UFC 118: Gabe Ruediger Replaces Terry Etim, Meets Joe Lauzon on Spike Prelims
Terry Etim has been forced out of his UFC 118 bout with fellow lightweight Joe Lauzon, but Gabe Reudiger has announced that he will replace Etim and face Lauzon on the Spike-televised prelims at the August 28 event in Boston.
Both Lauzon and Reudiger were cast members on The Ultimate Fighter 5 in 2007, with Lauzon advancing to the 155-pound tournament semifinals while Reudiger was famously kicked off the show by UFC President Dana White for failing to make weight.
Reudiger (17-5) lost his lone UFC bout via second-round TKO to Melvin Guillard at UFC 63, but has gone 7-2 since appearing on TUF, including a first-round TKO of Lenny Lovato last month to win the Tachi Palace Fights lightweight title with his sixth-straight win.
Lauzon (18-5) won five of his first six UFC bouts, but is coming off a unanimous decision loss to Sam Stout in January as he returned from knee surgery.
The UFC 118 fight card is headlined by a rematch between lightweight champ Frankie Edgar and BJ Penn and also features Randy Couture vs. James Toney and Kenny Florian vs. Gray Maynard.
For complete UFC 118 coverage, including UFC 118 results on Aug. 28, stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com.
Pictured: Gabe Ruediger
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i say get mark bocek in for Terry Etim and get leben in for sakara!!!! but ill settle for these haha i mean it is pretty sudden for those guys. props for ruediger getting back in and for vedepo too.
i wonder how much incentive there is for these guys to step in on short notice. They’re taking big risks by putting themselves in situations where they don’t have adequate time to prepare for a fight and have that reflect poorly on their performance. I wonder if Dana slips these guys a little extra cash under the table or gives them an extra fight in the organization guaranteed.
got kicked off the show for not making weight.. made it to the 2nd round till he got ktfo’d by a punch to the stomach by my boy melvin..
gooo gettum joe you most likely wont knock him out but with your cardio and ground and pound you should do well.
well, it was going to be a good fight. Now it’s just going to be a domination by Lauzon
I think J-Lau will clean his colon
Please, don’t remind us of THAT again…..
i thought dana said something like ” you will never fight in the ufc ” to gabe for not making weight because he gave up tyring to lose the weight
That’s pretty weak
I wanted to see etim fight again, that last fight against dos anjos was weak
Etim woulda submitted lauzon easily
Keep it clean.
-Justin
makes me laugh.. i remember the comment while he was cryin “put me back in”
I’ll be just a few rows from the cage booing Ruediger unmercifully for the entire fight and encouraging everyone around me to do the same.
gabe ruediger will be laughing at everyone doubting him….you are all clueless!
Ruediger has been in beast mode lately. I have personally trained with him a couple of times in the last year or so and sparring with him is like sparring with a rabid gorilla. He is fitter and hungrier than he has ever been, and his skills both on the ground and standing are top notch. He has impressive credentials (former WEC champ) and has put together a win streak against tough opponents and earned his way back into the UFC. If Joe takes him lightly he will be in big trouble. Can’t wait to see this fight and see Ruediger redeem himself on the big stage.
Go get ‘em Gabe! Back on the big stage with a shot at redemption! Go get it!!!!