UFC returns to Minneapolis for UFC on FX 5, Browne vs. "Bigfoot" headlines

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

The UFC's decision to move UFC on FX 5 from Sept. 7 to Oct. 5 kept them from returning to Indianapolis for the first time in two years. However, they'll now make a trip back to another city they haven't visited in even longer.

According to a report from USA Today, the UFC on FX 5 event will now take place from the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minn., and will be headlined by a heavyweight bout between Travis Browne and Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva.

The event will mark the UFC's first trip to The Land of 10,000 Lakes since August of 2008, when the UFC broke the Target Center's gate record with UFC 87 "Seek and Destroy." That card was headlined by a fantastic Welterweight Championship bout between Georges St-Pierre and Jon Fitch, with Minnesota resident Brock Lesnar's breakout fight against Heath Herring in the night's co-main event.

Additionally, a future Champion made his debut on that event, as Jon Jones defeated Andre Gusmao on the preliminary card, just four months after making his MMA debut.

Browne was supposed to fight on next weekend's UFC on Fox 4 event, but he was scrapped from the card when opponent Ben Rothwell was forced out with an ankle injury. The undefeated Browne is 4-0-1 in the UFC, the sole blemish his draw against Cheick Kongo; but he's won three straight fights, most recently submitting Chad Griggs in the first round at UFC 145.

"Bigfoot" Silva returns to action for the first time since his decimation at the hands of Cain Velasquez in May. That was his second straight stoppage loss, after being knocked out by Velasquez's teammate Daniel Cormier in the Strikeforce Heavyweight World Grand Prix semifinals.

Penick's Analysis: As a nearly lifelong Minnesota resident, living 20 minutes outside of Minneapolis, I'm definitely excited to have the UFC come back to town. The UFC 87 event was massive compared to what fans here will get from this card, but this is a very solid heavyweight fight for an FX headliner. Browne's a legitimate talent in the division, and provided he's not competing in high altitude he's a lot of fun to watch as well. He was very down this week after losing his spot on next week's card, but he'll get a high profile fight here as the headliner.

Dennis George Kultar Gill Allan Goes Takanori The Fireball Kid Gomi Akihiro Gono