Evans And Davis Headline UFC On FOX 2

A blockbuster tripleheader will take place in Chicago on Saturday when UFC on FOX 2 gets underway at United Center starting at 8:00 p.m. (ET).  Two of the three bouts on the main card are expected to lead to title shots for the winners, highlighted by a light heavyweight matchup between “Suga” Rashad Evans and Phil “Mr. Wonderful” Davis.

Eight more preliminary card fights will be broadcast earlier on Fuel TV beginning at 5:00 p.m.

Former light heavyweight champion Evans (21-1-1) and the undefeated Davis (9-0) were originally scheduled to square off at UFC 133 last August 6, but Davis was forced to pull out of the bout with a knee injury.  That was after current light-heavyweight champ Jon “Bones” Jones was originally expected to fight Evans in the UFC 133 main event but also had to withdraw due to a hand injury.

Evans ended up meeting another former light heavyweight champ in Tito Ortiz and knocked him out in the second round.  Jones and Evans were then supposed to meet at UFC 140, but this time Evans missed the bout with a thumb injury.  Now, Evans will get an opportunity to earn a title shot against Jones sometime later this year as a solid 170 favorite against Davis (+140).

There is obviously a large experience gap between Evans and Davis, who is viewed by many as a future star in MMA, much like Jones was last year before he won the championship belt.  Davis has not fought since he earned a unanimous decision victory against Antonio Rogerio Nogueira last March 26.  That was only one of three career bouts for Davis to go three rounds.

Another huge fight on the main card will determine who Anderson “The Spider” Silva defends his middleweight title against next, as Chael Sonnen (27-11-1) takes on Michael Bisping (23-3).  Sonnen is a big 450 favorite to move on and get a rematch with Silva, who nearly lost the last time they met at UFC 110 in 2010.  Silva submitted Sonnen via triangle armbar in the fifth and final round of their epic title bout after he looked to be losing after the first four.

Sonnen went on to fail his post-fight drug test, get suspended by the California State Athletic Commission and was later convicted for money laundering before returning to the Octagon against Brian Stann at UFC 136 last October 8.  Stann was no match for Sonnen, who submitted him in the second round via arm triangle choke.

Bisping (+325) will be fighting for the second time in two months, filling in for the injured Mark Munoz.  The former light heavyweight contender is 8-2 at middleweight and coming off a third-round TKO win over Jason “Mayhem” Miller in The Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale last December 3.

Demian Maia (15-3) was scheduled to face Bisping before the Munoz injury, but he will now be matched up with unbeaten Chris Weidman (7-0) in another middleweight battle on the main card.  Maia has won three of his last four bouts, with the loss coming against Munoz at UFC 131 last June 11.  He bounced back with a unanimous decision win over Jorge Santiago at UFC 136.

Weidman has finished his last two opponents in the first round, which is also when five of his seven career fights have ended overall.