Waiting for the right fight, UFC still wants to run an event at Cowboys Stadium

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

Since getting 55,000 fans into the Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, in April of 2011, the UFC has been eying the right fight for another major stadium event. They thought they had that with the Anderson Silva-Chael Sonnen rematch, which they initially planned to bring to a soccer stadium in Brazil, but logistical issues plagued that card, and the bout was moved to Las Vegas instead.

They don't have that right fight set just yet, but they're still looking into bringing an event to Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Texas. There were talks initially of bringing a fight there by January of 2013, but that time frame isn't feasible yet for the organization.

UFC owner Lorenzo Fertitta still wants to bring a fight there, but they need the right fight, as well as a date that works for them.

"I don't think we'd do anything in January but we've been in contact with them," Fertitta said in an interview with ESPN.com. "Dallas Cowboys Stadium is something we definitely want to do and we're focused on, but it's tricky. It's so busy, it's hard to get a date that works for us."

"We'll keep an eye on it. It's got to be the right fight. If we're doing Dallas Cowboys Stadium it would probably either be a catchweight superfight or something else that's huge."

That fight could very well be a bout between UFC Champions Anderson Silva and Georges St-Pierre. It has been discussed for some time, but it's coming closer to reality as Silva is waiting to return until 2013, and St-Pierre could be his opponent with a win over Carlos Condit at UFC 154 in November.

Penick's Analysis: If St-Pierre defeats Condit in November, I can almost guarantee the UFC will be targeting that super fight for Cowboys Stadium by April. It's the only fight they can put on right now - outside of maybe Silva vs. Jon Jones - that could garner the hype and buzz needed to set records with a stadium show in Dallas. If that fight doesn't come together, I can't think of another bout the UFC has on tap that could bring that same level of interest. Not at this stage, at least. Still, if it's St-Pierre against Silva, I'd have to imagine the UFC would pull out all the stops for that type of an event.

Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/UFC_2/article_14128.shtml

Clay Guida Jason Guida Melvin Guillard Cody Guinn