Lots Of Backstage MMA News - Rumors, UFC/Pride

According to San Mateo Daily Journal, Joao Pierini, 35, a former UFC fighter and long time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt, has been convicted of child molestation. She will be sentenced 4/14.

Hermes Franca vs. Sean Shrek for the UFC lightweight title is slated for 7/6.

UFC 72 will take place on 7/7, at a location to be announced. Anderson Silva vs. Nathan Marquardt is penciled in for the show.

UFC 70: Nations Collide at the Manchester Evening News Arena in Manchester, England will take place at 6:15PM local time, with the main event scheduled for 8PM. That would mean the show would take place at 3PM Eastern, and 12 Noon Pacific Time. This will be the first UFC event in the UK since was UFC 38 on July 13, 2002.

Former Pride heavyweight Fabricio Werdum will be will be fighting former champion Andrei Arlovski at UFC 70.

PRIDE's next U.S. show on 4/28 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada had been cancelled.

PRIDE 33: The Second Coming drew 12,121 (the company claimed 13,180) with 8,334 paid at the Thomas & Mack Center for a total gate of $2,033,098.

Speaking of gates, UFC 68 did a strong $3,014,520 gate on Saturday night thanks to 19,079 fans attending the show in Columbus, Ohio. Randy Couture received a $250,000 payoff, while Tim Sylvia collected $100,000. Other payoffs: Kampmann – $20,000; Drew McFedries: $5,000 .. Rich Franklin: $42,000; Jason MacDonald: $14,000 .. Matt Hughes: $150,000; Chris Lytle: $10,000 .. Jason Lambert: $18,000; Renato Sobral: $21,000 .. Matt Hamill: $10,000; Rex Holman: $3,000 .. Jon Fitch: $28,000; Luigi Fioravanti: $8,000 .. Gleison Tibau: $6,000; Jason Dent: $3,000 .. Jamie Varner: $6,000; Jason Gilliam: $3,000.