UFC's international schedule will slow in mid-2012, but expansion still a priority

In the 13 weeks between Saturday and April 14, the UFC will leave North America for events in Brazil, Japan, Australia and Sweden.

Throw in March's UFC 145 in Montreal, and you have a staggering five international shows in just three months.

The international schedule will slow later this year, UFC executive Marshall Zelaznik today told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com), but it won't stop.

"I do expect after that first quarter that there is going to be a little more of a slow international initiative," the UFC's managing director of international development said while in Rio De Janeiro for Saturday's UFC 142 event.

While most of the remaining international shows are slotted for later this year or early 2013, there is an exception: the UFC's June return to Brazil.

As MMAjunkie.com reported earlier today, "The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil," which is the UFC's first international edition of its long-running competition/reality series, will conclude in June. But rather than a live finale of its own, the series' two tournaments will conclude on a large pay-per-view event in Brazil, possibly Sao Paulo. In addition to the "TUF" fights, the event will feature coaches Vitor Belfort vs. Wanderlei Silva, and UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva is expected to headline, possibly in a rematch against Chael Sonnen if he gets by Mark Munoz later this month at UFC on FOX 2.

Better yet? It could take place in a soccer stadium, which could push toward a six-figure attendance mark.

"June's (event) will be off the charts if we can get Anderson, as (UFC president) Dana (White) mentioned, and get 'The Ultimate Fighter' finales in the stadium," Zelaznik said. "It's going to be a world event that will rival F1 (racing) in this country."

Although Canada and Brazil present few problems, other international events aren't so convenient for the UFC. The organization is committed to airing pay-per-view events in live Saturday-night timeslots in North America, but overseas locales present problems with the time differences. However, this weekend's Brazil event is being used as a sort of test run.

The UFC recently moved its PPV start times back an hour to 10 p.m. ET (7 p.m. PT). That means Rio, which is three hours ahead of U.S. East Coast time, won't see Saturday's UFC 142 event conclude until about 4 a.m. local time.

If successful this weekend, that could be good news for the U.K., which has seen its number of annual UFC shows dwindle over the years.

"The challenge with the U.K. is the time," Zelaznik said. "

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