UFC 108 Weigh-ins: Evans, Silva Cleared

A little more than 24 hours before their scheduled showdown inside the Octagon, Rashad Evans and Thiago Silva stood nose-to-nose in one last effort to hype their beleaguered main event.

Evans tipped the scales at 205 pounds for his matchup with Silva (205) at UFC 108 “Evans vs. Silva” this Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Only one of the 18 other men scheduled to compete at the promotion’s first show of 2010 had an issue meeting contracted weight limits at Friday’s official weigh-in. Co-headliner Paul Daley checked in a pound overweight for his welterweight tilt against Dustin Hazelett (168). According to UFC.com, the Nevada State Athletic Commission would not allow Daley to try to cut to 171 due to safety reasons. Hazelett reportedly agreed to a 172-pound catchweight bout, and Daley will be fined 10 percent of his purse.

The once-beaten Evans, fresh off his stint as coach on Season 10 of “The Ultimate Fighter,” has not competed since his brutal knockout loss to reigning champion Lyoto Machida in May. Anchored at Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts in Albuquerque, N.M., the 30-year-old emerged as an elite light heavyweight in 2008, when he knocked out UFC hall of famer Chuck Liddell, then stopped Forrest Griffin to capture promotional gold. Evans, a Niagara Falls, N.Y., native who wrestled collegiately at Michigan State University, holds other notable victories against Michael Bisping, Jason Lambert and Stephan Bonnar.

A potent finisher, Silva, 27, last appeared in August when he flattened Evans’ longtime friend and teammate, Keith Jardine, in 95 seconds at UFC 102. He, like Evans, has felt the sting of defeat only once as a professional, also at the hands of Machida. Silva has finished 10 of his 14 victories inside one round, though he still flies under the mainstream radar in terms of attention given to the 205-pound division. The American Top Team standout has gone the distance only once in 15 career bouts.

UFC 108: Evans vs. Silva
Saturday, Jan. 2
MGM Grand Garden Arena
Las Vegas

Rashad Evans (205) vs. Thiago Silva (205)
Paul Daley (172) vs. Dustin Hazelett (168)
Joe Lauzon (155) vs. Sam Stout (155)
Jim Miller (155) vs. Duane Ludwig (156)
Junior dos Santos (237) vs. Gilbert Yvel (239)
Martin Kampmann (171) vs. Jacob Volkmann (171)
Dan Lauzon (155) vs. Cole Miller (155)
Mark Munoz (185) vs. Ryan Jensen (186)
Mike Pyle (171) vs. Jake Ellenberger (170)
John Gunderson (155) vs. Rafaello Oliveira (156)

This article was updated at 8:18 p.m. ET with information on Daley from UFC.com.