UFC 169 start times, fight card, TV info, fan and media events, video preview

The UFC’s annual Super Bowl weekend pay-per-view this year gets a new location in Newark, N.J., near the site of the NFL’s title game instead of Las Vegas – and there are two title fights topping the bill at UFC 169.

Here’s the essential information for the card.

UFC 169 START TIME: UFC 169 takes place Saturday at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. The event kicks off with three prelims on UFC Fight Pass at 6:30 p.m. ET (3:30 p.m. PT), followed by four more prelims on FOX Sports 1 (8 p.m. ET) and the five-fight main card at 10 p.m. ET on pay-per-view.

UFC 169 BACKGROUND: While light heavyweight champion Jon Jones was at point attached to the headlining spot, UFC officials instead elected to go with a pair of title fights in the bantamweight and featherweight divisions. The main event was scheduled to be a bantamweight title unification fight between then-champion Dominick Cruz and interim champ Renan Barao (31-1 MMA, 6-0 UFC). But a groin injury sidelined Cruz, and at more than two years since his most recent title defense, the UFC stripped him of the belt and made Barao the champ. Top contender Urijah Faber (30-6 MMA, 6-2 UFC) then stepped in for a rematch with Barao for the belt. In the co-main event, featherweight champ Jose Aldo (23-1 MMA, 5-0 UFC) puts his title on the line against Ricardo Lamas (13-2 MMA, 4-0 UFC). Also on the main card are heavyweights Frank Mir (16-8 MMA, 14-8 UFC) vs. Alistair Overeem (36-13 MMA, 1-2 UFC), flyweights Ali Bagautinov (12-2 MMA, 2-0 UFC) vs. John Lineker (23-6 MMA, 4-1 UFC) and a lightweight bout between Abel Trujillo (11-5 MMA, 2-1 UFC) and Jamie Varner (21-8-1 MMA, 3-3 UFC).

UFC 169 ON-SITE REPORTERS: MMAjunkie lead reporter John Morgan (@MMAjunkieJohn) and assistant editor Matt Erickson (@MMAjunkieMatt) will be on site in Newark. Give them a follow for updates throughout fight week.

UFC 169 ‘ULTIMATE MEDIA DAY’ THURSDAY: Six fighters on the main card will be on hand for an “Ultimate Media Day” to meet members of the press across the Hudson River in Manhattan. The media-only event is not open to the public, but make sure to watch MMAjunkie throughout the day on Thursday for on-scene stories and videos from New York and New Jersey.

UFC 169 WEIGH-INS FRIDAY: Friday’s UFC 169 fighter weigh-ins take place Prudential Center in Newark. You can watch a live video stream here at MMAjunkie or get text-only results beginning at 4 p.m. ET (1 p.m. PT). We’ll also have a video replay and full photo gallery available afterward. The weigh-ins are free and open to the public, with doors opening at 3 p.m. ET local time. Prior to the public weigh-ins, members of the UFC Fight Club can attend a Q&A session with light heavyweight champion Jon Jones at 2 p.m. ET. Doors for that event open to Fight Club members at 1:30 p.m. ET.

UFC 169 ON SATURDAY: Join us Saturday at 6:30 p.m. ET for UFC 169 play-by-play and live results, individual fight stories and photos from each bout on the card, backstage stories and videos and more in the most extensive UFC coverage online. You can also discuss UFC 169 in our discussion thread. Afterward, watch the post-UFC 169 news conference on MMAjunkie at approximately 1:30 a.m. ET.

The official UFC 169 card includes:

MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET)

• Renan Barao vs. Urijah Faber
• José Aldo vs. Ricardo Lamas
• Frank Mir vs. Alistair Overeem
• Ali Bagautinov vs. John Lineker
• Abel Trujillo vs. Jamie Varner

PRELIMINARY CARD (FOX Sports 1, 8 p.m. ET)

• John Makdessi vs. Alan Patrick
• Chris Cariaso vs. Danny Martinez
• Nick Catone vs. Tom Watson
• Al Iaquinta vs. Kevin Lee

PRELIMINARY CARD (UFC Fight Pass, 6:30 p.m. ET)

• Andy Enz vs. Clint Hester
• Rashid Magomedov vs. Tony Martin
• Neil Magny vs. Gasan Umalatov

For the latest on UFC 169, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.