Erik Koch Out, Frankie Edgar Fights Jose Aldo At UFC 153 In Brazil

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2012/8/31/3281568/mma-news-erik-koch-out-frankie-edgar-fights-jose-aldo-ufc-153-brazil

BIG news coming in from USA Today and MMA Junkie, Erik Koch is out of his UFC 153 Featherweight title fight with Jose Aldo, and while this seems like another case of the injury bug derailing another UFC PPV, the replacement fighter is none other than Frankie Edgar.

USA TODAY Sports has learned that an undisclosed injury has forced Erik Koch (13-1, 2-0) to withdraw from a planned UFC 153 title fight with current featherweight champion Jose Aldo (21-1, 3-0), and Edgar has agreed to step into the evening's main event.

"Obviously, we've had a rough couple of weeks here at the UFC, and then sure enough, I walk in to work today, and Erik Koch is hurt," White told USA TODAY Sports. "But Frankie Edgar, being the stud and the warrior that he is, steps up and accepts this fight."

Well you've got your superfight now, MMA fans. With all due respect to the recovering Koch, this is about as huge an upgrade as you can get when the original fight changes due to injury. There will be no warm-up fight for Edgar, he's going straight for Jose Aldo's title on October 13th and he's doing it in Aldo's backyard.

SBN coverage of UFC 153: Aldo vs. Edgar

UPDATE: Ariel Helwani has details on Koch's injury.

According to Erik Koch's manager @mmainc, he suffered a knee injury yesterday and is "devastated."
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) August 31, 2012

... No timetable yet for his return. Hoping for year's end.
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) August 31, 2012

the super fight I've wanted to see most the past 12 months!

This event was turned on it's head but it still managed to come out looking pretty good. Better then most of the cards the UFC is rolling out there these days. They lost the 2 biggest fights on the card so they added 3 fights and made it a 6 fight main card. The REAL fighters stepped up and accepted the challenge. Stephan Bonnar vs Anderson Silva in a 3 round LHW(205) fight. Glover is now fighting Fabio Maldonado and Big Nog is fighting Dave "Pee Wee" Herman.