Liddell WILL NOT Fight Tito, Couldn't Cover it Up for Long.

[xtremebadass]

UFC 115 features Chuck Liddell vs. Rich Franklin, not Tito Ortiz, in headliner
by MMAjunkie.com Staff on Apr 12, 2010 at 6:15 pm ET
"The Ultimate Fighter 11" coach Chuck Liddell will fight fellow UFC legend Rich Franklin in the main event of UFC 115, after all.

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) first reported earlier this month that Liddell, who originally was slated to fight fellow "TUF 11" coach Tito Ortiz at the June 12 show at Vancouver's GM Place, will instead fight replacement coach Franklin.

However, UFC president Dana White initially denied the report and said he instead planned to pit Franklin against Randy Couture. But later, he said fans simply would need to tune into "TUF 11" to see what happens.

UFC 115 airs on pay-per-view.

Although Franklin will replace Ortiz at some point on the Spike TV reality series, Ortiz remains on the show through the first two episodes. Episode No. 3 airs Wednesday. (To avoid spoilers, MMAjunkie.com will not report the reason of Ortiz's departure.)

Despite the report and subsequent speculation, Liddell said in a recent media conference call promoting "TUF 11" that he assumed he would be fighting Ortiz at UFC 115. Instead, it'll be Franklin.

Liddell (21-7 MMA, 16-6 UFC) fights for the first time since an April 2009 knockout loss to Mauricio "Shogun" Rua that prompted White to announced Liddell's retirement. The loss was "The Iceman's" fourth in five fights.

Liddell was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame soon after, but the former UFC light heavyweight champion has maintained since that UFC 97 loss to Rua that he hadn't closed the door on a possible return to competition.

Franklin (26-5 MMA, 12-4 UFC) returns to the cage after what will be a nine-month layoff. Following a busy 2009 fight schedule in which Franklin headlined three shows (two overseas), the former UFC middleweight champion took time off to recover from various ailments and to pursue business interests.

Most recently, Franklin suffered a first-round knockout loss to Vitor Belfort at UFC 103. He now fights at light heavyweight for the third time in five fights; he also fought in a pair of 195-pound catchweight fights against Belfort and Wanderlei Silva (decision win).

For the latest on UFC 115, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of MMAjunkie.com.

I knew the UFC, Dana White, Liddell, and Ortiz were trying to cover up the TUF spoilers by saying Liddell vs. Ortiz III was still on.

 

[Kassidy]

 

[hndsmepete]

I knew the UFC, Dana White, Liddell, and Ortiz were trying to cover up the TUF spoilers by saying Liddell vs. Ortiz III was still on.

The spoilers last month seemed pretty reliable, so it was ridiculous that they even bothered to cover it up. They really need to say what happened to Tito to make him pull out.

 

[xtremebadass]

The spoilers last month seemed pretty reliable, so it was ridiculous that they even bothered to cover it up. They really need to say what happened to Tito to make him pull out.

No chance they would announce what happened to Tito. That again is a TUF spoiler. They need to keep their audience watching to see what happens next. Although we all know Tito did something, we still don't know what.

I can't imagine how they will play it off with Franklin coming in. Team Ortiz is going to be like

"WTF I CAN'T CHANGE COACHES ON THE FLY!...can I still keep this team punishment gear?"

 

[hndsmepete]

No chance they would announce what happened to Tito. That again is a TUF spoiler. They need to keep their audience watching to see what happens next. Although we all know Tito did something, we still don't know what.

I can't imagine how they will play it off with Franklin coming in. Team Ortiz is going to be like

"WTF I CAN'T CHANGE COACHES ON THE FLY!...can I still keep this team punishment gear?"

That is true that they wouldn't announce the reasons because of the TUF spoiler. I really didn't think of that part & was more thinking about a UFC main event being scrapped. That's a lot of PPV buys now gone. I don't see Chuck winning this fight at all. I was really looking forward to Liddell/Ortiz 3. Your line about the gear is funny. I wonder if they actually will switch out all the gear for team Ortiz/Franklin or if there are contracts in place to keep it. I hope it isn't any health issues with Ortiz & is just something that is stupid, rather than something serious.

 

[straight_edge76]

God I called that one.

 

[xtremebadass]

I hope it isn't any health issues with Ortiz & is just something that is stupid, rather than something serious.

I don't think it would be health reasons because I remember his Tweet about himself screwing up big time.

Unless it is steroids lmao