Rani Yahya – image via UFC.com
Overshadowed by the changes to both the UFC 149 and UFC on FOX 4 cards involving big names such as Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua vs. Brandon Vera, and Tim Boetsch vs. Hector Lombard, another bout from the FOX card saw a change on Wednesday.
Featherweight Pablo ‘The Scarecrow’ Garza (11-3) has been forced to withdraw from his UFC on FOX 4 match against Josh ‘The Fluke’ Grispi after succumbing to the injury bug.
Stepping in for Garza will be Brazilian Rani Yahya (16-7).
In other UFC on FOX 4 injury news, featherweight Pablo Garza has had to withdraw from a bout with Josh Grispi. Rani Yahya will step in as the the replacement, which may change Grispi’s game plan — Yahya is an ultra-dangerous grappling specialist with a near 90% finishing rate via submission.
UFC on Fox: Shogun vs. Vera is expected to take place on August 4, 2012 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The Rua vs. Vera bout was moved to the main event of the FOX show from the UFC 149 card, which saw Boetsch matched up versus Lombard after Boetsch’s original opponent, Michael Bisping, withdrew due to injury.
Yahya is 1-1 in the UFC, having lost a decision to Chad Mendes at UFC 133 in August of last year. Yahya had been booked to face Jonathan Brookins last February at UFC on FUEL TV 1 but was forced out with an injury. Yahya’s last win came in January 2011 at the Fight for the Troops 2 show, with a decision victory over Mike Brown.
Grispi is still looking for his first Octagon victory, going 0-2 after ten straight victories before joining the UFC. Grispi was stopped by George Roop one-year-ago at the TUF 13 Finale after a body shot forced him to quit in the third round of their match. Grispi was scheduled to meet Matt Grice at UFC 136 but suffered an injury and withdrew from the October show. Grispi lost his debut to Dustin Poirier at UFC 125 and had his last win at WEC 49 via technical submission against LC Davis.