FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: John Stouffer Monday, March 6, 2017 [email protected]

UFC CHAMPION BISPING HEADLINES FS1 DESK FOR FS1 UFC FIGHT NIGHT: BELFORT VS. GASTELUM

Anik and Stann Call Fights; Edwards Joins Bisping and Grisham in Studio

LOS ANGELES – UFC middleweight champion (@bisping) and retired contender Yves Edwards (@thugjitsumaster) serve as FS1 desk analysts with host Todd Grisham (@GrishamMMA) for UFC FIGHT NIGHT: BELFORT VS. GASTELUM Saturday, March 11 (10:00 PM ET). The trio work the FS1 UFC FIGHT NIGHT WEIGH-IN, FS1 UFC FIGHT NIGHT PREFIGHT and POSTFIGHT SHOWS from FOX Sports’ Studios Friday and Saturday.

Blow-by-blow announcer Jon Anik (@Jon_Anik) and retired UFC contender (@BrianStann) call the fights live from , on Saturday, while reporter Laura Sanko (@laura_sanko) interviews fighters on-site. UFC Erik "Goyito" Perez (@Goyito_Perez) and Troy Santiago (@TroySantiagoTV) have the call in Spanish on FOX Deportes.

Fresh off a spectacular return to the middleweight division in December, the No. 10-ranked (14-2) faces former light champion and current No. 8-ranked middleweight (25-12) in a five-round main event Saturday in Brazil. Winner of Season 17 of , Gastelum looks to follow up a spectacular third-round TKO of with a victory against Belfort, one of the greatest Brazilian fighters of all- time. Belfort has defeated a who’s-who of greats, including Bisping, and .

FOX UFC analyst believes the main event is a classic between an old legend and a rising star: “This is going to be a fun fight. Gastelum looks phenomenal at middleweight. He’s a big-time pressure fighter, that’s how he’ll have to fight Vitor Belfort. Belfort has been very strong when he fights in Brazil. He’s is still fast and dangerous, especially early in a fight.” Watch a preview of the fight from last Saturday’s FS1 UFC 209 POSTFIGHT SHOW here.

Also on Saturday night, No. 6-ranked Shogun Rua (24-10) faces No. 12 Gian Villante (15-7) in an explosive co-main event. Plus, the No. 5-ranked Edson Barboza (18-4) and No. 9 Beneil Dariush (14-2) square off. No. 3-ranked Jussier Formiga (19- 4) faces No. 8 (10-2), while No. 9-ranked bantamweight (10-2) clashes with No. 13 Marion Reneau (7-2). (15-3-1, 2NC) and (26-7-1, 1NC) open the main card with a battle.

The two-hour UFC FIGHT NIGHT PRELIMS on FS1 and FOX Deportes begin at 8:00 PM ET and feature four exciting bouts. No. 11-ranked lightweight Francisco Trinaldo (21-4) and (14-2) scrap. Sergio Moraes (11-3-1) and Davi Ramos (6-1) tangle, while No. 13-ranked (23-8, 1NC) and (17-5) collide in a bantamweight battle. Michel Prazeres (21-2) and Joshua Burkman (29-14, 1NC) open the PRELIMS with a lightweight bout.

Saturday’s coverage begins at 7:00 PM ET with the FS1 UFC FIGHT NIGHT PREFIGHT SHOW hosted by Grisham, with analysts Bisping and Edwards. The action wraps up immediately following the main event with the FS1 UFC FIGHT NIGHT POSTFIGHT SHOW. The FS1 UFC WEIGH-IN SHOW takes place on Friday, March 10 (5:00 PM ET) on FS1 with the same studio crew.

On the popular FOXSports.com podcast “Fight Society,” host Damon Martin interviews Gastelum about his headlining bout. It’s available on iTunes and Soundcloud. Follow @UFConFOX on for live updates throughout the #UFCFortaleza fights this Saturday.

Fans can live stream the fights on FOX Sports GO, available in English or Spanish through the FS1 or FOX Deportes feeds. The fight is available on desktop at FOXSportsGO.com and through the app store, or connected devices including Apple TV, Android TV, Fire TV, Xbox One and Roku. In addition, all programs are also available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app.

For notes, coverage, bios, photography and more, visit the FOX UFC page on FOX Sports Press Pass.

FOX SPORTS UFC PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE

DATE TIME EVENT NET* Friday, 5:00 PM ET FS1 UFC WEIGH-IN SHOW FS1 March 10 Saturday, 7:00 PM ET FS1 UFC FIGHT NIGHT PREFIGHT SHOW FS1 March 11 Saturday, 8:00 PM ET FS1 UFC FIGHT NIGHT PRELIMS FS1 / FOX March 11 Deportes Saturday, 10:00 PM ET FS1 UFC FIGHT NIGHT: BELFORT VS. FS1 / FOX March 11 GASTELUM Deportes Saturday, 1:00 AM ET FS1 UFC FIGHT NIGHT POSTFIGHT SHOW FS1 March 11 *All programs also available on FOX Sports GO and FOX Sports on SiriusXM

--FOX SPORTS--