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Evans vs Chuck! @ 85!
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Rashad Evans (11-0-1 MMA, 6-0-1 UFC) will fill in for an injured Mauricio "Shogun" Rua and to take on Chuck Liddell (21-5 MMA, 16-4 UFC) in the main event of UFC 85.
The news was first reported by MMAWeekly.com. The UFC has yet to announce the bout, and MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) has left a message with Evans' camp to confirm the report.
UFC 85 takes place June 7 at the 02 Arena in London, England.
On Tuesday the UFC announced the Rua had ruptured the ACL in his left knee, which is the same injury that forced a surgery after a UFC 76 loss to Forrest Griffin. Rua returned to training soon after the September surgery but reaggravated the injury during a recent workout.
Evans, who was expected to fight Thiago Silva at May's UFC 84 event, will step up in his place for his second straight main-event fight. "The Ultimate Fighter 2" winner's only blemish on an otherwise perfect record is a draw to Tito Ortiz at UFC 73. However, Evans bounced back for a split-decision victory over co-headliner Michael Bisping at UFC 78 in November.
Liddell, meanwhile, is looking to return to the title picture. The former champ lost his belt to Quintin Jackson at UFC 71 and then suffered a loss to Keith Jardine via split decision in September. They were the first back-to-back losses of Liddell's career. He returned for a vital victory over Wanderlei Silva at UFC 79 in December.
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Rashad Evans (11-0-1 MMA, 6-0-1 UFC) will fill in for an injured Mauricio "Shogun" Rua and to take on Chuck Liddell (21-5 MMA, 16-4 UFC) in the main event of UFC 85.
The news was first reported by MMAWeekly.com. The UFC has yet to announce the bout, and MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) has left a message with Evans' camp to confirm the report.
UFC 85 takes place June 7 at the 02 Arena in London, England.
On Tuesday the UFC announced the Rua had ruptured the ACL in his left knee, which is the same injury that forced a surgery after a UFC 76 loss to Forrest Griffin. Rua returned to training soon after the September surgery but reaggravated the injury during a recent workout.
Evans, who was expected to fight Thiago Silva at May's UFC 84 event, will step up in his place for his second straight main-event fight. "The Ultimate Fighter 2" winner's only blemish on an otherwise perfect record is a draw to Tito Ortiz at UFC 73. However, Evans bounced back for a split-decision victory over co-headliner Michael Bisping at UFC 78 in November.
Liddell, meanwhile, is looking to return to the title picture. The former champ lost his belt to Quintin Jackson at UFC 71 and then suffered a loss to Keith Jardine via split decision in September. They were the first back-to-back losses of Liddell's career. He returned for a vital victory over Wanderlei Silva at UFC 79 in December.
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