UFC on Fox 2: Evans vs. Davis

Synopsis

UFC on Fox 2: Evans vs. Davis (2012) was a televised mixed martial arts event headlined by former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Rashad Evans facing rising contender Phil Davis. The card brought established names and up-and-coming fighters to a broad Fox television audience, showcasing a mix of striking, wrestling, and grappling across multiple weight classes. The main event featured two accomplished athletes with contrasting styles: Evans, known for his powerful stand-up and explosive athleticism, and Davis, a decorated collegiate wrestler whose takedown and top-control game tested Evans’ ability to handle sustained pressure on the mat. Throughout the evening, the undercard delivered competitive fights that highlighted depth in the light heavyweight and middleweight divisions, while the broadcast reached casual viewers through free-to-air exposure. The event is remembered for its implications in the light heavyweight rankings and for bringing high-level MMA action to network television, furthering the sport’s mainstream visibility.

Cast

• 

  Rashad Evans

  Self

• 

  Phil Davis

  Self

• 

  Chael Sonnen

  Self

• 

  Michael Bisping

  Self

• 

  Chris Weidman

  Self

• 

  Demian Maia

  Self

Reviews

Critical response to UFC on Fox 2 was anchored less on traditional film-review aggregates and more on MMA media and sports outlets. Coverage from leading MMA sites and sports journalists tended to focus on the main event result and the event’s television impact. For example, MMAJunkie and Sherdog provided detailed play-by-play recaps and analysis: coverage emphasized that Phil Davis’ wrestling and control were decisive factors, and writers noted the bout’s significance for the light heavyweight pecking order. Sherdog’s event write-up highlighted Davis’ technical approach, describing how his takedowns and top pressure limited Evans’ offense. Similarly, MMAFighting’s reports and post-fight analysis praised Davis’ game plan execution while acknowledging Evans’ dangerous moments when he was able to strike at range. ESPN’s MMA coverage placed the fight in context of both fighters’ careers, noting that the outcome was an upset to some fans and had clear ramifications for title contention discussions. User and fan reaction—seen in message boards and comment sections on sites like Sherdog, Reddit and the event’s IMDb page—was mixed: many fans praised the high-level wrestling exhibited by Davis but lamented that the bout lacked sustained striking fireworks some expected from Evans. Overall, specialist MMA outlets rated the event on its competitive significance rather than as entertainment cinema; praise centered on sportsmanship, technical skill, and the matchmaking that produced meaningful divisional outcomes, while criticism focused on pacing and a main event that was more methodical than explosive. (Note: traditional film-aggregate scores such as Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic do not typically index live sporting events; assessments for this event are therefore drawn from MMA and sports journalism sources and contemporaneous fan reaction.)