UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre and challenger Nick Diaz were in Montreal today for the UFC 158 pre-fight press conference. St-Pierre said he’s wanted to fight Diaz for a very long time and that’s why he called him out, while Diaz said he’s up for the challenge of taking on the dominant champion in his hometown on March 16. The opening MMA odds for the fight — which should draw massive pay-per-view numbers — show that Diaz is a sizeable underdog, while St-Pierre is a giant favourite. TUF 17: Jones vs. Sonnen begins TUF 17 started last night, with coaches Jon Jones and Chael Sonnen, as well as UFC president Dana White, overseeing 14 middleweight tournament bouts to get into the house. Here’s the results. If you don’t want to be spoiled, scroll down. Adam Cella def. Jake Heun via submission Zak Cummings def. Nik Fekete via TKO Kevin Casey def. Eldon Sproat via submission Tor Troeng def. Scott Rosa via submission Clint Hester def. Fraser Opie via decision Bubba McDaniel def. Ryan Bigler via TKO Josh Samman def. Leo Bercier via TKO Kelvin Gastelum def. Kito Andrews via decision Jimmy Quinlan def. Mike Persons via TKO Uriah Hall def. Andy Enz via decision Gilbert Smith def. Eric Wahlin via submission Dylan Andrews def. Tim Williams via decision Collin Hart def. Mike Jasper via submission Luke Barnatt def. Nicholas Kohring via decision Three new UFC fights booked The UFC announced today that Jorge Santiago will return to the UFC as a welterweight and fight Gunnar Nelson at UFC London, filling in for an injured Justin Edwards. Santiago is 1-4 in the UFC and this is definitely his last chance at keeping his job, but it won’t be easy because Nelson is one of the most promising young prospects in the game today and can submit anyone. As well, the UFC announced that Mike Ricci will meet Colin Fletcher in a preliminary card fight at UFC 158. Ricci is coming off a loss in the TUF 16 finale to Colton Smith, while Fletcher lost to Norman Parke in the finals of TUF Smashes. This is an important fight for both fighters so expect both to be very motivated, especially Ricci, who fights out of TriStar Gym in Montreal, where the fight takes place. And according to UFC Espanol, former Strikeforce light heavyweight Yoel Romero will make his UFC debut at UFC on FOX 7, when he takes on Clifford Starks in a middleweight contest. Romero is a former Olympic silver medalist in freestyle wrestling for Cuba while Starks was a Division I All-American for Arizona State University. New odds released for UFC on FOX 6 undercard and Bellator 86 MMA oddsmaker Nick Kalikas has released the odds for the UFC on FOX 6 undercard, as well as Bellator 86. Here they are: UFC ON FOX 6: JOHNSON VS. DODSON Openers: John Dodson +215 Demetrious Johnson -285 *Flyweight Title Quinton Jackson +185 Glover Teixeira -245 Anthony Pettis +100 Donald Cerrone -130 Ricardo Lamas +110 Erik Koch -140 Matt Wiman -105 T.J. Grant -125 Hatsu Hioki +175 Clay Guida -225 Vladimir Matyushenko +325 Ryan Bader -475 David Mitchell +175 Simeon Thoresen -225 Shawn Jordan +165 Mike Russow -215 Mike Stumpf +180 Pascal Krauss -240 Sean Spencer +190 Rafael Natal -250 BELLATOR 86: ASKREN VS. AMOUSSOU Karl Amoussou +300 Ben Askren -450 Welterweight title Przemyslaw Mysiala +850 Muhammed Lawal -1550 Light-heavyweight-tournament opening round Michail Tsarev +300 Douglas Lima -450 Welterweight-tournament opening round Koffi Adzitso +255 Ben Saunders -355 Welterweight-tournament opening round Brent Weedman +100 Marius Zaromskis -130 Welterweight-tournament opening round Raul Amaya +115 Jose Gomes -145 Welterweight-tournament opening round
