WSOF 34, WSOF 35 scrapped and merged into year-end card at Madison Square Garden

WSOF is shifting its promotional resources by cancelling two upcoming events and merging them into the newly minted WSOF 34.

WSOF 34 and 35 are now scrapped, with WSOF 36 rebranded as WSOF 34, the promotion’s end-of-year event.

WSOF 34 takes place Dec. 31 at Madison Square Garden in New York City and features three title fights. A lightweight title bout between champ Justin Gaethje (16-0) and Joao Zeferino (21-8) is set to headline. Gaethje, the No. 7 ranked fighter in the USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA lightweight rankings, earlier announced his inclusion on the card.

WSOF 34’s co-main event features a rescheduled welterweight title bout between champ Jon Fitch (28-7-1) and Jake Shields (31-8-1), the No. 9 ranked fighter in the USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA welterweight rankings. Also set for the event’s NBC-televised main card is bantamweight champ Marlon Moraes (17-4), who recently re-signed with WSOF and will face an opponent to be announced.

The event also marks the promotion’s return to network television, with the main card airing live on NBC after prelims on NBCSN and MMAjunkie. A company official confirmed the news to MMAjunkie today following an initial report on “The MMA Hour.”

The event’s NBCSN preliminary card is headlined by onetime title challenger Yushin Okami and Paul Bradley.

WSOF 34 was scheduled for Nov. 12 at Budweiser Events Center in Loveland, Colo., with Fitch and Shields headlining.

The date was notable because the event was going head-to-head with UFC 205, the industry-leader’s long-awaited debut at Madison Square Garden.

An injury to WSOF heavyweight champ Blagoy Ivanov preceded the cancelation of WSOF 35 on Dec. 3 at XFINITY Arena in Everett, Wash., WSOF President Ray Sefo told The MMA Hour.

Sefo also said the “majority” of fighters from WSOF 34 and WSOF 35 cards will be shifted to the new WSOF 34 card on Dec. 31, while others are expected to be re-booked for a card on Jan. 20 in Las Vegas.

For more on WSOF 34, check out the MMA Rumors section of the site.