Chris Leben sentenced to 35 days in jail; UFC 85 fight with Michael Bisping is off (Update)
By: MMAmania
MMAmania.com just learned that middleweight fighter Chris Leben was today sentenced to 35 days in jail and will be released on May 27, 2008 (he gets credit for time already served), which would give him only 12 days until his scheduled showdown with Michael Bisping at UFC 85: “Bedlam” at the O2 Arena in London, England, on June 7.
It was apparently too close for comfort, forcing to the promotion to scrap the bout, according to WrestlingObserver.com.
No replacement for Leben is known at this time. However, “The Count” will remain on the card — his presence as a high profile British-born UFC star is perhaps more important than any other in the field who can put butts in seats.
“The Crippler” turned himself in to the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office in Portland, Oregon, on April 30 because of an old Driving Under the Influence (DUI) probation violation. He did so to obtain a travel visa overseas, but it appears that things did not work out according to plan.
Neither Leben nor the UFC have issued statements at this time. Stay tuned for more details.
238 Comments »
He has to call of this fight for his well being. If he goes in the cage with very little cardio and time to prepare he could get destroyed by Bisping
Dude, thats the best place to train. Dont you watch those MSNBC Lock_Up specials? Those dude get all ripped up.
Lol he’s in Jain not prison. He’ll still fight he’s crazy… and the crazy part is he’ll win.
eff it all i know is chris leben will get the top bunk no matter what!! lol..and he will get his chocolate milk! i can see him now!! “hey you gonna finish that!?!”
you want the bottom bunk ,he should pull out of the fight, doing any time in county jail is a nightmare terrible sleep, terrible food, lots of noise and lots of goofs ,he will not be prepared, even prepared ,bisbing will beat him, hell kalib”no heart” starnes beat him.
Yeah I would say he would be fine to fight, but he wont be able to get his supplements and he will have terrible nutrition in there. Bisping is wayyy too strong at 185 to go in short of 100% with him. Its too bad though. A dominant performance for either would have been a great set up to a really entertaining title fight with Silva.
mexicutioner! “jail is the best place to train” Bisping is training at the Wolfslair Gym and will have top fighter such as Vera and Irvin coming to his gym. He’s Eating all the right nutrients and is probably walking around at 190lb as i type this.
On the other hand you have a fighter who is known for his rock hard chin and his lack of conditioning and is walking around at about 205lb!
Uuuh, I think Mexicutoner was joking with you. Don’t hold on to Bisping’s sack too tight, he may want more children. LOL
I wasnt joking. I was totaly serious. As a matter of fact, I bet he planned this all back to the very date he got the DUI. That guys is always thinking ahead. He is such a genius. (uh, joking!!!)
braveheart: How do you figure Leban is known for lack of conditioning? Remember TUF, he was the only guy to pass the conditioning test and he did it hung over!
BTW, I have braveheart tattooed on me. Scottish need some representation in the UFC.
Leben is NOT known for a lack of conditioning!
MAN, this SUCKS. I, like most, was REALLY looking forward to this fight.
About Leben’s conditioning, it is just fine. BNF made a great point about TUF 1 and the conditioning test - he “out-stamina’d” Kos, Diego, and everyone else.
Throwing a lot of punches takes a lot out of you. For a good example, look at this past episode of TUF. Jeremy May got tired after throwing 2 minutes worth of punches. Yeah, his conditioning was awful, but the phrase “let him punch himself out” is valid. The only time besides the Kalib fight that Leben really looked winded was against Terry Martin. That was a 3 round SLUGFEST.
I think you can do cardio in the pen, you can jog in place all day, fall on your belly, jump up, you know what I mean.Let me tell you all, if he does his time, shows up, and wins, he deserves a LOT more respect. He will get mine!!!!!!
I was really excited about this fight! But no way should leben be allowed to fight Bisping with 12 days to prepare!
If it was Terry Martin i could understand
Jason Day is the replacement fighter.
Yeah, that’s if he can control himself here in Hawaii. Dude just got arrested for trying to pick on some kids at a 7-11 by bashing the kid’s car window. I guess that’s how some people get prepared for a big fight, by picking on someone smaller.
Damn, 12 days probably isn’t enough. The only positive thing that might come from replacing him is it might be free on SPIKE??
Its Bisping! Leben will only need 12 days of training to knockout that poser.
Ray I’d like to see you step in and fight Bisping
That’s an intelligent way to debate.
I think I have enough training to beat him! I’ve never done any jail time but I have a couple of nutty relatives that have and I think with some intense training with them I can do it in only 12 days as well!
did you watch 83? you are a poser dude, bisbing is the real deal @ 185
Okay, robd! You sound a little bitter. I know Bisping is your Idol and all but I did watch Rashad and Hamill beat your boy down. He is not as bad as you would like to believe.
rashad didnt beat anyone down
That pond jumper Bisping is not a finisher! He hasn’t finished anybody but that big pussy Chainsaw, which you really should consider that Chainsaw sucked! Oh yea when he won TUF he could finish that nobody either. Bisping luck out because he was about to be exposed for his great overratedness!
the math isn’t working for me… did he already spend a week in jail? did he turn himself in on the 30th? is he getting out with only 5 days until the ppv? or is the sentence for 28 days?
i meant 23rd (not 30th)
Also this all assumes he has been in jail since he turned himself in.
I think that when you sit in jain waiting for sentencing it counts as time off of your sentence.
Yep its called credit for time served.
You also only serve 50% of time given. Ex: Judge gives you 10 days, you will serve 5 (that is at state level, federal is 90% time sentenced minimum.)
Unless you have some serious priors. However, I believe Leben is a first time offender.
I think too many of us have experience with this sort of thing.LOL
First time offender or not, bail jumpers are rarely given the benefit of the doubt.
I’d love to see those two fight, but he should be replaced. I don’t want to see an unprepared Chris Leben get knocked out by the ‘Count’. Sucks.
12 days isn’t enough time for anyone to prepare for a fight. expecially against someone like bisping. but chris is a fighter, and he has alot of heart.
wow this sucks.
HAHA The American idiots who say Bisping is average have gone quiet! Bisping will win If he was in jail or not! IDIOTS!
Seriously dude, don’t make dumb ass vague comments calling people idiots.
I happen to like Bisping as much as Leben and I bleed Red, White & Blue. Now you’re going to look like the idiot if you boy gets knocked out by a guy who’s only been out of jail for 12 days.
yeah very true since he got taken down by mccarthy! took him for ever to hurt him!!! and almost got koed by sinosic!! and submitted by schaffer!! and lost to rahsad by sh*tty decision the truth is homeboy or should i say bender! you took this subject out of context and made it a prejudice thing! you are very ignorant…i dont ever judge a fighter form where they are from…but just as fighter!! sure he is in another league! the can eating league!
Tony theres not need for comments like that and iam from the uk. This is MMA not the olympic games!
agreed i have nothing against an fighters origins or support for it!. i just see them as fighter thats it! guys like him give fans and their country mates a bad name! and just ope a whole can of hateful comment from other ppl!
Thank you braveheart. Tony is mistaken in believing that one’s place of birth determines anything other than nationality.
Tony, you constantly preach of Bisping’s greatness as if you have a poster of him above your bed. Please let me know how he’s NOT average. I’ll gladly respond to it. And you have the wrong impression that a lot of people don’t like Bisping b/c he’s not American? That makes you an idiot and a chump. Plenty of Americans like fighters from other countries, while the only reason you like Bisping is b/c he’s from yours. Idiot!!!
And when you respond Tony, do your homework. Don’t say your normal 1 sentence opinion w/o backing it up with facts.
bisbing is average at best. happy now, tony
Bisping is in another league to him
just shows how little you know about the sport.
Name me 4 people BISPING has decisively finished…
…
…
…
…you can’t, cause he hasn’t finished 4 people decisively. Bisping is sub-par at best and is no where near being in another league compared to Leben.
Leben has finished way more fights decisively than him and has produced WAY MORE entertaining fights.
BISPING = OVERRATED
Chad,
Actually, only two of Bisping’s 16 fights have gone to decision. Most were wins by(T)KO. Bisping, is very capable of finishing. Now if you want to talk about the competition he has finished… well then you might have an argument. As you well know most of those fights were in th UK. To be fair he was the LHW champ in his promotion, but the guys he fought were not of the caliber of those on the UFC roster.
Therefore, I don’t think Bisping is as overrated as he is truly untested. Leben is (was) a great fight for Bisping. Let’s see what he is made of and where he falls in the MW division.
I agree he is VERY untested, but as we all know, who you fight in the smaller promotions really doesn’t mean anything until you’re tested against the elite. He hasn’t impressed me in the UFC since his come from behind win against ELVIS, and even there he wasn’t dominant, but he showed a lot of heart.
I still feel people over-hype BISPING way too much. Less than a year ago people were calling for his head over the HAMILL fight. Now he beats a less-than-stellar Charles McCarthy and everyone is calling him the second coming at MW.
Oh, I agree. Listen, I’m a fan of Bisping, but in no way is he ready for the cream of the crop MWs. I really hope this fight still happens, I want to see what Bisping can do against a true puncher. By the way, I agree with your assesment of Bisping’s UFC fights. He did show tremendous heart in the fight against Elvis. That being said, I think he should have dominated that fight. The Hamill and Evans decisions were very close, but as you eluded to, finish the fight and don’t make them close.
I agree. We are totally on the same page.
Agree, most of te guys in cagerage are not in the same league as UFC, however you should note that Anderson Silva was the Cage Rage MW Champ before joining UFC.
I forgot about that fact. Thank you, UK.
Excellent comment, couldn’t have said it any better myself!
Tony, please back up your opinion with facts once in a while to help prove your point. Intelligent debate helps sway people to your point of view.
He has been in jail since he turned himself in. Since he violated his probation he was held without bail being set.
Hate to say I told you so, but if he didn’t have a fight over seas coming up, he would have NEVER turned himself in. He hasn’t changed a bit, and you can track my comments back, I said the judge isn’t dumb, and he’ll make an example out of him. If he was fighting in the states, he would never have turned himself in. He hasn’t changed as a man, he wanted to get paid. Serves him right, and lesson learned, make your court dates fellas!!
Some of you obviously haven’t got a clue what you are talking about saying he “hasn’t changed” and “the only reason he turned himself in was so he could fight”. Leben tried to settle this matter over a year ago and some azz-hole probation officer wouldn’t let him transfer his probation to Hawaii where he was being offered the job of a lifetime for most MMA fighters. I believe in being a “stand-up” guy myself but it looks like the only person willing to try and resolve this matter is Chris…..not the system.
I didn’t realize the people in charge have to allow him to go to hawaii. Do the crime do the time. If the job wanted him that bad he could have finished the “drunk school” and fines and then gone. He didn’t kill someone, so I highly doubt that they are just screwing with him, there are plenty of worse criminals to screw with
i have a friend in the similar situation. he was on probation. he had the oportunity to move a couple states away and get a GOOD job and not hang around with teh same people that he was getting in trouble with. his probation officer refused to transfer his probation.. so he said fuck it and moved anyway. he had to better himself.
yeah, he’s changed, you can see it in that drunken youtube video of his friend punching him. He’s really got new friends and is trying to better himself!! good point leben2006!! lmao
I really hate to pat myself on the back, but ANOTHER good call by me!!
Back to golf on the wii!!
You’re so smart, Kevin.
ay kevin, what happenned to your Lutter/Serra bets? How did that go? lol
lol, I lost money.. good one buddy!!
thnx. i lost too. but just happy to put people down.
he was in training(most likely) before he went to jail, but this will be cutting it close. making weight should be okay as long as he’s close to 185. this is alot to ask of leben against a talent like bisping, but chris has alot of heart and will probably get it done.
plus this would realy hurt the live gate if bisping is scratched. im sure they could find a replacement but not of lebens caliber.
lol lebens caliber??? the only reason people are buying tickets is because Bisping is english, this card isn’t very impressive! Put quarry in there, he didn’t get a good work out last month, and that would be a good test for the count
lebens only lost to silva and macdonald. quarry would make a fine replacement. but imo leben is the better fighter of the 2. im not a fan of lebens, thats just the way i see it. leben is a top 10 mw in my eyesand quarry is just on the cusp.
Leben lost to Kalib Starnes
lol and we all know how good he is. Quarry /Bisping would be a good fight!!
true. forgot about that one and it was just last year, it was a very forgettable fight.
and quarry was destroyed in 1 rnd by franklin, lol and gets rocked in almost all his fights lol, big deal fighter a beat fighter b and so on. it doesnt mean anything, i dont know how this got started but if leben and quarry were to fight, id pick leben. they are both stand-up sluggers and i think leben has the better chin. i do think bisping can beat both guys.
Making weight won’t be a problem, it’ll be conditioning. They base their meals on a 2000 calorie a day diet. As an officer said to me years ago when I told him their food f ing sucked, he replied, “This is designed to keep you alive, want to keep from losing weight? You better get canteen.” Canteen are the extra items you get when people from the outside put money into your account. So he will have a very improper diet and no place to do any cardio. WAR RAMEN NOODLES!!!
Yeah, gotta give it to you, Kevin. You hit the nail on the head. So much for the card.
thanks bro, I appreciate the props. I’m not just some moron teenage kid trolling, even when I say crazy shit, there is a point to it!
whatever dude
Kevin, get off your soap box!
Like all of us well respected MMA fans didn’t see this coming.
Earlier you said the fight card “wasn’t that impressive”?? Wow, you’re joking right? I think the UFC more than made up for the loss of Liddell, not to mention the undercard that was already stacked before the Iceman’s injury.
Do you really follow the sport?
This card wasn’t great with chuck/evans. I agree, the undercard is great, but what about a main event. That’s why they call it that. If they just didn’t have a “main event” for this card, I’d say it’s stacked. Do you really think chuvk/rashad was going any other way than chuck ko’ing him in the 1st?
hey Chad, exactly what makes someone a “well respected mma fan?”
so I guess you think HUGHES/THIAGO isn’t a good main event?
Kevin, let me ask you something. What main event would you make that would just make this PPV a blockbuster? Please…enlighten me.
Also: well respected MMA fans are people that follow the sport, are knowledgeable, attend PPV fights as well as LOCAL cards, and MOST IMPORTANTLY, build the sport up more than tear it down.
I think it’s a decent main event (not because of Hughes) because the styles should make it interesting. I think BJ/Sherk is a main event. I thought silva/hendo. I think fedor/Timmy is a main event. I actually am looing forwrd to the tuf finale and seeing diego sanchez
I agree. It should be an awesome bout against Luigi.
I would really like to see FRANKLIN/HENDO. That would be a main event as well.
I think Hendo KILLS Franklin
I agree. Hendo would take Franklin.
i can say one thing for leben booooty time lol
You guys want me to really impress you??? next up, UFC releases this douche! He’s exciting, but they release guys for less. They are trying to legitimize the sport, they will not condone a guy who had warrants and no intentions of making right with the law…Mark my words!
No way will they release him! And if they do they will be making a big mistake! you think you know everything.
Let one good call go to your head man. UFC is releasing boring/losing fighters. I will mark your words and I hope you are willing to fess up to being wrong. You can hold me on this, I think Leben will still take the fight, and win. Making it almost impossible for the UFC to cut him.
no problem admitting when I’m wrong, it happens so infrequently!! I don’t think I know everything, just go by my track record..don’t hate matthew!!
I thought I was wrong once, but it turns out I was mistaken.
Ouch Lebens out, thats lame. I guess I can’t be right about him beating Bisbing if they don’t fight. Alright then I think they should bring in Franklin like I suggested elsewhere.
If the UFC was going to release Leben, it would have already happened. Dana LOVES the way Leben fights. He knows it’s going to be exciting and almost always a KO, regardless of who wins.
HaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHa!
Now that is a bullshit prediction if I ever heard one!!!
He just recently signed a 6-fight contract and they’re gonna release him for an OLD crime? Yeah…that sounds right.
Leben isn’t going anywhere.
Stop the press, Kevin. I agree if, and only if, Leben drops his next fight. If Leben comes out and is impressive, Dana and Zuffa will know that he puts butts in the seats and cash in their pockets. However, if he loses, bye bye Leben. Just my opinion.
Leben is on a 2 fight win streak. He loses 1 fight and you axe him from the UFC?!
NO WAY MAN.
People can say what they want, but LEBEN always puts on an entertaining fight, win or lose. He’s a warrior with a 10-3 record in the UFC. Anyone who wants him axed from UFC and their weakest division, MW, is absolutely crazy and just hating on him.
Not a chance. Leben not only has a much more impressive UFC record that any of the fighters that were cut, but he always puts on an exciting fight (minus the Starnes fight) and he has a fan following. Much more so than any of the cut fighters. Leben’s contract was just up recently and he was planning in leaving the UFC and spoke quite candidly about doing so. He wanted to and was ready to leave the UFC. But the UFC wanted Chris Leben and the got the deal done.
Leben is in the UFC to stay.
Theres no way chris walks around at 205 and will probaly gain about 5-10 pounds in jail. So bisbing will fight someone else. Atleast Chris dosnt have to worry about this hanging over his head anymore.
You DO NOT gain weight in jail!!!!!!!!!!!
he will get lots of training in the can man