After all of the major organizations skipped over the Buckeye State in 2013, the biggest of them all is set to make its first return to Ohio since 2009. The UFC will return to Cincinnati for the first time since 2007, as the promotion will bring a “UFC Fight Night” event to U.S. Bank Arena on May 10.
The UFC’s last trip to Ohio was UFC 96 in Columbus in 2009, which ended a three year streak of hosting PPV events in conjunction with the annual Arnold Sports Festival that takes place on the first weekend in March every year.
The Zuffa-owned WEC held an event in Columbus in 2010, and pre-Zuffa Strikeforce held events in 2011 and 2012. Cincinnati is the only other Ohio city to host a UFC event, as UFC 77 in 2007 featured Anderson Silva defeating Rich Franklin for the middleweight title.
No bouts have been announced for the event yet, but the UFC has a few Ohio-based fighters on its roster to choose from. Those fighters include some of the hottest names in the organization, including Xenia’s Matt Brown, Cleveland’s Stipe Miocic and Jessica Eye, Cincinnati’s Roger Bowling, and Bellefontaine’s Justin Edwards.
Although it would make for a great retirement story, one fighter who will likely not be on the card is Cincinnati’s own Rich Franklin, who is a former longtime middleweight champion. Although not officially retired, Franklin is currently in California focusing on his latest business venture. Light heavyweight Matt Hamill is also from nearby Loveland, although his contract status with the UFC is not currently known.
Tickets for the event go on sale on March 21.