UFC 74

[Rappy Veteran]

Although recently dethroned UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre will be medically cleared in time to fight at UFC 73 in July, the UFC is looking for the Canadian to make his return to the Octagon in August, according to The Fight Network.Currently, the only rumored event set for August is UFC 74, which is expected to take place Aug. 25 and feature two title defenses: heavyweight champion Randy Couture vs. the winner of this weekend?s Mirko ?Cro Cop? Filipovic vs. Gabriel Gonzagaga main event, and lightweight chaSean Sherk vs. Hermes Franca.a.

According to The Fight Network[/b]rk:

St. Pierre has informed the UFC that his preference would be to fight on the July card. Nonetheless, it appears Zuffa would rather have GSP fight next in August at UFC 74.

St. Pierre lost his belt in a stunning upset to Matt Serra at UFC 69 earlier this month. Despite the loss, St. Pierre remains one of the UFC?s top-ranked welterweights and one of the division?s top contenders.

An immediate rematch with Serra seems unlikely. UFC president Dana White recently stated that Serra would instead face former champ Matt Hughes in his first title defense, possibly at a UFC 75 event in September.

[Jojo81]

Really shouldn't Pierre face Hughes to see who fights Serra?

[jerico]

Should be a good one!

[Rappy Veteran]

Really shouldn't Pierre face Hughes to see who fights Serra?

Pierre lost so he has to have another eliminator before he gets the shot again tho Hughes won his first match back but in the long run we will see Hughes and Pierre again for sure...unless Serra beats Hughes of course as this weekend has taught us anything is possible in the UFC :D

[snyper]

One UFC is being held in Ireland this year at some point...

Not the belfast one..another one in the nice part of the Island.

[Rappy Veteran]

After getting reports from both fighters? camps, UFCjunkie.com reported last week that former UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre (13-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC) would likely face rising contender Josh Koscheck (8-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) in his next UFC bout.

Our report took one step closer to fruition over the weekend when UFC president Dana White stated that he predicts the St. Pierre vs. Koscheck fight will, in fact, happen.

[LRoling]

Wow, that might be a pretty damn good fight.

[Googintosh]

I wonder when Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira will make his UFC debut.

[Rappy Veteran]

The UFC 74 event slated for Aug. 25 will take place in Albuquerque, New Mexico, according to a TV sports broadcaster who cited local fighter Diego Sanchez as his source.

The rumor of the potential event surfaced yesterday after a news broadcast on KOAT, the local ABC affiliate in Albuquerque, reported that the city would host the upcoming event.

UFCjunkie.com (www.ufcjunkie.com) contacted John Salazar, sports anchor/reporter for KOAT, who confirmed the report. He said he received the following message from Sanchez, The Ultimate Fighter 1?s middleweight winner who fights out of New Mexico:

Mark your calendar for August 25th because the UFC will make a stop in [the] Duke City. Diego Sanchez, who is 19-1 overall and graduated from Del Notre High School, will be on [the] card. Yes folks, the [Octagon] is coming. An opponent has not yet been named for Diego. The Pit is a possible venue.

?The Pit,? better known as University Arena, is the primary home of the University of New Mexico Lobo basketball games. The venue has a capacity of more than 18,000.

New Mexico has never hosted a UFC event.

Despite what appears to be a credible source, I?m hesitant to take this news as gospel. UFCjunkie.com (www.ufcjunkie.com) has been unable to confirm the report with any other source, so for now, I?d consider this news more of a rumor than fact.

With that said, the possibility of this event is surely intriguing. UFC 74 is currently slated to feature a title match between UFC heavyweight champion Randy Couture (15-8 MMA, 12-5 UFC) and Gabriel Gonzaga (8-1 MMA, 4-0 UFC). Additionally, the event is expected to host a welterweight match with top contenders Josh Koscheck (9-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) and Georges St. Pierre (13-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC).

Koscheck recently defeated Sanchez (17-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) at UFC 69 earlier this month. The two bitter rivals sparked a pre-fight war that made their bout one of the night?s most-anticipated. Despite the fireworks, Koscheck dominated a fairly lackluster but decisive unanimous-decision victory ? winning the fight more with brains than braun.

Despite the loss to his once-unblemished record, Sanchez remains one of the UFC?s most-talented and marketable fighters anywhere in the world. However, in Albuquerque, the fighter would undoubtedly be the night?s biggest draw.

[Rappy Veteran]

Top welterweight contender Josh Koscheck (9-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) and former UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre (13-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC) will square off at UFC 74 in August.

UFCjunkie.com (www.ufcjunkie.com) was the first to announce the fight nearly a month ago. Today, Koscheck confirmed that he has the contract in hand and will soon sign and return it to the UFC.

UFC 74 takes place Aug. 25 in Las Vegas, and the event features a main event of UFC heavyweight champ Randy Couture vs. Gabriel Gonzaga. Koscheck vs. St. Pierre will also be one of the night?s main attractions.

From kos-check.com:

Well as of now, it looking like Kos is set to be fighting in AUG at UFC 74 and it?s looking like we will be taking on Georges St. Pierre. We have the contract and will be sending it back this week to the UFC! more updates to come in the next couple of days!

St. Pierre lost his belt during his first-ever title defense earlier last month to Matt Serra at UFC 69. The Canadian, however, will have to wait to get it back; fellow former champ Matt Hughes will get the first shot at Serra?s title after they?re done serving as coaches on the upcoming sixth season of The Ultimate Fighter.

Koscheck, a cast member from the first season of The Ultimate Fighter, scored an upset of bitter rival Diego Sanchez at UFC 69. The unanimous-decision victory leapfrogged Koscheck in the welterweight rankings. In fact, at one time, it was thought that the winner of that fight would get an immediate title match.

Instead, Koscheck will have to take a detour through St. Pierre, who would surely be his toughest test to date. The winner should be next in line for a title shot, but he will have to wait for the outcome of Hughes vs. Serra, which is expected to take place in December.