MMA Junkie is reporting that UFC 122 will be a Spike TV special airing on November 13th. Although not officially confirmed, the event is expected to be the organization’s return to Germany likely taking place from the Konig Pilsener Arena in Oberhausen. This will mean that when the event airs on Spike it will be on a six-hour tape delay.
It is likely that the decision to not broadcast UFC 122 on pay per view was informed by it taking place on the same day as the planned date for Manny Pacquiao vs. Antonio Margarito. Last year the UFC was embarrassed when UFC 103 was badly ‘beaten’ on pay per view by Floyd Mayweather vs. Juan Manuel Marquez that aired on the same day, September 19th. Despite explanations that the two events were of different relative importance to their sports and the different PPV models of UFC and HBO many in boxing claimed September 19th as a victory for the sport against MMA. Since then the UFC has been keen to avoid clashes with major boxing shows, moving UFC 113 back a week so that it didn’t clash with Floyd Mayweather vs. Shane Mosley
UFC 122 airing on Spike will mean that the cable station will be broadcasting one UFC special every month in the final third of the year, with UFC 120 airing on tape-day from London in October while September and December will see Fight Nights held in conjunction with the premiere and finale of the twelfth season of The Ultimate Fighter.
