UFC 85: Hughes vs. Alves

Thiago Alves (left) catches Karo Parisyan (right) with a right hand during their fight at UFC Fight Night 13. Alves emerged victorious and is the latest addition to the UFC 85 card.

On Feb. 5, it broke that UFC 85 would be headlined by Chuck Liddell and Mauricio "Shogun" Rua. Since then, a ruptured ACL and a torn hamstring have forced both fighters off the card and a new main event has been set.

Former welterweight champion Matt Hughes confirmed on his web site that he will face off with Thiago Alves at UFC 85.

"June 7, in England, I fight Thiago Alves," Hughes wrote. "The fight is confirmed, (and) it will be the main event for the card. Dana (White) just called me with the news."

In addition, a proposed fight between Chris Leben and Michael Bisping has also been added to the card.

UFC 85 takes place on June 7 at the O2 Arena in London, England.

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James Irvin to replace Liddell at UFC 85

James Irvin (right) drills Houston Alexander (left) with a Superman Punch in the opening seconds of their fight at UFC Fight Night 13. The punch would be all Irvin needed to secure the victory, tying a UFC record with an eight second KO.

The UFC has found a replacement for the injured Chuck Liddell at UFC 85.

Rising light heavyweight James Irvin will step forward on June 7 and fight the undefeated Rashad Evans in the card's main event.

While relatively unknown, Irvin gained recent acclaim for his record-tying eight-second knockout of Houston Alexander at UFC Fight Night 13 earlier this month.

In the wake of Liddell's injury, the UFC has promised to make several improvements to the card. Currently, a bout between middleweights Michael Bisping and Chris Leben is being discussed.

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• Cro Cop returns in June to face kick boxer LeBanner
• "Fighting Fedor" reality show in the works
• Lightweight Melendez defends Strikeforce gold against Thomson in June
  

Liddell tears hamstring, taken off UFC 85 card

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell (center) emerges victorious over Wanderlei Silva at UFC 79. Liddell's next fight was scheduled for June 5 at UFC 85, but a hamstring injury has forced Liddell off the card.

The UFC 85 main event appears to be star-crossed.

According to a report from UFC.com, former light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell has been scrapped from a main event bout with Rashad Evans after suffering a torn right hamstring. Liddell sustained the injury while training.

"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 Dana White, UFC President. "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."

This is the second alteration made to the UFC 85. Originally, Liddell was schedule to face Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, but Rua had to pull out of the fight due to a knee injury.

The UFC has not decided who will replace Liddell in the main event, but has added additional fights to the event’s undercard as a way to make up for Liddell’s absence.

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• Kalib Starnes released from UFC following disappointing performance
• Din Thomas drops to featherweight
• Rich Clementi returns to octagon on short notice
  

"TUF" luck for Paul Bradley

Paul Bradley was the first of the 16 finalists to be eliminated from the "The Ultimate Fighter 7" this past Wednesday. Bradley broke out with a contagious neck rash, which inevitably led to his departure.

Hundreds of prospective fighters have been kicked off the UFC's reality show, The Ultimate Fighter, for reasons that range from losing a fight to failing to make weight, but every time, a fighter has been eliminated because of something they could control. That wasn't the case for two-time All American wrestler Paul Bradley.

On Wednesday's edition of the seventh season of the reality show, Bradley broke out in a small neck rash that once revealed could put the other fighters at risk, UFC President Dana White had no choice but to send Bradley home.

"Yeah, like I said, it was total shock," Bradley said. "I couldn't believe I went through so much and gave up a job I really loved and made all those sacrifices. I really put myself in a financial hole to get on the show."

Bradley contracted the herpes gladiatorum virus, a common condition in combat sports.
Since his departure, Bradley has signed a deal with EliteXC and may be featured on the undercard for the promotion's event on June 14 in Hawaii.

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• Undercard hits it big with UFC 83 bonuses
• Dana White comments on Kalib Starnes situation
• EliteXC extends Hector Lombard
  

UFC 83: St. Pierre reclaims his throne

Georges St. Pierre (top) works Matt Serra (bottom) from side control during their title fight at UFC 83 Saturday night. St. Pierre's control from the ground would play a crucial role in earning him the TKO victory.

Lightning didn’t strike twice in Montreal, Quebec, Canada Saturday night.

Georges St. Pierre put on a clinic in front of his hometown, punishing Matt Serra with a series of knees to the ribs, en route to capturing the UFC welterweight title for the second time at 4:45 in the second round.

"That's how I won the fight -- I tired him out," said St. Pierre, who reclaimed the belt that Serra took from him a year ago.

With the victory, St. Pierre avenges one of only two blemishes on his record; he’s twice avenged his loss to former welterweight champion Matt Hughes.

While there is no scheduled date for St. Pierre’s first title defense, UFC President Dana White has stated that Jon Fitch will be the first to challenge the new champion. Fitch is currently riding a 15-fight winning streak and is undefeated in the UFC.

To find out additional results and read the rest of the story, click here.

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• Nick Diaz rumored for two fights within two weeks
  

Moment of truth

UFC welterweight champion Matt Serra (right) lands a right hook on Georges St. Pierre (left) during their first encounter at UFC 69 in Feb. 2007. St. Pierre will have the chance to avenge his defeat to Serra Saturday night at UFC 83.

After amassing a record of 15-2, defeating some of the top welterweights in the world, being billed by fans as one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world and one of the key players in the UFC's future, George St. Pierre's future comes down to one fight: his rematch with UFC welterweight champion Matt Serra.

St. Pierre will have the opportunity to rectify the most recent blemish on his record when he faces Serra at UFC 83, Saturday, in an attempt to regain the UFC welterweight championship.

"I trained to fight an army, not a single person,” St. Pierre said. “I’ve been sparring every week with very high-caliber fighters. If an army can’t break me, one person can’t do it. I’m very well prepared. I’ve never been so sharp in my life.”

This is Serra's first defense of the title since capturing the belt from St. Pierre at UFC 69 in Feb. 2007, in what the UFC billed as the greatest upset in the promotion's history.

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• Serra, St. Pierre make weight for UFC 83 main event
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Unfinished business between "The Ultimate Fighter 5" finalists Diaz and Gamburyan

Nate Diaz (right) moves in for the kill as Manny Gamburyan (left) suffers a dislocated shoulder during their fight at "The Ultimate Fighter 5" finale in June 2007. Diaz was crowned the Ultimate Fighter and awarded a six-figure contract with the UFC.

Nate Diaz has posted three consecutive submission victories since being crowned the winner of the fifth edition of the UFC's reality show, "The Ultimate Fighter."

Despite having the opportunity to fight many of the lightweight division's top competitors, Diaz has shown interest in settling an old score: that with "The Ultimate Fighter 5" runner-up, Manny Gamburyan.

Before meeting in June 2007 at the finale of "The Ultimate Fighter 5," there was notable animosity between Diaz and Gamburyan, as well as Gamburyan's cousin, welterweight contender Karo Parisyan.

"I don't like them," Diaz said bluntly. "I don't mean nothing bad to anyone else in the sport. Everybody's just trying to make their money and fight their fights and do their thing, just like I am. But those guys? F*** them."

The unfinished business stems from the outcome of their fight in June, where after winning the first round, Gamburyan dislocated his shoulder just 20 seconds into the second round, opening the door for Diaz to gain the victory.

The UFC has not said whether a rematch between the two is in the works.

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• Former UFC light heavyweight contender Sobral earns BJJ black belt
  

Kimbo Slice vs. James Thompson to headline EliteXC debut on CBS

Kimbo Slice (left) moves in for an onslaught on Bo Cantrell (right) that would last all of 19 seconds. Slice debuted in EliteXC in Nov. 2007 and on May 31, he will headline the promotion's first event on CBS.

A main event has been signed for the first MMA event on major network television.
EliteXC has announced that Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson and former PRIDE figher James Thompson will headline the promotion's debut show May 31 on CBS.
Thompson has been on a bit of a slump recently, dropping six of his last eight fights and holding an overall professional record of 14-8.
Slice is undefeated in the octagon at 2-0, recording victories over Bo Cantrell and David "Tank " Abbott - both fights lasted a combined 62 seconds.

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• UFC 83 is an unusual second chance for Travis Lutter
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• "The Ultimate Fighter 7" field of 32 cut in half
  

Fedor-Sylvia superfight scheduled for July

For the first time since Dec. 2006, Fedor Emelianenko will fight a top 10 heavyweight.

Fedor Emelianenko will return to the ring this summer and face his greatest challenger in years.
A fight between top-ranked heavyweight Emelianenko and former UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia has been agreed to in principle.
"[Sylvia] is a good fighter, a strong fighter, the former UFC heavyweight champion, which is important," Emelianenko said via telephone from Stary Oskol, Russia. "I am looking forward to fighting him and training hard for this fight."
Despite posting an MMA record of 27-1, with the lone loss due to a cut stoppage, Emelianenko has been criticized for his lack of fights with top-tier competition as of late. Three or Emelianenko's last four fights are against 43-year-old Mark Coleman, the inexperienced Hong Man Choi, and Matt Lindland, who was fighting two weight classes higher than his standard middleweight class.
If signed, the fight will take place on July 19th on a card promoted by Affliction, in partnership with HDNet Fights. The event will be held in the home base for Mark Cuban's HDNet Fights: Dallas, TX.

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MMA's influence shines on pro wrestling's grandest stage

Bodyslams, powerbombs...Brazilian Jiu Jitsu submissions? The main event of WWE Wrestlemania 24 saw an unorthodox finish as The Undertaker (center) strayed from his trademark finishing combo of the Choke Slam and the Tombstone Piledriver, in favor of a gogoplata, a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu submission. The hold netted the "Dead Man" the WWE World Championship.

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Florian sets his sights on Roger Huerta

Fresh off a victory over Joe Lauzon, Kenny Florian made a serious case for a future lightweight title shot, but the UFC veteran has other things in mind. Florian recently showed interest in a fight with fellow lightweight and arguably the division's most popular and publicized fighter, the undefeated Roger Huerta (above).

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• Serra's camp questions St. Pierre's mental state heading into UFC 83 rematch
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• Florian to fill in for Rogan as color commentator for UFC 83
  

UFC Fight Night 13: Florian on the rise

Veteran lightweight Kenny Florian landed an impressive victory Wednesday, stopping Joe Lauzon at UFC Fight Night 13. The victory improves Florian to 7-2 in the UFC and 4-0 since losing to Sean Sherk in 2006.

Kenny Florian might be separating himself from the competition in the UFC’s deepest, most talented division. Florian left the octagon victorious for the fourth consecutive time, defeating the up-and-coming Joe Lauzon in the main event of UFC Fight Night 13.

Florian secured the victory after repeated strikes from the mount position at 3:28 in the second round and afterwards, Florian said heading into the fight, the physical toll from training was evident.

"I knew it was going to be a tough fight," Florian said. "I probably shouldn't be here today fighting today. I pushed through some things physically, and I was just lucky to be here in the ring tonight."

The victory brings Florian closer to a possible shot at BJ Penn’s lightweight championship, a title that eluded Florian in his last defeat, back in Oct. 2006 to former champion Sean Sherk.

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• Florian, Lauzon, Irvin, Diaz land Fight Night 13 bonuses

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• Mir returns to the octagon at UFC 86 in July