UFC 88-Philips Arena

UFC officially announces "UFC 88: Liddell vs. Evans" for Sept. 6 at Philips Arena
For the first time in the organization's history, the UFC is heading to Atlanta -- and the Sept. 6 show will feature a main event between UFC light heavyweight contenders Chuck Liddell (21-5 MMA, 16-4 UFC) and Rashad Evans (11-0-1 MMA, 6-0-1 UFC).

MMAjunkie.com first reported last month that an Atlanta event was in the works, and the UFC today made it official as part of a ticket-sales push.

The event takes place at Phillips Arena, a 19,000-capacity venue that is home to the NBA's Atlanta Hawks and the NHL's Atlanta Thrashers. The event will air on pay per view, according to UFC.com.

Liddell, a former UFC light heavyweight champion, is 1-1 since losing his title to Quinton Jackson in May 2007. Four months after that loss, he suffered another defeat (via split decision) to Keith Jardine. It was the first back-to-back losses of his career, but he rebounded for a unanimous-decision victory over Wanderlei Silva at UFC 79.

Earlier this month, a source close to the event told MMAjunkie.com that a Liddell vs. Anderson Silva fight had been discussed as a potential UFC 88 main event. Instead, the UFC will go with Evans, the UFC's undefeated winner of "The Ultimate Fighter 2."

It'll be Evans' first fight in nearly 10 months; he was expected to return earlier this month at UFC 85, but bouts with Liddell and Luiz Cane were eventually scrapped. After fighting to a draw with Tito Ortiz last summer, Evans most recently defeated Michael Bisping via split decision at UFC 78.

The UFC will be the second organization to host an MMA event at Phillips Arena. The young American Fight League christened the building late last month for its first major-venue event.

The UFC hasn't hosted an event in Georgia since UFC 13, which took place in May 1997 at the Augusta Civic Center in Augusta.

Tickets for UFC 88 go on sale to members of the UFC's fan club on Wednesday. The general public can puchase tickets beginning on Saturday.

For the latest on UFC 88, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of MMAjunkie.com.

This Week in History

On August 5, 2007, John Mayer returned to Atlanta on the southeast leg of his 2007 Summer Tour. Mayer moved to Atlanta in 1998, and found much of his inspiration for his first CD in Georgia, in particular hits like “Why Georgia” and “Neon” (which mentions Peachtree Street). Earlier in 2007, he won Grammys for Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. That same year, he was named to Time Magazine’s list of the 100 Most Influential People of 2007. John Mayer’s tours provide a unique fan experience, as he allows audio taping at most of his live performances and allows for the non-commercial trading of those recordings. He attributes these rules to a desire for fans to have a great experience and an ability to share this experience with others.

The 2001 MTV TRL Tour came to Philips Arena on July 28, 2001. Performers included Nelly, Eve, Dream, 3LW, Jessica Simpson, and headliners Destiny’s Child. At the peak of their group career, Destiny’s Child sang hits off their Spring 2001 album “Survivor” which had sold 663,000 copies in its first week sales—the highest ever for an all-female group! According to Time Magazine, Destiny’s Child is the best selling girl group of all time worldwide.

On July 24, 2004, the “Queen of Pop” herself took to Philips Arena’s stage. Madonna, whose career launched in 1982, has been named by the Guinness Book of World Records the “World’s Most Successful Female Musician”. Her 2004 “Re-Invention Tour” was the highest grossing tour of 2004, earning $125 million and selling out 55 of 56 performances. Madonna also released a documentary DVD, “I’m Going to Tell you a Secret” that depicted parts of the show as well as backstage extras, which was released in June 2006. The tour was divided into five sections: French Renaissance, military, circus/cabaret, religious, and tribal. Among her many costume changes, Madonna wore a Vote or Die t-shirt to remind her fans of the importance in voting in the 2004 presidential election.

This Week in History

July 13-19, 2008

Ecstatic after his 2004 album “When the Sun Goes Down” was named #3 Top Seller of the Year and CMA Album of the Year, Kenny Chesney announced his “Somewhere in the Sun Tour”. This tour combined hits off of his “When the Sun Goes Down” and “Be As You Are (Songs from an Old Blue Chair)” albums as well as covers of some of country’s greatest hits. His sell-out performances on July 16, 17, & 18, 2005 had fans on their feet as he sang duets with Gretchen Wilson and Uncle Kracker. Pat Green also performed, rounding out a phenomenal country lineup.

This Week in History

July 6-12, 2008

Crowds know they are in for a treat when two country superstars join on one stage, as was the case with the Soul2Soul II Tour 2006. On July 8, 2006, married couple Tim McGraw and Faith Hill visited Atlanta’s Philips Arena on the highest-grossing country tour of all time that was also named “Major Tour of the Year” by Pollstar Magazine. Both artists have received countless accolades from the Country Music Association, American Music Association, and Academy of Country Music. Each has also won Grammys and People’s Choice Awards.

This Week in History

On June 30, 2007, Philips Arena welcomed New Zealand native Keith Urban to the stage. Since the age of seven, Urban had aspirations of making it big in Nashville, and in 2004 he released his first CD in the United States (he had been performing abroad since 1990). The opening act was The Wreckers, Michelle Branch and her former back up singer Jessica Harp. A week after his outstanding performance at Philips Arena, Keith Urban went to New York City to perform alongside Alicia Keys in Al Gore’s Live Earth Concert.