UFC 126 Prelims Likely To Return To Spike TV; Mendes vs. Omigawa and Cerrone vs. Kelly Likely

UFC 126: Anderson Silva vs. Vitor Belfort

UFC Prelim Live has become somewhat of a staple on Spike TV since the series first premiered with UFC 103 in September 2009.

The program typically features two live preliminary bouts from UFC pay-per-view events, serving as a lead-in one hour prior to the pay-per-view.

The UFC prelims have been missing from the Spike TV roster for the past couple events, since UFC 123, but it appears a return is near.

The promotion went a different route with its first event of 2011, inking a deal with ION Television, a broadcast network, to air three preliminary bouts live on that network leading up to UFC 125. For this weekend’s UFC Fight for the Troops 2 event in Texas, the promotion is treading more new water, airing two preliminary bouts live on its official Facebook page.

UFC president Dana White, when he made the deal to air fights on ION, stated that no one should read anything into the move, saying that Spike TV was offered the UFC 125 prelims, but opted not to take them.

MMAWeekly.com sources on Tuesday indicated that the UFC and Spike TV are in advanced negotiations to bring the UFC 126 prelims back to the network, and indicated that the negotiations are going well.

In fact, sources indicated that it’s likely fans will see the bantamweight bout between Top 10 ranked fighters Chad Mendes and Michihiro Omigawa and a lightweight contest pitting Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone against Brit Paul Kelly.

Ken Pishna is the managing editor of MMAWeekly.com.
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