UFC plans second 'International Fight Week' around UFC 162 in Las Vegas

Once again this summer, the UFC will center a “Fight Week” around its Independence Day weekend pay-per-view event in Las Vegas.

UFC 162 takes place July 6 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. And with it, the promotion also will hold another UFC Fan Expo at Mandalay Bay Convention Center.

But like its first “International Fight Week” effort in 2012 (just “Fight Week” this time around), there will be more on tap for fans than just the Fan Expo and fights.

Working in congress once again with the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, “Fight Week” kicks off July 3 and will feature four days of events, culminating in the UFC 162 pay-per-view on July 6. In 2012, the UFC said its plan was to make the Las Vegas show around the July 4 holiday each year a “Fight Week” event, and 2013 will back that goal up.

UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva will headline the card for the second straight year. In 2012 at UFC 148, he stopped Chael Sonnen in the second round of their rematch. At UFC 162, he currently is a 3-to-1 favorite against top contender Chris Weidman. Also on the card, top featherweight contenders Ricardo Lamas and “The Korean Zombie,” Chan Sung Jung, meet in a fight that likely will determine the next featherweight title challenger.

But before all that gets going, the UFC will feature four days of buildup. Although some events are yet to be announced, the UFC has set the early stages for the week.

July 3 will feature a UFC “Community Day” with details still to be announced. On the July 4 holiday, the UFC will throw a pool party, a “UFC Downtown” event in downtown Las Vegas and a free concert at the downtown Fremont Street Experience with Three Days Grace. (The 2012 concert featured 3 Doors Down.) The UFC Fan Expo kicks off on July 5, the same day fans can attend the UFC 162 weigh-ins. Plus, UFC fighters will be out and about at a pre-fight part at Lagasse’s Stadium at The Palazzo and at the Tuff-N-Uff amateur MMA show at South Point. On July 6, the Fan Expo continues and, of course, UFC 162 takes place at MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Stay tuned to MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) for more details on “Fight Week” as they are released. Fans can visit ufc.com/fightweek for further details. Tickets for the UFC Fan Expo and UFC 162 are on sale now.

For the latest on UFC 162, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.

(Pictured: Anderson Silva)