Hello once more fans and friends, and welcome to the latest edition of “Crash Course”. “Crash Course” is a series of articles designed to give readers a quick rundown on all the relevant information they need to know heading into an upcoming major MMA event.
I look at everything from why you should watch, what you should expect in the co-main and main event and even where and when you can find it on TV. So let’s get right to it with today’s edition, featuring “UFC on Fox 2: Evans vs. Davis.”
The Event
UFC on Fox 2 “Evans vs. Davis,” is scheduled for Saturday, January 28, 2012 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. The preliminary card will be broadcast live on FUEL TV starting at 5:00 PM ET. The three-fight main card is set to air on Fox starting at 8:00 PM ET.
Why You Should Care
Originally billed as a “triple header”, this event still has two strong matchups going for it. While Demian Maia and Chris Weidman have been more or less left in the dust, both Chael Sonnen vs. Michael Bisping and Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis are must-see main event matchups.
What to Look Forward to in the Main Event
Rashad Evans has been campaigning for his shot at the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship for a long time now. He’s put up with injuries, with opponents pulling out of fights and he’s put up with the constant hype of a showdown with former teammate and arch-rival Jon Jones without seeing any of it culminate in an actual title shot.
And Rashad Evans is pissed.
Meanwhile, Phil Davis has been doing a lot of things right, and he’s a workhorse that will make Rashad Evans work very hard to finally make his date with destiny.
What to Look Forward to in the Co-Main Event
The only real regret I have is that the UFC didn’t make Sonnen/Bisping right off the bat and give these two fighters weeks to talk trash about each other instead of the short time we’ve been given.
Still, a whole lot has been said about this fight in the amount of time there’s been to talk about it. Whether you’re a fan, a member of the media or even a casual observer, you’ve probably got an opinion on this one. But the general consensus should hold up: Regardless of how it ends, this should be a pretty fun fight.
Why You Should Watch This Card
As always, the UFC is hitting us with a good event that has names all up and down the card. They’re giving us a full, live preliminary event absolutely free. And with the amount of star talent on the main Fox broadcast coupled with the huge title fight that anchored the previous Fox broadcast, it’s become clear that any and all Fox events will be as close to a Pay-Per-View event as we could possibly get without actually putting any money down.
Why You Shouldn’t Watch This Card
I really don’t have anything negative to say about the preliminary card. In fact I think it’s a very strong little mini-event. In regards to the Fox broadcast, all I can say is what I’ve said already: Demian Maia and Chris Weidman have more or less been left in the dust.
Unless you specifically like either of those fighters, I can’t make a strong argument to watch that fight other than the usual arguments: They’re both good fighters, the fight has potential, etc. etc.
Closing Thoughts
The removal of Mark Munoz due to injury definitely hurt this event, but it’s still a must-watch. With two big fights, one decent fight (for a main card) and a preliminary card full of good fights, this event should be well worth watching.
Oliver Saenz, also known as PdW2kX, is a freelance journalist, opinion columnist, hardcore MMA fan, and lifelong video game nerd. For more news, views, previews, and reviews on all things Mixed Martial Arts as well as video games, be sure to visit FightGamesBlog.net.
Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com