For a second time, injury has delayed the UFC debut of veteran women’s bantamweight Shayna Baszler.
Baszler has been forced to withdraw from her scheduled rematch against Sarah Kaufman after sustaining an undisclosed injury two weeks out from this month’s TUF Nations Finale.
The search for a short-notice replacement opponent for Kaufman is currently underway.
UFC officials announced the news late Tuesday.
What lady is stepping up with @QoSBaszler out? Come try to beat up a Canadian!! @ufc
— Sarah Kaufman (@mmasarah) April 2, 2014
Baszler (15-8), one of the initial favorites on The Ultimate Fighter 18, was unable to make her debut at that season’s finale after suffering a broken foot in training. The injury compounded what was already a disappointing experience on the show, as Baszler, Team Rousey’s No. 1 pick, was upset in the first fight of the season by eventual TUF 18 winner Julianna Pena.
“When the show aired, it was like reliving it,” Baszler said on Monday’s episode of The MMA Hour. “Then you have all those brave souls out there who are working at their whatever job that choose to get on the internet and be mixed martial arts experts who know everything that’s going on in your head and who you are and whatnot, that kind of ticked me off.”
Kaufman (16-2, 1 NC), a former Strikeforce champion and the current No. 5 ranked fighter in the division, now awaits a new opponent in her quest to obtain her elusive first UFC win. The 28-year-old initially lost a controversial split decision to Jessica Eye at UFC 166, although that result was later overturned into a ‘no decision’ due to Eye’s failed post-fight drug test.
TUF Nations Finale takes place April 16, 2014 at the Colisée Pepsi in Quebec City, Canada. An updated fight card can be seen below.
- Michael Bisping vs. Tim Kennedy
- Patrick Cote vs. Kyle Noke
- TBA vs. TBA (TUF Nations middleweight final)
- TBA vs. TBA (TUF Nations welterweight final)
- Dustin Poirier vs. Akira Corassani
- Sarah Kaufman vs. TBA
- Sam Stout vs. K.J. Noons
- Evan Dunham vs. Mark Bocek
- Ryan Jimmo vs. Sean O’Connell
- Dustin Kimura vs. George Roop
- Mitch Gagnon vs. Tim Gorman