Former UFC light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz has been forced to withdraw from his upcoming UFC Fight Night 24 main event bout with Antônio Rogério Nogueira (19-4) according to UFC President Dana White who posted the update via Twitter (@DanaWhite) Saturday night.
“Tito has pulled out of fight night due to getting stitches. 8-0 Phil davis will be fighting lil nog now and is pumped for this fight!”
So undefeated “Mr Wonderful” Phil Davis (8-0) has been tagged as Ortiz’ replacement for the March 26 event in Seattle, Washington. Davis had been originally scheduled to face Matt Hamill at UFC 129, but was instead given Jason Brilz when Hamill was given opponent Quinton “Rampage” Jackson at UFC 130.
“The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” posted this notice on Twitter (@titoortiz) as the reason for his withdrawal.
“22 stitches and a bad concussion sucks but I will heal and be better soon.”
While MMAjunkie.com managed to get the scoop on exactly what happened, noting that Ortiz was injured during a training session when he was accidentally headbutted. A MRI and a CT scan showed nothing serious and the former champ did end up with stitches that forced him to withdraw.
Davis is 8-0 so far having last fought in November at UFC 123. At the Detroit area event Davis earned a submission win over Tim Boetsch using the “Mr Wonderful” submission, a modified kimura, to earn the victory and the “Submission of the Night” bonus. It was his fourth UFC victory and fourth in 2010 since stepping into the octagon in February against Brian Stann, earning a unanimous decision in that fight.
Rogério Nogueira had a seven fight win streak stopped by Ryan Bader last September, losing a unanimous decision to the fighter. It was his third UFC bout having also earned a split decision over Jason Brilz at UFC 114, plus the “Fight of the Night” bonus, and a TKO win over Luiz Arthur Cane at UFC 106 in his debut, which also netted him the “Knockout of the Night” bonus.
UFC Fight Night 24 (aka UFC Fight night: Nogueira vs. Davis possibly but not official) will take place on March 26 at the Key Arena in Seattle, Washington.