Light heavyweight contender Ovince Saint Preux is in need of a new opponent at UFC on FOX 27.
We’re just over two weeks into 2018 and yet another UFC event has seen either the main or co-main event fall through.
On Tuesday, light heavyweight contender Ovince Saint Preux announced on Twitter that Ilir Latifi had pulled out of their UFC on FOX 27 co-main event due to injury. As OSP wrote, he’s willing to move up to heavyweight to remain on the card.
. @Latifimma is hurt & out of our scrap next Sat in Charlotte, NC #UFConFOX27 who wants to step up and scrap? I’m even open to going up in weight if NO guys in my division will step up? Looking for someone to do what I do: step up and fight… pic.twitter.com/lvznRvE22I
— Ovince Saint Preux (@003_OSP) January 17, 2018
Details on Latifi’s injury were not disclosed.
Saint Preux (22-10) is riding a three-fight winning streak, recording Von Flue chokes against Marcos Rogerio de Lima and Yushin Okami, then spectacularly knocking out Corey Anderson with a head kick at UFC 217. It’s been a great turnaround for OSP after suffering three consecutive defeats to Jon Jones, Jimi Manuwa, and Volkan Oezdemir.
Latifi (13-5, 1 NC) defeated Tyson Pedro by unanimous decision at UFC 215, in what was his only appearance in 2017. This injury will obviously push back his 2018 debut, and it leaves UFC officials needing a new co-main event on less than two weeks’ notice.
UFC on FOX 27 takes place on Saturday, January 27th in Charlotte, North Carolina. The card is headlined by a middleweight bout between Ronaldo Souza and Derek Brunson.