UFC Returns to Chicago with Former Champions Benson Henderson vs Josh Thomson – On-Sale Friday Dec 6th

Las Vegas, Nev. – The Ultimate Fighting Championship^® returns to United Center in Chicago, Ill. on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2014 with a battle of former champions looking to get back into the title hunt.  Former UFC lightweight champion and No. 1 ranked contender Benson Henderson (19-3, fighting out of Phoenix, Ariz.) takes on the former STRIKEFORCE^® lightweight king and No. 4 Josh Thomson (20-5, fighting out of San Jose, Calif.) with the winner moving closer to a date with reigning champion Anthony Pettis.

Then, in the night’s co-main event, ninth-ranked heavyweight Stipe Miocic (10-1, fighting out of Cleveland, Ohio) returns to the Octagon^® after a dominant performance in his last bout to face former title contender Gabriel Gonzaga(16-7, fighting out of Ludlow, Mass.), a winner of two straight.

In addition, fan favorite Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone (21-6, fighting out of Albuquerque, NM) looks to continue his winning ways against fellow lightweight and Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace Adriano Martins (25-6, fighting out of Manaus, Brazil), fresh off a submission win over Daron Cruickshank in his UFC^® debut last month.

Finally, tenth-ranked featherweight Darren Elkins (17-3, fighting out of Hobart, Ind.) looks to thrill his hometown Chicagoland fans when he takes on a reinvigorated Jeremy Stephens (22-9, fighting out of San Diego, Calif.), who has reeled off two straight wins since his drop to the 145-pound class.

“Former UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson is the current No. 1 ranked contender and he’ll be taking on Josh Thomson, who is currently ranked No. 4 and was supposed to fight for the title next before champion Anthony Pettis got injured,” UFC President Dana White said. “The stakes are really high in this fight and both of these guys want to fight for the belt. Top to bottom, this card is stacked!”

Tickets for UFC^® on FOX: HENDERSON VS. THOMSON go on sale Friday, Dec. 6 at 10 a.m. CT and are priced at $250, $150, $100, $75, $50 and $40. Tickets will be available at all Ticketmaster locations and the United Center Box Office. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available for purchase at www.ticketmaster.com. Ticket prices do not include applicable service charges.

UFC^® Fight Club^™ members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets to this event Wednesday, Dec. 4 at 10 a.m. CT via the website www.ufcfightclub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Thursday, Dec. 5 starting at 10 a.m. ET. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.