LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - SEPTEMBER 04: (L-R) Josh Barnett and Roy Nelson face off during the UFC's Go Big launch event inside MGM Grand Garden Arena on September 4, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - SEPTEMBER 04: (L-R) Josh Barnett and Roy Nelson face off during the UFC's Go Big launch event inside MGM Grand Garden Arena on September 4, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Top-Ranked Heavyweights Battle at FS1 UFC FIGHT NIGHT: Barnett vs. Nelson on Saturday Night
UFC heavyweights take center stage at FS1 UFC FIGHT NIGHT live on FS1 and FOX Deportes on Saturday, Sept. 26 (10:00 PM ET) when perennial contender and current No. 11 Roy “Big Country” Nelson (21-11) looks for another big finish against former UFC heavyweight champion and current No. 8 Josh “The Warmaster” Barnett (33-7). With his past 10 wins coming by knockout, THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER season 10 winner Nelson has dynamite in his fists. When he meets Barnett, though, he squares off against a motivated contender eager to impress in his first fight back in Japan in more than five years.
“These are two very technical heavyweights,” says FOX UFC analyst Brian Stann. “Roy Nelson has massive power in his hands, but people forget he’s also a black belt in jiu-jitsu. Barnett is also a black belt and is known for his amazing grappling. This is going to be a very big and heavy chess match. They both go into fights to please the fans and put on a performance.”
Also featured on the main card is an exciting middleweight battle between No. 6 ranked Gegard Mousasi (37-5-2) vs. THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER season 17 finalist Uriah Hall (12-5). Top-ranked flyweights No. 7 Kyoji Horiguchi (15-1) and No. 13 Chico Camus (14-6, 1NC) look to move up the standings, while No. 8-ranked bantamweight Takeya Mizugaki (20-9-2) faces George Roop (15-12-1). The main card also features another exciting bantamweight clash as Kid Yamamoto (18-6, 2NC) battles Matt Hobar (9-3), and kicks off with a matchup between returning featherweight Mizuto Hirota (17-7) and UFC newcomer Teruhito Ishihara (7-2).
Jon Anik (@Jon_Anik) and Kenny Florian (@KennyFlorian) call the fights on FS1 and FS2 live from the historic Saitama Super Arena in Japan, while Víctor Dávila and Erik Perez make the call in Spanish on FOX Deportes.
The two-hour FS1 UFC FIGHT NIGHT PRELIMS on FS2 and FOX Deportes begin at 8:00 PM ET and feature four bouts, including Katsunori Kikuno (23-7-2) and Diego Brandao (23-10) in a featherweight clash. Welterweights Keita Nakamura (14-3-2) and Li Jingliang (10-3) keep the action rolling, while lightweights Nick Hein (12-2, 1NC) and Yusuke Kasuya (9-1) face off. Naoyuki Kotani (33-12-7) and Kajan Johnson (20-12-1) get things started on the PRELIMS with a lightweight showdown.
Saturday’s coverage begins on FOX Sports 2 (7:00 PM ET) with the FS1 UFC FIGHT NIGHT PREFIGHT SHOW hosted by veteran combat sports journalist Karyn Bryant (@KarynBryant), with analysts Brian Stann (@BrianStann) and eighth-ranked middleweight Michael Bisping (@Bisping). Caroline Pearce (@CarolinePearce) interviews fighters on-site in Japan. Coverage wraps up at 1:00 AM ET Sunday night on FS1 with postfight coverage on FOX SPORTS LIVE.
The FS1 UFC WEIGH-IN SHOW takes place on Friday, Sept. 25 (11:00 PM ET) on FS2 and features Bryant alongside Stann and Bisping on the desk, with reporting by Pearce in Japan.
Leading up to Saturday’s main event, FOXSports.com offers comprehensive coverage of UFC FIGHT NIGHT with fight analysis and interviews with the featured fighters. Fans can monitor FIGHT NIGHT action with the live blog and minute-by-minute commentary via @UFCONFOX on Twitter and use the hashtag #UFCJAPAN for the latest updates.
The live FS1 UFC FIGHT NIGHT: BARNETT VS. NELSON action and related studio programming on FS1 and FS2 are available to customers of participating pay TV providers via FOX Sports GO app and on the web through FOXSportsGO.com. FOX Sports GO is currently available for iOS, Android, Kindle Fire tablets and Fire phones and select Windows devices. Fans can download the mobile app for free from the iTunes App Store, Google Play, Amazon App Store and Windows Store.
Action continues the following week when UFC light heavyweight champion and FOX UFC analyst Daniel Cormier defends his belt against No. 2-ranked Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 192. FS1 telecasts the FS1 UFC 192 WEIGH IN on Friday, Oct. 2 and FS1 UFC 192 PREFIGHT, FS1 UFC 192 PRELIMS and FS1 UFC 192 POSTFIGHT SHOWS on Saturday, Oct. 4.
