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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
Nam Phan has been forced out of his rematch with Leonard Garcia on next weekend's UFC Fight Night 24 card due to an undisclosed injury, but another fighter will get a chance at revenge on Garcia and a split decision that many didn't agree with.
UFC officials on Wednesday announced Phan's removal from the card, as well as his replacement in "The Korean Zombie" Chan Sung Jung.
Jung-Garcia I took place on the Spike TV prelims of the WEC's only pay-per-view card last April. Jung, who made his debut at that event with a 10-1 record, went toe-to-toe with Garcia in a sloppy, yet thrilling, three round bout, and for many earned two of the rounds. The judges had different ideas, however, and two of them gave the fight to Garcia 29-28, handing Jung the split decision loss. He followed that up with a head kick knockout loss to George Roop in September, and is in desperate need of a win in taking this fight on short notice.
Garcia has posted a 3-2-1 mark over his last six fights, but in the eyes of many very well could have lost all of those fights. Five of his last six fights have garnered split results, and in the case of the Jung fight and the fight with Phan in December, Garcia won despite the protests of most fans.
This bout will remain on the main card of this event, which takes place from Seattle's KeyArena next Saturday, March 26, airing live on Spike TV with Phil Davis vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira in the night's main event.
Penick's Analysis: It's really unfortunate that Phan was forced out of this fight, but the UFC went with the exactly perfect replacement in this situation. Garcia-Jung, while it hasn't held up on multiple viewings as quite the classic many felt it was while watching it, it still was an extremely exciting fight, and this rematch should be as well. Jung really does need this win, and Garcia would I'm sure like to earn a win without controversy in the judging, so it should make for a great replacement fight.
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
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