Liddell tears hamstring, pulls out of Evans fight
Ex-UFC champion injured in training, now off London UFC 85 card
 | Former light-heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell has pulled out of his June match with Rashad Evans due to a torn hamstring. |
Josh Hedges / Zuffa |
 | Video: MMA from NBC Sports |
 MMA Fight Weekly: Pulver vs. Faber, Economics of MMA, and "A Day in the Life" May 15: In this expansive show, we preview Pulver vs. Faber, break down the financial troubles of Elite XC and the IFL, and more! |
• Click here to email MMA Fight Weekly |
 | INTERACTIVE |
 |
UPCOMING MMA EVENTS |
UFC 84 - May 24 UFC Lightweight title match: EliteXC Middleweight title match: |
Ask the MMA reporter: Mike Chiappetta |
Got a question? A comment? A tip? General hate mail? Click here to send an email |  |
| INTERACTIVE |
 | The Girls of MMA The ladies usually walk the fringe of the cage or ring, but here they get center stage. |
|
Last month, Rua ruptured his left ACL, and was forced to withdraw, and now Liddell has torn his right hamstring, forcing him out of the London card.
The UFC confirmed the news last night.
“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.”
The injury leaves Rashad Evans without an opponent for the June 7 card. Evans was originally scheduled to fight Thiago Silva this spring, but that fight was scrapped when he stepped up to face "The Iceman" in Rua's absence.
The fight would have been the biggest in the career of the undefeated Evans (11-0-1). He most recently defeated Michael Bisping in a split decision at UFC 78 last November.
Liddell (21-5) is the ultra-popular former light-heavyweight champ, who reigned over the division for more than two years until losing to Quinton "Rampage" Jackson. In December, Liddell rebounded with an energetic unanimous decision win over longtime rival Wanderlei Silva.
The UFC plans to announce a new main event shortly in a 13-fight card. As of now, other matches include heavyweights Brandon Vera vs. Fabricio Werdum, welterweights Marcus Davis vs. Mike Swick and middleweights Nate Marquardt vs. Thales Leites.
| Rate this story | Low | High |
MORE FROM MMA |
 MMA Section Front |
| Add MMA headlines to your news reader: |
Sponsored links