As expected, a UFC 133 contest between Alexander Gustafsson (11-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) and Matt Hamill (10-3 MMA, 9-3 UFC) will air on Spike TV.
The recently arranged matchup, in which Hamill replaced an injured Vladimir Matyushenko, is one of two UFC 133 preliminary card matchups that will air on the UFC’s longtime cable television partner.
Featuring a headlining rematch between former UFC champion Rashad Evans and Tito Ortiz, “UFC 133: Evans vs. Ortiz II” takes place Aug. 6 at Philadelphia’s Wells Fargo Center. The night’s main card airs on pay-per-view.
An additional four bouts also stream on Facebook. Dennis Hallman vs. Brian Ebersole, a bout that was expected to stream on Facebook, was recently promoted to UFC 133′s main card when a planned matchup between Rich Franklin and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira was scratched.
Hamill fights for the first time since a lopsided (and late-notice) decision loss to Quinton Jackson in UFC 130′s headliner. Prior to the defeat, the decorated amateur wrestler had earned five-straight UFC victories, which included decision victories over Tito Ortiz and Keith Jardine and a head-kick knockout of Mark Munoz. The stretch also included a disqualification win (due to illegal elbow strikes) over now-champ Jon Jones in 2009.
While seven of Gustafsson’s first nine career victories came via knockout, the 24-year-old Swedish prospect recently has posted back-to-back submission victories (over Cyrille Diabate and James Te Huna). His lone career loss came to unbeaten contender Phil Davis at UFC 112, which followed a knockout win over Jared Hamann in his late-2009 octagon debut. The UFC 133 fight marks Gustafsson’s first-ever bout in the U.S.
With the officials announcement, UFC 133′s (hopefully) finalized lineup includes:
MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view)
Rashad Evans vs. Tito Ortiz
Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Vitor Belfort
Jorge Rivera vs. Alessio Sakara
Rory MacDonald vs. Mike Pyle
Brian Ebersole vs. Dennis Hallman
PRELIMINARY CARD (Spike TV)
Alexander Gustafsson vs. Matt Hamill
Chad Mendes vs. Rani Yahya
PRELIMINARY CARD (Facebook)
Ivan Menjivar vs. Nick Pace
Johny Hendricks vs. Mike Pierce
Mike Brown vs. Nam Phan
Rafael “Sapo” Natal vs. Costantinos Phillippou
Article by: MMAJunkie.com
