VA AREA FIGHT FANS - UFC 144: EDGAR vs. HENDERSON

** THE MEETUP IS AT THE CRYSTAL CITY BAILEY'S. THERE IS A $5 COVER CHARGED BY BAILEY'S **

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UFC 144 is the organization's first event held in Japan since UFC 29, which took place in December 2000 when the fight promotion was under the control of its former owners, Semaphore Entertainment Group.

UFC 144 actually takes place on Sunday, February 26th, in Saitama, Japan. Due to the time difference, the fight card airs live on Saturday, February 25th in North America. The card is featuring a lightweight title fight between current champion Frankie Edgar (14-1-1 MMA, 9-1-1 UFC) and top contender Ben Henderson (15-2 MMA, 3-0 UFC). Edgar will be making his fourth defense of the title.

The co-featured events are a light heavyweight bout between Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and Ryan Bader and a welterweight bout between Japanese native Yoshihiro Akiyama and Jake Shields.

FX will broadcast a handful of prelims beginning at 8PM ET/5PM PT. The full UFC 144 lineup includes:

PRELIMINARY CARD

Tiequan Zhang vs. Issei Tamura

Takeya Mizugaki vs. Chris Cariaso

Steve Cantwell vs. Riki Fukuda

(FX 8PM ET/5PM PT):

Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto vs. Vaughan Lee

Hatsu Hioki vs. Bart Palaszewski

Takanori Gomi vs. Eiji Mitsuoka

Yushin Okami vs. Tim Boetsch

MAIN CARD (Pay-Per-View 10PM ET/7PM PT):

Joe Lauzon vs. Anthony Pettis

Jake Shields vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama

Cheick Kongo vs. Mark Hunt

Quinton “Rampage” Jackson vs. Ryan Bader

Ben Henderson vs. Frankie Edgar (UFC Lightweight Champion)