3 days ago
UFC 319 faces disruption after back-to-back fight cancellations within 24 hours
King Green (Image Source: Getty)
Sudden upheaval has struck UFC 319, which was set to be headlined by the highly anticipated middleweight title clash between champion Dricus du Plessis and challenger Khamzat Chimaev.
Injuries sidelined two primary undercard bouts just a day before fight night in Chicago; the fights on the eve of the main card were aimed at building momentum for the main card. It is this rare double punch that has made the promotion scramble, changing the card at the last minute.
King Green
vs. Diego Ferreira pulled as Green says 'I can't walk'
The first match to fall was that of UFC veteran King Green vs. Diego Ferreira, a lightweight bout which was withdrawn with less than 48 hours to go until UFC 319 after Green sustained an undisclosed injury. Then Green posted a very emotional, bloody, and 'real' Instagram story after, which read:
"I said I would never pull out of a fight… this one is different.
I can't even f***ing walk.'
Ferreira, who had been pursuing the fight for some time, expressed his frustration but remained optimistic about the possibility of rescheduling. He labeled Green as "a veteran" and said he wished it had happened later in the process. The only casualty of the rearrangement is UFC 319 losing its marquee middleweight title fight.
TUF 33 welterweight finale also cancelled, to be rescheduled
Within three hours of the Green-Ferreira fight being scratched, another bout fell through, this one the welterweight final of Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 33 between Rodrigo Sezinando and Daniil Donchenko.
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The reason for the cancellation comes from a fight week injury, though it is now known which of the two fighters has been struck down.
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FC officials intend to rebook the match for later, and several outlets report that Noche UFC 3 on September 13 in San Antonio is the new target. A flyweight TUF finale between Alibi Idiris and Joseph Morales is still on the card and remains tentatively slated to move forward as scheduled.
UFC adds fresh matchup in the middleweight division
To balance out the card and to make sure that it doesn't decline depth, the UFC quickly added a middleweight bout featuring a pair of newcomers: Baisangur Susurkaev (9-0) and Eric Nolan (8-3). Susurkaev had only booked his place in the Octagon at a Tuesday finish on Dana White's Contender Series, while Nolan rides in off a four-fight win streak.
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Overall, the undercard for UFC 319 shrank in a hurry as the show neared, but the promotion was quick to the punch to save the card and fans' interest. That being said, the headline attraction is still intact while providing new interest with a newly minted middleweight clash.
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