UFC 133 Fight Card: Phil Davis Poised to Play Spoiler to Evans-Jones Superfight

A series of unfortunate injuries has given "Mr. Wonderful" Phil Davis the rare opportunity of playing spoiler to one of MMA's most anticipated grudge matches.

Some look at it as good luck, and others see it as destiny.

Davis, an NCAA Division I wrestling champion, has garnered plenty of hype in the UFC since bursting onto the scene with a dominant win over former WEC light heavyweight champion Brian Stann.

Since the victory, Davis has continued his ascension to superstardom by taking out respected veterans like Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, Tim Boetsch and Alexander Gustafsson.

Even with his exceptional abilities as a UFC prospect, one question is continuously met with mixed reaction throughout the MMA community––how good is Phil Davis?

On Aug. 6, the world will know the answer when Davis meets his toughest test in former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans.

After being sidelined for over a year, Evans finally makes his Octagon return, but it isn't in the way he expected. The UFC 133 main event was set to be a grudge match for the light heavyweight title between Evans and his former teammate Jon Jones.

Unfortunately, a hand injury forced Jones out of the bout, and Davis was named as a replacement.

While this isn't the blockbuster main event that Evans and Jones would've delivered, it makes for a really compelling bout with tremendous upset potential.

With only nine professional bouts under his belt, Davis shows improvement in every outing. Bare in mind, every fight hasn't been perfect. Davis' striking is still a work in progress, and he had a tough time securing takedowns against Nogueira.

Still, the mystery surrounding Davis is a major cause of concern for Evans.

Pundits love to use the expression, "The sky is the limit," but how far is the sky? Does the sky keep Davis as a top-10 light heavyweight? Could it push him over into the top five? Could it possibly propel him to the top of the entire division?

It's hard to get a gauge on how good Davis truly is. Jones may have shown more promise against higher quality opposition, but it's still remarkable to look back and see how fast he blossomed into one of the best fighters in the world.

The Jones that fought Jake O'Brien was a completely different fighter than the one that faced Matt Hamill and onward. Could this be the fight that Davis showcases his incredible evolution?

"Mr. Wonderful" has all of the intangibles to be a top fighter at 205 pounds.

Plenty of fighters meet the requirements, but few actually answer the calling. All eyes will be on Davis at UFC 133 as he attempts to stun Evans and emerge as the light heavyweight division's next breakout star.