News and Notes for December 19, 2009

Less than a month after Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick signed a bill making mixed martial arts legal in the state, UFC President Dana White announced the organization will hold its first show in the state on August 28th.

The Boston Herald is reporting that the card will take place August 28th from the TD Garden.

White hailed from Boston and has spoken many times of his sincere desire to bring the sport that he loves to his hometown. He had mentioned a possible card at Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox.

UFC fighters Kenny Florian, Marcus Davis, and the Lauzon brothers, Dan and Joe, will most likely be part of the historic event.

In a bit of Strikeforce news, the organization has plans for their vacant welterweight championship.

Nick Diaz and Jay Hieron were scheduled to battle it out for the right to become the 170lb champion, but Diaz failed to show up for a pre-fight drug test and that fight was scrapped.

MMA Weekly is reporting that the main event of the January 30th card that is being held in Miami, will feature Diaz taking on the Dream Welterweight Grand Prix champion, Marius Zaromskis for the belt.

That is sure to infuriate Hieron, who signed with the Strikeforce for the opportunity to fight for the welterweight title.

In other Strikeforce news, Five Knuckles makes mention of a possible opponent for their newly crowned middleweight champion, Jake Shields.

It looks as though former Pride middleweight and light heavyweight champion, Dan Henderson will try to add another belt to his collection as he challenges Shields in April.

The yet to be named card is scheduled to air live on CBS, which will mark the second event for Strikeforce on the network.

Shields won the vacated title when he defeated Jason “Mayhem” Miller last month during the first show televised on CBS.

Speaking if Shields, Frank Shamrock is making waves as he told Fight Magazine that he has no desire to fight Shields.

In fact, the former Strikeforce middleweight champion said that Shields’ leg humping of Miller last month killed the ratings for CBS. He also said he would never help Shields make the money that would be associated with a fighter of Shamrock’s magnitude.