UFC 133 will be LIVE! on August 6th from the Wells Fargo Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania!
Main Event:
205lbs: Rashad Evans (15-1-1) vs Tito Ortiz (16-8-1)
Main Card:
205lbs: Rich Franklin (28-6-1) vs Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (19-5)
185lbs: Vitor Belfort (19-9) vs Yoshihiro Akiyama (13-3)
185lbs: Alessio Sakara (15-8) vs Jorge Rivera (19-8)
170lbs: Mike Pyle (21-7-1) vs Rory MacDonald (11-1)
Preliminary Card(Airing on Spike TV):
145lbs: Chad Mendes (10-0) vs Rani Yahya (16-6)
205lbs: Matt Hamill (10-3) vs Alexander Gustafsson (11-1)
Preliminary Card(Airing on Facebook):
170lbs: Dennis Hallman (50-13-2-1) vs Brian Ebersole (47-14-1-1)
145lbs: Nam Phan (16-8) vs Mike Brown (24-8)
135lbs: Ivan Menjivar (22-8) vs Nick Pace (6-1)
185lbs: Rafael Natal (12-3-1) vs Constantinos Philippou (7-2-1)
170lbs: Mike Pierce (12-3) vs Johny Hendricks (10-1)
Rich Franklin has been scratched from the UFC 133 card in August, after the promotion failed to find a replacement for the injured Antonio Rogerio Nogueira.
UFC officials announced the news Sunday.
The Aug. 6 event has been plagued with injuries, particularly to 205-pound fighters. Phil Davis was forced out of a headlining fight against Rashad Evans due to a knee injury. Former champion Tito Ortiz stepped up to take his place on short notice.
Not long after that shuffle, another light heavyweight went down with injury in Vladimir Matyushenko. The UFC quickly filled that vacancy with Matt Hamill, who will face Alexander Gustafsson.
But the injury to Nogueira, which was announced Saturday, finally left the promotion with no option but to pull Franklin from the card. A middleweight bout featuring Vitor Belfort and Yoshihiro Akiyama was promoted to the co-main event.
A preliminary welterweight fight between Brian Ebersole and Dennis Hallman was also moved up to round out the main card.
ESPN
“I always love paybacks. I’m getting the opportunity to fulfill what I’ve always wanted to do and that was beat him. The first time we fought, I thought I won the match. My plan was to get a takedown and work on my feet. He didn’t feel that strong, he felt weak. He’s gotten a lot better since then; I’ve changed 100-percent since then, physically and mentally. It’s not an easy fight but I’m a UFC fighter. I kick people’s asses for a living. This time I’m going to finish the deal. I’m on the hunt to get my world title back. If I have to walk through Rashad to make it happen, I’m going to.”
Tito Ortiz tells UFC.Com that in his last minute rematch with Rashad Evans is one he plans on finishing.
The two former champs originally faced off at UFC 73 back in 2007. At the time, Evans was an undefeated prospect making his way up the ladder and had it not been for a point deduction Ortiz would have been victorious in what was eventually ruled a draw.
With redemption on his mind Ortiz is looking to build off the momentum of his upset win over Ryan Bader earlier this month.
UFC.Com
Are you getting the show Ben?
Cool that Tito got confidence back and all that but I'm calling Evans knocking him out tbh. Just don't have any belief that Tito is gonna win.
I'll be in Vegas on Saturday so I'll prob just catch it at a bar there.