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UFC 68: The Uprising
Card Features Sylvia, Franklin, Hughes |
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COLUMBUS, Ohio - They are all in different divisions, but they are all "heavyweights." And they are all on the card at UFC 68.
UFC 68 will feature current UFC heavyweight champion Tim "The Maine-iac" Sylvia, along with Rich "Ace" Franklin and Matt Hughes - two former UFC champions who are hot on the championship trail and loaded with a vengeance. The event is scheduled for March 3.
"We have been looking at holding a UFC in the Midwest for a long time, and the weekend of the Arnold Sports Festival presented the perfect opportunity for a UFC event," said UFC president Dana White. "We are excited to come to Nationwide Arena and give UFC fans in Ohio an amazing event featuring great fighters who helped make the UFC the hottest name in sports today."
Jim Lorimer, producer of the Arnold Sports Festival & Fitness Weekend said he's thrilled to have the UFC fans.
"The Arnold Sports Festival is pleased to welcome 18,000 devoted UFC fans to Nationwide Arena on March 3 to coincide with our annual weekend," he said. "The incredible momentum of the UFC will add tremendous energy and excitement to the city of Columbus and the Arnold Sports Festival."
TICKET INFO
Tickets go on sale Jan. 9. Prices are $400, $300, $200, $100 and $50 and are available at Nationwide Arena Ticket Office, at all Ticketmaster ticket centers, online at www.ticketmaster.com or www.ufc.com and by phone at (614) 431-3600.
Tickets may also be purchased at the Blue Jackets Zones at the Chiller Dublin, Chiller Easton and Chiller North. All tickets are subject to facility fee and service charges.
FIGHTER NOTES
Tim Sylvia
Sylvia (25-2-0), fighting out of Davenport, Iowa, is the UFC heavyweight champion. He first stormed into the UFC by defeating "Cabbage" Correira in his first fight and knocking out Ricco Rodriguez in his second fight to become the champion. Following his knockout of Gan McGee to defend the title, Sylvia relinquished his belt when the Nevada State Athletic Commission suspended his license after he tested positive for an anabolic agent. He then fought Frank Mir for the vacant title at UFC 48 and suffered multiple breaks in his arm from a Mir armbar.
After recovering, he returned at UFC 51, fighting Andrei Arlovski, only to suffer another setback as he was forced to tap out in the first round due to an Achilles lock. At UFC 54 he returned to his winning ways with a devastating head-kick knockout over Tra Telligman, followed by a unanimous decision victory over Assuerio Silva at Ultimate Fight Night in January 2006.
Sylvia faced UFC world heavyweight champion Arlovski again at UFC 59 and defeated him. He followed that up with another win, a decision over Arlovski at UFC 61 and a unanimous decision over Jeff Monson at UFC 65.
Sylvia is ready to defend his belt a third time at UFC 68.
Rich Franklin
Fighting out of Cincinnati, Ohio, Rich Franklin (22-2-0) is an extremely well-rounded fighter possessing great striking and submission skills. He fought most of his career as a light heavyweight before moving to the middleweight division.
At UFC 53, he knocked out UFC champion Evan Tanner to capture the middleweight crown. He made his first title defense against Nate Quarry at UFC 56, winning by first round KO and his second defense against Canadian David Loiseau at UFC 58, winning by decision after dominating "The Crow" through all five championship rounds.
He faced Anderson Silva in his third UFC title defense, but was KO'd by the Brazilian in the first round. Eager to get back into the Octagon, and in front of a home state crowd, Franklin is hot on the trail to taking back the middleweight crown.
Matt Hughes
Matt Hughes, who is 42-5, was the longest reigning champion ever in the history of the UFC. He started fighting in 1999, at UFC 22, and spent two years climbing his way up the division. At UFC 34 (11/02/01) he won the UFC Welterweight Championship by defeating Carlos Newton by KO. From there, he won five consecutive fights, holding the title for three years before losing it to B.J. Penn at UFC 46 (1/31/04), succumbing to a rear naked choke at 4:39 of the first round.
He regained the vacant welterweight crown at UFC 50 (10/22/04) by stopping Georges St. Pierre with an armbar at 4:59 of the first round, and he defended his title at UFC 52 (4/16/06) against Frank Trigg, winning by a rear naked choke. He fought Joe Riggs at UFC 56 (11/19/05) in a non-championship bout and submitted him by kimura at 3:28 of the first round, then followed that up with a third-round TKO over Penn at UFC 63.
Hughes met St. Pierre again at UFC 65, this time losing to the Canadian contender by second-round TKO.
- UFC PR Department
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