Rashad Evans vs Luis Cane UFC 85 fight booked; James Irvin injured

by MMAmania.com on May 20, 2008 8:10 PM EDT

rashad evans luiz cane
James Irvin sustained a broken foot while training for his fight against Rashad Evans at UFC 85: "Bedlam" in London, England, on June 7, forcing the promotion once again to shuffle the deck and repair a fight card riddled with replacements.

Luiz Cane -- who was scheduled to take on Jason Lambert at the same event -- has been plugged in to face "Sugar." There's no official word yet on whether or not "The Punisher" will still compete at the O2 Arena against a soon to be named opponent or if he'll be bumped to a future card.

This is more bad news for Irvin who, admittedly, had a disastrous fight campaign in 2007, battling injuries and bizarre finishes inside the Octagon.

He got back on track with a sensational nine-second first round knockout of Houston Alexander at UFC Fight Night 13 last month. And when Chuck Liddell went down with a torn hamstring, he was called on to try and continue that run against Evans at UFC 85.

It apparently wasn't meant to be ... for now.

Cane lost his Octagon debut to Irvin at UFC 79: "Nemesis" because of a disqualification (illegal knee to the head). He was a highly touted prospect upon his arrival with the organization.

He now has a chance to show what he's got against a relatively high profile opponent in Evans.

This is the third opponent for Evans, who will look to keep his undefeated record intact and preserve his chances at a light heavyweight title shot sometime down the road.

It will be interesting to see if the opponent carousel will have any impact on his performance in less than three weeks.

For the most recent UFC 85 card click here.

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Comments

This fight went from Main event to off the radar.

I have no interest in watching Luiz Cane get slammed around the octagon.

by Diesel_Power on May 20, 2008 8:12 PM EDT reply actions

That’s kind of funny, but only because I don’t like Rashad.

by Toms Bombs on May 20, 2008 8:18 PM EDT up reply actions

lol main event. Rashad will never be a main event, and irvin would have beaten him antways. This card is ok at best.

by kevin on May 20, 2008 8:21 PM EDT up reply actions

I’m pretty sure he already was a main event when he beat Bisping.

by PW on May 21, 2008 10:22 AM EDT up reply actions

The card of Injury. I was looking forward to seeing if Irvin was a real player in this weight division. Cane has nothing to lose, only something to gain, esp. since he was DQ’d against Irvin in ther fight together. Still gonna be a tough fight for Evans.

by PitBullNY on May 20, 2008 8:14 PM EDT reply actions

What’s the the tally so far? Injuries to Shogun, Chuck and Irvin. Incarceration for Leben. I think this card may be jinxed.

by RealDrew on May 21, 2008 1:14 AM EDT up reply actions

I was thinking cursed, maybe Tito is working some vodoo against the UFC. Hope no other cards get desimated the way this one has been. Admittedly the interest for this new card is really low.

by Fightinroundtheworld on May 21, 2008 1:40 AM EDT up reply actions

It a good thing I can check the fight cast on Mania to see who wins each bout because their is no way I would pay to watch this card. THey should make it a Spike Tape Delay.

by PitBullNY on May 20, 2008 8:17 PM EDT reply actions

I agree 100%, I can’t imagine paying for this card, especially since it will be a tape delay. Even if it was in the states, it just is not that interesting.

by naturalshadow on May 20, 2008 8:33 PM EDT up reply actions

This is the card we should all BOYCOTT if it is PPV! Put this one on Spike and let us have it for free! A great time to show Dana that we won’t stand for poor cards! Any support on this BOYCOTT?
I know I won’t pay for this one! Maybe I’ll go to my local bar to catch the main event!

by mac daddy on May 20, 2008 8:58 PM EDT up reply actions

Agreed.

by DJ on May 20, 2008 9:30 PM EDT up reply actions

Local bar for sure. I am not gonna buy this one.

by naturalshadow on May 21, 2008 12:46 AM EDT up reply actions

what more could happen? if hughes or alves gets hurt, they might have to scrap this event. it should be FREE!

by b.w. on May 20, 2008 8:18 PM EDT reply actions

this is the fight never meant to be

by realufcinfo on May 20, 2008 8:19 PM EDT reply actions

cursed? wow the only fight worth watching is vera vs werdum and maybe davis and swick.

by Mr.FancyPants on May 20, 2008 8:21 PM EDT reply actions

Cursed is a perfect title for this card “UFC 85 Cursed”

by AJ on May 20, 2008 10:57 PM EDT up reply actions

God dammit! I was really looking forward to that fight, hope Irvin comes back soon.

by Haze on May 20, 2008 8:22 PM EDT reply actions

k seriously what was the original card? and how many replacments have been called in? does anyone know??

by shinbob on May 20, 2008 8:26 PM EDT reply actions

Liddell vs Shogun
Liddell vs Evans
Evans Vs. Irvin
Evans Vs. Cane

by Macho Bullshit on May 20, 2008 8:29 PM EDT up reply actions

Just look at that fall from grace. haha. From Liddell/Shogun all the way down to Evans/Cane. England always seems to get the shaft. They don’t seem to get very good cards.

by naturalshadow on May 20, 2008 8:35 PM EDT up reply actions

A disgrace! UFC should bring the stars here in the future. like chuck rampage silva griffin.

by Tony on May 20, 2008 8:30 PM EDT reply actions

Evans is a joke so fat and unfit

by Tony on May 20, 2008 8:30 PM EDT reply actions

I think he is living of the head kick.

by Tony on May 20, 2008 8:31 PM EDT reply actions

i’m gonna try and answer my own question lol:P

shogun vs chuck
chuck vs evans
evans vs irving
evans vs cane

bisping vs leban ( which was called up on short notice due to the main fight being scrapped )
bisping vs day

I’m pretty sure Lambert was on it before…dik someone help me out

by shinbob on May 20, 2008 8:32 PM EDT reply actions

They should take this fight off the main card. Id much rather see Marquardt Vs. Leites.

by Macho Bullshit on May 20, 2008 8:34 PM EDT reply actions

Both Jardine/Silva and Machida/Ortiz could have been the main event for this card. 84 is a great card, but 85 is a wreck.

by naturalshadow on May 20, 2008 8:38 PM EDT reply actions

What about Matt Hammill? That would be an actual key fight at 155….+50lbs.

by mattchupichu on May 20, 2008 8:45 PM EDT reply actions

Very very good call. Another Rashad Evans joke match up. Rashad will have fought 50 times before he fights a genuine top 5 prospect……

by Rilly on May 20, 2008 10:25 PM EDT up reply actions

Luis cane is going to now have an ACME brand anvil fall on his head after he slips on a banana peel. This fight is cursed.

by mattchupichu on May 20, 2008 8:47 PM EDT reply actions

LOL What else could possibly happen!?!?!? Uh oh! I shouldn’t have said that LOL this card is garbage for the most part I would be pissed if I was a British fan who paid high dollar…excuse me pounds/euros to go to this thing

by Chadx23 on May 20, 2008 8:48 PM EDT reply actions

“UFC 85: Snakebit”

by Haze on May 20, 2008 9:10 PM EDT reply actions

I think ppl are betting on injuries instead of whos gonna win.

by stryker on May 20, 2008 9:29 PM EDT reply actions

mma fighters are the most well conditioned athletes in the world bar none but, the injuries during training are a bit much now….breaking a foot weeks before a fight I beleive is unacceptable….pulls and strains are hard and for the most part impossible to control but fighters need to take better care during training….

by jintao on May 20, 2008 10:14 PM EDT reply actions

Card is still good but it just recieved a major blow!!! ouch!!!! No Leben,Liddel,Irvin, or Shogun!!

by Robert on May 20, 2008 10:19 PM EDT reply actions

UFC 85: Fuck It, This Was The Best Could Do

by Pat on May 20, 2008 10:31 PM EDT reply actions

LMAOOOOOOOO!!

by ( (Adam G) ) on May 20, 2008 11:51 PM EDT up reply actions

Still LMFAO!!! “UFC85: Fuck it, This Was The Best We Could Do . . .” CLASSIC!!!!

by ( (Adam G) ) on May 20, 2008 11:53 PM EDT up reply actions

That is pretty good. haha

by naturalshadow on May 21, 2008 12:50 AM EDT up reply actions

it would be so funny if rashad got injured next……….and no I dont mean that in a bad way, I’m just sayin if it happens it wont really be a surprise……….lol

by Homeslice on May 20, 2008 10:51 PM EDT reply actions

I’ve never been a Rashad fan myself, but whether or not he wins or loses, I have tremendous respect for a guy that has to come up with 3 different game plans for 3 different opponents on a major card, not to mention in a different country. I hate his sugar nickname, but boy would it be sweet for him to knock the shit out of Cruz!

by dakilla on May 20, 2008 11:06 PM EDT reply actions

I’m still looking forward to Hughes vs. Alves and Vera vs. Werdum. But you would think that with 250 fighters under contract, the UFC could find better replacements for these injured fighters. They are using guys who should be on the under-card. A lot of the UFC fighters only seem to fight once or twice a year.

by DrPepper on May 20, 2008 11:31 PM EDT reply actions

Shogun injured (knee)
Liddell -injured (hamstring)
Leben prison
Goulet- backed out
Kelly- injured (finger)
Irvin- injured (foot)

wow!

by stryker on May 20, 2008 11:53 PM EDT reply actions

THey have already said this was going to be aired on Spike. Do you guys not pay attention? If I was a fighter, I would not agree to fight on this card as an add in if I were a UFC fighter.

by theoneandonly on May 21, 2008 12:24 AM EDT reply actions

It seems most people think Rashad is overrated, or not rated at all despite being undefeated. I for one think he’s pretty good although I can see a lot of his victories are due to exploitation of his wrestling in getting the top position and not doing much else. But I reckon he has pretty good hands too. I like him. Despite this, I want to see him fight someone who can take him to the edge and perhaps defeat him, and Chuck, even Irvin, was a good chance of getting a KO on him.

I think Cane will fall like the rest and succumb to Rashad’s wrestling power (unlike some I reckon he’s an excellent wrestler). Moreover I want Rashad to beat him anyway.

A good match up would have been Thiago Silva vs Rashad.

Why give Rashad a less-than-interesting match up (no offense to Cane, I just haven’t seen much exposure) and keep the previous plan in having Thiago Silva and Rashad go head-to-head?

Not to forget both are undefeated so it would have been even more interesting.

by Jackanapes on May 21, 2008 12:36 AM EDT reply actions

I’m one of those people who think he’s overrated, and really with the fight against Thiago Silva would have happend. It would have been a challenge for Evans, and a win for Thiago would have launched him into the mainstream eye.

by Toms Bombs on May 21, 2008 12:45 AM EDT up reply actions

Yeah exactly. I agree Silva would have had a good chance of winning that’s for sure. Would be a good fight.

by Jackanapes on May 21, 2008 1:06 AM EDT up reply actions

UFC 85: Like EliteXC but without the bounced checks.

by PW on May 21, 2008 1:10 AM EDT reply actions

Rashad must have been praying to the MMA GODS not to fight Chuck or Irvin.

by JV on May 21, 2008 1:18 AM EDT reply actions

i wouldn’t even watch it for free now i was gonna watch for the irvin fight since hes a local but now i dont give a shit…they need to book a good HW fight or maybe a good LW fight idk make the card bigger or something.. rich franklin or something hahaha

by randy murders on May 21, 2008 1:27 AM EDT reply actions