The UFC hasn’t been able to find a replacement opponent for Ben Rothwell next week following an injury to Stipe Miocic, and as such he’s been pulled from the UFC Fight Night 76 card.
Advertisement
Miocic’s manager, Greg Kalikas, told MMAjunkie via a text message that the 33-year-old’s injury is “not serious” and added that he should be back in the Octagon by the end of the year. These things happen, and I’d like to hope that everything happens for a reason. Especially in a thin division like heavyweight, there just aren’t that many options, and no guarantee that the few fighters that fit the bill would be in any place to step into the cage on short notice. Big Ben made it known that he would like to be considered in case Overeem withdraws from the said fight. One hundred percent ready to go for next week.
UFC officials on Wednesday announced that they were unable to secure a suitable replacement to face Rothwell, so that bout has been pulled from the card altogether. In addition, while Spong is a decorated kickboxer, he has only had two professional MMA fights, and to throw him into the cage with a top-10 heavyweight would be a tough UFC debut for the Blackzilians product.
Advertisement
Meanwhile, the UFC taken the decision to move a fight between Norman Parke and Reza Madadi, which had originally been scheduled to serve as the featured preliminary bout, all the way up to the co-main event spot on the four-fight main card. “I’ve been waiting 16 years to fight in front of a crowd like that, so I will pray before it’s all over that I get that chance”.
