UFC Officially Announces UFC 89 Featuring Michael Bisping vs. Chris Leben
The UFC will return to the UK on October 18th for UFC 89 featuring Michael Bisping versus Chris Leben, the promotion has announced. The event will take place at The NIA in Birmingham, England.
Broadcast details for UFC 89 have not yet been announced.
Tickets for the event will go on sale on to UFC Fight Club members on Wednesday, July 2nd. A special presale will begin on Friday, July 4th, for UFC newsletter subscribers using the password “COUNT”. Tickets for UFC 89 will go on sale to the general public on Sunday, July 6th. Fans can purchase tickets for the event at TheTicketFactory.com.
Stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com for the latest UFC news and UFC rumors.
Continue reading to check out a full-resolution poster for the October event…
Tags: Chris Leben, Michael Bisping
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GOOD MATCH UP AND IM GLAD THEY STILL MADE IT HAPPEN…BISPING HAS THIS ONE
Good matchup and good crowd puller but no way a main event.
I’d suprised too pete!
Although the Silva vs Okami rumour hat has been going around is still strong.
THAT WOULD BE A GOOD MATCH UP TO I THINK OKAMI CAN PULL OUT THE UPSET.
I LIKE UPSETS LOL GO FORREST
Pete,
I agree that this is not a main event. However, Bisping is a “star” in England. Therefore Bisping can be the main event against almost any opponent. Hardcore MMA fans expect more out of a match up……the business side of promoting a fight card with Bisping in his home country is another story. Bisping is going to get a title shot after 1-2 more wins the way I see it. The UFC and Dana expect him to beat Leben and either fight a contender or fight for the title. Bisping is money, money, money for the UFC as far as England goes.
hell yea this will be a battle…I got Leben first round KO.
I have leben winning by a beating so bad it will humiliate bisping into tears!
Can’t wait to see this fight but like everyone suggests no way this is a main event. I assume this means that we in the uk aren’t going to get a title fight again. That sucks. Anyway, i’m dwelling on negatives when this will be a great matchup. I think if Bisping does the business against Leben he’ll start to earn the respect of his doubters and with Franklin & Silva moving up in weight, like Pete says a title shot might not be too far away.
JPM,
The fight card will be wonderful. The last card in England got bashed and turned out way better than expected. At this point I feel Bisping is unfairly hated. I hope Leben wins and this will just be another great UFC event.
this fight is going to prove whether Bisping is legit or all hype…can’t wait, I love watching Leben and especially since hes fighting Bisping…I love to hate him haha
i agree bisping is very marketable in england and he draws the crouds in, also dan hardy is rumoured to be fighting on this card and he’s another brit.
bisping is the man
the two redeeming qualities that i will admit bisping has is he’s very marketable in UK and yes, he is a good fighter, especailly at 185. however, his pissy attitude towards hammil keeps me from liking him and i can’t wait to see leben knock him on his ass in front of his own fans. and to agree with a few of you, there’s no way this should be a main event. i predict that they’ll toss somethin else on the card and this will be the fight before the main event.
I dislike both these fighters….but looove the matchup. I am not even gonna call this one because of how similar of fighters they are.
I think bisping looks f’n great a 185 but I’m not so sure if he has the power to take out that monster dome and IRON CHIN that leben has and might have to resort to trying to submit him but regardless will be a fun fight to watch.
bisping will destroy him in a single round and i will probably guarantee that.
if anything this will be a true test of lebans chin.
Good matchup but less than stellar promo poster.
Looks like Chris was added in place of someone else.
Hopefully this is free on spike, always a good idea
Leben will win this hands down! Bisping is overrated and anyone who doesn’t see it that way is a commercialized “fan”. Doesn’t hit hard, has alright…not even decent ground game opposed to the wrestler who has a solid chin and KO power in hands and feet. Leben has fought the better opponents and still looks better opposed to Bisping who has yet to finish any C level fighter. You pick against Leben (in this fight) you’re a fool and don’t know MMA at all!
Bisping is a much better fighter at 185 looking in great shape with a good gas tank, much better then his average built at 205, If Bisping makes this a stand up war then this is how it goes if Bisping throws all punchs with a leg kick now and there he loses, The only way Bisping takes this is a few Muay Thai knees to that chin of Lebens
This will be a war!!! I stand up slug fest! Can’t wait to see it!
Go Krippler!
LEBEN!! LEBEN!! LEBEN!! It would be great to see Bisping KO’d in front of his fans chanting that annoying, “oley, olay olayayaylayal.” I hate that chant! In my opinion Leben is the underdog but not by much. This match up is bigger than most people are giving it credit for. If Bisping wins and people still say he sucks, I will feel bad for the guy. He wins his fights but can’t seem to win over fans.
I think it is hard for him to win over fans because of his statments after the Matt Hammill fight. He showed no respect to a guy who basicially kicked his ass throughout the whole match….and his UK fans were even booing. He carries around a cockiness to him in which he hasnt proved yet…thats why the fans are having a hard time accepting him….unless you live in the UK..then you like him for the fact that it is competition for the US fighters.
I agree on both, a great fight and Bisping all the way.
i hate mike but hes got this one
Hammill and Rich Franklin confirmed for UFC 88, just so you all know
Dolloway and Taylor at fight night 14 also. That has all the potential to be BORING.
Hammill and Franklin??? Franklin all the way. Where did you read that?
KOuch – MMARated.com reported it just a few hours ago.
Ahhhh. Thank you Kris. Franklin all the way by midget triangle.
nice match up. i think leben will shut bisping up. he talks too much.
It will have to be an amazing undercard for ppv status esp on tape delay.
it would make a better fight night card but like you said kouch bisping is the home town hero and those damn brits will pay out the a$$ for him …..which would be a great idea to make bisping t shirts and sell them at a lesser price than they are already going for you would make a killing
the brits always make it exciting and bisping will gun to please.
Ayone got the presale password?
I think it will just be bombs away in the Leben vs. Bisping fight. If Leben can land a big left hook like on Sakara the Count he will be out for the count.
JOEL B – “Those damn Brits”? We’re not resorting to pathetic name calling next are we?
US British fans will pay out to go and see any UFC in the UK, not just if Bisping is in it. Although as he is flying the flag for our country, he’ll usually be involved.
Yet another Uk card without a title fight, they are taking the piss now….can you imagine that many shows in the US without one…..
mma is a new sport in the uk so to get people to go watch it they have to put an english fighter in that will sell over here we love to see one of our guys doing well at a sport were not known for, as for the fight leben is going to get knocked down then G n P OUT, then u stil wont give the count cred then he will probley fight hendo and beat him and still wont get credit then rich still no cred i think u no what im saying here, bisping is guna be hated by alot of people just because he dint cry an say hammill is the man C’MON guys that was a close fight an the count edged it just like the evens an bisping fight evens just egded it but i dont feel all this hate for him! end of the day people feel sorry for hammill because of his hearing thats why u bash the count for saying a few rather off words, hammill is a warrior and i dont think ive heared him complain about the bisping fight so i think u guys should just drop it now an rate the count on his future fights rather the the past one’s.
here we go again with dana giving bisping a main event fight and of course it had to be in the UK. i am happy that at least bisping is finally fighting someone with a name because the last 2 times he did that (rashad and hamill) he got beat, so i guess that means he’ll lose again. the ufc needs to stop babying him. make him fight in the US where the fans know what a loser he really is!
He aint a loser. To Dana, he’s a marketing tool. He wins. Hammil – yeah, put across the home crowd advantage, fine. But that was scored by 2 american and 1 British judge. There was no biased opinions. Against Rashad, that went to a split decision. Always controversial and definitely close.
Bisping is learning the game in America. In the UK he dominated, and he still is doing well in the UFC. You cant say that he hasn’t smacked around enough of the american fighters and you cant dispute that he won TUF3. If Hammil was able to fight, maybe that would have been different but the bottom line is that he has beaten down most of his opponents. Let him beat Leben down and give him a contender.
It comes down to it, if Bisping knocked Leben the f out, moved on to a contender and won a title shot you’d still be b1tching about how he doesn’t deserve it. You’ve got no reason to hate him, your just trying to justify it.
Bisping is probably the most talked about fighter on this website because of the negative opinions, but it all comes down to being in a minority in a sport dominated by the US and Brazil.
SiMonsterD,
obviously you are a brit. of course you are biased. and of course you are on bisping’s side. sincere and honest question… who did you think won between bisping and hammill?
of course hammil won that fight. and because you are a brit, you won’t agree with me.
Because you’re a Yank you won’t agree with the judges.
you’re gay, SiMonsterD. and bisping is your lover.
bisping is an overrated and arrogant prick
and SiMonsterD is bisping’s gay benefactor.
SiMonsterD, you are gay!!!!
what do you say now, gay man?! that’s the right thing to do. shut up! coz your man bisping is no good.
If Bisping can actually win this fight and then take on a top contender like Hendo, Franklin, Quarry, or Marquardt and actually win that fight as well then I will give him his proper respect and say he deserves a title shot. But until the UFC finally gives him a top contender and not a bumb I am not going to respect what he has done. Does he have skills…yes…but are they top notch…NO! Oh and Leben is tough but He’s not a top contender. He’s more of a stepping stone to the top guys. So that still won’t prove anything for Bisping except that he sucks once Leben knocks his A$$ out!
whats with all the hate on this site all of a sudden people need to stop argueing an respect other peoples opinions, of corse us guys from the uk big bisping up thats cos hes one of are own and hes r only hope to become champion. plus hes a bad ass dude and i can wait till he becomes champ, ide love to here wat u haters have to say then!
during bisping’s tim ein TUF, i thought dana white was bisping’s gay benefactor. now that you’re defending him (as if you’re his wife), i wanna ask this question (to you SiMonsterD)… are you dana white? or you’re bisping’s new gay benefactor?
hey JOHNBOY! i respect your opinion, man… of course, everybody is ebtitled to their own opinion. i’ll ask you the same question… who you think won the bisping-hammill fight? objectively, please…
JOHNBOY IM A BISPING FAN HE IS ONE TOUGH DUDE AND HE WILL BE CHAMP ONE DAY. AND IM FROM THE STATES. I WAS WATCH TUF 3 LAST NIGHT ON DVD AND HIM AND ROSS MAN THOSE TWO CRACK ME UP. THERE HILARIOUS. I LIKE HIM MORE AT MW THEN LHW. HES A TOTALY DIFFERNET FIGHTER. HES GOT MY RESPECT
No, I’m not Dana White… Though I did stroke his balls once.
Objectively – I would have put it to a split.
i do think that the count won it was close i’ll give u that but hammill is suppose to be this world class wrestler an he couldn’t keep bisping on the ground so yeah points to hammill for the take down but he didn’t do anything else the count just keep getting back up an in my opinion got the best of the stand up so points to the count at the end of the day it could of gone either way, i remember saying that before we got the decision. plus it was the 2 american judges who gave it the the count and the brittish judge gave it to hammill so it was called as fair as ur guna get it
SiMonsterD.
split? on bisping’s side?
ok, johnboy. like i said, i respect your opininon. but i don’t agree with you.
well… let’s just wait for the result of the leben-bisping fight. my money is on leben. bisping doesn’t impress me much.
even tho the last 2 guys weren’t known u got to admit bisping looked good he did exactly what u would expect silva hendo an rich to do an that is DESTROY the other guys
Split to Bisping. That’s right. Although it wasn’t Bispings best performance, admittedly.
I reckon Leben v Bisping could go the distance, and I’d like my moneys worth… But I truly think TKO in round 2. Bispings knees are good and Chris doesn’t like knees. That will ground him and from there it will be goodnight.
Who is your top fighter then, John? Let’s see if we can bash him for a while.
Presale password is in the article but it’s COUNT.
im british and i think hammill won that fight it was pretty clear cut. Bisping was never big enough for 205 but he looks good at 185. Why would he stand and trade with leben, leben would ko him, bisping is going to do exactly what he did to Jason Day take him down and punish him. Look how bad leben looks whens he’s on his back, he got mauled by jason mcdonald
i am exited for the fight of these two, but, it is NOT a main event in my eyes.
I would certainly like to think Silva couold appear vs Okami, or, if not, then the dana HAS to get the UK a bloody good line up. The last UFC 85 was swapped about soooooo much it was upsetting. I just hope the fighters are not put off by travelling here to fight. Cos we see bisping alot, which is ok but NOT worth a main event. Only if he was facing Anderson Silva maybe ??mmmmm.
I really, really hope they pull out all the stops on this one as Chuck was a HUGE crowd puller for 85, but it all went tits up. Dana has to get a big name,like Silva to attend. UFC 88 looks good to me, pity 89 is not going to have such an impressive list.
You cannot help but feel that some fighters just don’t want to travel far to fight. I truly hope they put on a good show this time, I went to 85 at the O2 arena, good night, but it was swapped about too much.
Bring it on Dana, bring it on.
how the heck can Anderson Silva be a fight UNDER bisping ??
Surely he would deserve the top spot / main event?
i rekon he does.
i agree ryan s 85 turned out to be a good card tho. dana always pulls it off
Diego Sanchez and Thiago Alves as the co-main event. I can’t wait for that. That is a freaking awesome bout.
That’s from mmaweekly.com
hey SiMonsterD! i was drunk when i posted those. i apologize if i called you names.
anyways, to answer your question… my guys are rampage, brandon vera, randy couture, & thiago silva.
in the middleweight class, of course, anderson silva & rich franklin. i also like leben. i realy dislike bisping coz of his arrogance. i hate it when fighters talk too much like bisping & matt serra.
and i don’t think the leben-bisping fight is worthy of being the main event.
and i hope alves can make the weight this time. no excuses. his last fight against hughes was unfair. yeah, hughes agreed to fight alves but that was just pride.
fighters who don’t make weight must be penalized.
Just curious…What is a fair penalty?
Dietrich,
10 lashes with Indiana Jones’ whip.
Lock someone in a room and pry their eyes open forcing them to watch Tim Sylvia, Jorge Gurgel and Kimbo Slice for 3 days.
Or they could be force to take on a grizzly bear inside the cage.
currently, i think they are cutting 10% off the fighter’s purse and give it to the other fighter. i’m not sure about the figure (10%) though.
if you;re asking for my opinion, i think a fighter who will not make weight must be suspended for at least 6 months. i think that’s a just penalty.
they are profesionals. they should do everything to avoid problems in their jobs. that includes training hard, avoiding prohibited performance-enhancing drugs, and making weight.
ufc needs to enforce harsher punishment for fighters who don’t make weight.
what do you think, Dietrich?
John – No offense taken. I found it pretty funny. Although it makes sense now you say that you were drunk… It was quite a fair bit of rambling.
Ok – I cant really dis your favourtie fighters. They’re pretty hardcore.
Kouch
Watching the last Indiana Jones is punishment enough…Kimbo =Supreme Court ruling on cruel and unusual
John
I always liked the yellowcard in Pride because it did seem to start things up when the 10% disappeared from the check. With not making weight that is so much worse and not because I have to discuss weighing in before a fight with my wife for like the 1000th time.( Boy cutting just pisses her off.):) Its a contract violation and 10 percent seems weak. Maybe 20-25%, really scare the crap out of them. Get the effect of a speeding ticket in a construction zone where fines double. I don’t know about time off. You are taking away the ability to earn a living and the family could suffer….Seems like bad karma even in NC. Plus after Nick Diaz couldn’t even work his brothers corner at the TUF finale that suspension just went too far. You know that affected a whole other family moment. Which is why I am glad Manny’s shoulder went out Karo got to be available to Manny. It needed to be fair. Thats alot of pressure.Is this making any sense i feel like I am rambling?
I got my ticket! I got my ticket!
Woo!
cannot wait to see bisping beat down leben
It’s going to be an all out war! And I get to see the fight I wanted to see at Bedlam!
I don’t see it going the distance, but it aint going to be a walk through for either of them.
Lebens record speaks for itself. Only ever been KO’d by Anderson Silva… although he did lose a decision against Kalib Starnes…
he got tko’d by jason mcdonald aswell, i think bisping will win by g&p in the third
Dietrich,
know what, that’ll be better. cut like 20 – 30% from the fighter’s purse if he didn’t make weight. great idea.
who won the bonnar-jardine fight?
Bonnar won UD
really?! oh yeah, baby!!!
i wonder where bonnar is. i think he won the bonnar-griffin match. i gave that match to him – split.
bonnar’s injured at the moment got injured in the lead up to his scheduled fight v hammill at fight night
oh, yeah… now i remember. i read that from ufc.com. who do you guys think won between bonnar & griffin?
griffin both times
griffin-rampage?
rampage
yeah! my prediction is rampage, first round stoppage.
****! rampage lost… unanimous? i don’t think so…