It appears that Cody McKenzie wasn’t the only casualty to pull out of UFC 155 today. Chris Leben sent out the following message on his twitter and facebook accounts, announcing that Karlos Vemola has withdrawn due to injury, and naming Strikeforce fighter Derek Brunson as his replacement.
The statement was as follows:
STUDIO MMA, VENICE, CA — Powerful UFC middleweight Karlos Vemola [9-3-0 MMA] has broken his cheekbone in training and must withdraw from his scheduled UFC 155 bout against Chris “The Crippler” Leben. Strikeforce transplant Derek Brunson, a Greg Jackson protegé, will step in to face Leben on December 29 at that same event.
Observers consider Brunson [9-2-0 MMA] just as tough a challenge for the Crippler even though Brunson was brutally KO’d in his last outing, a 41-second flurry against Jacare Souza at Srikeforce – Rousey vs. Kaufman. Brunson possesses a submission victory over the monstrous Lumumba Sayers and trains alongside UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones at Jackson’s MMA in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Representatives of Chris Leben [22-8-0 MMA] say that he is ready-and-willing to face anyone. He is in better condition than at any point in the past, and believes that he will quickly finish Brunson in Las Vegas.
