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MMA News
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UFC
UFC NEWS: Rashad Evans reportedly replacing Shogun as Liddell's opponent for UFC 85
By Wade Keller, MMATorch.com editor
Mar 6, 2008, 04:07
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Rashad Evans, reports MMAWeekly.com, will step in to replace the injured Mauricio "Shogun" Rua against "Iceman" Chuck Liddell at the UFC 85 event on June 6 in London. The event is likely to air on Spike TV, but as of now UFC.com lists it simply as an "International Event," not specifying U.S. access to it.
Evans had already been training for a fight on the May 24 UFC 84 PPV against a yet-to-be-named opponent, supporting the main event of B.J. Penn vs. Shawn Sherk.
KELLER ANALYSIS: If this event airs on Spike TV, this is a great fill-in for the injured Shogun. Evans is well-known to the mainstream UFC fans through the Ultimate Fighter series. He also has credibility as an up-and-comer who is getting a chance of a lifetime to shoot up the rankings. It's a tough test for Liddell, who's had a rough couple of years except for his latest win over Wanderlei Silva. An upset loss would be a huge setback for Liddell's marketability. He's probably UFC's biggest draw still, so if this airs on Spike TV, it could draw huge numbers and be among the most watched MMA fights ever - putting even more pressure on Evans.
Check back later today for MMATorch staff reaction to this fight or join the MMATorch Forum discussion right now (link below).
SOURCE LINK: MMAWeekly.com
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