A potential fight between recent bantamweight contenders Sara McMann and Cat Zingano isn’t likely to happen.
Not in July, anyway.
According to a report on UFC Tonight on Wednesday, Zingano won’t be ready by July 15, which was the date the UFC was hoping to stage a fight between her and the former Olympic wrestler, McMann.
Zingano’s manager, Ed Soares, told Ariel Helwani that she is still nursing some bumps and bruises, and won’t be ready for the proposed UFC Fight Night date in San Diego. Zingano fought Ronda Rousey for the title at UFC 184 in Los Angeles, but lasted only 14 seconds before tapping out to an armbar.
Soares said that a more realistic timetable for Zingano would be this fall. One potential opponent for Zingano when she is ready might be Julianna Pena, who won The Ultimate Fighter 18. UFC Tonight reported that Pena’s head coach, Rick Little, said that a fight with Zingano is something they are interested in.
“That’s the best fight for [Pena’s] career path,” he said.
Pena is coming off of an emphatic TKO victory over Milana Dudieva at UFC Fight Night 63 in early April.
McMann, meanwhile, wants to still fight on the July 15 card, which takes place at the Valley View Casino Center. According to the report, she is willing to fight anyone — “it doesn’t matter who” — if matchmaker Sean Shelby can oblige her.