The UFC revealed Phan as Grispi’s replacement late Thursday night.

Though the reason for Grispi’s decision to pull out of UFC 136 weren’t immediately available, he later took to his Twitter and explained the circumstances leading to today’s announcement.

“Complications with my wife’s pregnancy,” Grispi explained. “I’m kinda strapped down and can’t train as hard as I need to…Can’t afford to lose.”

“The Fluke” is coming off back-to-back losses in the UFC after a flawless run in WEC including wins over Jens Pulver, L.C. Davis, and Mark Hominick.

Phan has also come up short in his last two trips to the cage, though in fairness to the well-rounded 28-year old one of the bouts involved scoring so controversial he was still awarded a win bonus despite the defeat. Always a tough draw, he has finished three-quarters of the opponents he’d beaten with seven TKOs and five submissions.

In Grice he will face an accomplished amateur wrestler who has won four of his last five fights and holds an overall record of 14-4 with ten finishing performances to his credit.

UFC 136 is set for October 8 in Houston, Texas and co-headlined by a pair of championship clashes in the form of lightweight Frank Edgar putting his belt on the line against Gray Maynard and 145-pound phenom Jose Aldo taking on Ken Florian.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

The UFC officially announced the pairing through their website along with a heavyweight scrap at the show featuring Dave Herman and Mike Russow.

At this point a year ago Grispi was viewed as being the top threat to 145-pound champ Jose Aldo’s belt but was picked apart by Dustin Poirier at UFC 125 while waiting for the Brazilian title-holder to heal from an injury. He then followed up the lackluster performance with a similar outing last month against George Roop. However, the defeats were only the second and third of the young Northeasterner’s career and ended a ten-fight winning streak. “The Fluke” holds an overall record of 14-3 with thirteen stoppages including success against Jens Pulver, L.C. Davis, and Mark Hominick.

Grice is also likely competing for continued employment in the UFC this fall after suffering an opening round TKO loss at UFC Live 4 in his return to the company’s stage. Prior to the knockout the 29-year old had strung together a quartet of victories including two first frame finishes.

UFC 136 is scheduled for Houston and is expected to involve a “Fan Expo” in addition to a possible title-fight between heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez and explosive striker Junior dos Santos.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

According to a report by the Boston Herald, and since confirmed by a number of other media outlets, an agreement is in place for Grispi to fight George Roop on June 4 at the standard, season-ending Ultimate Fighter event.

Roop is coming off a TKO loss to Mark Hominick last month at Fight Night 23 who coincidentally earned the title-shot Grispi lost with the performance. He is 11-7-1 in his career with a notable draw against Leonard Garcia at WEC 47 and a highly-memorable kick-based knockout of Chan Sung Jung six months later at WEC 51.

The 22-year old Grispi holds a record of 14-2 and has finished thirteen of the opponents he’s beaten. Prior to his loss at UFC 125 he had been riding a ten-fight win streak including victories over Hominick, Jens Pulver, and L.C. Davis.

The Ultimate Fighter 13 Finale is scheduled to take place at the Palms Casino in Las Vegas and, in addition to Grispi vs. Roop, is set to feature a clash between top lightweight contenders Clay Guida and Anthony Pettis as well as the crowning of TUF 13’s champion.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

However, UFC 145-pound champ Jose Aldo is far from an average 24-year old, let alone person, and rather than drinking the night away amongst friends he will likely turn in early in preparation for the biggest fight of his six-year career.

Aldo recently talked to Tatame about his upcoming bout at UFC 125 – the grandest stage he’s ever competed on – against 14-1 featherweight Josh “The Fluke” Grispi and why he felt the right man was fighting him for the strap on January 1st, 2011.

“I’m focused,” said the dynamic, young Brazilian. “I have to defend my belt with all my strength. I live for it, I train for it, so I have to keep the rhythm on the trainings and give my best up there. I have to do the right game plan. I’m prepared and within time we’ll make things right.”

Aldo also explained he not only his openness to dealing with a change from originally rumored contender Mark Hominick to Grispi, but his approval of the move based on his 22-year old opponent’s success against the Canadian at WEC 52.

“I think Grispi deserved it, even because of the fact he beat Hominick. He’s a great fighter and he deserves to be in there with me,” Aldo expressed on the subject of Grispi’s first-round submission victory and title-shot.

After explaining he was focusing his training towards mat-based action even though “The Fluke” has a near-even split between TKO/submission wins, Aldo elaborated on his motivation for his chosen profession was not about gold but rather something far more profound.

“I’m training hard, and I always will,” said Aldo. “I fight for my fans, my gym, my Brazil, and everybody that likes me, so every time I (compete) I’ll give my best – it doesn’t matter what happens, it’ll always be my best…not just for me, but for all people who follow me, that cheer for me and want me to win.”

Aldo is 18-1 in his career with eleven consecutive wins currently to his credit. He has TKO’d seven of the last eight individuals he’s faced in the ring with the lone exception being Urijah Faber at WEC 48.

News of the switch was reported by Heavy.com.

In a press conference earlier this week, UFC President Dana White stated that he considered Aldo one of the top three pound-for-pound fighters in the world. The Brazilian Muay Thai fighter is on an 11-fight winning streak, and has won all eight of his WEC bouts–with only one fight going to decision. His most recent outing was an impressive knockout victory over Manny Gamburyan, and he holds notable wins over Urijah Faber, Mike Brown, and Cub Swanson.

Grispi was signed by the WEC after going 10-1 in smaller organizations and currently holds a record of 14-1. He is coming off of a first-round technical submission victory over L.C. Davis. The guillotine earned him “Submission of the Night” honors. Grispi also defeated Jens Pulver and Mark Hominick by submission and defeated Micah Miller by TKO.

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Josh Grispi Added to WEC 52 (Versus.com)

The news come courtesy of a report by Michael David Smith of AOL’s MMA Fanhouse, who is quoting officials with the WEC.

The Pulver vs. Grispi joins a deep WEC 41 lineup that already includes WEC featherweight champion Mike Thomas Brown defending his title vs. former champion Urijah Faber, Donald Cerrone vs. Richard Crunkilton in a lightweight bout, and former UFC lightweight Manny Gamburyan making his WEC debut vs. John Franchi.

Pulver, 22-11-1, is a former UFC lightweight champion who has fallen on tough times recently losing his last three consecutive fights as well as having sustained defeats in five out of his last six fights. The 34-year old Washington native is considered a true lighter weight pioneer and holds notable career victories over B.J. Penn, Dennis Hallman, Caol Uno, and Joe Stevenson.

Grispi is a 20-year Massachusetts native who is 12-1 overall in his career. Currently on an eight fight win streak, Grispi is 2-0 while competing under the WEC banner and holds wins over Micah Miller and Mark Hominick.

WEC 41 will air on the Versus Network and will emanate from the Arco Arena, home to the NBA’s Sacramento Kings.

A featherweight (140 lbs.) bout between Wilson Reis and Brian Caraway is the latest fight to be added to EliteXC’s upcoming “Unfinished Business” card on July 26 in Stockton, Calif.

FiveOuncesOfPain.com learned of the news after contacting EliteXC Vice President Jared Shaw.

According to Shaw, the Reis vs. Caraway matchup will be the opener of SHOWTIME’s telecast at 8 p.m. ET, which will feature two fights and lead into CBS’ second-ever telecast of “Saturday Night Fights” at 9 p.m. ET.

Shaw also revealed to Five Ounces of Pain that light heavyweight sensation Rafael Feijao could be added to the card if a proper opponent can be secured.

A title will not be at stake when Reis and Caraway fight. Shaw indicated that it could be until next year until a title at 140 pounds is instituted by the promotion.

Reis, one of the fasting rising stars in the lighter weight ranks, is 2-0 in EliteXC and 4-0 lifetime as a pro. He made his EliteXC debut during the promotion’s ShoXC event this past January in Atlantic City, N.J., where he submitted former Division I wrestler Zach Makovsky with a rear naked choke in round 2. He followed up the win by submitting Justin Robbins with another rear naked choke, this time in round 1, during the undercard of EliteXC’s debut on CBS’ “Saturday Night Fights” in Newark, N.J. this past May.

Caraway fought and won on last Friday’s Strikeforce show that featured Josh Thomson winning the Strikeforce lightweight title from Gilbert Melendez. Fighting Alvin Cacdac, Caraway won via a rear naked choke submission at 1:39 of round 1. The victory was his seventh straight and improved his overall record to 9-2.

Training under Dennis Hallman, Caraway is undefeated at fights contested at 145 lbs. or lower.