Urijah Faber flexes after making weight during the weigh in for UFC 132 Friday, July 1, 2011 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
Friday, July 1, 2011 | 7:30 p.m.
Dana White Fireside Chat UFC 132
UFC President Dana White holds his usual discssion with the media following the UFC 132 pre-fight press conference at MGM Grand Garden Arena. White addresses Nate Marquardt's firing, Saturday's fight card, ongoing television negations and more in this card's edition of his fireside chat.
UFC 132
KSNV coverage of upcoming UFC 132 fights, June 30, 2011.
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UFC 132 boasts one of the toughest main events, a bantamweight title fight between Urijah Faber and Dominick Cruz, to pick in recent memory.
The fans at the MGM Grand Garden Arena for Friday’s weigh-in appeared to have made their choice. The crowd greeted Faber, the challenger, with overwhelming applause. They mostly booed Cruz.
“I’m going to keep that belt,” Cruz said. “I’m going to whup him tomorrow night for all of you booing.”
Both Cruz and Faber made weight to set their grudge match as official. Faber came in at 135 pounds, while Cruz weighed 134 pounds.
They got face-to-face for their stare down photo, but it didn’t get anywhere close to an altercation.
“I’m ready to battle, have some fun and win that belt,” Faber said.
The other 20 fighters on the card also made weight. The only one who got a reception as warm as Faber was 35-year old Las Vegas-based Wanderlei Silva.
Silva (186), a former PRIDE champion, meets Chris Leben (185) in the UFC 132 co-main event. It’s a middleweight bout between two brawlers that’s already hyped as a potential Fight of the Year.
Leben will look to make smarter nutritional choices than he did after making weight for his last bout. He detailed this week that he spent the hours before his UFC 125 loss to Brian Stann downing a combination of gummy bears, ice cream and jawbreakers.
Leben said he came down with a case of diarrhea and vomiting afterward that affected his performance.
“Hindsight is 20/20,” Leben said earlier this week, “but no gummy bears for me this fight.”
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz polarized the crowd at the weigh-in. As vocal as some fans were to cheer on “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy”, just as many booed him.
Ortiz (205) looks to save his career by getting past once-beaten contender Ryan Bader (205). Earlier this week, Ortiz revealed he was a “huge” Faber fan. Everyone except Cruz seems to be.
“Thanks to the fans and the guys who are here for me,” Cruz said. “To the guys who aren’t, you drive me and push me harder.”
Check below for full results from the weigh-in.
Bantamweight Championship Bout: Dominick Cruz (134) vs. Urijah Faber (135)
Middleweight Bout: Wanderlei Silva (186) vs. Chris Leben (185)
Light Heavyweight Bout: Tito Ortiz (205) vs. Ryan Bader (205)
Welterweight Bout: Carlos Condit (170) vs. Dong Hyun Kim (171)
Lightweight Bout: Dennis Siver (156) vs. Matt Wiman (156)
Lightweight Bout: Melvin Guillard (155) vs. Shane Roller (155)
Lightweight Bout: George Sotiropoulos (156) vs. Rafael dos Anjos (155)
Bantamweight Bout: Brian Bowles (135) vs. Takeya Mizugaki (136)
Middleweight Bout: Aaron Simpson (185) vs. Brad Tavares (186)
Lightweight Bout: Anthony Njokuani (156) vs. Andre Winner (155)
Bantamweight Bout: Donny Walker (135) vs. Jeff Hougland (135)
Case Keefer can be reached at 948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.
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