UFC makes Rashad Evans-Thiago Silva new UFC 108 main event

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Responding to its latest injury, the Ultimate Fighting Championship today announced that a light-heavyweight fight between Rashad Evans and Thiago Silva has been installed as the new main event to UFC 108, Jan. 2 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

The main event originally was to have been a heavyweight title defense by Brock Lesnar against Shane Carwin, but Lesnar was diagnosed with mononucleosis and had to be scratched. Sunday, UFC President Dana White said Lesnar has something more serious and will miss an extended period of time, likely forcing an interim champ to emerge.

A heavyweight fight between Cain Velasquez and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueria was then put in the Lesnar-Carwin spot, but Nogueria has a ‘severe injury to his left elbow,’ the UFC announced, causing him to pull out.

Former light-heavyweight champ Evans, a coach in the current season of the ‘Ultimate Fighter’ reality television series on Spike TV, was supposed to fight his rival coach Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson of Irvine. But Jackson announced recently that he’s quit the UFC.

So now we get Evans-Silva.

“The bout between Rashad Evans and Thiago Silva is a fight we always talked about as a main event, and now these guys have the chance to headline UFC 108 and kick off the new year in impressive fashion,’ White said in a prepared statement. ‘At the same time, we wish Antonio Nogueira a speedy recovery and can’t wait for his return.”

-- Lance Pugmire