One of the most anticipated fights of UFC 192 and the co-main event of the card is now officially scrapped.
Friday morning, UFC president Dana White took to Twitter to announce that due to weight-cutting issues with former UFC welterweight champion Johny Hendricks, the fight against Tyron Woodley would be off the event entirely.
Coming into the weekend, this fight between elite contenders looked to be a title eliminator at 170 pounds. Both Hendricks and Woodley were passed over in favor of the returning Carlos Condit. Hendricks told MMAJunkie.com that if he knocked Woodley out at UFC 192, he would be upset if a title shot didn’t come next.
That is now completely moot.
There is no official word from the UFC regarding what comes next. Do they reschedule this fight? Does Woodley get his show money? Is Woodley now next in line following Hendricks’ inability to make the contracted weight for this event? Those questions will be answered in due time.
For now, all we are left with is the empty feeling of having one of the better fights on the docket pulled from the card.
Hendrick’s manager, Ted Ehrhardt, gave a statement to Ariel Helwani regarding the situation citing a blockage in his intestine, in addition to a kidney stone. Hendricks was taken to the emergency room and given an IV.
UFC vice president of public relations relayed information from the matchmakers, Joe Silva and Sean Shelby, that Ali Bagautinov vs. Joseph Benavidez would move up to the main card for UFC 192. The light heavyweight tilt between No. 4-ranked contender Ryan Bader and No. 5-ranked Rashad Evans will be the new co-main event in Houston.
UFC 192 takes place this Saturday, Oct. 3, and Bleacher Report will have continuing coverage of all the happenings surrounding the event.
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