Las Vegas, NV (USA) - The Ultimate Fighting Championship® (UFC®) organization today announced that Turner Broadcasting veteran Michael Pine has joined Zuffa, LLC to become Vice President of Ad Sales and Sponsorships. In this position, Pine will manage and oversee all operations of the advertising and sponsorship business for the Las Vegas-based Ultimate Fighting Championship.

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Thomas Gerbasi, UFC - "What makes this a big fight? It's just two men going off to war, we fight for a large amount and we've danced this dance before. I've been in this predicament several times before, so what makes this a big fight? Millions of people are gonna be watching us, but it's just gonna be me, him, and the referee inside that cage."- Quinton JacksonQuinton Jackson is joking, of course. He knows, perhaps better than anyone, how big his fight against Chuck Liddell this Saturday is. It's a fight that pits two of the best 205-pound mixed martial artists in the world against each other, and not just in a battle for Liddell's UFC light heavyweight crown, but in a rematch of the last bout the seemingly invincible 'Iceman' lost, in 2003, to the same man he'll be facing at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.A man named 'Rampage'.

Thomas Gerbasi, UFC - Had a bad day? Wife and kids on your nerves, bills late, feeling a little under the weather, that sort of thing? Don't feel like you can physically or mentally get it together to go to work tomorrow? It's okay, call in sick, regroup and try again another day.Sound good? Well, professional fighters don't have that luxury.

Las Vegas, Nev. (USA) - On Friday, May 25, beginning at 4 pm PST (7 p.m. EST), ESPNEWS, the nation's only 24-hour sports news television network, will present live coverage of the weigh-ins for UFC 71: LIDDELL vs. JACKSON featuring UFC World Light Heavyweight Champion Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell vs. Quinton "Rampage" Jackson from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. This will mark the first time a major national sports television network will feature live event coverage of the UFC weigh-ins. ESPNEWS anchor David Lloyd will host the network's coverage from ESPN's Bristol, Conn. studios.

Thomas Gerbasi, UFC - You have to wonder what goes through the mind of someone like Karo Parisyan as he watches the welterweight world go round. Set for a shot at then UFC champion Matt Hughes in November of 2005, an injury instead shelved 'The Heat' and his title shot.Since that fall a year and a half ago, the welterweight title has been on the line three times, with two of those bouts producing new champions in the form of Georges St-Pierre and Matt Serra. Parisyan has fought three times as well, defeating Nick Thompson and Drew Fickett while losing a decision to Diego Sanchez in 2006's Fight of The Year.

CAUTION: SPOILERS INCLUDED - Only two fights remain in The Ultimate Fighter 5 preliminary round. This week, four fighters (Team Penn's Gray Maynard and Matt Wiman, and Team Pulver's Marlon Sims and Wayne Weems) will battle it out for two quarterfinal spots.

Thomas Gerbasi, UFC - As far as knockouts go, this one was pretty bad. After a strong first round in his UFC debut this past January, Sean Salmon - a former Division I wrestler for Ohio State - got on the wrong end of a right kick to the head from Michigan State University graduate Rashad Evans in the second, and from the moment the kick landed, it was evident that the fight was over. Salmon's body froze upon impact and he hit the deck with a thud. For a few frightening minutes, everyone in attendance, as well as those watching at home on Spike TV, worried for his safety, but after a trip to the hospital and a battery of tests which came back negative, Salmon was fine and - after his mandatory suspension because of the knockout - he was free to resume his mixed martial arts career.

Thomas Gerbasi, UFC - A broken rib suffered during training has shelved Eric Schafer from his May 26th light heavyweight bout against Sean Salmon. Stepping into the UFC 71 bout at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas will be up and comer Alan 'The Talent' Belcher, who will be making his light heavyweight debut against the former Ohio State wrestler.

Thomas Gerbasi, UFC - UFC Heavyweight Champion Randy Couture sees the headlines. He reads about the tragedies, hears many wonder what the youth of the United States are doing to effect change in this world, and the prognosis is almost always negative. But then he'll visit a military base or medical facility, and he'll see young people who are not only doing their part to improve their lives and the lives of those around them, but who epitomize the best of what this country has to offer.