharp left hand at 2:22 of round two. Having been world champion two short years ago and with a resume that included victories over several impressive names, Cruz was supposed to test the 22-year-old southpaw. It didn't go that way. Flashing the brilliant hand speed and thudding power that are becoming his trademark, Fortuna dominated Cruz, dropping him once in the first and flat on his face in the second to seal the victory. And in the co-main event, the ominous destroyer on the horizon, Magomed "Mago" Abdusalamov (15-0, 15 KOs) scored a pulverizing second-round TKO over a surprisingly outgunned Maurice "Freight Train" Byarm (now 13-2-1, 9 KOs) and in the process successfully defended his WBC United States (USNBC) Silver Heavyweight Championship. Byarm came out looking to land heavy shots and then turn the big Russian to escape, but Abdusalamov was having none of it. He cornered Byarm at the end of the first and basically ended the fight there with a skull-rattling barrage against the ropes. Byarm was saved by the bell, but coming out for round two, it took just seconds for Mago to put him on the deck, prompting referee Tony Weeks to stop it at the 36-second mark. "Both my fighters left little doubt they are on the road to world championships tonight," said an elated Lewkowicz, post-fight. "Javier Fortuna took on a man who hadn't been stopped in a decade of tough fights and made it look very easy. That was a world champ he was toying with. The problem opponents are going to have with Javier is that if he hits you, you go down. And with his speed, he's going to hit you. He is ready for anyone in the world right now." "And Mago, continued Lewkowicz. "He was scary tonight. Byarm can fight and Mago walked him down like he was hunting rabbits. No one can take many shots from him. He is the strongest fighter in boxing. It won't be long and he will be trapping a Klitschko like that. I don't know who would be crazy enough to fight him after tonight's performance. We will see. The world better take note of Mago. He's coming."

Don't Miss UFC 148 Live Tomorrow Night

It's Time - Don't Miss Silva vs Sonnen II Live Tomorrow Night The biggest rematch in UFC history is live tomorrow night as UFC middleweight champ Anderson Silva looks to defend the title against rival Chael Sonnen - plus, Forrest Griffin locks horns for a third time with former champ Tito Ortiz! UFC 148 presented by Bud Light - tomorrow night at 10pm ET / 7pm PT on Pay-Per-View and UFC. TV - Click here to read the official event program See Tomorrow Night's Prelims On FX and Facebook Before the action hits Pay-Per-View, see the night's preliminary bouts live starting on Facebook at 7:25pm ET / 4:25pm PT then continuing on FX at 8pm ET / 5pm PT - "LIKE" the UFC on Facebook to see the prelims for free! Watch The UFC 148 Weigh-In Live Today On UFC.com or Fuel TV Fighters hit the scale at approximately 7pm ET / 4pm PT

UFC 148: Silva vs Sonnen II on Pay-Per-View - Sat. July 7 - Las Vegas, NV UFC on Fuel TV: Munoz vs Weidman on Fuel TV - Wed. July 11 - San Jose, CA

Quotes from Today's Moment of Truth Press Conference at Hard Rock in Las Vegas

A press conference was held today at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas to discuss tomorrow night's (Friday, July 6) Sampson Boxing and Greg Cohen Promotions', boxing event entitled "The Moment of Truth" at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, and live on ESPN Friday Night Fights. Featherweight prospect Javier "El Abejon" Fortuna (19-0, 14 KOs) and former IBF Featherweight Champion Cristobal "Lacandón" Cruz (39-13, 23 Kos), as well as co-main event fighters Magomed "Mago" Abdusalamov (14-0, 14 KOs) and Maurice "Freight Train" Byarm (13-1-1, 9 KOs) were all respectful but all are determined to emerge victorious. Co-Promoter  Sampson Lewkowicz This will be a great night of boxing. The fights are all sensational. I want to commend these men for accepting to face each other. These are real fighters who want to become champions. I wish all fighters were like these guys. Co-Promoter Greg Cohen The fans are going to get their money's worth tomorrow night, that's for sure. Maurice Byarm has never been more ready for a fight and tomorrow night he's going to lay it all on the line in there. Javier "El Abejon" Fortuna I have fire inside me for this fight. It's a tough fight. I know he has a lot of experience, but this is my time. I have the best trainer in the world (Pablo Sarmiento) and I will be world champion for a long time. Cristobal Cruz It will be a great fight. I am ready for anything tomorrow night because I am hungry to be world champion again. Maurice Byarm He's good and he comes prepared. So do I. We're going to put on the show that everyone expects us to put on. It's going to be a war. Magomed Abdusalamov Tomorrow will be a great fight. I am ready. Thanks to my promoter and my manager for this opportunity. ###    Tickets for "The Moment of Truth" are priced at $29 general admission, $44 reserved, $104 ringside and $204 VIP and are available at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino box office daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and through Ticketmaster, either by calling 702-474-4000or 800-745-3000, or by going online at ticketmaster.com. PLEASE NOTE REVISED START TIME: On fight night, doors open at 6:00 p.m. and the event starts at 6:20 p.m. All bouts are subject to change. For updates, visit www.sampsonboxing.com or www.gcpboxing.com.

The Countdown to UFC 148 Begins Tonight

The Countdown to UFC 148 Begins Tonight On Fuel TV The rematch between Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen goes down this Saturday night in Las Vegas - see how they've prepared for their middleweight title bout, plus Forrest Griffin and Tito Ortiz get ready for the final meeting in their epic trilogy! Countdown to UFC 148 premieres tonight at 9pm ET / 6pm PT on Fuel TV International Fight Week Comes To Las Vegas July 3-7 Celebrate the UFC over the Fourth of July in Las Vegas! Fans from across the globe will enjoy free concerts, exclusive pool parties hosted by Octagon Girls, open workouts, pub crawls, UFC Fan Expo, weigh-ins and amazing access to UFC fighters around the city. This all leads up to the ultimate rematch between Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen at UFC 148 live at the MGM Grand Garden Arena! If you love the UFC, there is no better way to experience it than in Las Vegas.

UFC 148: Silva vs Sonnen II on Pay-Per-View - Sat. July 7 - Las Vegas, NV UFC on Fuel TV: Munoz vs Weidman on Fuel TV - Wed. July 11 - San Jose, CA

UFC Fan Expo® Attendees Offered Exclusive Deal for a Friday Night of Hard-Hitting Boxing Action!

Attendees of the UFC Fan Expo® this week in Las Vegas can enjoy one more very special perk, now that promoters Sampson Boxing and Greg Cohen Promotions have come up with a special ticket deal for their "Moment of Truth" boxing show at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on Friday night (July 6). By presenting a ticket stub to any UFC Fan Expo® event or a ticket to the next night's UFC 148 event, to the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino box office, fight-sport fans can buy a boxing ticket for half price or get two tickets for the price of one on any $29, $44 or $104 tickets. UFC Fan Expo® events end at 6:00 pm, so get your fill and then head over to the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and catch the exciting preliminary fights until the ESPN Friday Night Fights-televised action begins at 7:00 pm. It's a chance to end a day of celebrating one combat sport with an edge-of-your-seat live experience in another for a very specially discounted price. Or, if you have tickets to Saturday's UFC, you can make a true Vegas weekend by spending both nights at the fights. And fans, if you love hard-hitting action, then you'll love "The Moment of Truth". The explosive night of professional boxing will feature red-hot featherweight prospect Javier "El Abejon" Fortuna (19-0, 14 KOs) of La Romana, Dominican Republic, stepping in against the toughest opponent he's ever faced in former IBF Featherweight World Champion Cristobal "Lacandón" Cruz (39-13, 23 KOs) of Chiapas, Mexico, live on ESPN Friday Night Fights. In the televised co-feature that night, Russian heavyweight power puncher Magomed "Mago" Abdusalamov (14-0, 14 KOs) will defend his WBC United States (USNBC) Silver Heavyweight Championship in a 10-round battle against fellow up-and-coming heavyweight Maurice "Freight Train" Byarm (13-1-1, 9 KOs). On the undercard, scheduled to fight in a six-round bout is undefeated Las Vegas featherweight Rocco Santomauro (8-0). Scheduled for four-rounders Jackson, Michigan, cruiserweight William "King Kamm" Williams (5-2-1, 4 KOs); Henderson, Nevada, cruiserweight Brandon Harris (5-0, 3 KOs) and Romanian import Ronald Gavril (2-0, 1 KO). "We are proud to offer this discount to the fans of the UFC," said event promoter Sampson Lewkowicz. "We are all one family in the fighting sports, so we welcome the MMA fans to join us and see how exciting live boxing can also be. It's a sensational night of boxing we have lined up, so come and enjoy it for a very special price." Tickets for "The Moment of Truth" are priced at $29 general admission, $44 reserved, $104 ringside and $204 VIP and are available at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino box office daily from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. and on Friday from 10 am to 10 pm, and through Ticketmaster, either by calling 702-474-4000 or 800-745-3000, or by going online atticketmaster.com. On fight night, doors open at 5:00 p.m. and the event starts at 5:30 p.m. Televised boxing begins at 7:00. All bouts are subject to change. Offer subject to availability and not valid on previous purchases. For updates, visit www.sampsonboxing.com or www.gcpboxing.com.

International Fight Week Comes To Las Vegas July 3-7

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UFC Primetime Silva vs Sonnen Premieres This Weekend
Before their middleweight title clash next weekend, get a look into the lives of Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen as they prepare for their rematch in Las Vegas. Visit UFC.com for broadcast times

International Fight Week Comes To Las Vegas July 3-7
Celebrate the UFC over the Fourth of July in Las Vegas! Fans from across the globe will enjoy free concerts, exclusive pool parties hosted by Octagon Girls, open workouts, pub crawls, UFC Fan Expo, weigh-ins and amazing access to UFC fighters around the city. This all leads up to the ultimate rematch between Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen at UFC 148 live at the MGM Grand Garden Arena! If you love the UFC, there is no better way to experience it than in Las Vegas.

UFC 148: Silva vs Sonnen II on Pay-Per-View - Sat. July 7 - Las Vegas, NV UFC on Fuel TV: Munoz vs Weidman on Fuel TV - Wed. July 11 - San Jose, CA

UFC Fan Expo Returns To Las Vegas This July

UFC Fan Expo Returns To Las Vegas July 6 & 7 The Ultimate Fan Experience will be back at Mandalay Bay Convention Center for two jam packed days of Autograph signings from the largest collection of UFC fighters and Octagon Girls, Special Events with celebrities including Joe Rogan, Mike Goldberg, Jon Anik, Herb Dean, Dan Miragliotta, Randy Couture, and stars from The Ultimate Fighter, plus train with pros like BJ Penn, Stephan Bonnar, and Vinny Magalhaes! Don't wait, ticket prices will increase at the door. Buy Tickets Now and Save >> International Fight Week Comes To Las Vegas July 3-7 Celebrate the UFC over the Fourth of July in Las Vegas! Fans from across the globe will enjoy free concerts, exclusive pool parties hosted by Octagon Girls, open workouts, pub crawls, UFC Fan Expo, weigh-ins and amazing access to UFC fighters around the city. This all leads up to the ultimate rematch between Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen at UFC 148 live at the MGM Grand Garden Arena! If you love the UFC, there is no better way to experience it than in Vegas.

UFC 148: Silva vs Sonnen II on Pay-Per-View - Sat. July 7 - Las Vegas, NV UFC on Fuel TV: Munoz vs Weidman on Fuel TV - Wed. July 11 - San Jose, CA

International Fight Week Comes To Las Vegas

International Fight Week Comes To Las Vegas July 3-7 Celebrate the UFC over the Fourth of July in Las Vegas! Fans from across the globe will enjoy free concerts, exclusive pool parties, open workouts, pub crawls, UFC Fan Expo, weigh-ins and amazing access to UFC fighters around the city. This all leads up to the ultimate rematch between Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen at UFC 148 live at the MGM Grand Garden Arena! If you love the UFC, there is no better way to experience it than in Vegas.

UFC on FX: Maynard vs Guida on FX - Friday, June 22 - Atlantic City, NJ UFC 147: Silva vs Franklin II on Pay-Per-View - Sat. June 23 - Belo Horizonte, Brazil

Tickets On Sale This Week For Silva vs Sonnen 2 In Vegas

Heated Rivals Collide With Two Titles On The Line This Summer In Las Vegas Chael Sonnen returns for another shot at Anderson Silva's middleweight championship, plus the trilogy comes to a close as TUF Live coaches Urijah Faber and bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz go toe-to-toe in a rubber match for the 135-pound title. Plus, Forrest Griffin and Tito Ortiz look to come out on top in their series when they meet in the Octagon! UFC 148 Presented by Bud Light - Saturday, July 7 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas - UFC Fight Club presale starts Wednesday, May 2, join today for first access to tickets! Subscribe to UFC Magazine Today Look for the new issue on newsstands, featuring covers with Jon Jones and Jim Miller Tickets On Sale Now For UFC Fan Expo This July In Las Vegas UFC Fan Expo returns to Las Vegas July 6-7 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center

TICKETS ON SALE THIS WEEK UFC 148: Silva vs Sonnen 2 Presented by Bud Light Saturday, July 7 MGM Grand Garden Arena - Las Vegas, NV UFC Fight Club Presale Starts Wednesday, May 2 - 10am PT Join today for first access to tickets! UFC VIP Packages On sale Wednesday, May 2 - 10am PT Purchase UFC Newsletter Presale Starts Thursday, May 3 - 10am PT Presale Password: SUMMER Purchase Public On-Sale Starts Friday, May 4 - Noon PT Purchase

UFC on FOX: Diaz vs Miller on Fox - Sat. May 5 - East Rutherford, NJ UFC on Fuel TV: Korean Zombie vs Poirier on Fuel TV - Tues. May 15 - Fairfax, VA