So, remember last night when UFC president Dana White told FoxSports.com that UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis’ (pictured) recent knee injury wouldn’t force him to postpone his December 14 title fight against Josh Thomson?
Yeah, about that…
On Sunday night, “Fox Sports Live” reported Pettis will in fact have to withdraw from the scrap. Now that UFC on FOX 9 is without a main event, the flyweight title tilt between champ Demetrious Johnson and Joseph Benavidez, which was originally scheduled to headline “The Ultimate Fighter 18 Finale,” will now take top billing in Pettis and Thomson’s place.
The lightweight shootout with Gray Maynard and Nate Diaz, which was initially slated to co-headline TUF 18 Finale, now gets bumped to the show’s featured attraction.
Get it? Got it? Good!
UFC on FOX 9 takes place inside Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento, California. The TUF 18 Finale goes down November 30 at Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
No word on how long Pettis will be forced to sit the sidelines. However, White claimed Saturday that his injured knee wouldn’t require surgery. That report should still be accurate.
It is believed Thomson will be allowed to wait for Pettis to return and not have to take another fight in the interim.
Here is UFC on FOX 9’s revised roster:
Darren Uyenoyama vs. John Moraga
Cody McKenzie vs. Sam Stout
Jamie Varner vs. Pat Healy
Roger Bowling vs. Abel Trujillo
Mac Danzig vs. Joe Lauzon
Danny Castillo vs. Edson Barboza
Kelvin Gastelum vs. Court McGee
John Dodson vs. Scott Jorgensen
Chad Mendes vs. Nik Lentz
Carlos Condit vs. Matt Brown
Urijah Faber vs. Michael McDonald
Joseph Benavidez vs. Demetrious Johnson (UFC flyweight champion)
This is what TUF 18 Finale’s current lineup now looks like:
Sean Spencer vs. Sergio Moraes
Tom Niinimäki vs. Rani Yahya
Maximo Blanco vs. Akira Corassani
“TUF 18” women’s tournament final
“TUF 18” men’s tournament final
Nate Diaz vs. Gray Manard
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