N.Y. FOOTBALL STAR JUSTIN TUCK CALLS UFC® CHAMP FRANKIE EDGAR IN JAPAN TO WISH HIM GOOD LUCK
UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar chats with New York football star Justin Tuck from his hotel room in Japan. Tuck called to wish the N.J. native good luck before his Pay-Per-View title defense tomorrow night from Saitama Super Arena. Photo Credit: Getty Images.
TUCK AND N.Y. TEAMMATES WATCHED EDGAR’S VICTORY IN HIS LAST FIGHT AS INSPIRATION FOR CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON
Just hours before weighing in for his main event bout against Benson Henderson from the Saitama Super Arena in Japan, UFC® lightweight champion Frankie Edgar received an unexpected call in his hotel room. Calling the room of the 30-year-old Toms River, N.J. native was none other than New York Giants star Justin Tuck.
Tuck, still reeling from New York’s championship win earlier this month, called to wish Edgar good luck before his highly-anticipated Pay-Per-View title fight tomorrow night. Having watched Edgar’s knockout victory over Gray Maynard at UFC 136 as inspiration before a big game this past season, Tuck and his teammates wanted to make sure Edgar knew that he had their support when he steps inside the Octagon® in Japan.
“I really appreciate Justin reaching out to me in Japan,” Edgar said. “It means a lot to a kid from Jersey who grew up watching the Giants. He said they were all rooting for me tomorrow night. It definitely got me even more motivated.”
UFC® 144: EDGAR vs. HENDERSON will air live on Pay-Per-View in North America on Saturday, Feb. 25 at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. The card also features former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson battling Ryan Bader in a special four-hour, seven-fight Pay-Per-View broadcast.
For more information or current fight news, visit www.ufc.com. All bouts live and subject to change.
About Ultimate Fighting Championship®
Owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC, and headquartered in Las Vegas, Nev., UFC® is the world’s premier MMA organization and produces over 12 UFC live Pay-Per-View events annually around the globe. This year, FOX will broadcast four fight cards annually. In spring 2012, The Ultimate Fighter®, UFC’s signature weekly reality TV show, debuts on FX. UFC content is also distributed commercially to bars and restaurants through Joe Hand Promotions in the U.S.
Globally, UFC programming is broadcast in 150 countries, territories and jurisdictions, reaching over one billion homes worldwide, in 21 different languages.
UFC® also boasts a powerful presence online, with UFC.com attracting over seven million unique visitors per month, while also possessing one of the most powerful social media followings in all of professional sports. To date, UFC has over 7.5 million fans on Facebook and over 500,000 followers on Twitter. In addition, UFC President Dana White is one of the most accessible and most followed executives in sports with nearly two million followers on Twitter. On January 22, 2011, UFC continued to set trends in social media, becoming the first major sports league to stream live, broadcast quality action on Facebook.
Ancillary businesses include best-selling DVDs, UFC Magazine, the best-selling UFC “Undisputed” videogame franchise distributed by THQ, UFC GYM®, UFC Fight Club affinity program, UFC Fan Expo® festivals, branded apparel, trading cards, and articulated action figures.
