Best of UFC 88

Rashad Evans was the decided underdog going in to his fight with UFC megastar Chuck Liddell. Much of the talk focused on the potential profits of a Liddell-Forrest Griffin title fight, just assuming that Chuck would make short work of the The Ultimate Fighter 2 winner.

It was thought that Evans would be as elusive as possible, take potshots at Liddell, and maybe even take him down. Eventually, no matter how perfect Rashad fought, The Iceman would connect with one of his devastating right hands and end the young star's night.

A right hand did end the night early; it just wasn't Liddell's right hand. Evans hit the former Light Heavyweight Champion with a punch that knocked him out cold. When Chuck's head bounced face first off the mat, the insanely pro-Liddell crowd fell into an eerie silence. The PPV cameras cut away, but ringside we could see Chuck's legs twitching wildly. Our UGO photographer, right in front of the prone Liddell, saw his eyes rolling around rapidly in their sockets. As Doctors rushed oxygen to the ring to revive him, there was legitimate fear for his well being. Luckily, the gritty former champ struggled out on his own power, even taking the time to tell UGO what happened at the end.

"I got caught," Liddell said. "What else do you want me to say?"

Evans earned more than a victory at UFC 88. His impressive win shot him immediately into top contender status. "Lorenzo (Fertitta), Joe (Silva) and I got together and decided that he gets the next shot," UFC President Dana White said. "How could you say he doesn't deserve the shot after tonight?"