'UFC World Tour' takes UFC 165, 166, 167, 168 headliners to five countries

Press tours are nothing new for the UFC and its event headliners. But later this month, the promotion will take things to a new level.

The UFC will take the headliners for UFC 165, UFC 166, UFC 167 and UFC 168 on a “UFC World Tour” that spans five countries over five days. And many of the events will be free and open for the public to attend.

UFC officials on Friday announced the tour, which will feature heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez and challenger Junior dos Santos; light heavyweight champ Jon Jones and challenger Alexander Gustafsson; welterweight titleholder Georges St-Pierre and challenger Johny Hendricks; and women’s bantamweight champ Ronda Rousey and challenger Miesha Tate.

UFC 165 takes place Sept. 21 at Air Canada Centre in Toronto with a main event light heavyweight title fight between Jones and Gustafsson. UFC 166 takes place Oct. 19 at Toyota Center in Houston and features a heavyweight title rematch – and third fight in the rivalry – between Velasquez and dos Santos. UFC 167 is set for Nov. 16 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas with a main event welterweight title fight between St-Pierre and Hendricks. And UFC 168 will cap off the promotion’s year Dec. 28 at MGM Grand Garden Arena with Rousey and Tate rematching in the co-main event. That show will be headlined by the rematch between Chris Weidman and Anderson Silva, who are not part of the upcoming tour.

The tour will include three events’ host cities, several of the headlining fighters’ home cities and major cities around the world.

The complete “UFC World Tour” includes:

• July 29, California Bay Area: Press tour with Velasquez and dos Santos.
• 12 p.m. PT July 29, MGM Grand Hotel & Casino main lobby, Las Vegas: Ultimate Media Day withSt-Pierre and Hendricks. Free and open to the public.
• 11 a.m. PT July 30, Club Nokia at Nokia Live, Los Angeles: News conference with UFC President Dana White, Velasquez, dos Santos, Jones, Gustafsson, St-Pierre, Hendricks, Rousey and Tate. Free and open to the public.
• 1 p.m. ET July 31, Beacon Theatre, New York: News conference with UFC President Dana White, Velasquez, dos Santos, Jones, Gustafsson, St-Pierre, Hendricks, Rousey and Tate. Free and open to the public.
• 12:30 p.m. ET Aug. 1, Complexe Desjardins, Montreal: News conference with UFC Director of Canadian Operations Tom Wright, St-Pierre and Hendricks. Free and open to the public.
• 1 p.m. CT Aug. 1, Toyota Center, Houston: Open workouts with Velasquez and dos Santos. Free and open to the public.
• Aug. 1: Stockholm. Press tour with Jones and Gustafsson.
• 1 p.m. CT Aug. 2, Cowboys Stadium, Dallas: Open workouts on the field with St-Pierre and Hendricks. Free and open to the public.
• Aug. 2, Chicago: Press tour with Rousey and Tate.
• Aug. 2, London: Press tour with Jones and Gustafsson.
• 3 p.m. BRT Aug. 2, HSBC Arena, Rio de Janeiro: Velasquez and dos Santos joint Q&A session prior to weigh-ins for UFC 163. Free and open to the public.

For more on the UFC’s upcoming schedule, including UFC 165, UFC 166, UFC 167 and UFC 168, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.

(Pictured: Ronda Rousey)