According to an official announcement released this afternoon, DirecTV and Comcast have reached an agreement to return Versus to the DirecTV programming lineup beginning today. The impending deal was first reported by CagePotato.com, but while we previously stated that DirecTV subscribers would be able to purchase Versus as part of a "special sports tier," Versus will simply be placed back in the same programming packages the channel was in at the end of August 2009. Said Versus president Jamie Davis:

Whoa! Not just serving, but super-serving! That’s what we call a happy ending. If you’re a DirecTV subscriber, Versus should be up on channel 603 no later than 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. Who wants to come over and watch bull-riding?

By CagePotato contributor Jonathan Snowden

Thousands of MMA fans will turn on their television Saturday night, looking for some manly action like WEC 47 or Road House and come up empty. That’s probably because they foolishly purchased DirecTV, not knowing that the provider would soon cut Versus, home to ice hockey, second-rate racing leagues, rodeo, and cage fighting.

Luckily, that’s about to change. Sources close to the situation tell CagePotato that the dispute will come quietly to an end next week, with DirecTV subscribers once again able to purchase Versus as part of a special sports tier. While it won’t come in time for this weekend’s WEC card, MMA fans with DirecTV should have the opportunity to purchase the channel by the time the UFC runs its first event on the network later this month.