Daniel Herbertson/Sherdog.com
• The UFC’s aggressive international expansion was dealt a setback this week when the agency that oversees television licensure in Germany decided to ban UFC programming from German airwaves. Sherdog.com reported the Bavarian state office for new media (BLM) revoked the promotion’s broadcast clearance on Thursday for programming that includes “The Ultimate Fighter,” “UFC Unleashed” and “UFC Fight Night,” which had been televised on German sports television channel DSF since March 2009. The UFC has a three-year deal with the channel.
The BLM cited a level of unacceptable violence on the broadcasts, specifically singling out strikes to a downed opponent as not appropriate for television. UFC U.K. President Marshall Zelaznik said the company is working on setting up a hearing with officials on the matter and will continue to air content in the interim. The UFC has held one event in Germany, UFC 99 last June in Cologne, headlined by Rich Franklin vs. Wanderlei Silva.
• Newly-crowned WEC Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz will be on the shelf for several weeks due to damage suffered in his March 6 victory over Brian Bowles. Cruz will be in a cast for seven weeks after suffering tendon and ligament damage and a hairline fracture in his hand and wrist, according to Sherdog.com.
Cruz headlined a WEC 47 card that drew a $401,000 gate at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, as released by the state athletic commission this week.
• Renato Sobral appears to be the latest example of the Strikeforce-Dream international talent exchange, as the seasoned, Strikeforce-contracted veteran is rumored make his to Japan on May 30 to compete in the promotion's light heavyweight tournament, according to MMAJunkie.com. Gegard Mousasi, Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou and M-1 Challenge veteran Chrisian M'Pumbu have also been rumored as competitors in the tournament.
• Dream lightweight champion Shinya Aoki comes to Strikeforce on April 17 to face the promotion's titlist Gilbert Melendez; CEO Scott Coker told Sherdog.com that unlike Marius Zaromskis and Melvin Manhoef, Aoki doesn’t have a direct contract with Strikeforce and thus his participation signals a serious commitment from Dream. Strikeforce signee K.J. Noons fights for Dream next week. Dream is also interested in Andrei Arlovski and Nick Diaz, while Strikeforce would like to see Tatsuya Kawajiri and Hayato Sakurai fight in the United States, CEO Scott Coker said in interviews.
• The UFC has reached a deal with TV Tokyo in Japan to broadcast its March 31 Fight Night special, headlined by former Japanese star Takanori Gomi versus Kenny Florian. The fight will air with others from the card in a one-hour format on April 8. Though not a major clearance in the Japanese television world, the deal does represent the highest level of exposure the UFC has received in the country in several years.
• The Massachusetts State Athletic Commission, which caused a bit of a stir when implementing double weigh-ins that limit how much weight a fighter can gain, amended its policy. Both fighters can now agree to waive the double-weigh in provision on bout agreements, reports Sherdog.com.