Photo by Josh Hedges for UFC.com
UFC featherweight Matt Grice (13-4) was forced off the UFC 136 card after suffering an undisclosed injury. UFC officials announced his withdrawal late Tuesday night on Twitter (@UFC).
Grice had been scheduled to face TUF 12 participant Nam Phan (16-9), who had stepped in for an injured Josh Grispi.
On Wednesday Grice’s replacement was named by UFC officials, pitting Leonard ‘Bad Boy’ Garcia (15-7-1) against Phan in a rematch of their first meeting from last December’s TUF 12 Finale event.
UFC 136 is scheduled to take place on October 8 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. The Phan vs. Garcia bout will take place on the preliminary card of the event.
Both men met for the first time on December 4th at the TUF 12 Finale. Phan had been scheduled to meet housemate Alex Caceres on the card but was replaced by Garcia after he withdrew due to injury. Both Phan and Garcia battled to a split decision with ‘Bad Boy’ getting the judges nod. UFC President Dana White awarded the two the “Fight of the Night” bonus and even offered Phan his win bonus, as he disagreed with the judges decision.
This bout could mean the end for either fighter as both have poor records over their last few fights.
Phan is 1-4 in his previous five, which includes the loss to Garcia but a third straight defeat on his record would likely mean his dismissal. His last fight was in August at UFC 133, losing a unanimous decision to Mike Brown in Philadelphia.
Garcia, who seems to get put into entertaining rematches, faced Chan Sung Jung in his last fight, a rematch of their famous WEC 48 fight in April of 2010. Their rematch ended with the ‘Korean Zombie’ earning a second round submission with the first use of a Twister in the Octagon.