UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson will defend his title in a long-awaited showdown with Gilbert Melendez, the last man to hold the Strikeforce lightweight title, on Saturday, April 20 when the Ultimate Fighting Championship brings the Octagon back to HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif.
The 29-year-old Henderson is 6-0 in the UFC, including two consecutive title defenses over Nate Diaz and Frankie Edgar. He’ll look to cement his status as the world’s best 155-pounder when he meets Melendez, a San Francisco resident riding a seven-fight winning streak.
“Benson Henderson wants to beat Gilbert Melendez to prove once and for all that he’s the best lightweight in the world,” UFC President Dana White said. “Gilbert was a champion in Strikeforce and he’s been on an incredible tear. Benson wants this fight badly and I’m excited that it’s headlining such a stacked card.”
In addition, this outstanding card also features:
· Former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir vs. highly touted Olympic wrestler and winner of the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix, San Jose’s Daniel Cormier.
· Stockton’s Nate Diaz vs. San Jose’s Josh Thomson in lightweight action
· A welterweight collision between Dan Hardy and Matt Brown
The main card airs live on FOX at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT, preceded by the prelims on FX at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT. FUEL TV previews the card the week before on signature shows UFC TONIGHT and UFC ULTIMATE INSIDER, and also carries the WEIGH-IN SHOW on Friday, April 19 at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT and provides post-event analysis.
Tickets for UFC on FOX: HENDERSON vs. MELENDEZ go on sale Friday, Feb. 15 at 10 a.m. PT and are priced at $250, $150, $100, $75, and $50. Tickets are available at the HP Pavilion Box Office, all Ticketmaster locations, by phone 800-745-3000 or online at www.ticketmaster.com. Ticket prices do not include applicable service charges.
UFC Fight Club members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets to this event Wednesday, Feb. 13 at 10 a.m. PT via the website www.ufcfightclub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Thursday, Feb. 14, starting at 10 a.m. PT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.
