Tony Ferguson did not have to wait long for a new opponent.
Ferguson will be quite accustomed to opponents pulling out at this stage. He was expected to take on Khabib Nurmagomedov last December but the undefeated Russian withdrew with an injury and was replaced by Edson Barboza.
A rematch with Michael Johnson, Ferguson’s only UFC defeat, was slated for UFC 196 in March but Johnson pulled out with a shoulder injury.
And now, Ferguson’s upcoming clash with Michael Chiesa has been hit by the injury curse as Chiesa has been forced out of the fight with a ruptured disc.
The Ultimate Fighter season 13 winner Ferguson will now fight the unheralded Landon Vannata in the co-main event of UFC Sioux Falls, next month.
“A back injury has forced me out of my scheduled fight for July 13th against Tony Ferguson,” Chiesa explained on his Facebook page. “During a routine training session, I felt a pop and shift in my lower back followed by very very sharp pains that left me on the floor. I found out today I have a fully ruptured disk, I will undergo 8 weeks of physical therapy and rehab to hopefully avoid having to go under the knife and get back surgery.”
Ferguson is currently the owner of one of the most impressive win-streaks in the UFC, with seven consecutive victories in the UFC’s lightweight division, and it would have been tremendously difficult to deny ‘El Cucuy’ a title shot if he’d gotten past Chiesa.
Ferguson’s July 13 fight will now share the main event slot with the John Lineker vs. Michael McDonald bout.
