The Daily Telegraph has the scoop:
After the major improvements with ESPN’s UFC 102 broadcast, I can reveal even better news for fans. British fighters will be seen more and more on ESPN broadcasts here, regardless of whether they are fighting in the USA, Australia, or Asia, as the world’s leading mixed martial arts organisation widens its net.
ESPN is to regionalise UFC events in the future, by showing British fighters who may be in preliminary bouts on UFC events taking place elsewhere. This is a major step forward. Eight of the ten fights were shown on Sunday morning, from UFC 102, mainly because of several early knockout finishes.
Clearly, the plan ESPN and the UFC have come up with is designed to cater for UK fans of the sport, and developing British fighters within the UFC. It is also a sign that ESPN are looking to put roots in for a long-term future with the sport.
I think this is a great move by the UFC as it's another way to help market fighters coming from certain countries. That not only helps those fans identify with those fighters, it also adds more fights to an already guranteed fight card that's usually 5 fights for PPV events. So you UK fans win again.
HT: Cagewriter