Ian McCall has been forced to pull out of UFC Belfast, according to reports, after a suspected stomach bug.
Uncle Creepy accepted the invitation from Dubliner Neil Seery after his UFC 203 bout with Ray Borg was scrapped at late notice.
This weekend’s Fight Night event was set to double as Seery’s retirement bout. Two Tap was hoping to go out on a high against McCall but is now without an opponent with just over 24 hours to go.
The withdrawal of McCall from the card comes with MMA Junkie reporting he ‘became ill’ in the lead-up to the weigh-in. This would mark the fourth time in 2016 McCall has made it to fight week without actually stepping into the Octagon.
In order to receive his full fight purse, Seery weighed in this morning and came in at 126 lbs.
Always a professional https://t.co/Lu5haykU2J
— Neil 2 Tap Seery (@NeilSeeryMMA) November 18, 2016
It is not yet clear whether a late replacement will be sought. One man willing to help out is the first fighter to ever hand flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson a loss – England’s Brad Pickett. One Punch tweeted:
I'm more than happy to save the day for @NeilSeeryMMA I'm here and would fight at a catch weight no problem 👍🏻 @seanshelby @danawhite
— Brad Pickett (@One_Punch) November 18, 2016
One hopes this is not the end of the line for Seery, an icon of the Irish MMA scene.
Aaron Kernan joins Colm Parkinson on The GAA Hour to explain the work he’s doing for the Club Players Association. Derry captain Chrissy McKaigue talks Slaughtneil and a Dublin club advertising for hurlers gets a sore touch. Subscribe here on iTunes.
