Las Vegas, NV (USA) – The Ultimate Fighting Championship® returns to
Philadelphia this summer with a loaded card sure to leave the City of
Brotherly Love buzzing. On Saturday, August 6 from the Wells Fargo Center in
Philadelphia, former UFC® light heavyweight champion “Suga” Rashad Evans takes on rising star and former Penn State wrestling standout Phil Davis.
In addition, UFC fans in Philly will be treated to an exciting light heavyweight battle between former middleweight champion Rich Franklin and former PRIDE® star Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, as well as a 185-pound clash pitting former UFC world champion Vitor Belfort against Japanese superstar Yoshihiro Akiyama.
“The
last time we were in Philly, the fans were incredible so we are excited
to head back there with a card that features three former world
champions,” UFC President Dana White said. “Phil is undefeated at 9-0
and has never been more motivated for a fight, and he wants to prove
that he belongs atop the light heavyweight division. Rashad is on fire.
He wants his title back so badly he can taste it, but he knows before he
can get his title shot he has to get through Phil. He wants to win and
he wants to win impressively. This is a great fight.”
Tickets for
UFC® 133: EVANS vs. DAVIS go on sale exclusively through ComcastTIX on Friday, June 10 at noon ET and are priced at $500, $350, $225,
$150, $100, and $50. Tickets are available on line at ComcastTIX.com,
by phone at 1-800-298-4200, or in person at the Wells Fargo Center Box
Office. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. Tickets are
subject to convenience and service fees.
UFC® Fight Club™ members
will have the opportunity to purchase tickets to this event on Wednesday, June 8 at 10 am ET via the website ufcfightclub.com.
A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter
subscribers on Thursday, June 9 starting at 3 p.m. BST. To access this
presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter by entering their
email address in the “join newsletter” field at the top of ufc.com.
Official UFC VIP packages are also available at http://vip.ufc.com. These packages include tickets to UFC 133, official event merchandise, as well as special VIP experiences with backstage tours and meet and greets with top UFC stars. Get closer to the action than ever before with this unique UFC VIP opportunity.
UFC® 133: EVANS vs. DAVIS, which is presented by Boost Mobile, will be available live on UFC.TV and Pay-Per-View at 9 pm ET/6 pm PT
“Suga” Rashad Evans (fighting out of Boca Raton, Fla.) has defeated some of the sport’s most recognizable names, including Quinton Jackson, Chuck Liddell, Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar. Along the way, Evans (20-1-1) has captured UFC gold and the coveted title of season two winner of The Ultimate Fighter®. On Aug. 6, the 31-year-old hopes a win will put him in line for a shot at champion Jon Jones.
“My
road back to the title continues in Philadelphia against Phil Davis and
I expect this to be one of the best fights of the year,” Evans said.
“Phil is on the rise in this sport and it’s my job to put an end to
that. He’s a former national champion wrestler and he’s been impressive
thus far in the UFC, but my experience in big fights gives me the edge. I
want another shot at the belt and I’ve got to beat Phil to earn it.”
Undefeated
rising star Phil Davis (fighting out of San Diego, Calif.) returns to
his native Pennsylvania with plans to score the biggest win of his
career. A Division I National wrestling champion in 2008, the former
Nittany Lion Davis (9-0) has torn through the UFC’s light heavyweight
division. With wins over the likes of Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Brian Stann, “Mr. Wonderful” believes he’ll cement his place among the 205-pound best with a huge victory over Evans at Wells Fargo Center.
“I’m
definitely glad to be back in Pennsylvania for the biggest fight of my
life,” Davis, a Harrisburg native, said. “It’s going to be good to be
able to fight in front of all my family and friends. I feel like I can
take this fight wherever I want. I can wrestle with Rashad, I can strike
with him, and I feel confident wherever this fight goes. Rashad Evans
is the most dangerous opponent I’ve ever faced, but I don’t think for a
minute that I’m outmatched. I’m going to take care of this fight and do
whatever I have to do to beat Rashad.”
Former middleweight
champion Rich “Ace” Franklin (fighting out of Cincinnati, Ohio) brings
his versatile game and supreme conditioning back to the Octagon® for a
highly-anticipated clash with former PRIDE® star Antonio Rogerio
Nogueira (fighting out Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) in light heavyweight
action. The 36-year-old Franklin (28-6, 1 NC) holds key victories over
Chuck Liddell, Wanderlei Silva and Matt Hamill
and will be put to the test against the 34-year-old Nogueira (19-5), a
crisp boxer and Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt who has posted wins over Vladimir Matyushenko, Alistair Overeem and Dan Henderson.
Proven
knockout artist and former UFC champion Vitor “The Phenom” Belfort
(fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) has long been touted as one of the
most devastating and explosive strikers in history. Owner of wins over
the likes of Rich Franklin, Randy Couture and Gilbert Yvel,
the 34-year-old Brazilian Belfort (19-9) now gears up for a bout with
Japanese superstar Yoshihiro Akiyama (fighting out of Osaka, Japan).
Three straight “Fight of the Night”
awards dot the record of the 35-year-old Akiyama (13-3, 2 NC) and he
expects to earn a fourth when he meets Belfort in Philadelphia. The
talented judoka, who trains alongside number one middleweight contender Yushin Okami, has defeated notables such as Alan Belcher and Melvin Manhoef.
All bouts live and subject to change.