UFC Jones vs. Sonnen Targeted for New Jersey
Shane Carwin and Roy Nelson, coaches of the current season of The Ultimate Fighter, will square off at the season finale on Dec. 15 at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
The recently announced pairing of Jon Jones and Chael Sonnen as coaches for TUF 17 will not follow the same path.
The Ultimate Fighter Finale will take place at the Hard Rock in Las Vegas, but it’s not going to feature the coaches. Jones vs. Sonnen will instead head a pay-per-view fight card on April 27, likely in New Jersey.
The location isn’t set, yet, but UFC president Dana White this week indicated that a return to the East Coast is the target.
“The finale will be at The Hard Rock,” said White. “(TUF 17) premieres in January and then we're talking right now – this isn't etched in stone – but we're talking about New Jersey for the Jones fight.”
Jones has headlined in New Jersey in the past. That is, in fact, where he captured the UFC light heavyweight championship from Mauricio “Shogun” Rua; when he famously stepped in for then-teammate Rashad Evans.
The UFC has yet to release hard dates for either the premier or the finale of TUF 17.
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