Philly Special | Fabiano Buskei Relishes Being Back In Philadelphia

Being a proud Philly native, Buskei knows his way around the city like the back of his hand, and was more than happy to share a few local tips on places to check out and enjoy when visiting the area.

The world-famous Rocky Steps, with the Philadelphia Art Museum at the top, and the statues of Rocky Balboa and “Smokin’” Joe Frazier at the bottom, are a must-visit for all true fight fans, but there’s plenty of history around to check out. 

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Most will head to the Liberty Bell, and Independence Hall, but one spot Buskei suggested was one that’s close to his heart as a Nittany Lion, as he explained.

“I would say in the state of Pennsylvania, in the great town of State College, in the heart of University Park, at the Penn State campus, main campus, there's an obelisk there,” he said.

“If you look at the state of Pennsylvania, it looks like a rectangle, right? So that's the geographic center of Pennsylvania, and the obelisk actually has the stones from the state of Pennsylvania, in chronological order of when they were discovered. So that’s a pretty cool thing. Just right by Old Main, in the heart of the Penn State campus.”

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No visit to the city would be complete without sampling some of Philadelphia’s food scene, and Buskei stopped short of siding with either of the city’s two rivals, Pat’s and Geno’s, though he did insist that a cheesesteak is a must-have Philly food experience.

“We're not going to be playing favorites here, and we're not going to be talking about Primanti’s in Pittsburgh or even The Creamery at Penn State,” said Buskei.

“I would say get yourselves a cheesesteak in Philadelphia. Pick yours. I mean, if you want Cheez Whiz, provolone, peppers, onions… I like a proper cheesesteak that has real cheese on it, but that’s my thing. 

“Philadelphia is a great food city, and it's just underrated. Just to get a broccoli rabe sandwich down at the Reading Terminal Market, that's really cool. I think going to the market is the quintessential experience in Philadelphia, just kind of walking around and just feeling the flavors.”

Full UFC 330 Fight Card Preview

This week, the UFC is in town for UFC 330, with two title fights on the card, as Islam Makhachev and Mackenzie Dern put their belts on the line against Ian Machado Garry and Gillian Robertson, respectively. It might only be the UFC’s fourth time in the city, but Philadelphia, and its sports-mad locals, are more than ready for the action to get underway. As Buskei explained, sports are in the blood in Philly.

“Let’s talk about sports in America's sports capital, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Thank you. Go Birds!” he grinned.

“It’s passionate. That's how I describe it. It doesn't matter what sport it is, people come out. People are intense. There was a lot of suffering for most teams, as obviously a die-hard Eagles fan, I can relate. I can just name losses and just very sad moments for decades until finally the day when 41-33 happened [at Super Bowl LII as the Eagles defeated the New England Patriots]. 

“But I think people are very passionate here. We don't care if you're a fan of an opposing team or you're a Santa Claus that had it coming… Just get ready. There might be some batteries thrown at you! 

“But, no matter what, whether it's the Eagles, whether it's the Flyers, whether it's the Sixers, whether it's the Phillies, or even the Union – unbeknownst to many people, the Philadelphia Union are a team built by fans and by fandom, so that’s a great story, as well. And college basketball from Big 5 from back in the day. This is a sports town. This is America’s sports town. It’s the birthplace of America. Where else?”

Outside of Philadelphia itself, Buskei said the essential Pennsylvania sporting experience comes back at his alma mater.

“When Penn State plays, Beaver Stadium becomes Pennsylvania's third-most-populated town. So 110,000 of my best friends go into a whiteout [where everyone wears all white to the game]. 

“I had the pleasure of being one of the early ones. I went to Notre Dame in 2007, 31-10, easy work. It was the first time that there were famous images of that whiteout. So, a Penn State whiteout, I highly recommend to anybody who's a college football fan, a football fan, or a sports fan. Visiting State College on a football Saturday is a great experience, and it just goes to show the passion of the state.”

This weekend, the biggest show in town takes place at Xfinity Mobile Arena, where the stands will be packed full of Philly fight fans who are ready to raise the roof at UFC 330.

“Raucous. Loud. ‘Go Birds!’ all over the place – it’s gonna be crazy,” he said.

“It’s gonna get louder and louder, and people are going to come out. It’s [going to be] a nice, still summer Saturday in Philly, in America’s ultimate Sports Complex, where all professional teams play right next to each other. People are going to come out, and they’re going to be loud. And when knockouts and submissions [happen], things are going to get even better.”

And such is the passion for sports in the city, there was no hesitation when we asked Buskei to describe Philadelphia in three words.

“Go. Effing. Birds!” he declared.

“No explanation needed.”

This weekend, the biggest show in town takes place at Xfinity Mobile Arena, where the stands will be packed full of Philly fight fans who are ready to raise the roof at UFC 330. But the main event is just round one, plan your next PA adventure at visitpa.com.