Cut forces Rob Emerson out of UFC 101 bout

[rajuB4U]

Cut forces Rob Emerson out of UFC 101 bout; George Roop reported as replacement

by John Morgan on Jul 23, 2009 at 6:55 pm ET
has learned that "The Ultimate Fighter 5" cast member Rob Emerson (9-7 MMA, 2-1 UFC) has been forced to withdraw from his UFC 101 contest after suffering a cut requiring stitches while preparing for the event.

Emerson had been scheduled to face "The Ultimate Fighter 6" veteran George Sotiropoulos (9-2 MMA, 2-0 UFC) on the preliminary card of the pay-per-view event.

Featuring a lightweight title fight between current champ B.J. Penn and challenger Kenny Florian, "UFC 101: Declaration" takes place on Aug. 8 in Philadephia.

Emerson today told that he was disappointed when the cut, which he descried as being "in a bad spot," forced him out of the event.

"I've been training for three or four months," Emerson said. "Not only am I in great shape right now, but I'm a completely different fighter. I'm way more aggressive now. I'm just a completely different fighter."

Emerson said when he is able to return to action, fans should expect to see a more focused competitor.

"I've been training with B.J. Penn's camp for this fight, working with world class coaches and world-class fighters," Emerson said. "These guys really believe in me, and that helps."

AroundTheOctagon.com is reporting "The Ultimate Fighter 8" cast member George Roop (9-4 MMA, 1-1 UFC) has agreed to step in on short notice and face Sotiropoolos.

Immediate attempts to reach Roop for comment were unsuccessful, and the UFC has yet to announce the change.