Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) bantamweight, John Lineker, has withdrawn from tomorrow night’s (Sat., June 22, 2019) UFC Fight Night 154 co-main event, according to MMA Junkie, leaving opponent, Rob Font, without a date to the big dance.
The Brazilian’s manager, Alex Davis, told MMA Fighting that “Hands of Stone” suffered a cut above his eyebrow while sparring on Thursday, one that was apparently severe enough to prompt his removal from the ESPN+ fight card.
That means Lineker was either dumb enough to be sparring without headgear two days before the fight, or the injury is an excuse to mask issues with his weight cut, something that has plagued the former flyweight throughout his career.
Lineker was a late replacement for the wounded Cody Stamann.
Either way, it’s a shitty turn of events and a card that was already thin on “names” just got even thinner. Let’s hope the main event between Renato Moicano and Chan Sung Jung lasts all five rounds and delivers a “Fight of the Year” candidate.
To see the revised UFC Greenville fight card and line up click here.