UFC 108: Evans vs. Silva is an upcoming mixed martial arts event to be held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) on January 2, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
Official Fight Card
Main Card
* Light Heavyweight bout: United States Rashad Evans vs. Brazil Thiago Silva
* Welterweight bout: United States Dustin Hazelett vs. United Kingdom Paul Daley
* Lightweight bout: United States Joe Lauzon vs. Canada Sam Stout
* Lightweight bout: United States Jim Miller vs. United States Duane Ludwig
* Heavyweight bout: Brazil Junior dos Santos vs. Netherlands Gilbert Yvel
Spike TV Card
* Welterweight bout: Denmark Martin Kampmann vs. United States Jacob Volkmann
* Lightweight bout: United States Cole Miller vs. United States Dan Lauzon
Preliminary Card
* Middleweight bout: United States Mark Munoz vs. United States Ryan Jensen
* Welterweight bout: United States Mike Pyle vs. United States Jake Ellenberger
* Lightweight bout: Brazil Rafaello Oliveira vs. United States John Gunderson
Other Announced Matchups
These matches have been reported as finalized by sources, but have not yet been added to the card on UFC.com
* Light Heavyweight bout: Belarus Vladimir Matyushenko vs. TBA
Background
The card has been plagued with numerous injuries - the most injuries per card in UFC history - with multiple potential fights being called off as a result.
A proposed main event featured UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva facing off against former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Vitor Belfort. However, it was announced by Silva's manager Ed Soares that the fight will not happen at UFC 108 because Silva will not be fully healed from elbow surgery.
A bout between Brock Lesnar and Shane Carwin for the UFC Heavyweight Championship was rescheduled from UFC 106 to UFC 108, but this fight will not take place due to a continuing illness of Lesnar.
The winner of a bout between Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira and Cain Velasquez was to be guaranteed a title shot for the UFC Heavyweight Championship against the eventual winner of Lesnar vs. Carwin. The planned bout was later scrapped when Nogueira was forced to pull out of the fight due to a severe case of staph infection. A possible Velasquez vs. Carwin match for an interim belt has been ruled out as a new main event due to Carwin undergoing knee surgery, although the fight may take place at a later date.. The Nogueria/Velasquez bout is scheduled for February 21, 2010 at UFC 110.
Gabriel Gonzaga was forced to pull out of his bout with Junior dos Santos on November 25, due to illness. Gonzaga was replaced by Gilbert Yvel
Paul Daley was scheduled to face Carlos Condit but on December 9, it was announced that Condit had pulled out due to injury. Condit was replaced by Dustin Hazelett.
On December 11, Tyson Griffin pulled out of his bout with Jim Miller, citing an injury. Sean Sherk, who originally had a fight with Rafaello Oliveira, stepped as up as Griffin's replacement. However, on December 17, Sherk pulled out of the fight, Duane Ludwig replaced Sherk.
Martin Kampmann vs. Rory Markham was also called off days later after a knee injury. On December 14 it was announced that Jacob Volkmann would be replacing Markham. Volkmann is coming off short rest after last fighting at UFC 106.
On December 29, it was announced that Steve Cantwell had pulled out of his scheduled bout with Vladimir Matyushenko, the UFC was reported to be searching for a replacement.
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