In what feels like a broken record, yet another UFC main event has been altered due to injury. Ariel Helwani reports that Light Heavyweight Champion Daniel Cormier has been forced to pull out of his much-anticipated rematch with Jon Jones at UFC 197 due to an undisclosed injury.
The fight was already in jeopardy this week after Jones was arrested Tuesday for a probation violation and spent a day in jail. Eventually after he was released, it was announced that the fight would go on, so it’s likely the UFC tries to salvage the event by finding a replacement opponent for Jones.
One of the popular names mentioned as a possible replacement for Cormier has been Anthony “Rumble” Johnson but Helwani notes that Johnson has yet to be contacted by the UFC.
Also, according to his team, @anthony_rumble hasn’t been offered anything as of now, either.
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) April 2, 2016
It was Johnson whom Cormier defeated for the Light Heavyweight Championship after Jones vacated the title and took a hiatus to enter rehab. Neither the UFC nor Jones or Cormier has yet to issue a statement on the injury or the status of the event.
Depending on the severity of the injury, the rematch between Jones and Cormier could simply be rescheduled for a later date. The bout has been anticipated since Cormier took the vacant title during Jones’ rehab stint and pleaded with him after the fight, “Jon Jones, get your sh*t together. I’m waiting for you.”
(Via MMA Fighting)