UFC Insider The Injuries are Spreading Lesner Style

UFC Insider - The Injury Bug has Hit Hard

by Tim Furious

Nothing has encapsulated the UFC lately than the rash of injuries plaguing its champions. Most notably stands Brock Lesnar, who was treated at the Mayo Clinic for surgery to cure a bizarre intestinal infection that caused him to miss both scheduled fights against the number-one contender, Shane Carwin.

Nothing could stop Brock Lesnar as he romped and rolled through the heavyweight division, but the irony of losing Lesnar to a the tiniest, viral bacteria is not lost on the UFC and Dana White.

White has responded by booking Cain Velasquez against Carwin in a fight that was supposed to happen at UFC 104, before Carwin was inserted to fight Brock Lesnar. It will be a true number-one contender’s match right now, but we don’t know if even Brock will be ready when the time comes to defend his championship. The creative fight planning didn’t stop at the heavyweight division for White as he has two other champions on the shelf.

Since demolishing Thiago Alves by unanimous decision in July 2009, St. Pierre has been absent from action due to a groin injury he sustained during the fight. It’s becoming a sad story in the welterweight division as nobody has looked like they can even touch the man deemed as the best “pound for pound” fighter in the world. Britain’s Dan Hardy earned a shot to face St. Pierre at a later date by dispatching of Mike Swick at UFC 106 picks, but Hardy’s shot at the title won’t come until UFC 111 in March 2010 when St. Pierre will be healthy enough to feet. One has to wonder if it even matters because St. Pierre could likely hand Hardy a defeat with one hand tied behind his back anyways.

Another champ that’s been missing in action since this summer is Anderson Silva, who was last seen breaking Forrest Griffin’s iron will at UFC 101: Declaration after he spent a few weeks beefing up to the 205-pound mark to compete in a light heavyweight fight. That gave strong fuel to the notion that Silva would fight current light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida, but Silva’s recent elbow injury is taking a curiously long time to heal.

That’s not the only thing getting away of the Machida-Silva dream fight from happening, because the light heavyweight champ is also licking his wounds after getting pushed to the limit by Mauricio Rua, at UFC 104. The Dragon has already accepted a rematch against Shogun, but you’ll have to wait until May 1st to see that title being defended.