http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2008/04/21/report-liddell-injured-ufc-85-main-event-cancelled/ Report: Liddell injured; UFC 85 main event cancelled April 21, 2008 By: Sam Caplan Category: UFC 85, Chuck Liddell Former UFC light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell has been taken off of the card for UFC 85 scheduled to take place in <?XML:NAMESPACE PREFIX = ST1 /><ST1:CITY><ST1LACE>London</ST1LACE></ST1:CITY> on June 7, MMARated.com is reporting. The UFC has yet to issue an official statement. Liddell had been scheduled to fight Rashad Evans. Evans is also expected to be removed from the card with the bout against Liddell likely to be re-scheduled for later in the summer. Liddell had originally been scheduled to fight Mauricio “Shogun†Rua on the card, but Evans was tapped as a replacement after Rua was forced to bow out after aggravating a knee injury. There is no word if a replacement main event will be added to the UFC 85 lineup. A heavyweight title between Brandon Vera and Fabricio Werdum is currently the highest profile match that’s still scheduled. <?XML:NAMESPACE PREFIX = O /><O></O>According to the Wrestling Observer, the event, scheduled for the O2 Arena, has sold over 10,000 tickets, making it very unlikely that the event will be re-scheduled entirely. <O></O>It will be interesting to see if the show remains scheduled for pay-per-view, as drawing a strong buyrate could be difficult without a legitimate main event. UFC 85 will also be taking place just two weeks after UFC 84, which already an obstacle in regards to drawing a strong buyrate. TFK
That SUCKS... REED has his Eye on Evans, but Dude NEEDS to B Tested...Cause Even though he Won, REED Was UNDERwhelmed by the Bisping Fight... Chuck would B JUST the Guy to Test Rashad, Cause Evans' Stand-Up has Looked Weak from what REED has Seen of him...Chuck Could B a LEGITIMIATE "Gate Keeper" for the Next Few Years... Hopefully it's Rescheduled... REED
REED, Evans is very average, nothing special at all. Did you see the Tito fight? Lidell is the biggest overachiever in combat sports, I don't rate him. He's just a sloppy, talentless boxer, with a decent punch and takedown defense. But I would probably favour Lidell over Evans, Rashad has never impressed me.
I'm not going to say that Rashad's wrestling is average. Average are the guys who couldn't deal with Tito's wrestling. Guys who continuously got taken down and pounded on the ground by Tito like Tanner, Shamrock, Matsuchenko, Griffin, etc. When Tito attempted to use these same tactics against Rashad, he was very unsuccessful. Partly because Rashad wasn't intimidated by him and partly because Rashad is a superior wrestler. I watched that fight at least 6 times, not because of its entertainment value but mostly to see how Rashad managed to tame Tito. Tito was having a tremendous amount of trouble trying to get him down. Rashad did some interesting things in there, locking Tito up on the ground, on the fence, and even slamming an exhausted Tito on his back in the final seconds of the fight which leads me to believe Tito might've been stopped if the fight went another round. Rashad looked lethargic and lackluster against Bisping. I'd say he has a lot of qualities but likely is inconsistent and would probably best perform when he's up for a fight against a top opponent. Rashad's striking did need work based on what I saw against Tito but his wrestling is very good, even better than Tito's as many would tell you, even based on their wrestling credentials coming up. I don't think Chuck would have a cakewalk. Rashad knocked a guy unconscious with a high kick, he's got some power.
I thought Tito won the fight, Rashad looked like he bottled it. You say he wasn't intimidated by him, but actually he DID look intimidated in the first 2 rounds, he looked nervous, and slightly frozen. He only came alive in round 3. He's not a bum, but he's certainly nothing special either.
If Rashad is training with Jardine, he should be improving his striking. Jardine outstruck Chuck using timing and a well developed strategy, mostly involving leg and body kicks. I don't see any reason why Rashad should not be able to handle the old man unless he panics. Rashad has knocked a guy out with a single kick to the face. That same kick lays Chuck the f*ck out if he lands it.
Tito cheated, he held onto the fence when Rashad was going to take him down and trapped Rashad in a choke due to this tactic. Rashad looked somewhat intimidated early but when he found out Tito's wrestling was not that good, he started really coming on, even tearing Tito's eye up with a punch. Rashad could've done more but I think because it was his first big fight, he may have felt the stress of the occasion. It's stupid they never rematched.
I think we've yet to see Rashad's best. He's still coming up. Not a guy I would simply brush off. Keep an eye on him, the man's wrestling is excellent, once he's got his striking going and builds his confidence, he may be a real threat.
Tito cheated for sure but there is no question he pretty much dominated the fight. Evans did nothing at all for 2 out of 3 rounds.
Watch the fight again in a sober state. Take note of the little intricate things Rashad did in that fight, take note of the amount of trouble Tito was having and how badly Tito looked when trying to match his wrestling with Rashad. Coming out of that fight, Rashad was a lot better for the wear than the exhausted and bleeding Tito. As I said, Rashad could've done more but you could see clearly who the superior wrestler was between the two and it wasn't Tito. Tito just had more big match/cage experience. All in all, he was in trouble throughout when he couldn't get an upperhand on Rashad in any way.
I live sober. Rashad did nothing until the final round. The point off got him the draw. Saying his face is more busted up is like me saying that Tito really beat Griffen when we all know he should have lost that fight 2-1.
Nah, REED Didn't see the Tito Fight...Wasn't that a Draw???...Was Tito Robbed or Something???... Rashad Looked Almost PETRIFIED to Stand Up w/Bisping & his Conditioning SUCKED...He Didn't Look Terribly CONFIDENT N himself N that Fight... Liddell would Either EXPOSE Rashad Completely OR Give him the Confidence to Move Up to the Next Level... REED
He was robbed yeah. He won the first 2 rounds hands down, beyong dispute, Rashad looked nervous and just froze a bit it seemed. He came alive in the 3rd round and won that round.
It was a well earned draw for Evans,he forced Tito to hold on too the cage and get a point taken away,there was no robbery.:nono:
Looks like James Irvin is in for Liddell... The Ultimate Fighting Championship on Monday announced that Chuck Liddell had to withdraw from his UFC 85 main event bout against Rashad Evans due to an injury. "Unfortunately, Chuck Liddell tore his right hamstring during training last week, and being the warrior that he is, he still wanted to fight, which is the reason why everyone in the world loves him," said UFC president Dana White. "But I wouldn't let anyone fight with his leg looking that way. Let him heal and come back and fight when he is 100 percent." Although the UFC has made no formal announcement, MMAWeekly.com was able to confirm that James Irvin has agreed to step in and face Evans on June 7 in London in Liddell’s absence. Sources close to both fighters’ camps acknowledged the bout. Irvin competed recently at the April 2 event in Broomfield, Colo., which makes for a quick return by UFC standards. His bout with Houston Alexander lasted just eight seconds though, leaving Irvin tied with Don Frye for the quickest knockout in UFC history. Following an impressive knockout of Sean Salmon little more than a year ago, Evans enters the bout coming off of a frustrating draw with former UFC champion Tito Ortiz and then a split decision over Michael Bisping. Neither Evans nor Irvin were available for comment at the time of publication. Evans on Monday, however, expressed to MMAWeekly his disappointment at the withdrawal of Liddell, but indicated he wanted to remain on the fight card, not wanting to go an extended period of time without a fight. In Liddell, UFC 85 loses much of the drawing power of its headline bout. The promotion intends to make up for that by loading up UFC 85 with 13 bouts, which is the most that it has had on one fight card in more than a decade. "We're adding fights to the card and rearranging it so the U.K. fans won't have to worry, we'll still be bringing an amazing card to London and the O2 Arena,†said White. There has also been recent speculation that popular British fighter and Ultimate Fighter season three winner Michael Bisping – fresh off of a victory over Charles McCarthy this past weekend in Montreal – may become a late addition to the fight card. UFC 85 Bouts (officially announced): -Fabricio Werdum vs. Brandon Vera -Martin Kampmann vs. Jorge Rivera -Nate Marquardt vs. Thales Leites -Thiago Tavares vs. Matt Wiman -Marcus Davis vs. Mike Swick -Luis Arthur Cane vs. Jason Lambert -Neil Wain vs. Antoni Hardonk UFC 85 Bouts (unannounced): -Rashad Evans vs. James Irvin -Ryo Chonan vs. Roan Carneiro -Jess Liaudin vs. Paul Taylor
..... Those of you saying Rashad did nothing in the Tito fight are a little off. Yes he lost rounds 1 and 2. However there is a good chance Rashad wins round 2 if Tito didn't hold the fence multiple times. Holding the fence often times can change a fight.
He constantly held the fence to avoid getting slammed on his ass. I'd say that changed the second round significantly.:: The point deduction was warranted. Therefore, Tito won round 1, round 2 was a draw, and Rashad won round 3. If not for the fence holding, perhaps Rashad could've stolen the 2nd round 10-9 instead of 9-9 thanks to Tito's cheating.
I agree bro. I don't really care though i wasted 15 minutes watching that garbage and i don't plan on watching it again so you win. Like a frenchman i surender.
You spent 45 minutes watching an even bigger piece of garbage in Floyd vs Baldomir, so you probably already have a good idea of what 'garbage' is, rj.::
Yeah it sucked. At least i got to see a virtuoso fight in his prime for 45 minutes. Much more fun then watching 2 wrestlers roll around for 15 minutes.
Yeah, but if anybody else used those same tactics that the 'virtuoso' used to beat a pudgy slow punching bag bum, they'd be torn apart. Since it was Floyd though, free pass as always.:: Cause when Floyd does it, it HAS to be skill even though he's running the hell out of there to avoid any kind of warfare. Fans got up and headed for the exits by the 9th. They saw enough. So much for the 'virtuoso'. LOL!
