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Network debut  hit & miss for UFC

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By Dann Stupp, MMA Insider 11:14 PM Sunday, November 13, 2011

For a fight that lasted a mere 64 seconds, this past Saturday’s landmark UFC on FOX event sure produced a mix of reactions.

On its 18th birthday, the UFC headed to the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., for its Nov. 12 debut on FOX. It kicked off a lucrative seven-year deal between the world’s biggest MMA promotion and its first network-TV partner.

Hoping to pull in new fans its usual TV partners (pay-per-view, Spike TV and Versus) haven’t in recent years, UFC president Dana White and FOX officials opted to showcase a single fight — a heavyweight title bout between champ Cain Velasquez and Junior Dos Santos — from a 10-fight lineup. White envisioned the former boxing blockbusters that once aired to huge audiences on network TV.

But the fight last a little more than a minute. Some praised the stunning finish, but many more argued that it failed to showcase the many facets of MMA.

White surely wanted the one-hour special to feature more fighting, but he wasn’t about to call it a disappointment.

“As soon as those fights start, whatever happens, happens,” he said. “There’s nothing you can do about that. We can’t control the fights, and that’s why I said this thing (could go) 25 seconds or 25 minutes. Everybody knew it had the potential to be either.”

One decision, though, has been almost universally panned. The night’s co-main event featured a lightweight title eliminator between fan favorites Clay Guida and Ben Henderson. It had all the makings of a barnburner, but officials decided it (and the rest of the undercard) would be available only online and not on FOX. Unfortunately for the UFC, it turned out to be the night’s best fight, but FOX viewers never saw it. White, though, didn’t want to hear complaints.

“For anybody to bitch about this fight, and they didn’t get to see this or that fight — shut up,” he said. “You should have bought tickets, then, if you want to see all the fights and you don’t want to watch it on Facebook. Seriously, shut up. I don’t even want to hear it.”

Brown returns at UFC 139: The UFC hosts its third event in three weeks with this Saturday’s UFC 139 event.

The card, which takes place at HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., has some local flavor with Xenia native and current Columbus resident Matt Brown (12-10) taking on welterweight Seth Baczynski (14-6).

Brown vs. Baczynski streams live on Facebook. Afterward, additions prelims air on Spike TV (8 p.m.), and the pay-per-view main card, including a light-heavyweight headliner between Dan Henderson (28-8) and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua (20-5), airs on pay-per-view (9 p.m.).

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