"I always believed in the sport and our athletes," UFC president Dana White said moments before the weigh-in. "The questions were always if the timing was going to be right."

That time already has arrived. A sport that wasn't allowed on pay-per-view just seven years ago because of its brutality will be shown live in 75 countries, while the local crowd will fill the Events Center, a large closed-circuit telecast at Mandalay Bay and another ballroom on the Strip.

Briefs heady goes in this spacey here

BOSTON — The National Hockey League is coming to Fenway Park.

The league is expected to announce at a news conference there Wednesday that the Boston Bruins will play the third annual Winter Classic at the home of the Boston Red Sox on Jan. 1. The opponent is expected to be the Philadelphia Flyers or the Washington Capitals.

Croatia leads U.S. in Davis Cup play

POREC, Croatia — Marin Cilic outlasted Mardy Fish in five sets to give Croatia a 2-0 lead over the United States after the opening singles of their Davis Cup quarterfinal on Friday.

Cilic beat Fish 4-6, 6-3, 6-7 (3), 6-1, 8-6 in a match that lasted 4 hours, 23 minutes and ended at 1 a.m. local time.

Much earlier, Ivo Karlovic pounded 47 aces and rallied from two sets down to beat James Blake 6-7 (5), 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (3), 7-5 on an indoor clay court.