As of today, the main event for UFC 96 in Columbus is Shane Carwin vs. Gabriel Gonzaga. As recently as the UFC 92 post-show conference Dana White expressed an interest in having Chuck Liddell headline the show, but Dave Meltzer reported on his radio show that Chuck does not want to fight in March.
March is likely too soon for Mir-Lesnar. Neither are hurt, but that is a fight they want to have time to build. I think that fight will most likely happen in Montreal at UFC 97. Similarly, Hughes-Serra can't happen there because it is set for May and Serra is busy taking care of a newborn. Wanderlei can't rebound that fast, the Lightweight and Welterweight champions are both in a fight five weeks earlier, and Randy Couture just had surgery.
Gonzaga-Carwin is an awful main event. It would really test the lower bounds of the UFC brand power, because the fights below it aren't anything special. Carwin has never been part of an advertised main card, and Gonzaga is not a draw. If Chuck Liddell is out, the only possible fight out there that can really carry this card is Rampage Jackson vs. Rashad Evans for the Light Heavyweight championship.
Even that fight is pushing it. Neither man was hurt in their last fight, and Jackson took no real damage at all, but if they sign on now they are looking at 6-7 week camps before they get into Columbus. It's possible, and guys have come in on far less notice in the past, but if they can't get that the card is in serious trouble.
The lesson here in my view is that they let too many guys have their way and fight in December, and now nobody is ready. Wanderlei wanted to be on the biggest card of the year, and so did Quinton, and they got their way, and now that they need a quick turnaround it's harder to do. They simply don't have enough main event talent to do triple main events and get away with it. UFC 95 has a terrible main event, and UFC 96 is even worse at this point.. At least 95 is on Spike.
