A back injury and expected surgery have forced Shane Carwin out of his UFC 125 co-main-event fight with fellow heavyweight Roy Nelson.
After dealing with back pain, the former title challenger underwent an MRI on Monday that detected an injury that “may really require surgery,” he wrote on his official website, shane-carwin.com.
UFC officials have not announced his withdrawal from the UFC 125 card, which takes place Jan. 1 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.