MMAmania.com just learned that middleweight fighter Chris Leben was today sentenced to 35 days in jail and will be released on May 27, 2008 (he gets credit for time already served), which would give him only 12 days until his scheduled showdown with Michael Bisping at UFC 85: "Bedlam" at the O2 Arena in London, England, on June 7.
It was apparently too close for comfort, forcing to the promotion to scrap the bout, according to WrestlingObserver.com.
No replacement for Leben is known at this time. However, "The Count" will remain on the card -- his presence as a high profile British-born UFC star is perhaps more important than any other in the field who can put butts in seats.
"The Crippler" turned himself in to the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office in Portland, Oregon, on April 30 because of an old Driving Under the Influence (DUI) probation violation. He did so to obtain a travel visa overseas, but it appears that things did not work out according to plan.
Neither Leben nor the UFC have issued statements at this time. Stay tuned for more details.
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