Aldo, Rampage out of UFC 153 in Rio
Published on Sept. 12, 2012, at 5:38 p.m. Eastern.
By Brian Edwards
The Ultimate Fighting Championship has been decimated by injuries in recent months, prompting the unprecedented cancellation of UFC 151. On Tuesday, the hits kept coming when UFC 153 in Rio lost its main event and co-main event.
Featherweight champion Jose Aldo pulled out of his title defense against former lightweight champ Frankie Edgar due to a foot injury suffered when a car hit him while he was on his motorcycle.
Also, Rampage Jackson withdrew from his bout against Glover Teixeira with an elbow injury.
Aldo had previously been scheduled to meet Erik Koch, who also went down with an injury.
Matt ‘The Hammer’ Hamill was expected to face Vladimir Matyushenko at UFC 152, but Roger Hollett has been tabbed to replace ‘The Janitor,’ who has a torn Achilles tendon.
Since Anderson ‘The Spider’ Silva volunteered to fight to save the UFC 151 show in Las Vegas, might the promotion look to him to take on an opponent from the 205-pound division for the main event in Rio?
Jason Floyd of The MMA Report told BrianEdwardsSports.com, “If Anderson were to fight at 153, I think a name to watch out for would be Rashad Evans. When it comes to Edgar, it would not surprise me if they match him up against either Chad Mendes or Ricardo Lamas.”
On Wednesday afternoon, the rumor (per Bloody Elbow via Fighters Only) was that Wanderlei Silva could meet Chael Sonnen in the main event in Rio. If it happens, the bout would be fought at a catchweight of 195.
