Weidman, Rousey to defend UFC belts
Chris Weidman will defend his middleweight title against Vitor Belfort, and Ronda Rousey will defend her bantamweight title against Cat Zingano at UFC 184, scheduled for Feb. 28 at Los Angeles’ Staples Center.
UFC President Dana White announced the matchups for the mixed martial arts promotion’s first show in Southern California since February 2013.
Weidman (12-0) has defended the 185-pound title twice since taking it away from Anderson Silva in July 2013. His defense against Belfort (24-10) was rescheduled from Dec. 6 after Weidman broke his hand in training.
Weidman and Belfort initially were scheduled to meet in May, but Belfort was pulled from the card after the Nevada State Athletic Commission banned testosterone replacement therapy. Belfort was a vocal participant in the sanctioned steroid use while fighting exclusively in Brazil over the past two years, but the Brazilian veteran says he has dropped the much-criticized practice.
The Staples Center show will be a home event for Rousey (10-0), a Southern California native and nascent film actor who has become one of the UFC’s biggest stars while defending her 135-pound title four times.
Rousey was previously slated to meet Zingano (9-0) at UFC 182 in Las Vegas on Jan. 3. No reason has been given for the change, but Rousey is capable of headlining a pay-per-view card if Belfort proved unable to compete.
Zingano beat Miesha Tate in 2013 to earn her title shot at Rousey and a chance to coach on the UFC’s competition reality show. But Zingano tore a knee ligament and needed surgery, and she eventually spent 18 months out of the octagon while dealing with her rehabilitation and her husband’s suicide.
The UFC has been absent from the nation’s second-largest market since Rousey made her first title defense in Anaheim at UFC 157.
The promotion canceled UFC 176, scheduled for Aug. 2 at Staples Center, when featherweight champion Jose Aldo got injured in training and couldn’t compete in his rematch with Chad Mendes.
White also added a lightweight bout between Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone and contender Myles Jury to the UFC 182 card in January after moving Rousey’s fight to UFC 184.
