Injury knocks Jose Aldo out of UFC 153 featherweight title main event with Frankie Edgar

Sometimes, when it rains, it pours. Such often is the case for the UFC.

Not two hours after announcing the loss of its co-main event for UFC 153 next month in Brazil, the UFC now has lost its top draw on the card. Main event featherweight champion Jose Aldo has been forced out of his title fight with Frankie Edgar, leaving the UFC with a pair of holes in the top two positions for its return to Rio de Janeiro.

UFC President Dana White on Tuesday announced the news, summing it up on Twitter with: "Main and co-main in the same day!! Another amazing day at the UFC. We have some work to do."

Earlier on Tuesday, White announced news that co-main event fighter and former light heavyweight champion Quinton "Rampage" Jackson was out of his fight with Glover Teixeira with an injury. It is not yet known who Jackson's replacement will be.

Aldo (21-1, 3-0) was expected to face Erik Koch (13-1, 2-0) in the main event of the card, which takes place at HSBC Arena in Rio on Oct. 13. But an injury to Koch forced him out, and the UFC elected, in news first reported by USA TODAY and MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com), to give an immediate title shot to new featherweight Edgar (14-3-1 MMA, 9-3-1 UFC), the former lightweight champion who decided to drop down 10 pounds and make a run at 145.

But now Aldo is out, and Edgar's shot at another belt will be put on hold. It is not yet known if Edgar will remain on the card against a different opponent or if he will now step back and wait for Aldo to recover from his injury.

White on Tuesday told MMAjunkie.com he was uncertain what would happen with Edgar's placement on the card, saying both options were open – that Edgar could face a new opponent next month, or he could be pulled.

Edgar was looking to join UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture and B.J. Penn as the only men to hold UFC championships in two different weight classes.

Aldo has not fought since a UFC 142 first-round knockout of Chad Mendes, which also took place at HSBC Arena in Rio. That win gave him successful UFC title defenses against Mendes, Kenny Florian and Mark Hominick and made him 11-0 as a Zuffa fighter, including his time in the WEC.

Edgar finally moved to 145 after months and months of encouragement from White. In 2010, he won the lightweight title against B.J. Penn at UFC 112 and defended it at UFC 118. He fought to a now-famous draw with Gray Maynard at UFC 125, then knocked him out in the rematch at UFC 136. But against Benson Henderson at UFC 144 this past February, he finally tasted defeat in a title fight, dropping a close unanimous decision.

He got a rematch this past month at UFC 150 in Denver, but again dropped a close decision. After that, he decided to drop to featherweight – and found himself quickly back in a title fight with Koch was injured and he stepped up.

UFC officials now apparently will go to work on another five-alarm pay-per-view situation. Just this past month, the entire UFC 151 pay-per-view was canceled when Jon Jones refused a replacement fight with Chael Sonnen after Dan Henderson was forced out with an injury.

http://mmajunkie.com/news/30588/injury-knocks-jose-aldo-out-of-ufc-153-featherweight-title-main-event-with-frankie-edgar.mma

The card will probably still do fine in Brazil with live attendance but it'll get shit for PPVs in the US no doubt in my mind.

Their best bet is like Edgar vs. Lamas or more logically Hioki due to losses or maybe even K.Zombie. Granted I don't know the status of any of the 3 names I just mentioned as potential replacements..

Maybe they could do Davis vs. Teixeira?

I don't know.. fuck it, they should just cancel this event as well.
Any good super hero movies opening that weekend for Zuffa to use as a scapegoat?

Meanwhile, at Zuffa HQ....

Rough times for Zuffa.
Edgar/Hioki does make sense and with word of a potential main event between Wandy and Sonnen, this event is still highly salvageable. If that's the case, give Teixeira Forrest.

It might have lost a little luster but it still has the makings of a good card.

Aldo needs to be more professional, close to the fight (main event) he can't play beach soccer tournaments risking a unnecessary injury plus riding motorcycles after what happened w/ will ribeiro.