With Chael Sonnen out of his UFC 155 bout with Forrest Griffin due to his TUF commitments, Griffin needed a new opponent. Rumors were running rampant (say that three times fast) that it would be Stephan Bonnar, but the UFC decided to go in a different direction. Here’s what UFC.com had to say:
Fresh from his dominant win over Wagner Prado at UFC 153 earlier this month, rising light heavyweight star Phil “Mr. Wonderful” Davis has received his next assignment: a high-profile UFC 155 battle against former 205-pound champion Forrest Griffin on the UFC’s year-end event in Las Vegas on December 29.
The bout has been verbally agreed to.
Griffin (19-7) is coming off a close win over Tito Ortiz, where he was dropped a couple of times but still pulled out the victory. Davis (10-1, 1 NC) rebounded from a loss to Rashad Evans by demolishing Wagner Prado at UFC 153 and finishing him with a second round submission.
The bout will likely stay on as the co-main event of the night.