(Photo courtesy of UFC.com)

Some fun facts coming out of Minneapolis…

According to Dana White, the Target Center hosted 15,082 spectators for UFC 87, and banked a live gate total of $2,252,000, breaking the venue’s former record gate ($2,062,000) set by a Billy Joel/Elton John concert in 2001. It was the first UFC event held in Minnesota, and White hinted that the UFC could return to the Land of 10,000 Lakes in the future.

As for medical suspensions, the fighters of “Seek and Destroy” got off easily, with just four participants picking up 30-day time-outs. They are: Georges St. Pierre (cuts), Jon Fitch (cuts), Ryan Thomas (cuts), and Dan Evensen (precautionary due to KO). Strangely, the also-knocked-out Manvel Gamburyan and the whaled-on Heath Herring managed to escape the suspensions. Minnesota seems to have a “rub some dirt on it” attitude when it comes to fighter injuries, and that’s cool with us. Unfortunately, they also have a “none of your goddamned business” attitude when it comes to fighter payouts — apparently, UFC salaries will not be released in Minnesota as part of the state’s freedom of information legislation.

(Can Dan “Viking” Evensen conquer the UFC’s heavyweight division?)

“Seek and Destroy” is just four days away, and like most UFC shows, there will be a crop of Octagon newbies given a chance to sink or swim against high-level competition. Let’s take a look at the fresh meat…

DAN EVENSEN (HW)
Experience: 10-2 record (5 wins by 1st-round KO/TKO), with multiple appearances in Gladiator Challenge and BodogFight. Notable wins over Ruben Villareal and Jeremiah Constant; losses to Christian Wellisch and Dan Bobish. Last fight was a decision win over Konstantin Gluhov last November.
Will be facing: Cheick Kongo (11-4-1, 4-2 UFC)
Lowdown: Evensen is a 6’3″, 250-pound Norwegian, who “hates all wrestlers worldwide.” He briefly competed in K-1 and was associated with Master Toddy‘s Muay Thai Camp.

RYAN THOMAS (WW)
Experience: 9-1 record (all wins by stoppage), with multiple appearances in Extreme Challenge and Courage Fighting Championships. Is one of 27 fighters to have defeated MMA punchline Kenneth Allen. Has already competed five times this year, most recently submitting John McElroy in 36 seconds on July 17th.
Will be facing: Ben Saunders (5-0-2, 1-0 UFC)
Lowdown: A part-time student at Eastern Illinois University, Thomas accepted the Saunders fight on just 12 days notice, filling in for Jared “J-Roc” Rollins, who had to pull out of the card suddenly. According to Thomas, he was brought on under a four-fight contract.