Inside the Venue: Valley View Casino Center
A quick look inside the Valley View Casino Center …
Location: San Diego
Built: 1966
Cost: $6.5 million
Seating Capacity: 16,100
Architect: Robert Breitbard
The Valley View Casino Center, formerly the San Diego Sports Arena, welcomes its third major mixed martial arts show on Saturday, as Strikeforce “Melendez vs. Masvidal” touches down in San Diego. The event, which will air on Showtime at 10 p.m. ET/PT, will feature two five-round title fights, as lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez defends his crown against American Top Team’s Jorge Masvidal and women’s featherweight champion Cristiane Santos puts her belt on the line against Japanese import Hiroko Yamanaka. Rounding out the televised card, Dream light heavyweight champion Gegard Mousasi will collide with the surging Ovince St. Preux and former EliteXC lightweight titleholder K.J. Noons will toe the line against Billy Evangelista.
Built by Robert Breitbard for $6.5 million, the arena opened its doors on Nov. 17, 1966 with a professional hockey game between the Western Hockey League’s San Diego Gulls and the Seattle Totems. The Valley View Casino Center is no stranger to combat sports. In 1973, it was the site of the infamous Muhammad Ali-Ken Norton boxing match, which Norton won by split decision. In August 2010, it played host to UFC Live 2 “Jones vs. Matyushenko.” The show was highlighted by a stirring performance from current UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, who waylaid former International Fight League titleholder Vladimir Matyushenko with elbows en route to a first-round finish. The venue also accommodated the 1971 NBA All-Star Game and the 1975 NCAA Final Four, where UCLA won its 10th championship under John Wooden in the legendary coach’s final game.
Michael Jackson The Immortal World Tour (Jan. 21-22), Disney on Ice’s “Toy Story 3” (Jan. 25-29), the Harlem Globetrotters (Feb. 17) and Kelly Clarkson (April 10) will follow Strikeforce into the Valley View Casino Center.
Location: San Diego
Built: 1966
Cost: $6.5 million
Seating Capacity: 16,100
Architect: Robert Breitbard
The Valley View Casino Center, formerly the San Diego Sports Arena, welcomes its third major mixed martial arts show on Saturday, as Strikeforce “Melendez vs. Masvidal” touches down in San Diego. The event, which will air on Showtime at 10 p.m. ET/PT, will feature two five-round title fights, as lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez defends his crown against American Top Team’s Jorge Masvidal and women’s featherweight champion Cristiane Santos puts her belt on the line against Japanese import Hiroko Yamanaka. Rounding out the televised card, Dream light heavyweight champion Gegard Mousasi will collide with the surging Ovince St. Preux and former EliteXC lightweight titleholder K.J. Noons will toe the line against Billy Evangelista.
Built by Robert Breitbard for $6.5 million, the arena opened its doors on Nov. 17, 1966 with a professional hockey game between the Western Hockey League’s San Diego Gulls and the Seattle Totems. The Valley View Casino Center is no stranger to combat sports. In 1973, it was the site of the infamous Muhammad Ali-Ken Norton boxing match, which Norton won by split decision. In August 2010, it played host to UFC Live 2 “Jones vs. Matyushenko.” The show was highlighted by a stirring performance from current UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, who waylaid former International Fight League titleholder Vladimir Matyushenko with elbows en route to a first-round finish. The venue also accommodated the 1971 NBA All-Star Game and the 1975 NCAA Final Four, where UCLA won its 10th championship under John Wooden in the legendary coach’s final game.
Michael Jackson The Immortal World Tour (Jan. 21-22), Disney on Ice’s “Toy Story 3” (Jan. 25-29), the Harlem Globetrotters (Feb. 17) and Kelly Clarkson (April 10) will follow Strikeforce into the Valley View Casino Center.
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