Fans packed the seats of the Wachovia Center in record numbers for UFC: 101 Declaration. The sold-out event drew 17,411 fans and raked in an unprecedented $3.55 million gate, a combat-sports record for Pennsylvania.
UFC President Dana White noted during the post-fight press conference that an estimated 11,000 fans were in their seats for the night's first preliminary fight, 14,500 were seated for the beginning of the main card, and the rest of the crowd made it to their seat for the night's main attractions.
Philly fans flocked to buy tickets to the first UFC event ever held in the “Keystone State”, which was sold out two months prior to the event.
"Philly's a big, big fight town," White noted.
And UFC 101 lived up to the hype, featuring BJ Penn's successful lightweight title defense over Kenny Florian, and UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva's spectacular first round knockout victory over former light heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin.
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