Brock Lesnar vs Frank Mir May 23 at the MGM Grand

[Clark Kent]

03-04-2009 04:48 PM: The UFC made it official today and the headliner at UFC 98 will feature the unification of the heavyweight titles as UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar faces UFC Interim Heavyweight champion Frank Mir.

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[bruce]

I heard Mir was injured and the fight is postponed.

 

[TheArtofDave]

Yeah, Mir is injured, and the fight will now happen in July instead. Instead of Brock fighting a "stand in" they're just going to hold off until Mir recovers.

So we'll have to wait to see if Brock will be able to counter Mir's submission technique. I think the report I read said Mir had a knee injury.

 

[Nabakatsu]

It was than switched to jackson vs evans, but now it will be (drum roll please) Evans Vs Machida!!!!! at long last machida will be given a title shot, I for one am simply thrilled.. i've been waiting for this moment for a very long time and in my opinion it is incredibly overdue.

 

[LordOfWu]

It was than switched to jackson vs evans, but now it will be (drum roll please) Evans Vs Machida!!!!! at long last machida will be given a title shot, I for one am simply thrilled.. i've been waiting for this moment for a very long time and in my opinion it is incredibly overdue.

I hadn't heard this, when did this happen? Where did you hear this? Inquiring minds want to know!

 

[tshadowchaser]

Evans Vs Machida will be an interesting fight

 

[AceHBK]

After Rampage beat Jardine, Rampage won the right to fight Evans for the belt.

Since Mir can't fight against Lesnar, Dana moved up Evans title defense from the July card to the May card.

Dana told Rampage he had a few days to accept the fight in May. If he didn't then Evans would take on Machida and then Rampage would take on the winner of the Evans/Machida fight for the title.

Being that Rampage just fought, it would make sense for him to decline a May fight for Evans (which to me would be good b/c after hearing Evans call Rampage's fight against Jardine he sounds like he has been watching Rampage and studying him A LOT) and just take the winner of the Evans/Machida fight.

Now with all that said, I haven't read anywhere that Rampage has declined the May fight against Evans.

 

[LordOfWu]

Rampage didn't take more damage than some leg kicks (which he should be quite familiar with at this point, since he never checks) so I don't see why he wouldn't take the fight...I'd love to see Machida get the belt, but after the smack talk between Rampage and Evans after the fight I kinda want to see them throw down.

 

[BrandonLucas]

Awesome, awesome news!! I would rather see Machida go for the title shot than Rampage. I think it'll make for a more interesting fight, anyway.

I'm ready to see Evans get a beat down. I don't have a good reason to not like him, but ever since he won TUF2, I just don't care for the guy. Don't really know why, either, since he seems to be an alright guy off the matt and works hard while he's on the matt. I guess I was just in a bad mood when I watched that episode.

Either way, though, Machida is still awesome in my book, and I would love to see him win the title.

 

[AceHBK]

Rampage didn't take more damage than some leg kicks (which he should be quite familiar with at this point, since he never checks) so I don't see why he wouldn't take the fight...I'd love to see Machida get the belt, but after the smack talk between Rampage and Evans after the fight I kinda want to see them throw down.

I think it would be better if he took sometime to relax and then get ready for the winner. Rampage didn't look great in that fight and a month (its already mid march and all he has is April to seriously train) is not enough time to get ready for Evans. Evans moves his head (unlike Rampage) and has great footwork and hand speed is just sick. I wouldn't be surprised if Evans decided to take it to the ground since it is well known that Rampage hates being on the ground.

Machida/Evans fight would seem better since both camps have had some time off. I also think many fans have not liked/warmed up to Rashaad ever since that KO of Chuck. That was the 1at time I have watched a UFC and seen someone get KO'd and people boo like crazy.

The trash talk in the ring was classic between Rampage & Evans. I fell out laughing and look forward to it. I don't know how Rogan kept a str8 face.

 

[Rich Parsons]

Yeah, Mir is injured, and the fight will now happen in July instead. Instead of Brock fighting a "stand in" they're just going to hold off until Mir recovers.

So we'll have to wait to see if Brock will be able to counter Mir's submission technique. I think the report I read said Mir had a knee injury.

Knee injury and then surgery as I thought Mir himself stated at the last UFC event on TV.

 

[AceHBK]

Ok it is official. Rampage is out against the fight with Evans. Rampage has some torn ligaments in his jaw and will undergo surgery to repair.

Machida/Evans will happen this May.

http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/news?slug=ki-rampage031109&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

 

[Kwan Jang]

It's about time they gave Machida a title shot, it's overdue. I do see Evans as the one guy in the division who has the best shot at beating him though. Machida is the best MMA fighter at set point control and that is his main tool at dominataing his opponents. Rashad Evans is not quite as good as Machida at this, but he is ONE of the best in MMA at this appraoch to fighting. I would still favor Lyoto, but Rashad may be able to catch him and Machida has never been truly tested under pressure. No one's ever been able to really put him under any pressure or test his jaw, his heart, ect. Evans may be the only fighter out there who is good enough at playing Machida's own game to really put him to that test.