UFC 85
| Company type | Mixed martial arts event |
|---|---|
| Industry | Sports entertainment |
| Founded | June 7, 2008 |
| Headquarters | London , England |
Area served | United Kingdom |
UFC 85: Bedlam was a mixed martial arts competition organized by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) on June 7, 2008, hosted at The O2 Arena in London, England.
Background
Numerous fighter injuries led to several alterations on the fight card. Initially, the headline bout featured light heavyweights Chuck Liddell versus Mauricio Rua, but Rua withdrew following knee surgery. Rashad Evans stepped in to replace Rua against Liddell; however, Liddell later pulled out due to a hamstring injury. James Irvin was then announced as Liddell’s substitute but also had to withdraw because of a foot injury, resulting in Evans being removed from the event.
Eventually, the main attraction became a matchup between Matt Hughes and Thiago Alves. Hughes agreed to fight on short notice as a courtesy to the UFC, while Alves failed to make weight by exceeding the limit by four pounds.
Other modifications included the cancellation of the bout between Jonathan Goulet and Paul Kelly, with Goulet citing inadequate preparation time and Kelly withdrawing due to injury. Chris Leben was forced to pull out of his fight against Michael Bisping because of legal complications and was replaced by Jason Day.
Additionally, Ryo Chonan was substituted by Kevin Burns, and Neil Wain was replaced by Eddie Sanchez.
Bonus awards
The following competitors were awarded $50,000 bonuses:
- Fight of the Night: Matt Wiman vs. Thiago Tavares
- Knockout of the Night: Thiago Alves
- Submission of the Night: Kevin Burns