Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Former WSOF champion David Branch reportedly was forced off the Sept. 14 card due to a “health issue.”
The first change to the UFC Vancouver card has occurred.
Replacing David Branch, Marvin Vettori is set to meet Andrew Sanchez in a middleweight bout on Sept. 14, The Canadian Press reported Thursday. Branch was reportedly forced out of the contest due to a “health issue.” MMA Junkie first reported Branch’s withdrawal.
Vettori is coming off a win over Cezar Ferreira in July at UFC Sacramento. He returned to the cage in that bout after a 15-month layoff due to a positive USADA test for ostarine. Vettori served a six-month suspension, but the UFC’s anti-doping partner determined his failure was consistent with supplement contamination.
Prior to his win over Ferreira, Vettori fell to current interim champion Israel Adesanya in a competitive decision. The Italian fighter is 3-2-1 in the UFC.
In his last bout, Sanchez defeated Canadian prospect Marc-Andre Barriault in May at UFC Ottawa. Sanchez, 31, has won two in a row.
UFC Vancouver is expected to be headlined by a lightweight bout between Justin Gaethje and Donald Cerrone.