Corey

UFCjunkie.com Exclusive: Ortiz vs. Evans Set for UFC 72, not UFC 71
Posted by UFC Junkie on March 16, 2007 at 3:18 pm ET


The much-anticipated light-heavyweight bout between former champ Tito Ortiz (15-5 MMA, 14-5 UFC) and top contender Rashad Evans (10-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) will not happen at UFC 71 as was first rumored and will instead take place at UFC 72, according to a reliable UFCjunkie.com source.

The event will take place in Las Vegas, Nev. on July 7. Additionally, UFCjunkie.com has confirmed our report from last month that UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva (18-4 MMA, 3-0 UFC) will still face seven-time King of Pancrase Nate Marquardt (25-6-2 MMA, 4-0 UFC) at UFC 72, despite recent reports that Silva might instead face Rich Franklin in his next title defense.

The UFC has yet to decide on a venue for the event.

Reports of the Ortiz vs. Evans bout first surfaced last week. Originally, Keith Jardine was rumored as Ortiz’s likely opponent, but Sam Caplan of CBS Sportsline.com interviewed UFC president Dana White and learned that Ortiz would instead face Jardine’s training partner and fellow Team Jackson fighter, Evans.

Although the bout was expected to take place at UFC 71, the UFC management recently opted for the UFC 72 card instead.

Ortiz, who was once penciled in for next month’s UFC 70 event, lost to current UFC light heavyweight champ Chuck Liddell in his most recent fight (UFC 66), halting a five-fight win streak. Prior to the loss, Ortiz had posted consecutive victories over Patrick Cote, Vitor Belfort, Forrest Griffin and Ken Shamrock (twice).

His opponent has put together an impressive win streak of his own. Evans, who is undefeated in MMA and the UFC, most recently defeated Sean Salmon at UFC Fight Night 8. The former Michigan State University wrestler ended the fight with an already-legendary high leg kick in the night’s main event. The Ultimate Fighter season two heavyweight winner has also posted Octagon wins over Brad Imes, Sam Hoger, Stephan Bonnar and Jason Lambert.

Should Evans emerge victorious, he could very well be next in line for a title shot with current champ Chuck Liddell or his rumored UFC 71 opponent, Quinton Jackson.

The UFC 72 card is already shaping up to be one of the best in recent memory, rivaling only next month’s much-hyped UFC 70 event in England. In addition to Silva vs. Marquardt, the event is also expected to include another title match with current lightweight champion Sean Sherk (31-2-1 MMA, 5-2 UFC) and top contender Hermes Franca (16-5 MMA, 5-2 UFC), who’s won his past eight fights.