Fans invited to next week's UFC on FOX 9 news conference in Sacramento

The UFC returns to Sacramento in December for UFC on FOX 9, which will be its third visit to the city, but first since 2007.

Featuring a lightweight title fight between champ Anthony Pettis and challenger Josh Thomson, UFC on FOX 9 takes place Dec. 14 at Sleep Train Arena in California’s capital city. The main card airs on FOX following prelims on FOX Sports 1 and Facebook.

In addition to that fight, the card features several members of Sacramento’s famed Team Alpha Male as Urijah Faber meets Michael McDonald, Chad Mendes takes on Nik Lentz and Danny Castillo fights Edson Barboza.

Prior to December’s event, fans are invited to a pre-fight kickoff news conference next week in Sacramento.

The Oct. 3 news conference takes place at the Sacramento Kings’ practice facility at Sleep Train Arena. The event is free and open to the public. Expected to be on hand for the event are UFC President Dana White, Pettis and Thomson, Faber and McDonald, Mendes and Lentz and fellow main card fighters Carlos Condit and Matt Brown, who meet in a critical welterweight bout.

Tickets for UFC 165 go on sale to the general public Friday, Oct. 4, at 10 a.m. PT with prices ranging from $50 to $225, plus fees. But UFC Fight Club members can purchase tickets on Wednesday at 10 a.m. PT, and subscribers to the UFC’s e-newsletter can get tickets in advance next Thursday at 10 a.m. ET.

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) will be on scene all week long for UFC on FOX 9 in December and will have full coverage of all the events. In addition, MMAjunkie.com will provide a live stream of next week’s news conference.

The current UFC on FOX 9 lineup includes:

• Champ Anthony Pettis vs. Josh Thomson – for UFC lightweight title
• Urijah Faber vs. Michael McDonald
• Matt Brown vs. Carlos Condit
• Nik Lentz vs. Chad Mendes
• Edson Barboza vs. Danny Castillo
• Mac Danzig vs. Joe Lauzon
• Scott Jorgensen vs. Ian McCall
• Kelvin Gastelum vs. Court McGee

For more on UFC on FOX 9, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.

(Pictured: Anthony Pettis)