As expected, the Ultimate Fighting Championship will return to Montreal in March for UFC 145.
And while the fight card is expected to take place on March 24 at Bell Centre, UFC executives have to confirm all of the details.
That said, the night's first fight was made official, as Rory MacDonald (12-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) will meet fellow welterweight prospect Che Mills (14-4 MMA, 1-0 UFC).
"Verbal agreements are in for an explosive welterweight matchup between 'Beautiful' Che Mills and Rory 'Ares' MacDonald at UFC 145 next March in Canada," UFC president Dana White stated in an official release.
UFC 145 will be the UFC's fifth event in Montreal. The Bell Centre hosted UFC 124 and UFC 113 in 2010, as well as UFC 97 in 2009 and UFC 83 in 2008. The shows have averaged nearly 21,000 fans per event.
MacDonald, just 22, is one of the top prospects out of Canada's Tristar Gym. He's 3-1 in the UFC with wins over Mike Guymon, Nate Diaz and Mike Pyle. The former KOTC champ's only career loss came at UFC 115 to former WEC champ and upcoming UFC title challenger Carlos Condit.
Mills, meanwhile, is a highly touted Brit who made his octagon debut in November, when he scored a 40-second TKO of Chris Cope at UFC 138. It was the former Cage Rage champ's fifth-straight victory and was one of his highest-profile wins since a pair of victories over DREAM champ Marius Zaromskis in the U.K.
And while the fight card is expected to take place on March 24 at Bell Centre, UFC executives have to confirm all of the details.
That said, the night's first fight was made official, as Rory MacDonald (12-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) will meet fellow welterweight prospect Che Mills (14-4 MMA, 1-0 UFC).
"Verbal agreements are in for an explosive welterweight matchup between 'Beautiful' Che Mills and Rory 'Ares' MacDonald at UFC 145 next March in Canada," UFC president Dana White stated in an official release.
UFC 145 will be the UFC's fifth event in Montreal. The Bell Centre hosted UFC 124 and UFC 113 in 2010, as well as UFC 97 in 2009 and UFC 83 in 2008. The shows have averaged nearly 21,000 fans per event.
MacDonald, just 22, is one of the top prospects out of Canada's Tristar Gym. He's 3-1 in the UFC with wins over Mike Guymon, Nate Diaz and Mike Pyle. The former KOTC champ's only career loss came at UFC 115 to former WEC champ and upcoming UFC title challenger Carlos Condit.
Mills, meanwhile, is a highly touted Brit who made his octagon debut in November, when he scored a 40-second TKO of Chris Cope at UFC 138. It was the former Cage Rage champ's fifth-straight victory and was one of his highest-profile wins since a pair of victories over DREAM champ Marius Zaromskis in the U.K.
